If you’re looking for a water park that’s easy to get to by public transport, The Wave in Coventry should definitely be on your radar. Located just a few minutes’ walk from Coventry Station, it’s one of the UK’s most impressive indoor water parks and a fantastic option for families, whatever the weather.
During our latest visit, we were invited along to capture content before the water park opened to guests. This gave us a rare opportunity to explore and film the attraction while it was completely empty, something that isn’t normally possible as photography and filming are prohibited during public sessions to protect guests’ privacy.
Having the place to ourselves for a short time allowed us to properly appreciate the scale of the attraction. From the towering water slides to the colourful splash zones and wave pool, it was clear from the moment we walked in that this isn’t your average leisure centre pool. It’s a purpose built water park designed for thrill seekers, younger children and everyone in between.
Whether you’re planning a family day out, looking for somewhere to entertain the kids during the school holidays or simply wondering if The Wave Coventry is worth the hype, here’s everything you need to know from our visit.
We travelled to Coventry by train from London Euston, mainly because I had absolutely no desire to tackle the drive. The journey couldn’t have been easier and, depending on the service you choose, can take as little as an hour.
If you’re planning a visit, I’d definitely recommend booking your train tickets as far in advance as possible, as this is usually when you’ll find the best fares. We used a combination of split ticketing and a Family & Friends Railcard to keep costs down. The railcard offers discounted travel for adults when travelling with a child aged 5 to 15 and can quickly pay for itself if you travel regularly.
For anyone unfamiliar with split ticketing, it’s exactly what it sounds like. Instead of buying one ticket for your entire journey, the route is split into multiple tickets, often resulting in substantial savings. Websites such as TrainSplit do all the hard work for you and can help uncover fares that don’t always appear through standard booking sites.
Despite leaving it fairly late to book, we paid just £37.88 for our return tickets. The same journey was showing at around £70 elsewhere, so it was definitely worth taking a few extra minutes to shop around. With Coventry Station located just a short walk from The Wave, travelling by train turned out to be a convenient and stress free option from start to finish.
Once inside, each guest is given a wristband which doubles as your locker key. It’s a small detail, but one I really appreciated. There’s no need to carry a key around the water park or worry about losing it while you’re on the slides, and as someone who rarely carries cash, the cashless system made everything feel quick and hassle free.
Each session at The Wave Coventry lasts for two hours and, honestly, we found that to be the perfect amount of time. It gave us plenty of opportunity to experience the slides, enjoy the wave pool and explore the different areas without feeling rushed.
As with any popular water park, you can expect queues for some of the headline attractions, particularly the most thrilling slides. However, that’s simply part and parcel of visiting a well-loved attraction. The queues moved steadily during our visit and we still managed to ride some of our favourite slides more than once, which says a lot about how efficiently things are run.
If you’re hoping to make the most of your visit, it may be worth considering one of the earlier sessions of the day. Of course, there’s never a guarantee when it comes to crowd levels, but arriving early often gives you the best chance of shorter waits. The final session of the day could also be worth considering, although this can vary.
One thing that really impressed us was the water temperature. The main water park pools are heated to a lovely 30°C, making the whole experience comfortable from start to finish. There’s nothing worse than spending a day shivering between attractions, and thankfully that wasn’t an issue here. Even the 25 metre swimming pool is maintained at a warm 28°C to 29°C.
Ticket Prices at The Wave Coventry
• Adults (12+) from £15 off peak or £19.70 peak
• Juniors (11 and under) from £13 off peak or £15 peak
• Family Ticket (2 adults and 2 juniors) from £47 off peak or £58 peak
• Infants go free
The Wave also hosts specialist sessions throughout the year, including Parent and Toddler sessions for younger children and Quiet Sessions designed to provide a more relaxed experience. If either of these sounds like something your family would enjoy, I’d recommend checking the official website for the latest dates, times and availability before booking.
After visiting, it’s easy to understand why The Wave is often regarded as one of the best indoor water parks in the UK. The combination of thrilling slides, family friendly attractions, warm pools and excellent facilities creates a day out that genuinely caters for all ages.
Whether you’re travelling from London, Birmingham or somewhere closer to Coventry, The Wave is absolutely worth considering for your next family day out. It’s clean, well maintained, easy to reach by public transport and packed with enough attractions to keep everyone entertained. If you’re searching for one of the best family water parks in England, The Wave Coventry more than lives up to the hype.
