The Wave Coventry Waterpark

If you are looking for an indoor water park in Coventry where you can mix proper thrills with family-friendly splash time, The Wave is designed to do exactly that. It is a city-centre waterpark with six headline slides, a Wave Pool, a Lazy River, and a dedicated splash zone for younger children called The Reef.

There is also a practical advantage that matters when you are planning a weekend outing: sessions run in clearly timed blocks, and booking is primarily online, so you can plan your arrival, parking, and time in the water with less guesswork.

A quick note on ‘The Wave’ name confusion

The Wave in Coventry is operated by CV Life, and the venue makes it clear it is not connected to other similarly named facilities, including surfing-related venues. It also states that no surfing-related activities are available at this site.

Last updated: 1 January 2026

Prices and opening times last checked: 1 January 2026 (official venue sources)

• Location: New Union St, Coventry, CV1 2PS
• Type: Indoor waterpark in Coventry city centre
• Core attractions: Six main slides, Wave Pool, Lazy River, and The Reef splash zone
• Session style: Timed waterpark sessions (commonly 2-hour blocks)
• Booking: Online booking is the default, and walk-in admission is not guaranteed
• Accessibility: Accessible facilities listed on-site, including pool hoist and pool pod (with a stair-access requirement for the slides)

The Wave is best thought of as three experiences under one roof:

1. Thrill rides (the six big slides) – for teens, adults, and confident older children who meet the restrictions.
2. Shared-water fun (Wave Pool and Lazy River) – ideal for mixed groups where not everyone wants slides all session.
3. Younger children’s play (The Reef) – a splash area focused on smaller slides, tipping buckets, jets, and fountains.

This layout makes it genuinely workable for families: one part of the group can do repeat slide runs while others rotate through the Wave Pool, The Reef, and the Lazy River.

The Wave’s slide line-up is branded and individually themed. The venue describes these as: The Crestar, The Cascade, The Rapids, The Riptide, The Torrent, and The Cyclone.

Here is what each one is known for, based on the venue’s own ride descriptions:

• The Torrent – a drop-style ride where the floor disappears before the plunge.
• The Cyclone – an open-bowl style ride that spins you before the final drop into the pool.
• The Rapids – described as a ‘water-coaster’ that uses jets to push riders uphill before fast turns and tunnels.
• The Riptide – a tyre ride launched up a steep angle, returning back down (availability can change; the venue has posted ride-specific updates in the past).
• The Crestar – a slide featuring two large spheres and lighting effects.
• The Cascade – an enclosed, colour-lit ride, with specific guidance about shorter riders (see restrictions below).

A practical note for visitors sensitive to strobe-style effects: individual ride pages flag flashing lights on certain slides.

The Wave Pool

The Wave Pool is positioned as an ‘everyone can join in’ feature, with waves that build as you go further in. It also notes you should listen for the siren signalling waves.

The venue also claims its Wave Pool circulates 20 million litres of water every day.

The Lazy River

The Lazy River is the calmer counterpoint to the slides — a moving current with bubbles and water jets. The venue also notes a chair lift is available if assistance is required to get into the Lazy River.

The Reef (younger children’s splash zone)

The Reef is described as a splash zone aimed at younger visitors, with mini slides, tipping buckets, jets, and fountains. Importantly, the ride page labels it as ‘Under 8 Years Only’.

Families with mixed ages

This is where The Wave works best: children who are too young for the main slides still have The Reef, plus the Wave Pool and Lazy River.

Teens, adults, and confident swimmers

If your group loves repeats on signature slides, the six-slide line-up gives enough variety to keep a 2-hour session feeling busy.

Visitors who need a quieter environment

The Wave lists Quiet Time sessions designed to run without music or alarms, while still offering the full waterpark experience. Dates can vary, so it is worth checking what is currently offered in the booking calendar.

Junior tickets are strictly for ages 11 and under, and adult tickets are for ages 12 and over. Incorrect tickets may be subject to an additional charge.

Accessibility tickets (proof required on arrival):

• Disabled guest (adult, 12+): £9.50 / £11.50
• Disabled guest (junior, 11 and under): £8.50 / £9.50
• Infant (under 1): Free / Free
• Accompanying carer (18+): £7.50 / £7.50

The Wave states that proof of eligibility must be shown at reception for disabled guest and carer tickets (for example, National Disability Card, Nimbus Card, or a current Blue Badge). If you cannot provide proof, the full admission price may be charged.

Coventry residents: Go CV and Go CV+ prices are available if you have a valid membership number when booking.

Important: Blue Light Card discounts and codes are not accepted at this venue.

The Wave runs timed waterpark sessions. Waterpark admission is for a minimum of 2 hours, and rides begin shutting down 30 minutes before closing time, so plan your slide runs early in your session.

Term time (general sessions):

• Monday: Closed
• Tuesday: Closed
• Wednesday: Closed
• Thursday: Closed
• Friday: 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm
• Saturday: 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
• Sunday: 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm

School holidays (general sessions):

• Monday – Friday: 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
• Saturday – Sunday: 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Times shown for school holidays can vary due to special sessions, so always confirm your exact slot in the booking calendar before you travel.

Arrival tip: The Wave recommends arriving 30 minutes before your session, and it also advises arriving around 40 minutes early to park and check in comfortably. A safe target is 30–40 minutes early.

Bookings are typically online only (unless a specific session is marked as bookable in-centre).

Access to the waterpark is only granted if you can show the original booking confirmation email. Printouts and screenshots are not accepted, so make sure you can open the original email at reception.

🎫 Book Tickets Here

On arrival:

• Collect your entry wristbands at the ‘Online Ticket Collection’ kiosks by scanning the QR code on your emailed booking confirmation.
• To enter the waterpark, scan the QR code on your wristband at the turnstiles (hold it in place for around three seconds).

Lockers are free and operate using your QR-coded wristband. Your locker is only activated after you have scanned your wristband at the turnstiles.

The Wave lists multiple accessible features, including:

• Changing Places toilet, accessible toilets, and accessible changing rooms (including hoist-equipped options)
• Lift access (with locations described on the site)
• Pool hoist availability (including by the Lazy River) and a pool pod

Two practical points to note:

• The venue states that, for health and safety reasons, you must be able to walk up and down stairs unaided to access the slides.
• Quiet Time sessions are positioned as an option for visitors who prefer a calmer environment.

The Wave states its Spectator Gallery is not available, but anyone waiting can use Cofa’s Café, located on the ground floor.

Cofa’s is described as being in the foyer, open daily in line with waterpark sessions, and serving hot and cold drinks plus snacks such as ice creams, hot dogs, and pasties.

This is handy for:

• Parents swapping supervision duties
• A friend who has come along but is not swimming
• A breather after a high-energy session

A few practical, Wave-specific pointers from its rules and visitor guidance:

• Arrive early (around 20–30 minutes) to collect wristbands and get changed without rushing.
• Swim nappies are required for children who are not toilet trained, and the admissions policy states they are available at reception.
• Armbands / arm swim aids are referenced for weak or non-swimmers.
• For slide riding, ride rules commonly state no jewellery, no glasses, and no photographs or mobile phones on the rides.
• If you want photos, plan to take them in the Wave Pool, The Reef, or on the poolside areas where permitted — then keep your phone locked away for the slide portion.

Because sessions are timed, your plan matters. These patterns work well:

If you are there mainly for slides

• Head to the slides first, while the rest of the group is still settling in.
• Save Wave Pool and Lazy River for later, when you want a calmer finish.

If you are visiting with younger children

• Start in The Reef while excitement is high and attention spans are full.
• Move to the Lazy River for a reset, then finish with the Wave Pool.

If you have a mixed group

Set a clear meeting point, which the venue itself recommends as a ‘top tip’ in case you get separated.

The Wave’s own visitor tips suggest turning it into a city-centre day by pairing your session with nearby attractions such as:

• Coventry Transport Museum
• Herbert Art Gallery
• Coventry Cathedral

That makes The Wave a strong option for a weekend break in Coventry — particularly if you want a reliable indoor plan when the weather is not playing nicely.

The Wave Waterpark

4.2

Based on 2468 reviews

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Heather D.

20:30 13 Jul 25

What a great morning we’ve just had at the Wave. As a family of 6 with kids of various ages it can be hard to find a day out that suits everyone but at the Wave there’s something for everyone. My 5 year old loved the lazy river and wave pool and the smaller slides area for younger children. They were
lovely and shallow with lots of things to play with. My 3 sons aged 12,10 and 8 absolutely loved the slides and described it as the best fun they’ve had in ages and had huge smiles of their faces the whole time. We stayed for the whole 2 hours and they went on all the slides numerous times. The wave was very well staffed and it felt very safe with lots of life guards on the slides and around the pools.The changing rooms were really clean and the family individual changing rooms were very spacious. We could fit all 6 of us in one of them. We love the fact it’s in Coventry city centre. So lots of options of places to eat and shop. Its so accessible by public transport and just a 5 minute walk from Coventry train station and a 5 minute walk from pool meadow bus station. We will definitely be returning soon.

Cristian B

22:35 12 Jul 25

Disappointing Experience at The Wave – Not Worth the Trip

I drove nearly 2 hours from Reading to Coventry with high hopes of having an unforgettable day with my wife and two daughters at The Wave. Unfortunately, the entire experience turned out to be a waste of time, money, and energy.

The place was extremely overcrowded. There weren’t enough inflatable rings for the slides, and the few available were either flat or patched up. After waiting 30 minutes just to get a ring, we had to queue for another 30 minutes on the stairs to use a slide—only to enjoy 30 seconds of fun after an hour of frustration.

Realistically, you can only go on about three slides during your entire session, which makes it feel like a bad deal. The wave machine was not working at all, so I didn’t enjoy that area. The lazy river was also overcrowded, and we had to wait again just to enter it.

The staff were unprofessional and poorly trained, offering little help or guidance. Overall, the place is poorly managed and not prepared for the number of visitors it allows in.

It was our first time there, and it will definitely be the last. Not recommended.

MasonsView A

19:38 05 Jul 25

The wave water park is so good. It’s got six waterslides including a trapdoor slide. The staff are very friendly and helpful. Changing rooms are clean, washrooms are clean as well.

Pools and slides include

Wave pool. Waves start every half an hour after an alarm rings and last about an amazing ten minutes.

Lazy river. Very strong currents with multi coloured lights and buckets that tip on your head near the end.

The reef kids area with 3 little slides and a big splash bucket

All the slides were amazing

Arkadiusz W.

06:44 01 Jun 25

My ticket order got stuck in the process, but the staff—both online and on the phone—helped me sort it out. Five stars for them!
Also, five stars for all the hardworking girls on-site, especially the one who helped convince my son to try the slide. After the first go, he ended up trying all of them. He said it was the best day ever!

The lockers open using 3D barcodes on your ticket wristband, which makes things so much easier. Everything was clean and in great condition. We had a really good time there.

Anthony A.

16:07 04 May 25

Brilliant day out at The Wave in Coventry. The slides are great fun—plenty of choice whether you’re after adrenaline or something more relaxed. Our kids loved the wave pool and the lazy river, and the whole place felt really clean and safe. Staff were friendly and helpful, and the lifeguards were alert and professional.

Booking online was simple, and there’s good parking close by. Changing rooms were clean with plenty of space. Not the cheapest, but for the quality of the experience, it’s well worth it. Highly recommend for families looking for an indoor activity that keeps everyone happy. We’ll definitely be back.

Safety & Cleanliness

The Wave waterpark consistently scores high on cleanliness and safety, with lifeguards praised for their vigilance and friendliness.

For most people searching for a family water park in the West Midlands, The Wave is compelling because it is purpose-built, easy to reach in Coventry city centre, and balanced — six serious slides for thrill seekers, plus enough calmer water features and a younger-kids splash zone to keep mixed groups happy.

If you want the smoothest visit, the three biggest ‘make or break’ factors are: book ahead, arrive early with the original booking email ready, and double-check child supervision ratios before you buy tickets.

The Wave Waterpark in Coventry stands out as one of the UK’s most inclusive, family-oriented indoor waterparks. Its central location, modern facilities, and diverse attractions—from extreme slides to baby splash zones—make it a winner for all age groups. Whether you are visiting for an adrenaline rush, a toddler’s first water adventure, or just to relax on a rainy day, The Wave delivers.

We especially love the thoughtful layout, clean and well-maintained facilities, and helpful staff. Booking in advance is essential, especially during holidays—but it is absolutely worth the effort. From accessible entry and baby-changing facilities to a buzzing café and modern locker rooms, The Wave ticks every box for a fun, safe, and memorable day out.

If you have visited The Wave we would love to hear from you.

Leave your thoughts, experiences, or questions in the comments section below — your insights help other families make the most of their water park adventures.