Waterfall Junction

Lots to do but kids like to walk fast and still fall on the slick cement. They really need to change the flooring. We stayed with our kids the whole time but kept helping other kids up.Kids were falling everywhere and busting heads and faces.Like that alcohol is available but way over priced and food is zoo food so again pricey for old stail chips.

Great place for a family staycation. The Zoo has more than enough to keep your animal lovers entranced, and the splash pad provides a cool respite from the heat

Beautiful area! In the garden area my eyes were wondering everywhere with all the beautiful flowers and designs all around. My kids absolutely LOVED the play area in the back. Had a dinosaur fossil digging area, little clubhouses, big tree house to walk in, waterpark area, grassy area for them to run around, cool little tunnels, But thats just the stuff that I remember! I think I could come in the summer and the family would probably just stay in the Waterfall Junction area the whole time! Oh and I like the little hike you can take (optional) in order to make it to this part of the Zoo.

Absolutely gorgeous and fun place for families. Makes for great photo ops!

This place provided a few activities for the kids besides water play. They really enjoyed themselves and didnt want to leave. Great attraction !

Granddaughter loves it! Bathing suits and watershoes highly recommended

Such a nice, aesthetically-pleasing area for families to enjoy and cool off during a visit to the zoo & gardens. We were very impressed by the features and plan to visit many more times. There is a smaller area for young children, games on the lawn, seating, refreshments & snacks, etc....all in one spot! We loved Waterfall Junction!

My youngest daughter is disabled with special needs and still had a blast

This is by far the best splash pad Ive taken my boys to. It has foam type flooring so kids wont get hurt from falling. Splash pad also shuts off to save water. And the center play area is a plus for kids to play to dry off or even warm up.

A great addition to the Zoo. Lots of various play places to entertain the kids. Kids running in the water is always an issue and the staff do the best that they can to keep kids from running. Would love to see day lockers added to secure belongings for those of us that dont just sit at the table while the kids play.

My kids love this!(Currently they are reflooring so it was shut down end of June 2019, without warning, but I wont dock them a star even though I had brought extended family to enjoy. Hoping the floor of top most area will be less slippery.)When its open...It is fun and included in zoo admission. Its big enough for a crowd. Theres an area specifically for toddlers (they should refloor this area next as its just straight rough concrete, but at least not slippery).It is spread out, so it was harder when I had multiple kids who needed me to follow them around (trying to keep them all in the same area). As theyre teens and tweens now, they help with the toddler, so its not an issue.The out-of-water activities are fun too (treehouse structure, slide, large scale lawn games), but my kids stay in the water mostly.There are 2 changing rooms right beside the water area with enough room (and a bench) to get parent/children changed before or after.

Amazing place to take your kids to. It has a small kids water park and plenty of other activities. Do not recommended if it is very hot out side as there are very minimal shade areas.

Lots of fun for all ages. Renting a Cabana was a great idea for my family group. It allowed us to be in the shade when it was super hot.

The grand kids loved this place. They had so much fun they didnt want to leave. Although we went on the weekend and there were a lot of people they still had fun .

A nice place for the kids to run around and play, always friendly staff and have water to cool off in is a bonus! Pack your swim trunks and bathing suits!They do have changing rooms and snack / concession stands right there too.

I recently went there because my daughter took her kids, and honestly I was just thinking WOW I wish this would have been when my kids were growing up! We visited the zoo and garden but sometimes it was just to hot to be outside and we would head home... Excellent place to take small kids

Great place and the employees are very nice and I will be there again soon.

My kids loved this place. I thought wed have to bribe then to get them away. We went on a cool day, but a day where you could get your feet wet. They played in her for about an hour.

Great area for middle age and younger children. Lots of activities for the whole family. Several other things to do besides the water park to include treehouses libraries a childs dinosaur egg. Great place would recommend at any time.

Definitely not one of my top choices for splash pad in the city. This seems to have been constructed for the aesthetic as opposed to actual usability. It is too SLIPPERY. Unlike the ideal texture of ground common at some area splash pads (Saluda Shoals for example), this is made of a material that invites danger. To decrease the risk, the zoo has employed a staff person to stand around policing children who move above a meander to not run. Because of course telling children to not run in water at a splash pad works effectively to eliminate danger.

This part of the zoo was great at least theres a place to sit

A great water zone for smaller children. No pools. More of a splash park attached to the zoo... In its own area.

Way to crowded. Parts of the area are incredibly slippery. Many kids fell during our time spent here, some did require medical treatment by staff. I would make sure if you take your kids (especially young ones) to stay with them as they walk around. Many parents were just letting their kids run around all over which makes it dangerous for the younger kids. The whole experience was pretty nerve racking!

Lovee it it was my first time going i really enjoyed it we will defiantly be back if you have never been you should defiantly go it is awesome there and the staff is really nice when you ask them questions they answer you they nice kind and polite i cant wait to go back

Kids love it. Great place

A great way to explore outdoors in a safe and controlled manner. Also, super fun to see my little ones get brave at the water spouts

Such a great place for kids! My two year old has the best time and could play all day!

A great place, the only place, at Riverbank Zoo to cool off with young children. Good food also. More shade and seating needed for patents.

Lots of fun watching my kids play, they loved the shooting fountains!

My son loves it. Not a whole lot of shade in the water area. There is a seperate area for babies and toddlers. Its an awesome place. We go alot.

A good way to cool off in the summer

The water was icy! The kids dont even seem to mind, they splash in the arching jets and wade in the frog pond. Just bring a change of clothes. Theres a cabana for your convenience. Lifeguards are there to remind kids to slow down. Theres a great lawn with huge connection bricks, hoola hoops, large percussion toys, lawn checkers, and nearby a giant game of tic-tac-toe. Just down the hill theres some climbing toys and off toward the entrance there is an enormous accessible play structure that is fun for everyone. There are playhouses just down the hill from the edible gardens that are used for education programs. The building near the splash pad had a covered area with tables for eating food purchased in the 3-4 food vendors on site. Happy music plays the whole day through the sound system. It is a fun day for everyone. Be sure to bring shoes you dont mind wearing...and remember always wear sunscreen.

My daughter and niece and nephews had a blast.

Great for kids. Nice big seating area with tables. Clean facilities

Great for younger kids, two different splash pad areas. Few Fridays each summer its open late and they play a movie

Great childrens water park and splash pad. Plus there are a ton of other activities to keep the kids entertained. Kids could spend most of the day just at this water area alone, let alone the rest of the zoo. Good facilities. Keep it up!

I was so impressed with the childrens play area. My kids ate grown but my grand kids would love it.

Pleasant atmosphere, fun activities, and plenty to look at!

The kid always has a wonderful time. Staff keep a pretty good eye on everyone to make sure noone gets hurt.

Beautiful place .

The kids (5,6 and 7 years old) love it. We have been coming her for 3 years.

Well thought through water park, kids had a lot fun

The kids had a great time. Well worth the trip

Grandkids loved it it was very refreshing itd was a very hot day she we went. They need to add more splash pads.

Kids had a blast playing here. Nice to cool off on hot day.

Great place to bring kids there is staff always watching the kids and making sure they were ok and following rules.

Fun place, could have a small little waterslide. Got rained out but was fun!

A great splash pad well maintained and monitored.

Nice way to let the kids cool off while visiting the zoo.

So fun for the kids and such a perfect way to cool off!

Verycool and fun way to finish a date at the zoo. Part was closed and toddlers and children are a bit scary to combine.

Price included in zoo admission as long as you get the one that allows rides and attractions, great way to cool down, but there isnt anywhere to swim, but still loads of fun!!!

Fun and a great place to cool off! Beer and food cant go wrong.

The kids loved it and there is so many watchful staff there. Will be returning soon.

We love waterfall junction. First time we discovered it was by accident we actually were just going to check out the garden and it is like a hidden gem right there in the back. It is amazing and the kids love it!Took a couple friends and spent the entire day at the zoo, spemt about 90% of our time at Waterfall Junction. The kids had so much fun, as did we. It is a great place to take the kids and just let them go ham (with manners and respect of course, that was my only issue was some of the people that came but that isnt the zoo, garden or waterfall junctions fault). It was such a hot day and perfect for the water. We had a blast, cant wait to go back!!!!! We bought a membership to the zoo, so I can see us spending hot summer days right here!

One of the best places to take the keiki to beat the heat.

Kids love the water features and the dino dig.

Today was our first visit to Waterfall Junction and was so nice. It is a great place for families to take their children. We will be back again!

This is a great safe place to beat the Heat.

Great place even on a busy Saturday. Lots of different play options for littles.

We always love coming here and have since opening day

We absolutely love this place. Great place to let kids just run around and have lots of fun. Ive never seen anything like this in a zoo.

Great water park and a nice place to cool down on hot days walking around the zoo.Its nice because you can watch your kids without getting wet and there are nice shaded areas to sit. Theres cabanas to change in and bathrooms.Very clean and plan on visiting as much as we can this summer!

Loved it! I loved all the different activities the kids can do while there. Its safe and relaxing.

Waterfall Junction is part of Riverbanks Zoo. It is a great place for kids, as is the zoo.

Absolutely loved ️ it great for the kids

Amazing place to take your children! There are several splash pads and a running stream for your children to play in. There are also several houses which have eye spy games. The tree house is great to play in and the sand pit has dinasours to uncover.

Kids had a great time here...

Great place for families. Dont forget your swimsuit!

Best part of the zoo after a hot day of walking!

Great for kids 10 and under.

My boys love it, running thru the fountains and playing with the huge lego blocks on the lawn.

Great fun for children with water, giant Legos hoola hoops, playhouses, giant dinosaur sandbox and beautiful gardens for adults!

Great water park for little kids. Not much for teens or adults.

Great place to cool down with the kids.

Perfect for kids and adults

We had a great time.

Family had a great 1st time! Will return in the future!!

My wife and I had to get out of here with my kids to many big kids not watching for smaller kids my 2 year old was pushed over multiple times in the 10 mins we were here.

Very enjoyable! My kid loved it

Loved it great place to be and nice people

Great new attraction for the botanical gardens

Zoo and WATER on hot day

It was ok. Definitely for little kids . I played in the water too and as the time went by, I became really itchy. I need to know what they use in that water to keep it clean!

Kids love it. Wish there were more water things to do but its fun place to cool off!

The Watefall Junction is a great place for the summer or when its hot and a great place and time to spend time with your family. A reason its great for the summer of when it is hot is because there is a water area were there are water fountains and a steep with water going down it. It is great for kids to have fun and get wet. Life guards are mostly watching over the kids and making sure they dont run or do anything that can harm them or others, but that is not all. Right before going there, there is a giant circular grass area where there are some toys for kids to play with like building blocks and hoola hoops. There is a place to buy like snack, food, and beverages. And there is a small garden and a small play area where kids can dig and find dinasours bones and fossils, only for kids and are not real, obviously. And you can buy some like suvinears and glasses and some more. This place is only open for most of the year, because who would get in the water like during fall or even winter. Overall this place is great and you should check out Riverbank Zoo and Garden, which the garden is one of the two from what I know ways you can enter, while you are hear if you havent checked it out.

Had so much fun getting wet under the waterfall with the kids even if it was cold. Will go to this place more and more.

One of the best places in Columbia to take your kids to..

Great for young kids.

Nice splash pad.

We spent the entire afternoon here and the kids had a blast. They cant wait to go back.

Very refreshing in the heat!!

I have really enjoyed taking my kids to Waterfall Junction! There is plenty of space for all the kids to run around, and I have yet to see it get too crowded. They have also added some more traction to some of the more slippery areas where kids frequently fall. The one down side is that there arent very many shaded spots. Once you are out in the open, there really isnt any escape from the sun, so make sure to wear plenty of sunscreen. That is the only down side. My kids are asking to go back as soon as they can.

Very nice. Family oriented place for fun and movie night.

Great end to a day at the Zoo

Lots of fun for the kids. Wish it had more seating for the adults

Great place for the kids and family

Woeful place to cool off.

Some much family fun!!

It was really fun I got to see all the animals but the problem is that youre getting rid of the elephants and that the people were really rude