The Largest Pool in Ohio Is a Non-Stop Fun 2-Acre Paradise

When the dog days of summer arrive, many of us are looking for the nearest swimming pool. For residents of southwest Ohio and northern Kentucky, a massive pool is nearby that invites them to dive in. Sunlite Pool at Coney Island is the largest swimming pool in Ohio. 

Sunlite Pool

Ohio’s largest pool opened in 1925 at Coney Island. The swimming pool is not only the largest in the state but also the largest recirculating pool in the world. The pool measures 200 feet wide and 401 feet long. It covers more than two acres for a little more perspective on how big Sunlite Pool is. A football field is only 1.32 acres.

Water Slides

Sunlite Pool holds more than three million gallons of water. There are multiple slides that splash down into the pool. The Silver Bullet is an icon at Sunlite Pool, having opened in 1945. This slide splashes down into the heart of the pool. The Cyclone is a 70-foot-long enclosed spiral waterslide that lands in the deep end of the pool.

The Twister is a set of four water slides: two body slides and two innertube slides. The tube slides are for both single and dual riders. The aptly named slide twists and turns for over a quarter of a mile.

Sunlite Pool also features an inflatable obstacle course. The Challenge Zone is the largest Aquaglide pool obstacle course in the United States. It features over 150 feet of monkey bars, climbing obstacles, balance beams, and more.

Other Ways to Get Soaked at Coney Island

Sunlite Pool is not the only pool at Coney Island. Cannonball Cove is located just steps away from Sunlite Pool and features two three-foot high diving boards, as well as a nine-foot high dive.

Typhoon Tower is yet another opportunity to get soaked at Coney Island. This splash ground offers 73 play stations, such as fountains and other splash elements, but the main attraction is the 33-foot water tower. When the bell sounds, the tower is set to release 1,300 gallons of water onto anyone in the vicinity. Coney Island documents that tower as the “world’s largest erupting hydro storm,” adding yet another honorific to this iconic Cincinnati water park.

Other Park Attractions and Amenities

Along with Sunlite Pool and the other waterpark attractions, Coney Island offers paddleboats on Lake Como, mini golf, and Action Alley, which features a jump pad, gaga ball pit, and more.

When you work up an appetite (and you will work it up with everything there is to do at Coney Island), you can grab some famous Cincinnati grub while at the park, such as Skyline Chili, LaRosa’s pizza, and Montgomery Inn barbecue. And while the kids are having lunch, Mom and Dad can grab a drink at the Island Oasis Tiki Bar.

Annual Events

The park offers different events throughout the year, but there are two events that draw thousands each year.

The Annual Balloon Glow is held around the Fourth of July each year. It features hot air balloons that provide a lovely glow in the twilight hours. The event ends with a fireworks display over Lake Como.

Coney Island’s Nights of Lights is a holiday tradition for thousands of families. Sunlite Pool may be closed for the winter, but the park lights up with over two million lights that are synchronized with traditional and contemporary holiday music. Huge Christmas trees, dancing candy canes, a tunnel of lights, and much more await visitors as they drive more than two miles through the park with their radios cranking out the holiday tunes.

Coney Island History

James Parker

Coney Island’s roots date back to 1867 when an apple farmer named James Parker purchased the land where the park now sits along the Ohio River. Parker was a savvy businessman who soon realized that his land’s location on the river was a prime spot for events. It would prove far more profitable than his apple orchard. Parker opened a dance hall, dining hall, and bowling alley. He called the new event space Parker’s Grove.

The Coney Island of the West

Parker sold the land to the Ohio Grove Company in 1886. They changed the name of the park to “Ohio Grove, The Coney Island of the West.” The name was intended to draw comparisons to the famous entertainment area in Brooklyn, New York. The name was soon shortened to “Coney Island,” which has been the park’s moniker ever since.

Along with the famous Sunlite Pool opening in 1925, the new owners also added amusement park rides, carnival games, and other attractions. Roller coasters, a dance pavilion, and children’s rides all made the park Cincinnati’s go-to place for fun.

Flooding Problems

Coney Island’s location on the banks of the Ohio River made it accessible. However, it also caused flooding problems. Even moderate flooding on the river brought the Ohio River’s waters into the park.

When Taft Broadcasting bought the park, they implemented a plan to move it over 30 miles northeast. Most of the rides were moved to the new location, which was named Kings Island. Coney Island closed in 1971 as the new location was set to open the following year. Kings Island remains a wildly popular amusement park in Warren County, northeast of Cincinnati. Cedar Fair Entertainment Company now owns the 364-acre park. The company also owns sixteen other parks, including the world-famous Cedar Point amusement park on a Lake Erie peninsula in Sandusky, Ohio.

Coney Island’s Reopening

The largest swimming pool in Ohio would not stay closed for long, though. It reopened in 1973. While many of the amusement park rides and attractions were gone, Sunlite Pool was still a popular destination for Cincinnatians who were looking to cool off from the hot and humid conditions of an Ohio summer.

When Riverbend Music Center opened next door (Coney Island donated some of the land for the venue) in 1984, that provided an additional boost for the park. The outdoor music venue hosts concerts from top artists all summer long.

Today, Coney Island has established itself as a Cincinnati institution, and Sunlite Pool remains the park’s anchor attraction. 

Southwest Ohio Summer Weather

Cincinnati has a humid continental climate, meaning winters are cold and fairly dry, while summers are quite toasty. The average high temperature in June is 83°F, but that high jumps to 87°F in July and remains at 86°F in August. Cincinnati averages 22 days a year when the temperature rises above 90°F. Couple that with the high humidity of the Ohio Valley, and you’ve got perfect weather for Sunlite Pool!

Ohio River Animals

The park’s location on the river means that visitors may see aquatic birds such as great blue herons flying overhead. White-tail deer also proliferate in the area and may stroll down to the river for a drink. Fishing boats are common sights near Coney Island, with anglers fishing for catfish, largemouth and smallmouth bass, sauger, and many more species.

Where Is Coney Island, Ohio, Located on a Map?

Coney Island is located on the Ohio River in Hamilton County, right off Interstate 275. It is about 10 minutes from downtown Cincinnati, 20 minutes from the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, and just over a half-hour from Kings Island.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Sergey Novikov/Shutterstock.com