Emerald Pointe Water Park, known today as Wet ‘n Wild Emerald Pointe, has been a fixture of Greensboro, North Carolina since it first opened in 1984 following a preview run in September 1983. The park began life under the name Aqua Gardens, briefly operated as Water Country USA in the mid-1980s, and was rebranded Emerald Pointe in 1986 after a local ownership group took over. It has carried some version of that name ever since, making it one of the longest-running water parks in the Southeast.
In 1999, Ogden Corporation acquired the property along with the Wet ‘n Wild brand, giving the park its current combined identity. Spanning roughly 40 acres, Emerald Pointe now packs in more than 40 rides and attractions, including five pools and one of the largest wave pools in the country, drawing hundreds of thousands of guests each summer season.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Greensboro, North Carolina
- Opened: 1984 (previewed September 1983)
- Size: About 40 acres
- Attractions: 40+ rides and attractions
- Notable Feature: Thunder Bay Wave Pool, one of the largest in the U.S.
- Annual Attendance: About 407,000 (2015 figures)
- Current Owner: Lucky Strike Entertainment (since July 2025)
The Ride Experience
Emerald Pointe’s lineup spans a full range of water thrills, from the high-speed body slides and tube runs clustered around its slide towers to newer additions like Bombs Away, a slide that debuted in 2022 after a pandemic-related delay. The centerpiece Thunder Bay Wave Pool, which opened in 1986, remains one of the park’s signature draws, generating rolling swells for guests to ride out on rafts or by hand. A lazy river and dedicated children’s play areas round out the offerings, giving the park a mix of thrill-seeking slides and family-friendly relaxation spots across its five pools.
A Park That Keeps Changing Hands
Few water parks have worn as many names as this one. What began as Aqua Gardens became Water Country USA, then Emerald Pointe, and finally Wet ‘n Wild Emerald Pointe after Ogden Corp folded it into the Wet ‘n Wild brand in 1999. Ownership kept shifting in the 2020s, with Herschend Family Entertainment and later Lucky Strike Entertainment taking the reins by July 2025. Through it all, the Greensboro location has stayed put, giving the region a summer staple for more than four decades.
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Emerald Pointe Water Park FAQs
When did Emerald Pointe Water Park open?
The park opened in 1984 after a preview run in September 1983, originally under the name Aqua Gardens.
How big is Emerald Pointe Water Park?
The park covers about 40 acres in Greensboro, North Carolina, and features more than 40 rides and attractions across five pools.
Is Emerald Pointe still called that today?
The park now operates as Wet ‘n Wild Emerald Pointe, a name adopted in 1999 when Ogden Corp acquired the property and merged it with the Wet ‘n Wild brand.
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Photo: Lovewater2013 / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.