Sahara Sam’s Oasis in West Berlin, New Jersey pairs a year-round indoor water park with a seasonal outdoor area, making it one of the few South Jersey attractions that works as a day trip in January and July alike. Whether you’re checking hours before a weekend visit or comparing ticket options for a family outing, here’s what to know before you go.
This guide covers current visiting logistics — hours patterns, ticket types, parking, and what you can and can’t bring in — alongside the park’s ride lineup and its winding ownership history, from its 2009 opening through its 2025 return to the Sahara Sam’s name.
Quick Answer
Sahara Sam’s Oasis is a combined indoor/outdoor water park at 535 North Route 73 in West Berlin, NJ. The indoor facility, at over 70,000 square feet, operates year-round under a retractable roof (typically weekends plus expanded days in summer), while the 2-acre outdoor area runs seasonally from May through September. Parking is free, and tickets are sold both online and at the gate, with day passes, half-day/twilight rates, and season memberships available.
Planning Your Visit: Hours & Tickets
Sahara Sam’s doesn’t run a single fixed daily schedule year-round. During peak summer weeks, the park is typically open close to every day, with shorter hours on weekdays and extended hours on weekends and holidays; Mondays are frequently a scheduled closure day even in-season. In the fall, winter, and spring, the indoor water park generally scales back to weekends and select days, since the outdoor area is closed for the off-season. Because the schedule shifts week to week, always check the current day before driving out — the park posts its up-to-date daily hours on its official calendar and hours page.
Ticket pricing is tiered rather than a single flat rate: there’s typically a standard full-day admission price for online purchase that runs a few dollars cheaper than buying at the gate, a reduced half-day or twilight rate for guests arriving in the afternoon, and discounted pricing for very young children (often free or reduced under a set age with proof of age). The park also sells season memberships that bundle unlimited visits to Sahara Sam’s with its sister property, Clementon Park & Splash World. Because ticket prices and promotions change by season, the most reliable source for current numbers is the official Sahara Sam’s website, where tickets can also be purchased online in advance.
Group outings (typically a minimum of around 20 guests) can be booked with advance reservations for discounted group rates — worth considering for school, camp, or scout trips given the park’s mix of indoor and outdoor attractions.
Location, Directions & Parking
The park is located at 535 North Route 73, West Berlin, NJ 08091, roughly 20 minutes east of Philadelphia and about 45 minutes west of Atlantic City — an easy detour for anyone splitting time between the two. Parking on-site is free and first-come, first-served, with no separate parking fee added to admission.
What to Bring & Park Policies
Sahara Sam’s does not allow outside food or drink inside the park, and bags are checked at the entrance to enforce that policy. Because guests eat at the same tables scattered throughout the water park, personal items and bags generally can’t be left unattended there — plan to use a rental locker or leave extra belongings in your car. Only towels are permitted poolside, and the park does not supply them, so bring your own.
A few other practical notes: bring a physical or digital photo ID for check-in, pack sunscreen since shade is limited mostly to the dining areas, and bring swim diapers for children who aren’t potty-trained (or plan to buy them on-site, since disposable diapers and regular swimwear aren’t allowed in the water). Kids under about 13 need adult supervision throughout the park, and shoes and shirts are required in all non-water areas.
The Ride Experience
Inside, guests can ride a FlowRider surf simulator, the Mount Kilimanjaro family raft slide, a pair of Snake Eyes tube slides, and the roughly 350-foot Nile Mile body slide, then float the Congo Bongo lazy river or tackle the Crocodile Flats cargo obstacle course. Younger children have their own space in Lizard Lagoon, a shallow splash zone scaled to toddlers.
When the seasonal outdoor area is open, it adds a wave pool, a leisure and activity pool, and a splash zone for younger kids, plus sand volleyball courts. An on-site ropes course, marketed as one of the longest of its kind, adds a dry, high-elevation challenge alongside the water attractions for guests looking to stay out of the pool for a bit.
Sahara Sam’s Oasis at a Glance
Location: West Berlin, New Jersey. Opened: March 21, 2009. Indoor facility size: over 70,000 sq ft. Reported investment: about $23 million. Outdoor season: roughly May through September (2-acre outdoor area). Operator: IB Parks & Entertainment, which also owns Indiana Beach Amusement & Water Park Resort. Signature attraction: the FlowRider surf simulator.
A Park That Kept Reinventing Itself
Few local water parks have changed names as often as this one. Built largely of concrete beneath a retractable roof, the indoor half of the park was promoted at its 2009 debut as one of the first stand-alone indoor water parks in the continental U.S., with the indoor space kept at about 84 degrees year-round. After 13 years as Sahara Sam’s Oasis, the park was rebranded Big Kahuna’s Water Park in 2022 under owner Boomers Parks, a name it carried until IB Parks & Entertainment purchased the property in December 2024.
Rather than keep the newer branding, IB Parks brought back the original Sahara Sam’s Oasis name in 2025, pairing the water park with its other regional attraction, Clementon Park & Splash World, a short drive away in Clementon, New Jersey.
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Sahara Sam’s Oasis visitor guide FAQs
Is Sahara Sam’s Oasis an indoor or outdoor water park?
Both. The park has an indoor facility of over 70,000 square feet that operates year-round under a retractable roof, plus a separate 2-acre outdoor recreation area that opens seasonally from May through September.
What are Sahara Sam’s Oasis hours?
Hours vary by season and day of the week — summer weeks typically run close to daily with extended weekend hours, while the off-season schedule generally narrows to weekends and select days, with Mondays often closed. Check the official calendar and hours page before visiting, since the schedule updates frequently.
How much are Sahara Sam’s Oasis tickets?
The park sells full-day tickets (cheaper online than at the gate), a discounted half-day/twilight rate for afternoon arrivals, and season memberships that also cover sister park Clementon Park & Splash World. Because pricing changes seasonally, buy through the official Sahara Sam’s website for current rates.
Is parking free at Sahara Sam’s Oasis?
Yes. On-site parking is free and first-come, first-served, with no separate parking fee added to your ticket.
Can you bring food or bags into Sahara Sam’s Oasis?
Outside food and drink are not permitted, and bags are checked at the entrance. Personal items generally can’t be left unattended at the dining tables scattered through the park, so guests typically use a rental locker or their car for storage.
When did Sahara Sam’s Oasis open?
It opened on March 21, 2009, in West Berlin, New Jersey, following a reported $23 million investment, and was promoted as one of the first stand-alone indoor water parks in the continental U.S.
Was Sahara Sam’s Oasis ever known by another name?
Yes. The park was rebranded Big Kahuna’s Water Park in 2022 under Boomers Parks. After IB Parks & Entertainment acquired it in December 2024, the original Sahara Sam’s Oasis name was restored in 2025.
How far is Sahara Sam’s Oasis from Philadelphia?
It’s about 20 minutes east of Philadelphia, PA, and roughly 45 minutes west of Atlantic City, NJ, making it accessible from both directions.
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