Sahara Sam’s Oasis opened in West Berlin, New Jersey, on March 21, 2009, as a roughly $23 million, 58,000-square-foot facility that was promoted at the time as one of the first stand-alone indoor water parks in the continental United States. Built largely of concrete beneath a retractable roof, the indoor half of the park was kept at about 84 degrees year-round, while a separate 2-acre outdoor recreation area opened seasonally for the warmer months.
The park’s ownership and branding have changed hands more than once since its debut. In 2022, parent company Boomers Parks rethemed the attraction as Big Kahuna’s Water Park. In December 2024, IB Parks & Entertainment, the operator of Indiana Beach Amusement & Water Park Resort, acquired the property, and in 2025 the company restored the original Sahara Sam’s Oasis name, reconnecting the park with its long-running local identity and its nearby sister property, Clementon Park & Splash World.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: West Berlin, New Jersey
- Opened: March 21, 2009
- Indoor Facility Size: about 58,000 sq ft
- Investment: about $23 million
- Outdoor Season: May to September (2-acre outdoor area)
- Operator: IB Parks & Entertainment (also owns Indiana Beach)
- Signature Attraction: FlowRider surf simulator
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.
A Park That Kept Reinventing Itself
Few local water parks have changed names as often as this one. 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 late 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, just a short drive away in Clementon, New Jersey.
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Sahara Sam’s Oasis FAQs
Is Sahara Sam’s Oasis an indoor or outdoor water park?
Both. The park has a roughly 58,000-square-foot indoor facility that operates year-round under a retractable roof, plus a separate outdoor recreation area that opens seasonally from May through September.
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.
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Photo by Duren Williams on Pexels.