Tarkington Park Splash Pad
✓ Last confirmed for the 2026 season · confirmed against the parks department
Where: 45 W. 40th St., Indianapolis, Indiana
Season: Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend
Hours: 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM daily
Cost: free
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A huge checkerboard-patterned pad anchors this redeveloped midtown park, pairing flat in-ground jets with bubbling rock features that small kids can climb around. It sits beside one of the city's most popular modern playgrounds, so families routinely make a full morning of it.
What's on site. OpenStreetMap maps playground alongside, parking at this location. No public toilets are mapped here — worth knowing before you commit to an afternoon.
When to go. Peak summer highs in Indianapolis average 85°F — warm enough for a splash pad through most of the season without being punishing at midday.
If this one's closed or packed
Splash pads close for maintenance, run short seasons and fill up on hot weekends. There are 10 other pads within 5 miles and 31 within 15. These are the ones worth the drive — ranked by shade, toilets and cost first, then by how close they are: