Within 25 miles of Collinsville, TX · Updated 2026-06-29Collinsville sits in the northwest corner of Grayson County, where summer temperatures hit the 90s and there's no in-town splash pad yet. The good news: Pilot Point is 12 miles south, Gainesville is 14 miles west, and Sherman's spray grounds are under 20 miles away. All of them are free. This list covers what's worth the drive.
Top-Rated Splash Pads Near Collinsville
1. Old City Park Splash Pad (Pilot Point)
Driving from Collinsville, about 18 min without traffic gets you there, easy to pair with a lunch stop in Pilot Point.
Location: E Division St & S Church St, Pilot Point, TX 76258
Head south to Pilot Point for the nearest splash: At 11.7 miles, Old City Park is the closest free splash pad from Collinsville TX. The park has restrooms, picnic tables, lighting, and a basketball court alongside the splash features. Confirm the seasonal opening dates on Pilot Point's city site before making the trip.
Good to know: splash pad, playground, restrooms, picnic areas.
Parent tip: Check the Pilot Point city website for seasonal hours before making the drive south.
Want to check if the fountains are running today? See live maintenance updates on the official Old City Park portal.
2. B.P. Douglas Park Splash Pad (Gainesville)
Driving from Collinsville, about 21 min without traffic gets you there, easy to pair with a lunch stop in Gainesville.
Location: 529 Throckmorton St, Gainesville, TX 76240
Free splash pad west of Collinsville with late hours: B.P. Douglas Park in Gainesville is 14 miles west and stays open until 9pm - later than most pads in the region. The button-activated pad, playground, and pavilion make it a solid weeknight option. No lifeguard on duty means direct parental supervision is required, but the park stays uncrowded as a result.
Good to know: splash pad, playground, pavilion, restrooms, picnic areas.
Parent tip: The button gives a 10-minute cycle - kids can restart it themselves. Open 9am to 9pm, which makes it a good post-dinner summer stop.
For weather closures, seasonal restrictions, or maintenance schedules, view the B.P. Douglas Park city page.
3. The Splash Family Aquatic Center (Sherman)
16.9 miles from Collinsville, and the drive is simple; Sherman is well-signed from the highway.
Location: 1121 W Taylor St, Sherman, TX 75092
Sherman's step-up from a spray ground to a small water park: The Splash Family Aquatic Center adds two-story water slides, a drop slide, a 1,200-foot current channel, and a dedicated tot zone with its own slide and spray features. At $5-6 per child it's the closest real water park to Collinsville. Open Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Good to know: splash pad, water slides, restrooms, tot zone.
Parent tip: Weekdays noon to 6pm are the quietest window. Private rentals are available Friday through Sunday evenings 6:30 to 8:30pm.
Closures are rare, but you can confirm real-time operations on the The Splash Family Aquatic Center facilities status page before packing up the car.
4. Fairview Park (Sherman)
A genuine about 27 min drive each way from Collinsville, worth it if the kids need serious space to roam.
Location: 1300 W King St, Sherman, TX 75090
Dog park, pickleball, and a free splash pad in one Sherman stop: Fairview packs a lot into one park: dog park, tennis and pickleball courts, ball fields, trails, and a free splash area. Pavilions are available for reservation. The seasonal paid pool next to the splash area adds slides and a current channel when you want more than spray jets.
Good to know: splash pad, playground, pavilion, restrooms, picnic areas, trails.
Parent tip: Weekday mornings are calmer than weekend afternoons. Check shermanparks.com for seasonal pool hours and admission pricing.
5. Hawn Spray Ground (Sherman)
A committed about 29 min drive from Collinsville, so treat it as a half-day destination, not a quick stop.
Location: 900 S Dewey Ave, Sherman, TX 75090
Tap the red sensor, get five minutes of water: Hawn Spray Ground runs on 5-minute cycles activated by a red bumper near the rainbow feature. Tumble buckets, geysers, and sprayers all fire together. Free, open seasonally (often starting in April when temps hit 80), with a playground, skate park, and pavilion in the same 20-acre park.
Good to know: splash pad, playground, pavilion, restrooms, skate park, trails.
Parent tip: The sensor activates 5-minute cycles - if the pad seems quiet, hit the red bumper. Opens when temperatures consistently reach 80 degrees, often in April.
6. Central Social District Park (Van Alstyne)
A proper outing from Collinsville at 22 miles, but the scale here is hard to match closer to Collinsville.
Location: 215 E Van Alstyne Pkwy, Van Alstyne, TX 75495
Activate the pad yourself, then stay for lunch: The button at CSD Park starts the spray cycle on demand. Kids can run the water themselves while parents sit at umbrella-shaded tables. After the splash, downtown Van Alstyne has restaurants and ice cream within easy walking distance. Free and walk-up.
Good to know: splash pad, playground, pavilion, restrooms, picnic areas, shade.
Parent tip: Go on a weekday morning to avoid weekend afternoon crowds. Downtown Van Alstyne has walkable dining and ice cream options for after the splash.
Before heading out, review the Central Social District Park status dashboard for seasonal maintenance updates.
How we picked these
Every pick is a free, public splash pad or spray ground open to walk-up visitors without membership or reservation. We prioritized facilities with playgrounds, shade, and restrooms nearby. Members-only and HOA pools are excluded.Planning your visit
Most pads in this area open Memorial Day weekend and run through Labor Day, 9am to 9pm. Gainesville's B.P. Douglas runs on a 10-minute button-activated cycle. Sherman's Hawn Spray Ground opens by temperature trigger in spring, sometimes as early as April. Bring water shoes, a change of clothes, and sunscreen.For more kids' events near Collinsville this week, see the Collinsville events page.
Collinsville Splash Pad Checklist
- Two towels and a dry change of clothes per kid: wet swimsuits on a hot car seat are miserable.
- Water shoes: rubber soles grip wet concrete; bare feet burn on pavement between jets.
- SPF 50+ sunscreen, applied 15 min before arrival: Old City Park Splash Pad and most Collinsville splash pads have minimal shade, so a portable canopy extends your session past midday.
- Your own water bottle: splash pad water recirculates through a filtration and chlorination system and is not safe to drink, even when it runs clear.
Swim Diapers and Water Hygiene
- Swim diapers only for children not yet potty trained, regular diapers absorb recirculating water, swell, and can contaminate the shared system. Most municipal splash pads require them.
- Don't swallow the water: it's treated recreational water, not drinking water. Repeated swallowing can cause gastrointestinal illness.
- Rinse off after with soap and water. Keep kids with open wounds or a recent stomach illness out of places like B.P. Douglas Park Splash Pad, standard filtration doesn't remove all pathogens instantly.
Collinsville Splash Pads, Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best splash pads for kids near Collinsville, TX?
Our 2026 guide picks 6 standout splash pads within about 25 miles of Collinsville. The top picks include Old City Park Splash Pad, B.P. Douglas Park Splash Pad and The Splash Family Aquatic Center, each chosen for kid-friendly layout, parent reviews, and how well it holds up on a weekend visit.
Which splash pads near Collinsville are free?
5 of the 6 splash pads in this guide are free to visit, including Old City Park Splash Pad, B.P. Douglas Park Splash Pad and Fairview Park. The rest charge admission. Check the individual cards above for prices.
What is the closest splash pad to Collinsville?
Old City Park Splash Pad in Pilot Point is the closest pick at about 11.7 miles from Collinsville. It's the easiest one to fit into a weekday afternoon, short drive, low commitment, easy to leave early if the kids melt down.
When do Collinsville splash pads open and close for the season?
Most Collinsville-area splash pads open Memorial Day weekend (late May) and run through Labor Day or mid-September, depending on weather and maintenance. Hours typically run 10 a.m.–8 p.m. daily, check each splash pad's official page (linked in the cards above) before driving out, since closures for cleaning and weather are common.
Are the splash pads near Collinsville open right now?
It depends on the day. Many Collinsville-area pads run on heat-activated sensors or set seasonal hours (often 10 a.m.–8 p.m.), and some close one weekday for cleaning or shut off in bad weather. Before you load up the car, check the official page linked on each card above, it carries the current day's hours and status.