Spin classes, Zumba, and Bikram yoga classes can only be so fun. They might be a great workout, but they’re nothing compared to the exuberant joy you felt as a kid getting across the high monkey bars for the first time.
Lucky for you, Buffalo has a variety of indoor and outdoor playgrounds that will make any adult feel like a kid again.
Instead of sitting at home this winter, or getting a little too familiar with your local bartender, book your closest friends for a night out that’ll bring you right back to when you wish you were- a child again.
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1. Trapped: A Buffalo Escape Room Experience
Where: 2171 Sheridan Dr, Tonawanda
How much: $25 per player
Like a video game brought to life, Trapped will make you fearful, it will make you think, and you’ll have to use your strengths to make it out alive. Enough said.
2. Urban Air Adventure Park
Where: 1 Walden Galleria, Buffalo, NY 14225
How much: $9.99 – $34.99 depending which package you get
Urban Air Adventure Park is bursting with fun things to do like laser tag, bumper cars, a sky rider ride, climbing walls and hills, a ropes course, trampolines, a drop zone, indoor playground, warrior course, battle beam, and lots more. Get your heart-rate up while reliving days past in the best way possible.
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3. Buffalo Battleground
Where: 1888 Niagara Falls Blvd, Tonawanda
How much: $20/2 hours plus rental equipment fee ($15)
The words “capture the flag” probably bring back memories of gym class, but Buffalo Battleground is a whole lot more than those sweat-filled blue mats on gym room walls and beaten up red flags you tried desperately to carry amidst attempted tackles.
At Buffalo Battleground, an Airsoft arena, you get hours of play and a variety of games to choose from. You and your opponents can play the classic Capture the Flag, and still have time for President, Alien, and Hostage Rescue. And when you don’t feel like playing, shop within the on-site retail store for bigger and better equipment.
4. Niagara Climbing Center
Where: 1333 Strad Ave, North Tonawanda
How much: $145/Student semester pass; $15/unlimited day; $12/student, military, or senior
No obstacle course at summer camp was complete without an imposing rock wall. While outdoor rock climbing isn’t really a big thing in Western New York, the Niagara Climbing Center brings the cliff to you.
The Niagara Climbing Center is the only indoor full-service rock climbing gym in the area, so it caters to a whole spectrum of climbers, from beginners to people who might as well have grown up dangling from a mountain. The Center boasts a range of challenges like roofs and top-outs to pose a challenge to any climber.
They also offer yoga at Center Yoga inside the facility. “The Niagara Climbing Center is pleased to announce the opening of Center Yoga, a yoga and meditation space in the Niagara Climbing Center building.”
Yoga is a path worth taking. Whether you are looking to partake in tradition climbing or another fitness workout; this practice of stretching tight muscles and the relaxation of the mind will enhance all aspects of your life.
5. Bayview Raceway and Golf
Where: 3803 Bayview Road, Blasdell (Seasonal)
How much: $14 for Go-Karts & $8 for mini-golf
Bayview Raceway and Golf is home to a fun mini-golf course and a thrilling go-kart experience that will have you feeling like a kid again at an affordable price. Start off your adventure by partaking in mini-golf that will have you refining your short game. Then, top it off by getting in the driver’s seat and racing around the track in the fast lane. Just remember to buckle up.
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6. Manor Lanes
Where: 150 Grand Island Blvd, Tonawanda, New York 14150
How Much: $5.00 Per Person Per Game, Shoe Rental: $4.00 Per Person
If bowling doesn’t take you back to being a kid, you’re too young to be reading this guide. With the days of bowling birthday parties, popcorn machines and sheet pizzas mostly behind you, you should know you’re never too old for bowling. Play on a random day or sign up for a league with friends – you’re pretty much guaranteed to feel the giddy joy of yesteryear, trust us. Remember to call before visiting to check lane availability!
This post was originally published in 2016 and has been updated.