Theme & Amusement Parks in East Highland Park

Like Superman's secret North Pole fortress, SkateNation Plus brings the excitement with lasers, arcade games, and 17,000 square feet of glassy ice worth gliding upon. Its regulation NHL–size rink serves as a venue for public skating sessions, in addition to figure-skating lessons, hockey games, and ice-dancing performances. More than 40 games in its onsite arcade whir with a flurry of tickets, and a full spectrum of prizes awaits quick-handed winners at the redemption counter. During laser-tag sessions, the Lasertron computer spontaneously upgrades players with such power-ups as "energizer" or "force field," which protects against enemy blasts more effectively than a lead vest or full-length mirror. SkateNation Plus also hosts a rock-climbing wall and full-service café to keep guests warm and energized during visits.

Romp n' Roll’s energetic instructors inspire parents and children alike to get on their feet and learn in structured play-based educational classes. In small groups, kiddies engage with their peers and their environment during interactive lessons, such as dancing sessions or art explorations, which nurture their physical and mental development. Instructors keep their lessons lively by infusing play into each assignment. Outside the classroom, the staff hosts indoor play time to give kids a place to safely unleash any remaining energy. Parents can attend classes with their kids to spend quality time with their offspring and finger-paint something other than office budget reports.

Kings Dominion boasts family entertainment ranging from thrill rides to kids' areas, a water park, and live entertainment. Over 17 roller coasters and high speed attractions await groups, such as the all new Windseeker, which plants riders on a 301-foot tower in swings that travel up to 30 miles per hour. A Peanuts themed kids' area entertains with Snoopy rides and discount psychiatric advice, while a 20-acre water park includes high-speed water slides, lazy rivers, and dual wave pools. Guests seeking to take a break can sit back to watch live entertainment, or prepare for zombie uprisings with the Kings Dominion annual Halloween Haunt.

A gathering place for both children and parents, Cartwheels & Coffee sows the seeds of neighborhood camaraderie with its multi-purpose recreational facility. Inside, an enclosed play area entertains children aged six and under with interactive fun, and a separate section keeps babies captivated with age-appropriate toys. Meanwhile, parents can kick back alongside each other in the Wi-Fi-equipped cafe and sip on locally roasted cups of coffee or recharge with other items from the menu. Special events throughout the week provide a change of pace to normal activities, including singing sessions on Mondays and dance classes on Wednesdays.

Most miniature golf courses have greens that are actually green, but not Ironbridge Sports Park—the Park's 18-hole course trades the faux-grass for pastel purple, yellow, red, and blue, adding some color to the already whimsical game. The course's vibrant personality extends throughout the park, where guests crack baseballs and softballs in batting cages, dodge phosphorescent bullets in the outdoor laser tag field, and practice parallel parking in go-karts. A two-tiered driving range hosts swing practice across 60 hitting stations, which are covered and heated for year-round use.

Swaders Sports Park fuels friendly competition between friends and family members with an endless series of sports and gaming opportunities. Guests jump into one of four different go-karts and zip around two tracks or guide golf balls past challenging obstacles and serene water features—such as waterfalls, streams, and nymphs holding water guns—on two 18-hole mini-golf courses. Golfers can also head to the driving range or smack a different kind of ball in the batting cages.

Inside the facility, a whirring collection of lights and sirens ricochet off the walls from more than 70 arcade games. A multilevel laser-tag arena conceals players behind towering glow-in-the-dark obstacles, and the Route 66 bowling alley allows guests to bowl on highway-themed lanes without the risk of potholes that comes from playing on regular highways.