Theme & Amusement Parks in Milwaukee

Playnasium inspires imaginations inside pint-size frames as kids cavort on sock-clad feet about the approximately 1,800-square-foot facility. Geared toward children aged 6 and younger, the indoor playground showcases a wealth of active options to entertain children as snow and wintry winds roost in outdoor jungle gyms. Kids whip up imaginary snacks in play kitchens, safely leap around in a net-enclosed bounce house, and draft declarations of their pillow fort’s national sovereignty from the coloring area's diminutive picnic tables. Staffers clean and disinfect the entire playroom daily with nontoxic and eco-friendly products to protect budding tots. Playnasium serves up piping-hot coffee to keep parents' tummies toasty, and lunches may be brought from home to refuel tuckered-out tykes. After scheduling an appointment ahead of time, verifying their children's health, and filling a knapsack with a day's supply of snacks, parents can drop their kids off for up to 4 hours of Playnasium-provided childcare and go tend to adult duties.

Playnasium shutters its doors during birthday parties, granting hosts and their guests unfettered access to the facilities’ attractions. Plates, napkins, and utensils will be provided to accompany food and cake brought by the client. The facility’s dedicated staff lends a hand to parents by helping to set up the room prior to the party and cleaning up any messes or leaky big-wheel motors afterward.

Players of airsoft—a cross between paintball and laser tag—use replica rifles to shoot biodegradable plastic pellets at their opponents as they all strive to be the last one standing. The staff at AKA Airsoft, which is led by a former member of the military, add excitement to these matches with organized scenarios on a boot-camp-style course comprising six buildings and multiple starting points. A field referee oversees each scenario to ensure that everyone’s playing safely and fairly.

Little Amerricka takes young thrill-seekers on a journey into the past with its 1950s wooden roller coaster, The Meteor, as well as several restored rides from amusement parks of a bygone era. More than two-dozen rides and attractions cater to all sizes and shriek tendencies of visitors, from adrenaline-pumping go-kart races (for riders 56 inches and taller) to relaxing rotations on the kiddie ferris wheel. The conductor of the Whiskey River Railway chugs the train along 2-mile treks through the rustic Wisconsin countryside, where runaway bumper boats graze native grasses before being lassoed and brought back to the amusement park.

Following a mission to educate guests on preservation and environmental responsibility, Bear Den Zoo provides a safe, caring home for a wide range of farm animals and exotic species. Black bears, ring-tailed lemurs, giant tortoises, and exotic pheasants play and preen inside constructed habitats as guests look on from a safe distance, observing their mannerisms and learning to convincingly imitate them. In addition to providing guests with information on each animal, the zookeepers coordinate hands-on demonstrations that allow guests to interact with more social animals.

During the fall, the zoo opens its surrounding trails for evening hayrides and late-night adventures in the haunted woods. Tiki torches guide the way, and various ghosts and goblins spook guests amid the roars of nocturnal wildcats lamenting the lack of a reliable Internet connection in their cages.

Dolphins Cove thumbs its nose at the furious summer sun with more than 36,000 square feet of watery attractions. Revelers steel their courage before careening down 800 feet of waterslides, or challenge each other to games of water basketball, rope-climbing races, and sand-volleyball tournaments. More relaxing diversions include the outdoor bar and party deck, as well as the lazy river—which will never live up to the example set by the Colorado River in terms of canyon carving and doesn't really care. Kids can safely splash in their own activity pool or participate in regular events such as slide races or treasure hunts.

America's Action Territory encourages familial bonding through amusements in session year-round indoors and seasonally outdoors. During warm weather, the park staff operates six outdoor activities, from bumper boats in a 75,000-gallon pool to paintball on a 20,000-square-foot inflatable field. Back inside, kids can enter the smoky, black-lit laser-tag arena to demonstrate who is most deserving of parents' love, or challenge their progenitors to skee-ball at the arcade. Between games, an eatery supplies patrons with refreshments such as sandwiches, chicken strips, and pizzas on crust made without gluten or lasers. It also offers a wine and beer list for adults, as well as free WiFi. For special occasions, Action Territory's team can also arrange birthday parties and organize group packages.