Theme & Amusement Parks in Oak Ridge

Glowing monkeys scamper toward a neon waterfall, and a knight bearing a radiant yellow lance rides past a bright orange octopus emerging from the ocean. What appears to be a time-traveling session gone awry is really the evolving environment within Putting Edge’s indoor black-lit mini-golf course, which whisks players to deep seas, Aztec jungles, and medieval times. Since opening its original location in Canada, Putting Edge has now expanded to 18 North American locations, all of which invite guests onto its challenging 18-hole courses to seek victory over opponents and the forces that keep their teeth from not glowing as brightly as they could. Elsewhere, the facility houses private party rooms, concessions, and an arcade filled with gamer favorites such as air hockey.

At ASR Indoor Motor Sports Raceway, drivers of all ages control miniature high-speed chases on a 1/8-mile slot-car track that snakes around a spacious room. Models of classic Fords and ad-emblazoned stock cars calibrated at 1:24 or 1:32 scale zip around the course as drivers wield controllers on the sidelines. Miniature car parts and add-ons are available to personalize each driver’s ride, as are tune-ups from miniature mechanics. In addition to a regular schedule of weekly racing programs, ASR Indoor Motor Sports Raceway rents out real estate along its miniature highway for birthday parties and corporate team-building activities.

To really understand what Fun Spot is all about, you only need to watch the commercial blooper reel by owner John Arie on the website. In this two-minute reel, John flubs his lines about go-karts, mishandles his props, and chides his off-camera director for being a stickler while teacups spin in the background. Despite his mistakes, the smile never leaves his face; it's not surprising that the motto of the action park is "Life is Great!"

The family-friendly amusement park has the charm of a small-town carnival, but the colorful adventure never packs up and leaves. There are activities for kids, such as a bounce castle, a fun slide, and an arcade, but where Fun Spot really makes its name is with its thrilling ride for adults. The SkyCoaster, which is part skydive simulator and part hang glider, harnesses up to three screamers and slowly pulls them up 300 feet in the air before dropping them above the park at 80 miles per hour.

Speedsters can also head over to a series of go-kart tracks that keep riders pushing pedals through banked bowls and hairpin curves on a multilevel track. The park rounds out its attractions list with bumper cars, a tilt-a-whirl, and the invisible waves at Surf's Up.

A 50-foot volcano towers above Hawaiian Rumble’s miniature-golf course, spouting rivulets of water and tears of obsolete caddies. Against this backdrop, golfers progress through 18 holes, traveling through caverns and across wobbly rope bridges. In contrast to this tropical landscape, Bonanza Golf & Gifts’ course mimics an old Western mining town. Wrinkled rock artifices create a rustic background for two-story saloons and shacks with corrugated metal roofs. Together, Hawaiian Rumble & Bonanza Golf & Gifts house three total courses, each with 18 holes of various difficulty levels.