Theme & Amusement Parks in Ottawa

Dedicated to fostering imaginative playtime for children, Midway Family Fun Park’s 50,000-square-foot space bustles with young adventurers climbing, jumping, and riding on a slew of indoor attractions. Kids get a taste of grown-up life by piloting bumper cars or boats and discussing tree-house mortgage rates with fellow drivers. Well-trained employees oversee the indoor kiddie train and helm the 25-foot rock-climbing wall to ensure the safety of all scalers; young sprouts can also hone flexibility and balance amid the jungle gym’s ball pit and slides. Outfitted with a number of entertaining and challenging obstacles, the nine-hole mini-golf course grants clubbers a chance to show off their putting prowess on scaled-down greens.

Guests also have access to the bustling arcade, which requires tokens for play, or can stop for sustenance such as a speciality pizza or samosa at Olive Green Restaurant. Midway Family Fun Park also offers full-service party planning for birthdays and other special events. Staff swoop in to take care of everything from set-up and activities to cake and goodie bags, allowing parents to shoot home movies and stage bloopers for the DVD extras.

A jungle, a miniature bowling alley, and a pizza parlor. These dissimilar locales, as well as a slew of other interactive attractions, come together at Funhaven. Webs of neon-green lasers fill the confines of Laser Frenzy, where players solve an ever-changing puzzle amid glow-in-the-dark decor. Similarly, the laser-tag arena encloses warring squadrons in a stylized jungle filled with walls, leaves, and actors researching roles as Tarzan. Back under normal lighting, double-redundant auto-belay systems help climbers creep up a 20-foot climbing wall, and a three-storey jungle gym sends kids spiraling down a vibrant, orange slide.

After taking her son to a miniature golf course in Nepean, Josée Whissel was frustrated. There were mini-golf courses in Orléans, she told Orléans Online, "but nothing like this." In response, Whissel—with help from her husband, two kids, and DNA (her father once owned a course himself)—opened The Game to serve as a hometown mini-golf destination. Designed to challenge golfers of all experience levels, whether young children or old pros with prosthetic putters for legs, obstacles range from sand traps and waterfalls to rough patches in the artificial turf. Between games, players can reenergize with food and drinks from the snack bar manned by a bilingual staff.

For more than three decades, birthday parties, family outings, and corporate retreats have come to life at Karters' Korner with the hum of go-karts, the satisfying sound of well-driven golf balls, and the laughter of children at the mini golf course. A glistening fleet of 40 single and 8 double-seater carts send drivers and passengers zooming around a nearly mile-long track, shielded by the safety of annual vehicle inspections, roll bars, seat belts, and force fields. Visitors who don't meet the track's 54-inch height requirement can practice their automotive skills on the four-wheeler kiddy-kart track. Golfers master their swing at the 1,000-foot driving range, sending balls soaring over a glistening lake speckled with four island greens. Mini golf unites families against the challenge of sending golf balls past cleverly designed obstacles, and an arsenal of pool tables, air hockey, and video games entertain guests indoors. The newly-added paintball fields allow patrons to splatter paint at will within one of several courses. During warm, sunny days, picnickers gather at the large covered patio for lunch, and athletes pick up games of basketball or beach volleyball at the outdoor courts.

The largest sanctuary in eastern Ontario for unwanted reptiles, Little Ray's Reptile Zoo Hamilton is a grand hotel for cold-blooded critters overseen by animal enthusiasts Paul "Little Ray" Goulet, his wife Sheri Goulet, and Steve Featherstone. Born from the joy Little Ray experienced sharing his personal collection of reptiles with school children, the zoo now encompasses a variety of exhibits and daily feeding demonstrations showcasing more than 150 animals. The expert staff—which has trained keepers at other animal facilities on proper husbandry and correct presentation—safely introduces visitors to the animals which include 300-pound alligators, giant snakes, and small monkeys. Each day corporate groups, birthday parties, and everyday animal lovers tour the reptile environs and educational displays. The brand new reptile zoo hosts large private-party and function rooms and a jungle spa where pythons receive hydrating wraps to combat scaly skin.

He's out there somewhere—the notorious Pirate Pete. Over every sailor's adventure, the shadow of his greed looms. But the crew of Pirate Adventures is ready. On their 50-foot ship, 12 water cannons point toward the sea, guarding the vessel from his villainy while they search Davy Jones's locker for sunken treasure. If Pete should show his face, he'll get a face full of water. If he should happen to board anyway, it'll be the plank for him.

During Pirate Adventures' 75-minute treasure hunts, children and their parents sail into this exciting world of high-seas adventure. Crew members welcome aboard new mateys with face-paint, pirate garb, and a sea-worthy moniker, such as "Black Beard' or "Esmerelda, Princess of the Dolphins." Beneath the Jolly Roger flapping in the breeze, the crews decipher maps, solve puzzles, and sing sea shanties, eventually fishing their sought-after treasure chest from the water's depths. Throughout the hunt, the Pirate Adventures crew keeps their unpatched eyes on safety. Everything is kept up to Transport Canada's code: they have all trained in marine emergency procedures, marine first aid, and safe vessel operation.