Now that winter is upon us, it's a good time to seek refuge indoors. But that doesn't mean all of the fun is left out in the cold. As temperatures drop, the opportunity to explore inside entertainment is on the rise.
And if your idea of fun involves jumping into a foam pit, catching radical air on a trampoline or having dodgeballs whiz by your head, you're in luck because you can do all that and more at Sky Zone Indoor Trampoline Park, which opened last month in Suwanee.
The action bounds to life on 32,000 square feet of wall-to-wall trampolines. After visitors sign a waiver and slip on a pair of jumping shoes provided by the staff, they're off to the open jump area for a quick run down of the rules before warming up on one of the sea of trampoline squares lining the area. Here guests can spring from square to square and even bounce off the walls.
The staff separates younger jumpers from the adults, so grownups can relive their youthful backyard days by soaring into the air and turning flips without worrying about colliding with a tyke in the process.
“When I first came in here and saw the little children jumping around, I thought it was just for kids,” said Kyle Kanhai of Lawrenceville. “Then I got in there, and I’m having just as much fun as the kids.”
Kanhai’s favorite spot is on one of the two trampoline-lined dodgeball courts. One is dedicated to older guests, while younger players occupy the other. For the grown-up set, competition is fierce as balls ricochet off of the walls and players alike. A Sky Zone staffer referees each game until all of the players on one of the two teams are eliminated. Just as one game wraps, another begins.
Other stations include the Foam Zone, where guests hop on trampolines and leap into a massive pit of foam chunks, and the SkySlam, where guests do their best Michael Jordan imitation and leap bounds to make slam dunks. Future plans include trampoline aerobics classes.
The concept seems to be working. According to Josh LaVack, Sky Zone’s operations manager, the park’s opening numbers have exceeded expectations, averaging more than 1,000 guests per day.
“Our capacity is 150,” said LaVack, “and probably for 80 percent of the time ... it’s been sold out.’’
On weekends nights, Sky Zone limits access to the general public and hosts SkyMania 9-11 p.m. Fridays for ages 10-15 and SkyJam 9-11 p.m. Saturdays for ages 16 and older.
For adults who opt to kick back while their kids go wild, there's a parent’s lounge with a television and a monitor showing all of Sky Zone’s play areas in real time. Non-jumpers can also get a bird’s-eye view of the action from two mezzanines. Lori Peterson of Sugarhill recently took advantage of the opportunity to catch up on emails courtesy of the complimentary wireless internet.
“I can relax,” said Peterson, “knowing [my kids] are having a good time in a fun and safe environment.”
For Kahai, however, there’s no relaxing when he visits Sky Zone. He’s too busy ducking dodgeballs.
“They say you’re only as old as you make yourself feel,” he said in between games. “And everyone is like big kids in here enjoying themselves.”
Sky Zone Atlanta Indoor Trampoline Park.
560 Old Peachtree Road N.W., Suite 300, Suwanee. 678-745-9900, www.skyzoneatlanta.com. 3-8 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays; noon-9 p.m. Fridays; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturdays; 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sundays. $9 for 30 minutes to $20 for two hours. SkyMania, 9-11 p.m. Fridays for ages 10-15, and SkyJam, 9-11 p.m. Saturdays for ages 16 and older, includes two slices of pizza, a bottled water and 90 minutes of jump time for $16.
SIDEBAR: More options for indoor fun
Karaoke Melody 2
Get a taste of Asian-style nightlife by crooning karaoke in private rooms reserved for you and your friends. Guests choose from more than 21,000 songs by artists from ABBA to ZZ Top while they nosh on soft drinks, cocktails and snacks, including chicken wings and dumplings.
7130 Buford Highway, Suite B-240, Atlanta. 770-825-0088, www.karaokemelody.com/2/. 6 p.m.-2 a.m. Wednesdays- Thursdays; 6 p.m.-3 a.m. Fridays-Saturdays. $5-$6 per person per hour.
Ormsby’s
Bocce is an addictive 6,000-year-old game similar to bowling, and patrons can play it for free on Ormsby's two basement courts. If bocce isn't your game, there are plenty more old-school bar games at this West Midtown watering hole, including backgammon, darts, pool and shuffleboard. A full bar and upscale pub grub abound.
1170 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta. 404-968-2033, www.ormsbysatlanta.com. 11 a.m.-3 a.m. Mondays-Fridays; noon-3 a.m. Saturdays; noon-midnight Sundays.
Brunswick Zone XL
The enormous gaming palace features The Loft, a VIP space for adults only, offering 10 lanes of glow-in-the-dark, cosmic style bowling and massive screens featuring sporting events and music videos. The complex also has a Lazer Zone Arena, additional bowling lanes, video games, billiards, a full bar and restaurant.
775 Cobb Place Blvd., Kennesaw. 770-427-7679. www.bowlbrunswick.com. 10 a.m.-1 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays; 10 a.m.-midnight Tuesdays and Thursdays; 10 a.m.-2 a.m. Fridays; 9 a.m.-2 a.m. Saturdays; 9 a.m.-midnight Sundays.
Andretti Indoor Karting & Games
Rev it up on high-speed go-karts, play video and bar games, ride a zip line over the track, scale a rock wall and take to the ropes course. Grab a bite or a cocktail, and catch stand-up comedy at the Funny Farm Comedy Club.
11000 Alpharetta Hwy., Roswell, 770-992-5688, www.andrettikarting.com. 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Mondays; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays and Sundays; 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Pricing varies.
Atlanta Rocks! Intown
This sprawling rock-climbing gym boasts more than 12,000 square feet of climbing space and more than 50 top-rope stations for climbers of all skill levels. Keep an eye out for deals including Ladies Night.
1019 Collier Road N.W., Suite A, Atlanta. 404-351-3009, www.atlantarocks.com. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; noon-8 p.m. Saturdays; noon-6 p.m. Sundays. $10-$15 per day; month memberships and special sessions available.
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