Indoor Places Where Adults Can Play Like Kids

Tired of kids having all the fun? We have solutions for you! There are a growing number of attractions around Grand Rapids where you can have some good, old-fashioned fun, perfect for date night or an outing with friends. 

Some of these attractions are family-friendly places where you don’t need a kid’s birthday party as an excuse to have fun, but most are intended for adults (those ages 18 and older). Here are some of our favorites. 

Axe Throwing

Yes, you read that right. More than 1,000 axes are thrown daily at the 28 targets inside Wood-Splitters Axe Throwing in northeast Grand Rapids. If you aren’t a lumberjack or have never thrown an axe, the well-trained staff is available to give you tips and tricks to make your first experience a successful one. 

For axe throwing closer to downtown GR, check out FlannelJax’s, just a seven-minute drive or bus ride from Rosa Parks Circle. FlannelJax’s has a liquor license, so you can enjoy a selection of canned beer, cider and hard seltzers to complement your axe-throwing.

Escape Room

How about some brain-powered play? Grand Rapids Escape Room lets you exercise your clue-hunting, code-cracking and puzzle-solving skills as you work together with friends to discover a way out of one of four scenarios – a secret lab, cabin in the woods, abandoned castle or top-secret government research facility. Time is ticking – you have one hour to complete the challenge.

Other area escape rooms include The Great Escape Room (downtown), Locked 460 Escape Rooms and The Ruse Escape Rooms, each offering different themes and experiences.

Break Room Therapy

Do you ever find yourself just wanting to break something? Break Room Therapy provides a safe environment that allows you to release your emotions physically without any repercussions. Forget screaming into a pillow; scream at the top of your lungs! Swing a bat to a set of dishes and you’ll feel your anger melt away. 

All sessions are by appointment only. Once you arrive, you can pick out your smashing object of choice, such as a baseball bat or hammer, put on your safety gear and get smashing. 

Go-Kart Racing

Travel at speeds up to 35 MPH on the two-level indoor go-kart track at Grand Rapids Grand Prix. These are adult karts and all racers must be at least 15 years of age with a driver’s license or permit. Food, beer and wine is available.

The indoor go-karts at Craig’s Cruisers  don’t move as quickly but they do include a double kart option so you can ride in tandem with a pal. This family fun center also includes an indoor arcade, laser tag arena, carnival rides, mini glow golf course and trampoline park, plus outdoor attractions and a pizza-pasta-and salad buffet. Keep in mind that there will likely be a lot of kids running around anytime you visit!

Golf

You can hit the links in any weather in Grand Rapids. Gimme’s Par & Grill in downtown Grand Rapids features state-of-the-art indoor golf simulators that let you virtually play some of the world’s best courses. There are nine playing bays, each of which accommodates 4-6 people, plus a menu full of satisfying food and beverage options. Opening November 2024. 

Indoor golf simulators are also available at 24/7 Golf, Ada Indoor Country Club, Golf 616, The Leaderboard Indoor Golf, X-Golf 28^th Street, X-Golf Grandville and the Golf Club at Thornapple Pointe. Most offer a selection of adult beverages, too.

Mini Golf

If miniature golf is more your style, head to downtown’s Big Mini Putt Club. It offers a nine-hole indoor mini golf course built to be challenging yet fun for all skill levels. There’s also a variety of free games, such as Nintendo 64, Giant Jega and darts, and many card-operated amusement games, including air hockey, skee-ball, and arcade basketball. Big Mini Putt Club has a full bar and you can order in Mexican food from Luna next door. It’s family-friendly until 7pm and 21+ after that.

Indoor mini golf is also available at Great Lakes Glow Golf and the aforementioned Craig’s Cruisers.

Pickleball

Grand Rapids is a Midwest hub for this fast-growing sport, and there are a number of indoor places to play. Broad Leaf Brewery + Spirits became Michigan’s first indoor pickleball restaurant when it installed two new courts in its Kentwood taproom. You need to sign up for a membership to book a court, but membership is free.

Coming soon to the city’s west side is Pickle & Pin, featuring three indoor pickleball courts and three private golf simulators, along with a full bar and TV lounge.

Other indoor pickleball options include 24/7 Golf, All In Pickleball Gym, Impact Dynamic Training, Kentwood Activities Center, MSA Fieldhouse, MSA Woodland, Premier Athletic Club and the Salvation Army Kroc Center.

Fowling Warehouse

Fowling Warehouse is the only place in West Michigan to get in on the fun of playing the original pin game that combines football and bowling. Described as a competitive yet friendly sport, the goal is to knock down all 10 of your opponent’s pins with a football before they knock down yours. Play on one of the 30 football bowling lanes by yourself, in teams of two, or grab a group and set up some tournament play. 

The facility is restricted to those 21 and older after 8pm; those 10 and older are allowed to play until 8pm. Fowling Warehouse offers beer, liquor, wine and non-alcoholic beverages, and you can bring your own food or order in from nearby restaurants while you’re playing.

Trampoline Parks

As adults, it can be easy to forget how fun it is to move like a kid. You’ll remember quickly when you visit Rebounderz Trampoline Park. 

Get some serious air when you slam-dunk on the face-to-face 4 Lane Basketball Slam, where you can challenge your friends to a dunk contest on the adjustable height rims. Or play Xtreme Dodgeball as you “Dodge, Duck, Dip and Dive” off the walls and beds of the trampolines. It’s the game you always wished it was when you were younger! 

Remember to save time for the 16-foot Jump Xtreme Tower and Ninja Warrior Course. And if you work up an appetite, there’s also a cafe where you can find snacks and refreshments. Be sure to check out the website for additional safety information and guidelines. 

Other trampoline parks to add to your list include Sky Zone and Altitude. Check them out and go have fun!

Bowling 

Named one of the top 10 bowling alleys in Michigan by MLive, Clique Lanes offers a unique two-floor layout and retro 1950’s feel with updated technology. Featuring 16 bowling lanes, a full menu, and adult beverages, Clique Lanes is a great place to go and unwind. 

Rent out the upper floor with a large group or enjoy open bowling in the evenings. Open until 1am Thursday – Saturday and 12am every other night, it’s a great place to start – or finish – a night out.  

Be sure to also check out Westgate Bowl, Wengers Bowling Center, or one of Grand Rapids’ other fun bowling options.

Rock Climbing

In the mood for some vertical entertainment? Head to Higher Ground, an indoor climbing center in downtown GR featuring a 23 ft. high artificial rock-climbing wall and a special bouldering room. Inside Moves in Byron Center offers top-rope and lead climbing on walls up to 34 ft. high with a variety of angles, plus a large bouldering area to challenge beginners and veterans alike.

Terra Firma Bouldering Co. in southeast Grand Rapids offers climbing in its simplest form – no ropes or harnesses, just yourself, chalk, shoes and a cushy pad to catch if you fall.

Amped Virtual Reality

Need an escape from your day-to-day reality? Join Spider-Man on a swing through New York City, traverse the oceanic depths, make your way through a zombie apocalypse or an island of dinosaurs and tackle dozens of other exciting games at Amped Virtual Reality.

You’ll choose your game(s), grab a controller, strap on a headset and be transported to a whole new environment, without ever leaving the comfort of the Amped VR arcade. Some games are strictly solo, others let you compete with or against others in your group.

You can book online if you like – reservations are strongly recommended on Saturdays – and there are party packages available for groups, complete with food and refreshments. Game sessions last one hour and all guests must sign a waiver before playing.

Duckpin Bowling 

Experience a different spin on bowling at Woodrows DuckPin inside the Amway Grand Plaza in downtown GR. The lanes are shorter compared to traditional bowling. The balls are smaller and have no holes. The pins are shorter, squattier and lighter than traditional ones, and arranged a bit differently. It’s actually more challenging to knock them down, so you get three rolls per frame instead of two.

You don’t need to rent (or bring) bowling shoes or a ball, just show up and pay for your lane. Carefully curated cocktails, craft beer and wine are available, and you can bring your own food from outside. It’s a comfortable, casual environment complete with a lounge area and large TV displays – perfect for hanging out after your game.

Main Event

Main Event promises “the most fun you can have under one roof” and it’s tough to argue when you see all it has to offer. Located at Woodland Mall, Main Event includes a pro-level bowling alley, virtual reality arcade, laser tag arena, classic arcade games, billiards, mini golf, escape rooms, an extreme indoor ropes course and more. Add in the full food and bar menu, and you’ll never want to leave.

Laser Tag

A good game of laser tag gets your heart pumping and your face smiling. And when you play with other adults, you don’t have to worry about being “that person” tagging all the kids. When you’re ready to rumble, call up BattleGR. Battle GR also offers mobile laser and archery tag at your location of choice. All you have to do is grab some competitors and show up. They do all the rest!

Be sure to check out laser tag at Craig’s Cruisers and Rebounderz as well. 

Acting like a kid is good for the mind and the body. And with the variety of options available, there is definitely something for everyone to get out and enjoy!