Went on a Saturday around 12, started to get pretty busy around 12:45-1:30. Which makes the cave/cavers very tight to walk through. While your down there your using a provided map to guide yourself around and match the corresponding areas ( Ex; A to A or 1-1 ) We went after it had just rained the night before, so everything was VERY wet. Wear waterproof/walking shoes if you plan on exploring. Be prepared to get dripped on by very cold water coming off nearby rocks, and the "ceiling". Coming down the initial very steep stairs is a beautiful view of different levels of rocks decending into a tunnel/cave where the rest of the cavers are. Tons of puddles all over the ground from collected rain water and the "droplets". Most the areas are about big enough for one person to walk through the tunnel areas at one time, and if your a larger person i DO NOT recommend going down there. Some areas are extremely tight and really only accessible to someone under 4'5 and around 100 pounds or less. (Im 5'4, 140 and some areas i almost got stuck cause it was too tight going through the rocks. It is neat to see though, i dont think id want to do it again as it is just wet rocks and the furthest tunnel was closed from the previous year that occurred from some heavy rain water. (The water collected, over time causing a collapse). So that was kind of a bummer but i get it for safety reasons. The gem mining was fun, definitely loaded with a lot of "gravel" type rocks so that was new for me, Ive only ever had ones with dirt/sand that yield rocks/gems/shark teeth. We found some really interesting gemstones in each tray. The petting zoo was great. I thought it wad Going to be boring and smelly, and i was happily wrong. The goats were adorable, when we came in a baby jumped through the fence and was following our group. And when we came inside the "pen" to pet them he ran back in it was very cute! The deer were a little skittish but very sweet and gentle. The treasure hunt/maze was VERY fun we enjoyed getting different prizes snd trading them within the group. read more

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Lots of things for kids to do. Large play ground area, mini golf, cave tour, petting farm, maze, pre purchased bag for gem panning. We paid $145 for our family of 5 to do all the activities read more

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It's really a great place for people of all ages there's mining for gems there's a cave. Our favorite part is the animal petting zoo. It's mostly comprised of goats with a few pigs and Zoe the cow "Queen of the barnyard!" It's not exactly conducive for people in wheelchairs. It has a lot of gravel which can make it challenging when you go into the petting zoo. The restrooms are NOT handicap accessible. Which was annoying but we had a work around thankfully. My experience was a five star, but the lack of handicap parking and all the gravel and no handicap accessible bathroom. I have to give it a 2 but because it was so much fun I give it a 5. read more

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Came for the petting zoo which had deer, goats, a pig and a cow. Lots of the other visitors were not following directions about feeding the goats so they became aggressive--one head-butt us with its horns and others ate holes in our clothes. The deer were very docile though! read more

Olentangy Indian Caverns - Tours Near Me - Delaware, Ohio

I love this place!!!! So much to do and the caverns are wonderful. Don't forget to say hi to the goats and deer!

Had a great time here today on spring break staycation. The place is on a much larger property than I was expecting. There is expansive play areas and picnic setups. Everything is designed for self-guided fun. You can take your time making a day of the place with your children or just run in and see the cavern if that's what you're going for. The petting zoo was a hit and so was the maze. read more

Olentangy Indian Caverns - Cole's the engine driver - Tours Near Me - Delaware, Ohio

I don't have anything negative to say about this place--it was clean, the staff was friendly, and overall, it was a pleasant visit. That said, the cave itself felt a bit underwhelming, especially for the price. I've been to larger and more impressive caverns that offered more to see and explore. Still, I really enjoyed spending time here with my family, and the museum portion was a nice bonus. It just wasn't my favorite cave experience, but it definitely wasn't a bad one. read more

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This review is for the yoga class a friend and I attended at the caverns. The experience of doing yoga in the caverns was very unique and I absolutely had to try. We met our group outside and when everyone arrived we descended into the cave. Our guide instructed us where we should place our mats which was very helpful. The yoga class was for all levels and is more relaxing than challenging. By the end of the class I felt fully immersed in the experience and was very happy I had chosen to try it. read more

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The cave is small, very disappointing, the petting zoo was fun mostly because of the deer. The maze was fun because you got little treasures, and the big foot walk was interesting to see the different wood sculptures. Overall 8/10 (4.0 stars). (My review from Google Map) read more

There was a lot to do at the Olentangy Caverns - you could easily spend a day here! You can pay for individual activities if you only want to do a few, or you can purchase an all access pass. Tickets are available in the store, where you can also talk to the friendly staff and get any information and relevant items needed for your activities (such as the golf clubs and balls for mini golf). Cave tours are self-guided now, which has signage to read and some recordings you can press and listen to as you view the various features. We enter through a small museum, the Richard F. Leitch Museum, which includes multiple display cases and some information about the caves and how they were used by local tribes. The mini golf course is 18 hole and had some nice challenges. We really enjoyed playing a round. There is a newer walking trail now available for no charge, the Big Foot Walking Trail, which is an easy stroll through the woods and has an amazing collection of wooden sculptures, including a wide variety of animals in addition a number of Big Foots. There's a really nice large Big Foot sculpture near the entrance too. The free playground is huge and offers a wide variety of activities: slides, climbing structures, towers to explore on two different levels, an amazing wooden train to play in, and a real fire truck that kids can get in and out of and climb up the back and slide down a slide added to the back. Other activities include a petting zoo, treasure hunt maze, and gem mining. A lot of picnic tables are located around the property, as well as a shelterhouse. This attraction is seasonal, so there are only a couple more weeks to make it over (end of March through October). read more

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We had a terrible heatwave on our last trip home so we ditched the zoo and opted for some nice and cool caverns. This place holds so many memories for me as a child, and now holds a special place for my children. The cavern itself is fairly small, half an hour if you stretch it out. Nice and cool year round, which was a blessing with the heat dome currently holding us hostage. There are almost 60 steps to get down into the cavern, and understand it's a cavern. It'll be wet and muddy if there has been rain in the previous weeks. Some super cool sights, and a lot of fun if you're into this type of history. read more

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This is a wonderful small attraction for a family outing. I visited 4 years ago with oldest granddaughter and had the opportunity to take her younger sister today. We bought the all inclusive admission. This included a self guided cave tour, very easy after the initial staircase on this Mimi. Followed that with panning for gem stones which yielded a nice variety of stones, included with panning is a card to identify and categorize what was found. After that the petting zoo included goats, a zebu, and deer. The highlight being after feeding goats you can go into pen and slide down the goats slide! There is a maze with 3 stops to find treasures, we received arrowheads, quartz crystals in our treasure. There is a great playground complete with a decommissioned fire truck, putt putt coarse and plenty of picnic tables. A great way to spend a day! read more

Olentangy Indian Caverns - Panning for gemstones - Tours Near Me - Delaware, Ohio

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Great family outing. Cave is great for all ages. Plus excellent activities to keep the young and old. read more

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Being from NJ we were pleasantly surprised by these caverns seemingly in the back of a small museum. They are a bit scary and confined but they are caverns so, yeah. We had a wonderful time exploring here. Wear a jacket as it is always cold. read more

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We adore the Olentangy Indian Caverns. The caves themselves are fun and surprisingly spooky. The steps going down are steep and can be slippery, so wear good footwear and hold onto the hand rail. The gem mining is usually our favorite thing to do here. It's always a good time hunting for treasure and they pack the "Mother Lode" bag with especially great items so it's well worth the $26 (though you can get much smaller bags for $9 or so). We also love the petting zoo - so roomy, spacious and the animals seem really happy and relaxed. It's in a lovely wooded setting with room for both animals and kids to run and play. We have a blast every time we come here. I am so glad they have given the gentle deer their own roomy enclosure - it's a really nice set-up. This is a gorgeous piece of property and worth a visit and walk around. Great spot for photos, too. Two thumbs up from our family! read more

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This is a great outing for a couple or family! There are a lot of things to do on the grounds such as the petting zoo and being able to walk around with the deer & goats. Speaking on just the caverns alone, it was a little bit crowded down there and a little frustrating that people were loud so you couldn't hear the presentations if you press the buttons. I wish they let less people down at once and also have staff down there to calm people down... especially those small children and teenagers who are screaming which echoes in the caverns. The stairwell going down is a bit tight and slippery and I wish the steps were a little wider because people with big feet can easily slip going down. The staff was minimally helpful and the process on where to buy tickets/which building before walking to the attractions could be clearer. Overall it is very beautiful and I can't believe the history behind how they were made! I definitely want to come back with my kiddo but, probably on a day where children are in school & I'll come when they open to avoid crowds read more

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I enjoy exploring caves when there is one in an area that I am visiting. I am merely a novice caving enthusiast. Seeing the reviews on Google, I was expecting a bit more from Olentangy Caverns. Last time I checked caves did not have drainage pipes, neither were there any natural sediment nor formations typical of caverns. It appeared that this 'cave' was more professionally excavated and poured concrete to give a cave like appearance for entertainment purposes only. If you are looking for entertainment purposes only, this facility while a bit pricey, does fulfill the entertainment purposes for a decent family day for kids between about 6-12yrs old. If you are looking for something with a bit more oomph, you need to consider another resource. read more

I am fairly certain my two children got E.Coli from the gem sifting water station. We had an overnight stay at the hospital for my 4 year old to get IV fluids. Please visit with caution. We did not do the animal petting or the caves. It was a short visit with a couple minutes of water play. read more

This was my first experience witnessing a cavern. The price was 9.95 for adults and 6.95 ish don't quote me it a ball park figure. The temperature underground was 40 degrees while above ground was 72. I would advise you to wear some type of slip resistant shoe or hiking boot. The stairway down is wet and steep. We were given a map at the cashier once we paid. It was off season (April) they didn't have a tour guide. The caverns are numbered 1-5. In total it took us about a 20 minute stroll to maneuver the area. It was well lite but very wet. I was winded walking up the stairs. Take your time and have fun read more

Olentangy Indian Caverns - Tours Near Me - Delaware, Ohio

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what you get to do for the money is crappy. it cost my family of 4 $90 just to do the cave and putt putt. once in the cave it is a self guided tour but some of the speaker stations weren't working and the ones that were you can't even hear because they let so many people down at once and the talking echos. part of the cave was also closed so they shouldn't be charging full price for less than a full tour read more

The Olentangy Indian Caverns was our destination for our wedding anniversary. Neither my husband nor I had been to the caverns since we were children so we wanted to share the fun with our daughter. So much has changed but for the better! They now have a petting zoo where you can feed goats or even deer! We got to feed a little Bambi deer! They also have added a gem sluicing feature where you can buy various sizes of bags of pay dirt to sift. Our daughter had a lot of fun and was very pleased with the gemstones and other goodies she got. Great place for a day of good times for the kids! Even the big kids! read more

Olentangy Indian Caverns - We found Big Foot!! - Tours Near Me - Delaware, Ohio

We only came here for the cave visit and not the other touristy trap stuff this place had to offer... All in all, this place is more than just a cave, it's a paradise! It's got awesome monuments, a mini museum, small gift shop, mini golf amongst others. Everything here is newer, things are well taken care of here. If you're coming here expecting to get lost in the cave, it's probably not going to happen since it's small but it is beautifully well lit and perfect for the kids to explore with their parents! All in all, great place! read more

Awesome fun and cool way to spend the morning. What better way to beat the heat then to walk through caves over 5000 years old! If not as large as expected its definetly a memory for life and a great learning experience for all ages! Explore the whole area while you are there, not just the caves. $8.50 a person is steep since the caves take about 10 minutes to walk through, but really who cares, this is worth checking out and I'm glad we did. read more

Olentangy Indian Caverns - Tours Near Me - Delaware, Ohio

Prices are fair. The mining gemstones was wonderful. Even the gift shop prices were really reasonable and not price gauging for a tourist attraction. However, I was disappointed at the lack of covid precautions. No requirements for face masks no social distance markers of any sort and no hand sanitizer.would expect them to pass out gloves for cavern based on how much you need to touch. Cavern was beautiful but ever audio guidance was broken. The treasure maze was nice but didn't have any "treasures" machines were broken read more

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Great little, lazy Sunday roadside tourist attraction. Interesting historic site. Staff were so friendly. Cute gift shop. Gnome what I mean? read more

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There are a few good reasons for coming here: *The cave temp is always 54 degrees. Makes for a cool getaway in the summer heat and a warm spot in the cold of winter *If you live around downtown Columbus you feel you are going on a trip. Rte. 315 more scenic than US 23 *Tours run every 30 minutes during warmer months. Guides add to the adventure and history of the caves *Good for kids. Multiple activities on site including petting zoo, Putt-Putt and dredging for "gold". On the other hand, the stalactites and stalagmites aren't very dramatic or exciting. The color lights help, just a little. Not much room inside to maneuver, therefore a crowd larger than 8 can make it feel claustrophobic. You may also have a hard time hearing the guide. Just know, most paths lead nowhere. You go out the same way you came in. Finally, there may be bus loads of kids visiting, so plan accordingly. If you never been, a one time visit will do ya. read more

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I hadn't been to the Olentangy Caverns in about 30 years (and was not impressed then), but boy...has it changed !!! We had the grandkids for a couple of days and were looking for something close to home so we decided to try it. Both, the kids and the grandparents had a BLAST ! We purchased the all access pass (ALL ACCESS PASS: CAVE TOUR, GEM MINING, MINI GOLF, MAZE, PETTING ZOO, Adults (ages 13+) $25.99 ,Children (ages 3-12) $22.99), and we're glad that we did. You can easily spend the better part of a day there. The cave tour was informative and exciting. Kids and adults both enjoyed the gem mining, and came away with bags of "treasures" The maze was a lot of fun and we got tokens to use in machines within the maze to get more treasures. Plenty of playgrounds for the kids to climb on things (including a real fire truck), and nice shelters for picnics. The petting zoo was a hoot ! Our pass included a cup of food to feed the pigs, goats and deer. We all had fun walking right in with the animals and feeding them. Mini golf is always fun, and this little course was no exception. Plenty of photo opportunities all thru the facility. Small gift shop there too. We were there for three hours, only because it started raining. We could have easily been there for five hours. Next time I think that we'll pack a picnic lunch and eat there as well. Great facilities, friendly staff, tons of kids activities. read more

So much fun for the entire family! The Caverns are amazing and there are lots of activities at a reasonable price. You won't regret it!

Absolute surprise. We drive by daily and had never come in. We brought a picnic and ate at the super nice picnic tables (even clean bathrooms). Then we played at the play ground and climbing wall. They even have life size board games, climbing walls and putt putt. Cave tour was okay, dark and slippery. Next time we will do everything else but only buy cave tour for big kids. - petting zoo is $3.00 and you need cash for $1.00 bags of food or buy when your tour pass. This petting zoo rivals the Columbus Petting. Shaded area with a slide, well maintained and clean. See my pictures. read more

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The staff was incredibly nice. Loved the petting zoo, it was a really cute stop on our trip. I recommend it if you're looking for something fun to do! read more

Olentangy Indian Caverns - Deer wanting more animal crackers - Tours Near Me - Delaware, Ohio

Great place to take the family. Definitely has different activities you can do with your kids.

Beautiful experience. My kids are 13 & 11. They whined and complained when I told them that we were going to a cave. Once we were there, smiles took over. Afterwards I asked them what they thought, and they both said that it was awesome. They liked it and they were glad that we came. The price isn't bad. They offer a military discount. The guided tour lasts about 45 minutes. The historical value is priceless. You walk into a place that was inhabited thousands of years ago...pretty cool. read more

Olentangy Indian Caverns - Tours Near Me - Delaware, Ohio

Caves have fascinated me since I was a kid. I've always wanted to explore them, which I never got to do growing up in Connecticut. These caves lived up to everything I always imagined as a kid. It's almost a shame I never got to see them back then but I'm proud that I'm giving my son so many unforgettable experiences I never had. Note: if you come here after it has rained, wear water proof hiking boots or non slip shoes and watch your step. You might also want to wear a jacket that's water resistant, or at least not susceptible to water damage. It didn't bother me but some people are whiney about water and less than warm temperatures. The Caverns: These caves are the stuff of legends, cartoons and adventure movies. Water dripping everywhere, echoing through the chambers. Big rooms with high ceilings, smooth stone eroded into random shapes, hallways and pathways and stalactites and stalagmites (though not many and they were small). It was a cool, comfortable, constant 58 degrees in every room. There were thermometers set up on the information signs to confirm this. The air was as clean and pure and exhilarating to breathe as any mountain fresh air I've ever experienced. The purity of the air is fascinating considering you're in a gigantic hole in the ground. There is a crack in the ceiling through which air is exchanged with the outside world every 30 minutes or so. Nature's climate control works better than any man made mechanical air conditioner anywhere. What was most fascinating was the history of this place. Native Americans have lived in there, hid from enemies, worked and presumably performed sacred rituals for hundreds or maybe thousands of years. The Hopewell and Wyandot civilizations are known to have lived there. As I walked through there, the past resonated around me, filling me with a kind of reverence for long forgotten souls like you would feel walking through a cemetery or an old battlefield. I could see them in my mind, sitting on all the flat surfaces, sleeping in the hollowed out spaces, talking, planning, meeting, crafting tools, frightened as they hid from warring tribes. To be in such a place, in the same space they were, touching the surfaces they did (but try not to), to be so intimate with the past is a haunting experience. There were informational signs with recordings but they were confusing because, as another reviewer pointed out, you couldn't tell what they were talking about. One referred to a red light that was in a completely different part of the cave nowhere near the recording that talked about it. The gift shop: The gift shop here was phenomenal. There were all kinds of beautiful and affordable pocket knives, gem stones and rocks galore, Native American artwork and crafts and figurines, books and videos, toys, jewelry, candy; more than I can even remember. It's worth coming here for the gift shop alone. The museum: The cave entrance is under an old brick building. It looks like you're going into the basement of the building. This kind of confused me and made me wonder if I was going the right way. This brick building is a museum and could have been the 2nd most interesting part but it was closed. There was no explanation for its closure. This was a major downer. The other attractions: There was also a miniature golf course that looked about as old and as the caverns and seemed to have been untouched by human hands since the last cavern dwellers moved out. There was Frontier Town, which is a kids' play town made to look like the old west. It was so pitifully lame it's hardly worth talking about. You couldn't go in the buildings and from looking in the windows, you wouldn't want to. So what's the point of it? There is a hiking trail but we didn't hike it so I can't comment until next time. I didn't see any petting zoo. You can buy bags of dirt and go to a flowing trough of water to pan for stones and fossils. A lot of people were doing it and my son almost wanted to do it, but I don't get the point of it. If you know the stuff is there, what's the fun in finding it? I give the caves and gift shop five stars. Everything else I'll give two. Average it out and that's 3.5 stars but I rounded it up to 4 because I had a great time I'll never forget. The rest of my pictures are here: https://picasaweb.google.com/117108348417440990775/OlentangyIndianCaverns?authuser=0&feat=directlink read more

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I think my Boyfriend is secretly afraid of caves, so we explored that fear yesterday. Looking for something to do, we stopped by here! It was raining a little bit but we decided to go anyway. You pay for the tour at the top of the hill (this time of year it's self guided) and then you start the tour at the house at the bottom of the hill. The house is supposed to be a museum but it has been shut down due to a storm? So you go straight to the caves. It was interesting! We probably took about 30 minutes down there and we're done - the caves weren't really that big. Lots of tight spaces and stairs, so be okay with both of those. I dunno, for $10/person I wouldn't ever go back or take anyone. If you have children I feel like it could be a fun afternoon, because besides the caves they also have a playground, a petting zoo, mini golf? And a couple of other things. Could be a fun day for a family! read more

Olentangy Indian Caverns - Tours Near Me - Delaware, Ohio

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I really enjoyed this place, I know a lot of people claim they are small and that Ohio Caverns are bigger, it seems that way because there is a lot of unopened areas, some are dangerous or possibly unexplored, but if you take the self guided tour and look at the map it's a neat experience, it remains 54 degrees all year long, it was nice since it was hot and humid outside. Wear good shoes, and if you have trouble walking this may not be for you, the stairs going down are steep and very wet, but I did see an older woman with a chance down there, but if you go down slow and careful you'll be just fine my husband carried our 48lb son down. I happen to love caverns and I love history, also the animal encounter was neat the kids loved it and the baby cows were my favorite so sweet! One of the deer loved giving kisses lol I think it's worth a visit read more

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This amazing place is a very important tourist attraction in ohio. I have been here in Columbus since 2013 and I've never heard of it. After I went there I told my friends and no one ever heard of it although some of my friends was born and raised in Columbus!! This is not fair! Before I went there I googled it and nothing show up. It turned out there was a $10 fee for the tour. People who are in charge should pay more efforts to advertise this unique historical place. There are so many ideas for making this place well- known to columbus residents, international students at OSU, and others. read more

I was visiting Columbus with my family, and got a free morning, choosing to visit this place. Not a complex or large cavern as others I have seen, we were somewhat disappointed of not finding stalagmites/tites, but the guide (Josh) made up with some good stories about the indians and outlaws of old times. The grounds are nice, clean restrooms. Good for a couple of hours having an interesting experience. We didn't test the sound boxes in the cave, they seemed broken. May be the entrance price is high if you compare with some bigger or more spectacular places. read more

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Can't believe I have missed seeing these Caverns after living in Columbus for 20 years! A must see if you haven't been or if your visiting this area! Wear good shoes and take your time going through the awesome Caverns. They have information points that are really cool as well:) read more

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I had a really good time today at the caverns. There are lots of activities for both adults and children. You can take a cave tour, make some animal friends at the petting zoo, do gem mining, play mini golf, and go through a treasure hunt maze. There is also a small playground and corn hole. There is a big billboard on 23 advertising this and it's right down home road. You can't miss it. We did the cave tour first which lasts around 30 mins. The stairs going down into the cave are pretty steep and can be wet so wear good shoes. You go up those same stairs and there's quite a few of them so be prepared for that. There are also some very narrow spaces to get through on the tour. It was nice learning the history of the cave and exploring. It's pretty standard looking for a cave. Nothing too exciting but still something fun to do. We also did the petting zoo. I love animals so this was my favorite part. You could also pay extra for some feed for the goats and deer. The goats were little pigs. Couldn't feed them fast enough. The deer weren't as interested but eventually I made some furry woodland friends. We didn't do the other activities so I can not comment on them but all in all there is lots to keep a family entertained for relatively cheap and close to home. read more

Olentangy Indian Caverns - Cave - Tours Near Me - Delaware, Ohio

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The caverns and the rest of the activities available on the ground are quite nice. The land is pretty and well maintained. The tour was not bad but not great. It lasted 30-40 minutes with a guide who was very well-versed in the history of the caverns but faltered quite a bit whenever scientific details came up. You could tell she wasn't certain of the differences among various geological words that start with "cal-" (calcite, calcium deposits, etc.). The journey into the caverns and out of them involves a couple of flights' worth of steps. They should be no trouble for most people, but sometimes disabilities are not immediately evident, yet the guide didn't provide any warnings. My mom joked that if her boyfriend (aging, out of shape, and extremely sedentary) had been with us, he might still be down there. The caverns themselves were fascinating, to think about what had been there 80, 180, or millions of years ago. We really weren't certain the $9.50 per adult price was exactly worth it, though. We were both glad we took the tour once, but we don't see ourselves going back. One area of information I found myself wanting more of in the little museum room we exited into was the history of the caverns not just in the distant past but in the recent past as a tourist attraction. There is some info about how they were first opened to the public in the '30s, and later a Frontierland type setup was added and at some point removed. I found myself very interested in the rise and fall and gradual evolution of the property's focus as it has changed ownership over the decades. There was a bit there on the subject but not as much as I would have enjoyed. When my mom and I visit each other, we always play miniature golf. The mini golf available here was actually the pull: caverns plus golf was more exciting than one or the other. The golf is only $5 per game for adults. It's set back in a shady area behind the gift shop. At first glance, it looked like a mess. The greens were small and littered with leaves. We had to move the putting mat into place for practically every hole. But as we played, it grew on us. It was like garden mini golf, all ingeniously laid out within a small square of space instead of sprawling over hills. The greens may have been covered in twigs, but they were in very good shape. The first few holes were very simple in layout, but the later ones became increasingly devious. And shade is seldom a bad thing! If the course just got swept a bit more often, I think they'd have a gorgeous thing going. read more