I started seeing the billboards around town and looked up more about Crystal Cave. We decided to…read moremake a visit and were pleasantly surprised! It's about a $$$ rating on cost, but is really well organized with a variety of things to do. They have picnic areas, mini golf, trails and gift shop. Not much for concessions so bring your own food if looking to eat. We did the cave tour and gem mining. Tour was about an hour, advance reservations recommended. I had two 6 year olds and they had a blast, they got cold but not too bad. The tour guides do a great job explaining the history, what you're looking at and all kinds of cave facts. It's big inside, there are low spots but you don't really feel claustrophobic if that's something you're concerned about. Gem Mining was a good time, kids were super excited about the treasures they got to bring home. If you're looking for a different activity to do with the kids, adults or family then you should check it out "!

I went here for a second-grade field trip (don't worry, I'm not a second grader, just a chaperone…read moreLOL). The long, hot, and noisy bus ride to Spring Valley was well worth it to spend an afternoon here. Don't let the name fool you, there aren't any crystals in the cave (that I know of) but it's still a riot! I especially enjoyed the story about Charlie the caveman. I'm not going to spoil anything, but I heavily respect the management's creativity to make an intricate story out of rock formations LOL! Rock and history enthusiasts (like me) will especially enjoy the cave (just be mindful it's cold down deep) Spelunk on!

We had so much and left completely DRENCHED in sweat. While it is tempting to want to try some of…read morethe more "difficult" scenarios for your first visit, I would definitely encourage you to start with something a tad low-key. We had 5 of us and we did the zombie apocalypse/walking dead-type experience and while it was definitely fun, we wish we would have tried something easier for our first experience. We did end up running into each other once in a while or hitting each other in the head! It was chaos to have a billion zombies coming at you and so we were kind of just spinning in circles and shooting at everything! I was a bit nervous because I am known to get vertigo but it didn't affect me in that way at all. Expect to sweat and make sure to wear closed toed shoes!!

Went today to Extreme Sandbox in Hastings and had a great time. There were three of us and operated…read morethe large excavators. Wyatt was our instructor and did a fantastic job. Overall it was a fun experience and I would do it again.

Could be SO much better…read more Just moved here from out of state recently. My 4-year old son misses his friends, so I wanted to take him to a place where he could play with other kids. I searched online for an inflatables place and was surprised there weren't more of them in the Northeast suburbs. Pump It Up wasn't too far, so we went there. My GPS took us right to the building, but I had to drive around a bit to find Pump It Up. It's in an office building complex and it's at the far end of the building. We went inside and the reception area is nice. They have a vending machine for snacks and before you go in, the parents and kids have to watch a safety video, which is short and helpful so everyone understands the rules. Then we are led to the rooms with the inflatables. The place seems clean, but it's too dark to really tell. I didn't think they were overstaffed today. There was one person at the front desk and two staff in the play area. They seemed attententive. One of them helped a boy find his family (because it was probably too dark in there for him to see). As Eva B. stated in her review, there are two rooms with inflatables and three inflatables in each room. Not a lot of variety. There weren't a lot of kids there, so over-crowding wasn't an issue. Each room is pretty dimly lit (think of a movie theater before the previews start). There are two very uncomfortable benches for parents to sit in each room. One room was pretty warm and the other was cool - they were connected by open doors so the kids could go from room to room. One of the rooms has an air hockey table that appeared to be free, although it was so crowded all the time, we didn't go over there to check it out. The inflatables places I'm used to going have tables for the parents and wi-fi access. They also have snack bars. You won't find those things here, I'm afraid. Some parents were even sitting on the floor because the benches are so uncomfortable. This place only has 4 open play sessions each week for only an hour and a half each. At $6, it seems pretty expensive. Still, we'll probably go back simply because of the lack of options. The staff is friendly and my son had a good time.

I've always been skeptical about expensive birthday parties for kids. However, after attending a…read moreparty at Pump It Up in Oakdale, I'm convinced that they are worth their value. The parking was very easy, pulled right up to the door, walked right it (moms with young kids know how nice this is, especially in snow & ice). The staff greeting us warmly, and showed up around, took my son's jacket and gear, and then the birthday present. We sat in a nice waiting area, watched a safety video, and then the kids got started jumping. I felt at ease for an hour chatting with other parents as we watched the kids, it was safe and so much fun for them. It wasn't crowded either.Then we all went into the party room, ate pizza and cake. The staff has the routine down like a well-oiled machine. They gave the kids friendly instructions and got them to participate during each transition, they even wrote down each gift and the gifter for the parents, so the parents could take pictures and watch the birthday girl enjoy. We ended exactly at 3:00 as it said on the invitation said. The airlines could take a few lessons from their staff: friendly, fun and on time. I had so much fun and so did my son that we've decided that it is worth the splurge to have his next party here.

Went today and had a great time. My 12 year old son had a blast, as did I!…read more Check in was simple: scan QR to sign the waiver, buy ticket and socks, grab a mat and start sliding! Will you get bumped and knocked around on the slides?, a little. Did it dampen our experience?, nope! There are maybe 14-15 slides, a kiddie area, 2 basketball courts, a dodgeball court and a zipline/swing area. Plenty to keep us occupied for a couple of hours. It was very busy, but we didn't wait more than a minute or two for our turn. Lots of seating options, a decent concession stand and an area for parties. We will definitely return!

We had a fun time here! I brought my 4yo nephew, my brother in law, and my 1.5yo niece here as a…read moregift to my nephew. Things to know: Doorbusting worked great for us! We got some time there before all the crowds arrived: after our first hour there, it started to get busy. I will say: this is borderline for 4yos. He was quite scared of how big the slides were so we didn't ride them until the second half of our time. You know your child best: if you think they might be scared, this probably isn't a good fit! The slides are REALLY tall - lots of stairs so be prepared! You have to buy the grippy socks they sell, you have to slide down face first on your stomach alone. Important to note that you won't be able to slide *with* your child if they're scared. I learned that if you as the adult aren't riding the slides, you don't have to buy a pass. That would make a huge difference and we'll skip the adult ticket next time! They have some stuff for kids under 4: a play area mainly. But again, better for older kids. Besides slides, they also have an arcade, bouncy ball courts, a zipline, and a swing into a foam pit. But definitely the highlight is the slides - they are quite a thrill! Best for adventurous and thrill-seeking kids!

The streak is broken…read more After 48 years of living in the upper Midwest, I finally went snow tubing for the first time ever this winter at Green Acres. True to the song, Green Acres is the place to be. I don't have anything to compare it to, but I had a blast! (Provisionally, I'm giving it 4 stars, in case there is a 5-star tubing place out there.) It's a bit of a free-for-all: grab your own tube (of various sizes), grab the rope (wear gloves!), let go, find a clear spot (no lanes!) and fly down the hill and look back up to avoid other tubers as you head back to the tow rope. Not quite a free-for all: they separate single riders and chained riders, for safety. I appreciate this. Also, you'll need to pick a predetermined two-hour block of time before you go. Two hours of tubing was more than enough, by the way, even with a warming break and a bathroom break, you'll go up and down the hill many times and be wet and tired by the time you're done. "Keep Manhattan, just give me that countryside!" Well played, Oliver Wendell Douglas!

If you're looking to go snow tubing please DO NOT go to Green Acres in lake Elmo. My family had fun…read morebut I had to force myself to have fun so I don't ruin everyone else's mood. We initially reserved for 20 people, 12 ended up showing up because of other circumstances. I inquired to only pay for 12 but they said we have to pay for all 20 because that was their policy. I inquired if they can just resell the 8 tickets because it's going to waste. They even called me at 11:08am saying that if I don't confirm their text then they're going to resell ALL our tickets...why couldn't they resell those 8? The manager says it's in the policy. I could not find the policy anywhere and asked if they could show me and I'll close my mouth and walk away. They had a waiver which says nothing about it. I again inquired as to where I can find the policy that says I have to pay the remainder. The supervisor responded with " the policy is the text I sent you and I'm not going to argue with you about this, you can either leave or go out there and have fun." Supervisor couldn't even confirm to me that it was an actual policy and got defensive when I kept inquiring about it. I simply crumpled a piece of paper and walked away. What was supposed to be only $80 for me my wife and two kids stacked up to $240. Not professional and left very bad first impressions that they only care about your money. Clerks were younger and good sports. Not wasting another cent on Green Acres. First and last time.

I had so much fun at FlyOver America! From the moment the ride started, it really felt like I was…read moreactually on a real ride and flying through everything. The way your feet are dangling and you're lifted up in front of the big screen makes it feel so real. The visuals are beautiful and the effects make a huge difference you can feel the wind and even a little mist, which makes it even more immersive. At some points I honestly forgot I was inside the mall because it felt like I was really traveling. It's not too scary, but still exciting enough to enjoy every second of it. I was a little nervous at first, but once it started I just relaxed and had fun. The whole experience is very well done and something different from anything else in the mall. Overall, I would definitely recommend trying it. It's fun, unique, and totally worth it . I would do it again for sure!

It was great! My brother and I loved it! We're both seniors, so it's definitely a FUN experience…read morefor ALL AGES!

I looooooooveeeee the roller coasters, BUT the monster ride or whatever was absolutely shit. I…read morewaiting in line for AN HOUR, just to be on the ride for 20 seconds. Never going on the shit ride ever again. Also, the coaster restaurant overfilled my shake and it was spilling everywhere, rides are good, everything else is ass.

Thanks for such an amazing time valleyfair!! We loved these memories as a family, it was the first…read moretime bringing our kiddos (6 & 8 years) and they loved it so much!! Plenty of rides in the kids area that kept them busy for hours. Loved that this day the lines were very minimal so we did not have to wait long to get on the rides. Rides were age appropriate but as an adult I don't remember them being so scary! I liked the option of being able to go on some of the kid rides with them. The big thrill rides had much longer lines so we were not able to ride a ton of those but we did get to take our 8 year old on some and she loved it. The picnic area was great, the food was filling and we loved the drink options! Very clean and plenty of seating. The newly remodeled waterpark was amazing. So many new things available for all ages. Lots of seating but a lot of people had their stuff on the seats even though they weren't sitting there so that was a bit frustrating. Lockers are very expensive! Season pass is definitely worth it if you plan on coming a few times, for me the waterpark would be worth it since I can't do a lot of rides anymore.

Saw a Facebook ad on this place and thought it would be cool to try out…read more You have to choice to play 1-4 rides. One ride was 6.99. Two rides was 11.98. Three rides was 17.99. Four rides was 20.99. The average ride is around 4-5mins. A friend and I tried the 2 rides combo. We Went with the Carnival ride and Pirates ride. Before going into the ride room, you are given brief instructions on what to do and grab a 3-D glass to put on to view the rides. The room we went into had 2 rows and about 6-8 seats per row if I can recall. We then strap ourselves into a motion seat equipped with a laser blaster to fender enemy attack in the ride/game. It lets you compete against others in the same room and ranks 1st to last place in terms of game scores and shows in screen. It was a fun experience and is for all ages. Would like to come back and try other rides.

So many activities - biking, disc golf, golfing, exercising, walking, etc. available…read more Clean space with a cute cafe. Lots of local bread, ice cream, and drinks. Cafe is open later on weekdays, which is so nice after a long activity. 2 ample parking spaces.

What a fantastic community space and outdoor recreation center! Totally makes winter in Minnesota…read moreeven better. I'm new to discovering The Trailhead at Theodore Wirth Regional Park, but believe me when I say I'll be back many more time. In the winter, they offer cross-country skiing and lessons. (You can rent a full set of gear for about $30- no need to have your own to experience skiing! They also have à la carte options for cheaper if you only need poles or boots, etc.) Besides skiing, outdoor winter activities also include snow tubing, snowboarding, snowshoeing.... You name it. (I haven't been in fall or summer yet, but I also hear great things about their mountain biking and trail running options.) Inside The Trailhead, there's food and drink concessions, ample seating, lockers, bathrooms, and even rooms for rent. The last time I was there, a family was hosting a young child's birthday party in the multi-purpose room. Altogether, there is an amazing assortment of services here to come and check out. Can't wait for next ski season!