Family Fun in Central Ohio

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Tap an activity to see top picks in Central Ohio.

Top picks across Central Ohio

Highly rated across categories

Groveport Motts Military Museum, Inc.

★★★★☆ 4.9 (714)

Children's Museums

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Lewis Center OhioHealth Chiller North

★★★★☆ 4.6 (533)

Skating Rinks

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Newark Mastodon Ice Arena & Tusky's Mini Golf

★★★★☆ 4.9 (25)

Mini Golf

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Columbus Big Air Trampoline Park

★★★★☆ 4.7 (1940)

Trampoline Parks

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Whitehall John Bishop Park Splashpad

★★★★★ 5 (3)

Water Parks

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Powell Heart of Africa

★★★★☆ 4.8 (398)

Zoos

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23 city pages

Show all Central Ohio city pages

Columbus 25 activities Dublin 7 activities Powell 6 activities Hilliard 3 activities Grove City 3 activities Westerville 3 activities Newark 3 activities Rockbridge 2 activities Heath 2 activities Reynoldsburg 2 activities Delaware 2 activities Lancaster 2 activities Worthington 2 activities Granville 2 activities Upper Arlington 1 activity Whitehall 1 activity Circleville 1 activity Pickerington 1 activity Groveport 1 activity Gahanna 1 activity Lewis Center 1 activity Amanda 1 activity Washington Court House 1 activity

Planning notes

Central Ohio has 73 family activities across 10 categories and 23 cities. Pick an activity to see top picks, or jump to a city.

Venue notes from Central Ohio tracks

Magic Mountain Fun Center - East

Fun Center offers a unique Monday-Friday booking incentive for birthday parties, providing 100 free arcade tokens as a bonus when parties are booked on weekdays rather than weekends
The venue features both indoor and outdoor entertainment options including mini-golf, go-karts, arcade games, bumper cars, and batting cages, making it a comprehensive multi-activity family entertainment center

SportsOhio

Spans 100 acres, making it one of the largest family sports entertainment centers by land area
The facility offers FootGolf as an attraction, combining traditional golf with soccer, a relatively uncommon recreational offering

Buckeye Raceway Electric Indoor Karting

Offers league racing with 4-week seasons starting first Tuesday of each month, with podium finishers receiving trophies and free races
Electric karts capable of reaching top speeds of 45 MPH in an indoor racing environment

K1 Speed - Indoor Go Karts, Corporate Event Venue, Team Building Activities

Offers dedicated Junior karts for younger racers, enabling age-appropriate racing experiences
Provides comprehensive birthday party packages with qualifying races, official races, and game room activities

Scene75 Entertainment Center I Columbus

Scene75 offers half-price arcade games and select appetizers from 9 PM to close every day, making it an attractive late-night entertainment destination
This entertainment center features a massive variety of attractions including go-karts, laser tag, bumper cars, mini golf, and a large arcade with over 100 game options

More venue notes

Hocking Hills Family Fun Center and Riverside Campground

Home to the World's Largest Inflatable Bounce House, recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records
Features a Treehouse Resort with themed luxury treehouses including Pokémon, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Time Machine, and The Hygge Treehouse

Big Splash

Offers one of the most affordable community access programs in the region with Community Days priced at just $2 per person during evening hours (4:30-7pm)
Day pass availability is intentionally limited to less than 5% of the park's total capacity, creating a controlled admission system

Scioto Mile Fountain

Features circular fountains with interactive splash pads and nightly light shows synchronized to music
The fountain is located at The Scioto Mile Patio, which was built on the site of the former Milestone 229 restaurant in Bicentennial Park

Heath City Water Park

Features a lazy river alongside 4 water slides, 2 diving boards, and multiple pools of varying depths to accommodate infants, toddlers, and adults
The water park is located near the Great Circle Earthworks and Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, making it a recreation option near a significant historical landmark

John Bishop Park Splashpad

Is completely free to enter and use
The splash pad has strict age-based supervision requirements: children under 10 need constant supervision by someone age 16+, while youth ages 11-15 must be accompanied by an adult age 21+

Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park

Offers a tiered admission pricing system with a specialized 'Shorty Pass' for guests under 40 inches tall at $11.99, making it accessible for very young children with height-specific pricing
The facility requires specially branded 'Urban Air Socks' ($3.99) for all jumpers, creating an additional revenue stream and enforcing a standardized safety/hygiene requirement across all trampoline activities

Apex Jumps Trampoline Park – Westerville OH

Offers an exceptional value proposition with monthly unlimited membership costing less than $0.30 per day, making it one of the most affordable unlimited jump options
Features specialized parent-child activity 'Apex Junior Jumps' designed specifically for children 5 and under at $15 for two people for 2 hours

Apex Jumps Trampoline Park - Dublin, OH

Offers an exceptionally affordable membership option at less than $0.30 per day, making it one of the most budget-friendly trampoline park memberships available
Features a dedicated Apex Junior Jumper Program specifically designed for children ages 5 and under with parent/adult supervision, enabling very young children to participate safely

Big Air Trampoline Park

Offers a unique Family Jump package on Thursdays and Sundays for $100-$140 that bundles jump access for 4 people with pizza and drinks, creating an all-inclusive family experience
The park features specialized activities beyond traditional trampolines including Battle Beam, Extreme Dodgeball, Orbit Gauntlet, and a Zip Line, offering diverse entertainment options

Get Air Columbus

Features dedicated 'Toddler Time' sessions (Sunday 8-10 AM, Tuesday & Thursday 10 AM-12 PM) exclusively for children 46 inches and under, with special pricing honored during school closures
The venue offers 'Club Air' evening jump sessions with music and lighting on Friday and Saturday nights (7-10 PM), creating a distinct adult/teen experience

Gravity Trampoline Park

Is an independent, locally-owned business in Circleville, OH, operated by owner Cole who is a local community member
The park features a unique foam pit with giant foam blocks on trampolines and platforms at different heights, plus a separate foam pit area with foam rolls for a competitive knock-off game

Altitude Trampoline Park

Features a dedicated toddler area for children under six, allowing younger siblings to participate safely alongside older children
The park offers a comprehensive digital experience component beyond traditional trampolines, including electronic bounce games and interactive features

Get Air Pickerington

Offers Toddler Time, a dedicated session exclusively for children 46 inches and under, scheduled three times weekly (Sunday mornings, Tuesday and Thursday mid-mornings)
The venue features Club Air, a special evening experience with music and custom lighting effects, available Friday and Saturday nights from 7-10 PM

The Bounce Club

Offers a specialized Sensory Friendly Jump program on Sunday mornings (10-11am) with parents/aides assisting at no additional cost, making it uniquely accessible for children with sensory sensitivities
Monday open jump pricing is $11/hr, significantly undercutting typical trampoline park rates, positioning it as a budget-friendly option for weekly practice sessions

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

The Columbus Zoo features interactive manta ray and stingray pools where visitors can feed and touch the animals, a rare hands-on experience not commonly found in most zoos
The zoo organizes its animal exhibits by geographic regions of the world, with an exceptionally comprehensive reptile collection noted as among the best collections of reptiles, lizards, and amphibians by visitors

Olentangy Caverns | Rock & Gem Gift Shop

The caverns have historical significance as they were inhabited by the local Delaware tribe, making them an important archaeological and cultural site in Delaware, Ohio
The cavern portion of the attraction is completely protected from rain while all other activities are outdoors, allowing year-round operation during the March 19 - November 1 season regardless of weather

American Museum of Natural History Dinosaur Gallery

Features a 15-by-10-foot Davenport Ranch Trackway recreation displaying actual sauropod and theropod dinosaur prints
Houses a 6-foot mechanical T. rex model as an interactive exhibit for studying dinosaur biomechanics and behavior

Central Ohio Fire Museum, llc

The museum is housed in a historic 1908 Engine House #16 building, preserving the original structure where firefighters once worked
Features a permanent display dedicated to African American firefighters history, documenting an important and often overlooked aspect of firefighting heritage

Ohio Craft Museum

Offers free entry, making it an accessible destination for supporting local artisans and discovering handmade crafts without admission costs
The museum features working artists creating crafts on-site during visits, providing visitors with the opportunity to watch artisans actively producing their work

Motts Military Museum, Inc.

Houses over 450,000 military artifacts spanning every major U.S. conflict from the Revolutionary War through Desert Storm
Features a dedicated Vietnam War Dog Memorial and special Veterans Day events honoring canine military allies

Ohio History Center

Features a Conway Ice Age mastodon skeleton, a 2,000-year-old artifact from the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks collection
The museum includes Ohio Village, an interactive recreation of an 1860s town that visitors can physically explore and investigate

Manatee Coast

Features an innovative volunteer diver program that allows trained volunteers to interact directly with manatees in their underwater habitat
Implements app-based entrance system that allows visitors to enter without additional fees, modernizing the admission experience

Discovery Reef

Features a Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation Center as a dedicated exhibit area, indicating an active marine mammal conservation and rescue program
Includes a historic Reptile Building as a primary exhibit, suggesting this structure has notable heritage or longevity within the attraction

Polar Frontier

Polar bears are notably vocal at this zoo, with visitors able to observe and learn about their vocalizations and social behaviors as part of the educational experience
The zoo offers interactive animal encounters and experiences, allowing visitors direct engagement with animals across multiple exhibits including polar bears, manatees, gorillas, and giraffes

Asia Quest

Features one of America's top suitable tiger exhibits, housing Amur Tigers with spacious enclosures where animals are notably active
Two Asian elephant calves were born at Asia Quest in 2025: Rita Jean (July 23) and Ollie (October 21), indicating active breeding program success

Heart of Africa

Spans 43 acres, making it the largest region within the Columbus Zoo
The exhibit features an interactive giraffe feeding experience that is highly popular with visitors, though capacity constraints have led to long wait times of 300+ people

Center of Science and Industry (COSI)

COSI features 'The Science Behind Pixar' exhibit, an interactive experience where visitors can engage in the animation process for extended periods, with families reporting 90+ minutes of engagement with animation creation activities
COSI operates monthly 'COSI After Dark' events specifically designed for younger adults, establishing a recurring special event program that has become an institution in Columbus's entertainment calendar

AHA! A Hands-On Adventure A Children's Museum

AHA! features over 60 hands-on interactive exhibits designed for children 6 months to 8 years, including themed stations for explorers, scientists, engineers, and artists
The museum offers year-round access to the Raymond B. Martens Nature playscape, an outdoor exploration area that complements indoor STEAM-focused exhibits

Otherworld

Features interconnected immersive art installations inspired by Burning Man aesthetics, combining elements of interactive escape rooms, immersive theater, and augmented reality in a single venue
The venue hosts rotating live music and DJ events featuring internationally recognized electronic artists such as Tchami, Feed Me, and One More Time

Columbus Museum of Art at The Pizzuti

The Bar Room is a permanent installation featuring a fully realized reggae bar with handcrafted cocktails and locally roasted coffee, creating an immersive cultural space within the museum
Tavares Strachan: The Day Tomorrow Began is the first U.S. museum survey of conceptual artist Tavares Strachan, making it a significant premiere exhibition

The Works

Features a working glass-blowing studio where visitors can watch demonstrations and participate in hands-on glass-making activities, including a 'Make Your Own Glass Experience' offered multiple days weekly
Membership pays for itself in less than 4 visits at $14 per adult admission, and members receive reciprocal discounts at other CMAP attractions including Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and COSI

The Ohio Railway Museum

One of the oldest rail museums in the United States, operating as a fixture for railroad history since 1948
Features Canadian National Coach No. 5060 and U.S. Army No. 7178 steam locomotive among its historic locomotive and railway equipment collection

The Doll Museum

The museum features an interactive self-guided tour system using numbered cubes that correspond to individual dolls to tell their stories, enhancing visitor engagement with the collection
The collection spans both 19th and 20th century dolls including rare Parian bisques, French fashion models, Milliner's models, and French bebes alongside American dolls made from diverse materials like papier mâché, wood, rubber, and wax

Early Television Museum

The museum houses mechanical television sets from the 1920s with spinning disks and tiny screens, representing some of the earliest television technology ever created
Many of the vintage television sets in the collection are fully functional and actually work, allowing visitors to see them flicker to life rather than viewing static displays

Combat Ops Entertainment-Columbus

Features a motion-sensing pixel floor that integrates digital mini-games into the laser tag arena experience, combining traditional laser tag with interactive floor technology
The venue offers an integrated axe throwing experience with both wooden targets and digital targets, allowing guests to combine laser tag and axe throwing in a single visit

Ohio Adventures

Is an independent outdoor laser tag arena located in Granville, OH, near multiple significant attractions including Ohio Caverns and Alligator Mound historical landmark
The venue offers activities designed for all age groups from young children to seniors, positioning itself as a multi-generational entertainment destination

Putt N Play (Seasonal/weather permitting) Open Memorial Day-October

Features a unique multi-colored hole system with different point outcomes and spin wheels at select holes to add variable gameplay elements
Operates as a seasonal-only facility from Memorial Day through October, weather permitting, making it a summer-specific destination

Olentangy Mini Golf

Features two separate 18-hole courses for a total of 36 holes on one property, allowing players to experience variety in a single visit
Offers integrated batting cages alongside mini golf, making it a multi-sport recreational facility

Lucky Shots Putt Putt llc

Putt Putt operates as a young business utilizing mall space, located near the Old Navy entrance inside the mall in Lancaster, OH
The facility features both indoor mini golf and a dedicated party room, making it suitable for birthday parties and group events

Glow Putt LLC

Features ball recharging stations throughout the course that allow players to manually brighten their glow-in-the-dark balls, which reviewers found surprisingly satisfying and engaging
Offers senior pricing at $8 for ages 60+, significantly discounted from the standard $10 adult rate, making it an accessible entertainment option for older adults

Westerville Mini Golf

Hosts 300+ annual golf competitions and amateur championships, making it a significant competitive venue beyond casual play
The course features illuminated fields enabling year-round play with both indoor and outdoor tees available for practice in any season

Miner 49er Blacklight Mini Golf

Features blacklight/glow-in-the-dark technology throughout the 18-hole course, creating a distinctive neon-lit playing environment
Offers karaoke entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights from 8 PM to midnight, combining mini golf with live entertainment

Galaxy Games & Golf

Offers an exceptional arcade token value with bulk pricing that saves up to $17 on 200 tokens ($50), making it one of the more economical arcade pricing structures for family entertainment centers
The facility features a 3-story indoor play gym with separate toddler area, making it a multi-generational destination that caters to children of significantly different ages simultaneously

Granville Golfland

Operates both a mini golf course and a driving range on the same property, with the driving range being well-maintained with multiple bays, turf mats, and various tee lengths
The venue offers professional golf lessons and club services including grip installation, indicating it functions as a comprehensive golf facility beyond just mini golf

TopGreens USA

Uses SYNLawn Precision Putt artificial turf with natural undulations and realistic contours, featuring a lightweight portable system that can be configured in multiple sizes (Small: 13.7 ft x 3.93 ft and Large: 18.7 ft x 4.9 ft)
The venue offers three distinct themed mini golf courses: Park Championship, Ocean Links (coastal/links-inspired), and Tropical Pearl (island-inspired), with pricing ranging from $3,810.56 to $4,940.00

Mastodon Ice Arena & Tusky's Mini Golf

Arena is a 1/3 sheet ice facility that is independently owned and operated, making it notable for maintaining ice quality that customers compare favorably to larger commercial rinks across multiple states (Boston to Wisconsin, Michigan to Kentucky)
The facility combines an ice hockey training center with a mini golf course on the same property, allowing families to utilize both amenities during a single visit

Puttshack Columbus

Features tech-powered mini golf with automatic scoring and interactive gameplay, distinguishing it from traditional mini golf courses
Games can be completed in 30-45 minutes for 9 holes, with some reviews noting completion in approximately 35 minutes even during busy periods

Hocking Hills Mini Golf

Offers unlimited all-day play for $7 per adult, allowing customers to replay the 18-hole course multiple times for a single flat fee
Operates on an honor system payment model, accepting payment through multiple methods including cash in an outdoor box or Venmo transfers

Skate Zone 71

Features a 'cotton candy tower' that is specifically mentioned in party reviews as a highlight attraction, suggesting a unique food presentation feature
The rink offers themed skate events with pop culture references including 'Troll Skate', 'Swift Skate', and 'Stitch Luau', indicating creative event programming

United Skates of America

Features themed skating nights including character-based events like Bluey Skate, Troll Skate, and Mario Galaxy Meet & Greet, combined with music-themed nights like Saturday Night Hip-Hop Skate (all ages)
The rink has a nostalgia factor with customers remembering it from childhood and noting significant facility improvements, indicating it has been operating for multiple decades in Columbus

Skate America

Offers a family deal for $27 that includes both skating and food, making it an affordable multi-activity package
Birthday party packages include custom experiences such as prize wheel spins, birthday shoutouts, and song dedications in addition to skating and food

OhioHealth Chiller Easton

Offers a unique 'Friday Night Meltdown' event priced at $18 per person with skate rental included, featuring extended evening hours from 8pm-10pm
The rink offers a budget-friendly 'Cheap Skate' admission option at just $6 (free for ages 5 and under) with skate rental included

Ohio State Ice Rink

Offers affordable skate sharpening services at $10 per sharpening, or a 10-sharpening pass for $80 (equivalent to $8 per sharpening)
Hosts free women's college hockey games with free parking and open seating in bleachers, though playoff games at season end cost $8

OhioHealth Chiller Dublin

Offers a Cheap Skate session priced at $6 with skate rental included, making it one of the most affordable public skating options
The rink offers quarterly passes for $200 that include unlimited access to Noon Skate sessions for 3 months, providing a cost-effective option for regular skaters

Riverside Crossing Park Ice Rink

Outdoor ice rink located in Dublin, OH with no time limit on skating sessions, allowing visitors to skate as long as they wish during operating hours
Complimentary skate rental included with $15 admission, with sizes available from Youth 9 to Adult 13

Coffman Park Ice Rink (seasonal)

Outdoor seasonal ice rink with no time limit on skating sessions, allowing visitors to skate as long as they wish during operating hours
Rink automatically closes based on weather conditions including temperatures around 60°F or higher, excessive rain, and poor driving conditions to maintain safe skating surfaces

OhioHealth Ice Haus

Serves as the practice facility for the Columbus Blue Jackets professional NHL team
The rink maintains ice quality described by reviewers as 'the best kept sheet of ice in Ohio' with staff keeping the facility in top-notch condition

Lou & Gib Reese Ice Arena

Offers specialized 'gliders' (training aids) for children learning to ice skate, helping beginners develop balance and confidence
Hosts monthly 'Homeschool Skate' sessions specifically designed for homeschooled students, providing structured recreational programming for alternative education communities

OhioHealth Chiller North

Features 3 separate ice rinks within one facility, providing multiple skating surfaces for different programs and skill levels simultaneously
The rink offers a quarterly unlimited pass for Noon Skate sessions at $200, providing cost-effective access for regular daytime skaters

Thomas James Knox Memorial Roller Hockey Rink

Only outdoor hockey rink of its kind in the entire Columbus area
Memorial facility dedicated to Thomas James Knox, a young man whose passion for hockey inspired the creation of this space to give teens opportunities to experience the sport

Amanda Roller Rink

Is locally owned and operated, maintaining a small-town character while serving multi-generational families—with at least one regular who has brought their own children to skate at the same venue where they grew up 15+ years ago
The rink features a deliberately curated old-school retro vibe with arcade games including pinball and video games, creating an intentionally nostalgic atmosphere rather than modern entertainment options

Roller Haven Skating Rink

Features a decent-sized wood floor and maintains preschool skating classes, making it accessible for very young learners starting their skating journey
The rink has been operating for years with consistent positive reviews praising management and staff, indicating strong long-term operational stability and customer loyalty

← All family fun in Ohio

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Children's Museums in Central Ohio

Skating Rinks in Central Ohio

Mini Golf in Central Ohio

Trampoline Parks in Central Ohio

Water Parks in Central Ohio

Zoos in Central Ohio

Go-Karts in Central Ohio

Family Fun Centers in Central Ohio

Laser Tag in Central Ohio

Aquariums in Central Ohio

Top picks across Central Ohio

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Planning notes