Absolutely one of the best 18 hole miniature golf course I’ve ever played. It was one of those hot and humid days where you just didn’t want to leave the refreshing cool air inside the car to venture out, however our visit to Adventure Village was put off the last two times we planned a visit, due to poor weather conditions and nothing was going to stop us having a great time today. I just wished I had on shorts instead of the jeans I was wearing. Our girls were a bit smarter and dressed cool and with a good dose of sunscreen on, we were off to challenge the 18 hole mini putt golf course, climb the 24 foot rock wall, hit some balls at the batting cages, toss and twirl on the bungee trampoline and finish off with a crash derby on the Krazy Kars bumper cars.
It was around noon when we arrived and the miniature golf area was just starting to get a bit busy, so we opted to start off our day at the batting cages. With the long winters we have, this heat wasn’t going to keep people from enjoying the summer. I had never played baseball nor have I ever hit balls in a batting cage before, so Andrew was going to be our guinea pig. I was allowed behind the machine that delivered the balls, so you can see a few action shots in the picture gallery below. Basically you grab a bat and helmet and go into the designated enclosed area to start hitting the balls. The system is fully automated and delivery of the ball makes for an excellent opportunity to really pound away at the balls. Great for fine tuning your technique and hitting power, but controlled enough that anyone can safely hit some balls.
* There are 4 slow softball, 1 medium softball, 1 fast softball, 1 medium baseball, 1 fast baseball, 1 very fast baseball batting cages. Safe for everyone over 4 years old and a great way to get that extra practice.
We then headed over to the Bungee Trampoline which seems to be fairly new as I don’t recall this being here when we visited a couple years back. Tehya being a former provincial level gymnast and current competitive cheerleader, she was eager to give this a try. After being weighed in (yes you have to get on a scale – there may be weight and height restrictions) you’re securely harnessed in and then elevated a bit via the bungee cords and off you go. With the help of the assistant (he adds extra weight as you bounce to really propel you up) , you really start going high and you’re free to do tricks you’re comfortable with. If I were to guess I’d say Tehya reached heights over 25 ft in the air and from the pics you can see all the flips etc she was doing. As we looked on, we could tell that it was fun and something you must try when you visit Adventure Village.
With the heat and humidity (felt like 44 C) we had to take a break to get hydrated a bit, after which we headed over to the rock climbing area. Both Andrew and Kieana got strapped in and after a quick “how to” by the attendant, they began their climb. The route starts off easy and the more you move around the wall in a clockwise direction the hard the route got. Again, a fun event with just as much excitement for us on the ground as onlookers. You could see them struggle as they tried to navigate their way up and as the beads of sweat trickled down their faces, you could see the true determination to reach the top. This attraction is safe for all ages, as you’re secured via ropes and a harness system and the attendant is there with you every step of the way. On coming back down you could tell that Kieana was tired as her legs jiggled under her and she landed up on the ground on her bum. Laughter broke out from us in the peanut gallery and it was all in good fun.
Break two not only included cool drinks, but this time we were attracted by the scent of grilling and deep frying from Big Al’s Cookhouse , so we took a longer break than the last and enjoyed some burgers and poutine. There’s a fairly good menu to choose from and the food to my amazement was much better than I expected. There”s a a huge outdoor seating area where you can kick back and relax while enjoying any of the meals they have on sale. The food is reasonably priced and quite tasty as I mentioned. (good buy are the combos and monthly specials)
It was now time for the real challenge. 18 holes to prove who’s the best mini putt golfer in the family and we all had our game faces on. We can be very competitive family, but by the time we hit hole 13 the heat had taken it’s toll on us. If you’re looking for a course that attractive, well maintained and challenging, but well suited for any age or skill level, this one is for you. Without a doubt, this course is the best I’ve played in Southern Ontario.
“An elaborate multi-level 18 hole miniature golf course built over two acres of rapids, waterfalls, shipwrecks, and a train trestle. Every hole provides you with a little history of Southern Ontario and a different challenge.”
The winner this day will remain anonymous as the heat forced us to call it a draw! We’ll be back for another round next week to finally prove who’s the champ!
Our day ended at the Krazy Kars bumper cars area where the cars can actually go 360 degrees and there are no poles attached, so you can really enforce a good pounding on others. With all the harnesses etc we’ve seen in use at Adventure Village we could clearly see that personal safety is one of their main concerns and they work very hard to maintain a safe and enjoyable park for visitors. That said… you’re once again harnessed (strapped) into the cars, then when it’s safe you’re given the green light to start using levers to control your direction and speed. As with everything at adventure Village, the Krazy Kars can be maneuvered by just about anyone. So kids (and big kids) can have the same amount of fun and not worry about anything being complicated to use.
Overall we had an excellent time and if not for the blistering heat we would have tried the out door laser tag and the arcade room as both areas also seemed like tons of fun. For the younger kids, there’s Big Al’s Mining Camp, where kids can experience the excitement of panning for semi-precious gemstones in a sluiceway of rushing waters similar to the Alaska gold rush days.
Adventure Village
580 Van Wagners Beach Road
Hamilton, Ontario L8E 3L8
Toll Free: 1.800.387.8727
Telephone: 905.549.9444
What a great place to come with all your friends and family. Adventure Village is a great place to go for a great school trip, church picnic, camp outing, or let the whole office unwind at the end of a busy day! they cater to:
* Company Outings
* Camp Day Trips
* Team Parties
* School Trips
* Church Picnics
* Senior Outings
For up to date info on pricing and time of operation, check out the links below:
Hours: http://www.adventure-village.com/hours.html
Price List: http://www.adventure-village.com/price_list.html
NOTE: Special thanks to Denise Ralph and her team at Adventure Village for extending this invitation and for making us feel so welcome.
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