Please note: This post was written in 2020, and while it should still give you a good overview of the experience, it may also contain some outdated information. Please be sure to visit Urban Air Manchester’s website for the most current information, especially about things like hours & pricing.
2020 Post:
This post has been sponsored by Urban Air Adventure Park Manchester, CT. All opinions expressed by this blogger are 100% her own.
***URBAN AIR MANCHESTER IS OPEN EXTENDED HOURS FOR WINTER BREAK! FUN STARTS AT 10:00 AM FRIDAY 2/14 THOUGH TUESDAY 2/18!***
Last winter, we were fortunate to have been invited to check out the new Urban Air Adventure Park in Orange, CT. As we started our drive home (after 4+ hours of awesomeness), my younger son announced that we needed to have his next birthday party there. Sadly, I had to explain to him that we couldn’t ask all his classmates to drive almost an hour each way for his birthday party (we live up near Hartford). He was heartbroken.
So when I heard that another Urban Air Adventure Park was opening, wait for it, in Manchester, CT (practically next door to me compared with Orange!), I couldn’t wait to tell my son that his birthday party dreams could finally come true! (Pssst! Speaking of parties, we are giving away an Urban Air Manchester birthday party package! Click here for details and to enter for a chance to win!)
Of course, we were excited to check out this new location. So I felt especially lucky when Veena Choudary, owner of the Orange location and the NEW Manchester location, extended an invitation to visit the park just 10 days after the Grand Opening!
I knew that we would be in for a treat. That’s because Veena is not only the owner of these two family-friendly indoor adventure parks, she’s also a mom of young kids herself. And she draws on her own experiences as a parent to inform design decisions for her Urban Air locations. Plus, she’s got two discerning site testers 🙂
Urban Air Adventure Park Manchester is located at 220 Hale Road, just up the road from the Shoppes at Buckland Hills (and near all my other favorite haunts like Target, Evergreen Walk and Trader Joes, to name a few).
I’m not gonna lie, I’m more than a little excited about this new motivation for my kids to tag along on a few errands with me!
There’s plenty of parking in a spacious lot right out front.
Once inside, you have some different options for purchasing admission. There’s still a front desk where you can be helped by a staff member, but there is also a self-service option, which is great for returning guests who already know exactly what they need.
If it’s your first visit to Urban Air, then you may want to have some help from a friendly staff member when deciding what level of admission to purchase. There are several considerations involved like the height of each person in your crew, what kinds of activities they want to participate in and even how long you think you might stay that day. So it can help to have someone in the know walk you through it the first time (and then you can zip through the line at the self-service kiosk the next time!). Either way, you can save yourself a little bit of time during the check-in process by filling out a waiver ahead of time online.
Although it might take you a minute to figure out what kind of admission to purchase, having the different levels is wonderful because it lets you customize the experience for everyone in your crew, and pay only for what each of you wants access to.
For example, the difference between the Deluxe and the Ultimate passes is the addition (with the Ultimate Pass) of all the “high up” activities: The Climbing Walls, the Sky Rider and the Ropes Course. If you have one kiddo who won’t enjoy the heights (or be tall enough for these activities), then you may want to stick with the Ultimate pass. But if you have another kiddo who can’t wait to hang from the rafters (literally!), you can purchase him/her the Deluxe pass. (And if you have a child who just wants to bounce on the trampolines the whole time, you can purchase admission for just the trampolines!)
One of my favorite things about Urban Air is the Parent Pass. For just $6.99, parents can get in on the fun at the same level they purchase for their child. Making it so affordable for parents to participate encourages them to have fun alongside their children and not just be a spectator. We always love it when parents get in on the action!
Although, there’s nothing wrong with a little parent downtime while the kids run around either, and Urban Air is great for that too! There is plenty of seating and the open layout makes it very easy to keep an eye on your kiddos as they dart back and forth between activities. You can also rest assured that trained staff members are present at just about every activity, making sure rules are being followed and kids are being safe.
Which is good news, because it makes it very easy to enjoy these. Ahhhhhh, massage chairs…..
So, are you ready for the tour?!?!?!
Let’s start with a few more logistical items, shall we? (We do love our logistics here at OAAM!). Chances are, if you are visiting this time of year, you’re going to have a bunch of stuff to stow while you play (shoes, coats, possibly hats & sweatshirts too. And if you’re a mom of a little one like me you’ve also likely got that giant bottomless bag of who-knows-what that you can’t seem to leave home without these days–am I right?). So you’ll be glad to know that there are a couple different storage options. There is some open shelving near the entrance but also a row of self-service lockers if you’d feel more comfortable securing your belongings.
Stuff stowed, wristbands on, we were ready for the Urban Air experience!
As it turns out, we didn’t have far to go. The kids spotted the multi-story Adventure Hub right there near the entrance and disappeared inside.
The Adventure Hub is a carefully crafted combination of attractions that includes the Tubes Indoor Playground, the Sky Rider Coaster and the Ropes Course. Each location’s Adventure Hub is unique!
Although the Sky Rider and the Ropes Course are integrated into the Tubes playground, each has its own entrance supervised by staff members who make sure kids are the right height to participate in those activities and also help secure them into the required harnesses (there are also staff members inside the Tubes making sure participants are safely connected to the Sky Rider and the Ropes Course). So you can relax knowing that the preschooler you turn loose inside the playground won’t suddenly appear teetering on the Ropes Course or swinging from the Sky Rider!
As I mentioned, this Tubes playground is double-sided. So be sure to walk across and explore the other side too!
The final component of the Adventure Hub is the Ropes Course, also accessed by a dedicated entrance.
Adjacent to the ropes course the kids discovered the Climbing Hill.
Next it was on to the Climbing Walls, which had been a favorite attraction at the Orange location.
After the Climbing Walls, we decided to take break for lunch before checking out the activities on the other side of the facility.
I love that Urban Air has an in house cafe that serves a full menu of lunch/dinner and snack foods including pizza, burgers, hot dogs, fries, popcorn and more. Not only does that mean there is no need to worry about scheduling your visit around meal times (how many times have you arrived someplace only to have to leave an hour later because it’s “lunch time” and the kids are suddenly starving?), but it means I don’t even have to pack any snacks!
Right next to the cafe is one of this location’s most unique attractions: the open concept Laser Tag arena.
This Laser Tag arena only has three walls, so you see all the action happening inside. That sure makes it more fun for the spectators! And while the adventure factor is still there, being open removes some of the intimidation for younger kids. My little guy even decided to give it a try. And he’s always been a strictly no laser tag kind of kid!
Ultimately, the little guy decided laser tag wasn’t for him. But hey, he tried it! And the beauty of Urban Air is that I could let my big guy continue his laser quest while the little guy hung out on the nearby Warrior Course. Thanks to ingenious layout choices, I could keep an eye on both!
The Warrior Course has four separate “lanes” of obstacle courses, the difficulty level ascending right to left from the easiest (although that term is definitely relative! haha!) to the most challenging. So kids of all different ages and abilities will find it engaging. And a three foot depth of soft plastic balls underneath means that no one has to be too worried about making a misstep. In fact, that might be the best part!
Now you might be thinking, wait a minute, doesn’t she have a 2-year-old? What’s she been up to this whole time? Well, my friends, Little Miss was clearly channeling her inner Tigger today because it was all bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy fun, fun, fun, fun, fun!
While there is no designated toddler area, the placement of the trampoline floor in a back corner of the facility naturally makes this area a less active space and toddlers are welcome to participate. And Urban Air Manchester will soon be offering dedicated Toddler Times each week, when only the tots will be allowed on the equipment!
With the help of her brothers she also enjoyed the Tubes playgound 🙂
Believe it or not, these are not all of the activities available at Urban Air in Manchester. (Yes! There’s more!)
You could settle a (friendly) score on the Battle Beam.
You can doge some bouncy balls (while bouncing) on the Dodgeball Court.
You could have a shoot out in the Slam Dunk Zone.
Catch some big air in the Drop Zone.
Show off your moves on the Tumble Track.
Conquer the spinning beam in the Wipe Out.
Immerse yourself in a Virtual Reality game.
And even try your luck at the arcade games!
It’s no wonder that birthday parties here are in demand! (Did we mention we’re GIVING AWAY a birthday party package?!?!?!)
These glass outer wall of these beautiful party rooms offers a measure of privacy while also keeping your guests connected to all the action!
Or if you really want to stay in the middle of the action, you can opt for table seating for your party.
Birthday party packages are completely customizable, from the activities included for your guests to the food served. So you only pay for what you really need. And they even offer a unique evening option: a Glow Party! (Be sure to check out this great list of FAQ’s if you’re considering hosting a party at Urban Air.)
Also keep a lookout for upcoming special events like a drop-off evening of fun (and food!) for kids (so parents can have a night out of their own!). And, as I mentioned above, new weekly Toddler Times.
We had a fantastic visit to Urban Air Adventure Park in Manchester. We’re so excited to finally have a location near enough to visit regularly. And my little guy might even get his dream birthday party 🙂
Hope you get a chance to check it out soon too!
(Don’t forget to hop over to this page to enter our GIVEAWAY to win a birthday party package!)
Urban Air Adventure Park Manchester
220 Hale Road, Manchester, CT 06042
860-325-3509 or fill out the contact form here.
Hours (2020):
Sunday: 10:00AM to 8:00PM
Monday: 4:00PM to 8:00PM
Tuesday: 4:00PM to 8:00PM
Wednesday: 4:00PM to 8:00PM
Thursday: 4:00PM to 8:00PM
Friday: 4:00PM to 11:00PM
Saturday: 10:00AM to 11:00PM
***Be sure to check their Facebook Page for special holiday hours!***
Pricing (2020):
Think you’ll be a regular? Check out their NEW membership options for big savings!
Details:
Stroller Friendly: YES. There is plenty of wide open space to wheel around a stroller.
Coffee Mug Friendly: Outside food is not allowed at Urban Air.
Restroom: YES
Baby Changing Station: YES (in family restroom)
Parking: YES
Food for Sale: YES. There is a café with a kid-friendly menu of lunch/dinner items and snacks.
Outside Food Allowed: NO
Cash Required: NO
Dress Code: Comfortable, flexible clothes. You’ll have to purchase their special (reusable) socks for $2.99.
Age Recommendations: All ages! Seriously, you can find something for your whole crew here.
Evening/Weekend Hours: YES
Discounts: Check out their membership options for big savings!
Birthday Party Venue: YES; see their website for details.
Love this post? Here are some others to check out!
Out and About Mom is 100% funded by the generous support of our sponsors. Interested in advertising opportunities with Out and About Mom? Get more info here.
Want to keep up with things to do with kids in Connecticut?
Check back every week as we dish up more Momsense for getting out and about with your little ones. Don’t have time to check back in? Let us send you an automatic notification of new posts straight to your email inbox by signing up here. Also, you can like us on Facebook and Twitter or follow us on Instagram to keep up with the latest posts and get some extra tidbits we share only through those sites.
