Bumper Boats, Go Karts, Mini Golf and More at the Berlin Batting Cages

Please note: This post was originally published in 2022. Please be sure to check their website or Facebook page for the most up-to-date information.

Check this page to find out when the Bumper Boats have reopened for the 2023 season!

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2022 Post:

A few weeks ago my oldest son turned 12. 12. TWELVE! How did this happen?! My very first post for this blog was about an adventure at The Children’s Museum for his FIRST birthday. It’s true what they say: The days are long but the years are SHORT.

To celebrate his birthday, we decided to take advantage of the fact that his little sister (age 5) was still in camp that day and head to a new-to-us location we knew would be a better fit for just our older children (my other son is 9). We set our sights on the Berlin Batting Cages.

Now, if you’re anything like me, you’ve heard the name of this location tossed around for years and assumed it was just what the name says: batting cages. Or maybe you’re hearing about it now for the first time and are thinking, nah, my kids aren’t all that into baseball. Well, I strongly encourage you to read on because let me tell you, we spent a whole afternoon at the Berlin Batting Cages and we never actually set foot in a batting cage 😉

I had done some advance research on their website (of course), so I knew about all the activities that awaited us. After we arrived, we first made our way over to the little ticketing hut centrally located just off the parking lot. This is where you will purchase tickets for all the different activities. You can purchase them separately, or save a little money by purchasing a combo package.

We started off on the mini golf course. Turns out there are actually TWO courses. One they describe as “fun,” and the other they call “challenging.” We opted for the fun one, although I will say it was plenty challenging for me!

We’ve played a lot of mini golf courses across this state over the years, and although others may have more bells & whistles (or perhaps more accurately, giraffes & dinosaurs), this was truly one of the most enjoyable courses we have encountered.

The real draw for us on this hot summer day was the bumper boats, so we headed there next. I had never even heard of bumper boats! I didn’t even know that was a thing. But these boats are so fun. The kids were both old enough to drive them solo and, added bonus, they could squirt streams of water at each other (and at my husband, he’s such a good sport; I begged off this activity saying that I needed to “take pictures for the blog,” which of course I did, but I also just didn’t want to get soaked LOL).

Finally, we took a spin on the go karts. I was shocked that my 9-year-old was tall enough to drive solo, but I took a deep breath and let him strap in. Fortunately, it was very uncrowded the day we visited, so it was just my family on the raceway. I’m sure I would have had second thoughts about him driving his own car (for the very first time) if the track had been busier. There are two-person cars (driver must be age 16+ with a valid drivers license to drive a two-seater), so that’s definitely an option as well if your child is not tall enough (or not ready) to drive their own car. Helmets are also available for this activity.

I should mention that there are time limits for both of these activities, not surprisingly. I didn’t keep track, but I’d say it was somewhere between 5-10 minutes per ride.

Of course, there are also batting cages, although my apologies as I actually have no information about those for you. We actually didn’t even go near them.

There is a Subway on the premises, if you’re looking to grab a quick bite. There are also several restaurants nearby on the Berlin Turnpike.

We enjoyed getting some rare quality time alone with our two older children, and the Berlin Batting Cages was the perfect destination for some laid back family fun.

I hope you get a chance to check it out with your family too.

Berlin Batting Cages

1801 Berlin Turnpike, Berlin, CT
Phone: (860) 828-7518
Find them on Facebook!

Hours (2022):

Monday – Thursday  10AM – 8:30PM
Friday & Saturday 10AM – 10PM
Sunday 10AM – 9:30PM

***Please be sure to check their website or Facebook page for the most current information about opening and closing times as they likely vary by season.***

Pricing (2022):

Bumper Boats: $6/boat
Raceway (go karts): $7.50/kart
Mini Golf: $6.75/Per Person For Each Course
Batting Cages: 99 cents for 12 pitches or rent the cage for $40/hour

***Special pricing available when you purchase a combo ticket. Currently $16 per person for 1 boat ride, 1 go kart ride and 1 round of mini golf.***

Details:

Stroller Friendly: YES
Restroom: YES, it is located around the side of the hut where you purchase admission.
Baby Changing Area: YES
Parking: YES
Food for Sale: There is a Subway located on the premises. You can order ahead here.
Outside Food Allowed: YES. We think we may have even seen a picnic area behind the batting cages.
Cash Required: NO, credit cards are accepted.
Dress Code: If you’re there for the bumper boats, dress to get wet! (Or bring a change of clothes.)
Age Recommendation: While younger children can certainly enjoy the mini golf, we would recommend this destination for kids who are at least 48″ tall so they can drive the boats (must be 54″ tall to drive the go karts, but shorter children can ride in a double seater car with an age 16+ licensed driver). For reference, my younger son is 9 and he was tall enough to participate solo in all the activities.
Birthday Party Venue: YES. Find more information HERE.

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