Chuck E. Cheese (formerly known as Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre and Chuck E. Cheese Pizza) made a name for itself in the late 1970s when it opened its doors for the first time in San Jose, Calif. This family restaurant – whose mouse mascot sang and interacted with guests – was one of the first places that integrated food, entertainment and an indoor arcade.
In the 1990s, Chuck E. Cheese became THE place to host a child’s birthday party. With pizza, ball pits and fun games and rides, it was a place “Where a kid can be a kid.”
Chuck E. Cheese fell off the map for a while, but the revamping of its mascot – now a fun-loving, guitar-playing mouse – and update of its locations has put it back on the parent radar.
But Chuck E. Cheese is not the only place parents and kids go to for indoor fun. Indoor playgrounds, gyms and trampoline parks have become widely popular – especially in South Florida where weather is hot and often unpredictable.
Inflatable playgrounds – such as Jumpin’ Jamboree in Miami, Monkey Joe’s, Pump It Up or Jump A Roos – and indoor playgrounds, such as Cool Beans, Cool de Sac, Little Java’s, The Wow Factory or Funderdome (where toddler zones are available as well as a ropes course and a climbing wall) provide hours of entertainment for the entire family.
The most recent trend in indoor fun is trampoline parks such as Sky Zone, Off the Wall, Planet Air Sports, Trampoline High. It’s an easy way to get your daily exercise, even if you aren’t participating in the fitness classes that some of the locations offer. Research shows that 10 minutes of jumping on a trampoline provides the same fitness results as 33 minutes of running.
If you don’t want to bounce, the newly opened Xtreme Action Sports and recently expanded Monster Mini Golf offer other indoor pursuits.
So don’t let the weather dampen your plans. Find your fun in South Florida indoors.
