Imagine a giant indoor playground where the kids can climb for hours, the little ones can crawl around in an enclosed space with age-appropriate toys, the whole family can play arcade games and enjoy a wide-variety of cafe foods — all under one, wide-open, gloriously air-conditioned roof. This is North Austin’s Mt. Playmore! Read all about our first experience visiting Mt. Playmore with our kids, including why the youngest describes this as the “most super fun place ever”. You can also scroll below to win a Family Pass! Review of Mt. Playmore:

When we arrived on a Wednesday morning, we noticed that the parking lot was full of summer camp school buses as well as plenty of family vans and cars. We were initially afraid that it might be too crowded, but there was no reason to fear. When we stepped inside, we were amazed at how HUGE this space actually is. Even though business was jumping that day, there was plenty of room for all kids and parents to spread out and play.

The kids ran right passed the token-powered kiddie rides at the front to make a beeline for the GIANT indoor playground. The multi-level playscape includes bridges, obstacles, monkey-bar-style rings, slides and more. There are many entrances into this massive playscape, and kids were coming and going from all areas.

Parents are very welcome to jump right in. It’s designed so that adults can play along with their children, without having to squeeze through impossible tight spaces or crawl on hard surfaces. (And yes it is strong enough to hold our adult-size bodies.) So one of us decided to be that fun Mom and chase the kids through the maze-like levels. Only the kids were WAY too fast. So after a few cycles through, we decided to settle in for a break on one of the many, many comfortable chairs situated in the center of the playscape to keep an eye on the kids. Pro tip: If you really want to be sure to see your kids’ every move, dress them in neon or colors you can recognize in a crowd.

After the kids played for about an hour, we were informed that the Reptile Show was about to begin! Austin Reptile Shows are currently offered every Wednesday for FREE (with your paid entrance fee). Check the Mt. Playmore online calendar for specific dates and times. Kids of all ages LOVED this exciting, up-close look at live snakes, lizards, and turtles. They even got the chance to hold or pet these creatures. The Austin Reptile Show was a major added bonus to our visit.

Watching the Reptile Show near the Toddler Area gave us a chance to check out all the fun available for little ones. The Toddler Area includes age appropriate toys, activities, and play elements for ages 3 and younger. It’s fully enclosed and seems like a safe spot for kids who need distance from the ginormous playscape.

The kids moved on to the Arcade where you can use an automated machine to put money on a swipe card that gives you access to play the games. The kids were thrilled with the variety of games and were excited to win points to cash in for prizes near the exit to Mt. Playmore.

We swung by the Restaurant where we immediately noticed the kids favorite food — pizza. There are several kids meals for sale, but I was really impressed to see a menu full of not-just-for-kids options such as salads, a hummus wrap, a philly cheese steak, and more that appeal to moms, dads and grandparents. Take note that kids eat FREE every Wednesday with a purchase of an adult meal!

The  kids begged to play more in the playscape area. So we decided to sit this round out and lounge on one of the many couches below. It was then that we spied savvy parents with laptops using the free wifi and getting actual work done. We also noticed mama friends having uninterrupted adult conversations as well as parents reading novels and magazines. We were totally impressed that parents could accomplish any of these things in a kid-focused environment. Nice!

We literally could have stayed ALL DAY if we didn’t have another appointment that afternoon. The boys were very disappointed when we had to leave. Take note that you actually can stay all day if your schedule allows. You are even able to leave and return during your 1-day admission as long as you don’t wash off your stamp.

Later throughout the day, my five-year-old proceeded to tell me how “super fun” Mt. Playmore was. He made his own plans to have his next birthday party there, planned to take Grandpa, asked his friends if they had ever been there and told Daddy all about it at bedtime.

–> What to Know Before You Go:

• Mt. Playmore is located off I-35, next to Kohls in the Home Depot shopping plaza
• Hours are Sunday-Thursday from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Friday & Saturday from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
• Admission is free for infants (ages 0-1), $4.95 for ages 2-3, $10.95 for ages 4-18, and $1.50 for ages 19 and up
• Everyone must wear socks (grown-ups, bring yours, too!)
• Check the calendar for special event such as the reptile shows & kids eat free days. You’ll also notice that there are some Adult Nights at Mt. Playmore where the grown-ups get to have all the fun.
• For more info, visit the Mt. Playmore website, and follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
• ALSO – Mt. Playmore is a great place to host a birthday party! Check out their rates and get more information here.

–> Giveaway! We have a Family Pass to give away that is good for admission for two adults and two children. Enter below. Good luck!

This giveaway is now closed. Winner has been notified. Thanks to all who entered!