Even though Do512 Family Featured Babymaker, Claudia Weber, writes for us and is hip to all the goings-on in the area, she still struggles with what to do on some weekends. Recently, she took her daughter and mother to Peter Pan Mini-Golf. Here, she tells us about her experience.

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For me, the feeling usually starts creeping up around Wednesday, sometimes sooner. You know it – it’s that the-weekend’s-coming-fast-and-we-don’t-have-a-single-thing-planned-dear-god-how-will-we-get-through-it feeling. Come on, I can’t possibly be the only parent who gets this, right? I usually credit it to a pathetic lack of planning on our part. Despite the finest efforts of the city of Austin and stellar websites like, I don’t know, say, Do512Family.com, we generally find ourselves at a loss most weekends as to what to do to get our indoor-cat daughter out of the house in a way that doesn’t amount to torture for the two of us.

Don’t let this guy scare you off.

The most recent attempt was Peter Pan Mini-Golf. You know the place – right off Barton Springs Rd. at Lamar, tucked in next to McDonalds, with the smell of grease-a-licious fries gently wafting by. Recently I fought the urge for a Big Mac and/or a martini on the patio at nearby Paggi House and entered the realm of Peter Pan Mini-Golf with my 8-year-old daughter and 70-year-old mother (min-golf – it’s a family affair!). It was about $20 for the three of us, and we chose the “easier” East course.

Or this guy…Roar.

Sooooo, I wouldn’t exactly call it easy. On the cruel, uphill, angled first hole I took a 6 (for you uninitiated out there, that’s what you score when you completely FAIL at a hole and give up so as not to create a traffic jam of eager golfers behind you) then moped on to the next hole. My smug child and mother sauntered ahead. The course was filled with hipsters, families, and all sorts of spastic non-golfers. Happily, pros were not welcome. Or at least I told myself that. The holes were fun and whimsical, and featured especially good climbing opportunities according to my kid’s gymnastics. But again, I wouldn’t say it was easy or for the easily frustrated. It took a good hour to work our way through, but with sore muscles and sweat-soaked clothes (not that much of an exaggeration, sadly), a good time was had by all. In lieu of rewarding ourselves with a very tempting sno-cone at the finish, we headed elsewhere for frozen yogurt. Oh, and I won. In your face, kid and granny!

Here’s the deal, so you can prepare for your next blank weekend, well in advance:

Choose from one of two 18-hole courses – the East Course “Yellow” or the West Course “Blue.” For extra fun, play both!

Adults & children 6 and over:

• One course (18 holes) $6
• Both courses (36 holes) $9

Children 5 and under:

• One course (18 holes) $4
• Both courses (36 holes) $7

Hours:

• Monday – Thursday:  9 am – 12 midnight
• Friday – Saturday:  9 am – 1 am
• Sunday: 10 am – 11 pm

 Fore!

– Claudia

Claudia Weber is a transplanted Austin mom, local realtor and now, apparently Rainbow Loom addict who loves to share the best of Austin with families like hers – whether they’re moving to town or just looking to embrace the best Austin has to offer. Find out more at www.claudiasellsaustin.com. Also, get a super-cool NEW HOME SEARCH APP by clicking here!