Find Family-friendly Activities In St. Cloud During The Rain

Rain, rain go away! With rain in the forecast for the foreseeable future, kids accustomed to spending summer days outdoors will be stuck inside... with energy to burn! Here are just a few of the many awesome places to spend a rainy day in St. Cloud.

GREAT RIVER CHILDREN'S MUSEUM

The newest addition to St. Cloud's downtown area, the Great River Children's Museum blew our expectations out of the water when we visited a couple of weeks ago. 

With two floors full of hands-on exhibits, it is easy to spend an entire day exploring all of the fun rooms and displays. Our kids loved the 'Great Big River' exhibit that simulated a flowing river with cyclones, rain clouds, boats, dams and more. Honestly, I think they could have spent the entire day at this exhibit alone- there is a lot to explore!

I have a seven-year-old and a two-year old and there was plenty for both of them to do at this wonderful museum.

While there are several areas inside to explore when it rains, be sure to make a stop when the weather gets better to check out the outdoor play area as well!

IF YOU GO:

Great River Children's Museum
WHERE: 110 8th Avenue South, St. Cloud
COST: Tickets for non-members are $14/day (SNAP recipients can present their EBT card for $5 admission).
HOURS: 9-5 Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday; 9-7 on Thursday, Closed Mondays

BLACKLIGHT ADVENTURES 

I have to admit, I had underrated Blacklight Adventures in the past. Then, this past spring my seven-year-old was invited to a birthday party there and I got to see it in its expanded form. In a development that would come as no surprise to my wife, I was wrong: What a fun place!

While I thought of them as just a laser tag place, there is way, way more to it than that. With escape rooms, an arcade, adventure rooms, awesome blacklight-lit mini golf course, a fun arcade-style batting cage/baseball simulator, pixel arena and, yes, laser tag... there is a TON to do here!

IF YOU GO: 

Blacklight Adventures 
WHERE: 240 33rd Av South, St. Cloud
COST: Varies by activity; Discounts on Batting Simulator and Mini Golf available on The Value Connection 
HOURS: Open 12-8 Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday; 12-10 Friday; 10-10 Saturday; Sunday 12-8; Closed Mondays

AIRMAXX TRAMPOLINE PARK

My son has celebrated each of his last three birthdays at AirMaxx Trampoline Park, which in my opinion speaks for itself! Again, this is a place that both my toddler and elementary-age kid have safe places to play in and have fun.

For older kids, check out the Ninja Course!

IF YOU GO: 

AirMaxx Trampoline Park 
WHERE: 3900 Roosevelt Road, St. Cloud
COST: $14.49 for 60 minutes, $18.49 for 90 minutes, $22.99 for 120 minutes
(Ninja Course and other attractions may cost extra; several deals available at The Value Connection)
HOURS: 10-4 Monday and Tuesday, 10-8 Wednesday and Thursday, 10-9 Friday and Saturday, 10-6 Sunday.

SKATIN' PLACE 

Skatin' Place is a popular place for my family... and most of us don't even rollerskate! In addition to the fun that can be had in the rink, Skatin' Place has laser tag, bounce houses, an arcade with prizes and more!

For adults, the sheer nostalgia factor alone makes this a must-visit on a rainy day... plus, the arcade games spit out actual tickets, which is a fun blast-from the past!

IF YOU GO: 

Skatin' Place
WHERE: 3302 Southway Drive, St. Cloud
COST: Varies by activity, several deals available on The Value Connection.
HOURS: Open Tuesday 12-7, Wednesday 12-4, Thursday 12-7, Friday 12-5 and 6:30-9:30, Saturday 12-8 and 8:15-10:30, Sunday 12-4, Closed Monday.