Spooky Nook- Rock Climbing and more

Our second amazing Adventure Tuesday idea was temporarily squashed due to the fact that it opened the next day on a WEDNESDAY (who does that?!?!?).  Luckily, I had made a phone call and found out the night before.  So we invoked PLAN B: Spooky Nook Sports Complex in Manheim PA (http://www.spookynooksports.com/family-fun/entertainment/rock-climbing).


PLANNING:  Planning was fairly simple.  All 4 kids have climbed before and had decent expectations.  They wore comfortable clothes and sneakers- some borrowed, perhaps, from their brother... We packed food a drinks- lots of drinks.  Climbing is a sweat inducing activity.

THE DRIVE:  For us it was about 30 minutes away  and very easy to find right off of  the highway (283 E).

ARRIVAL:   The parking lot was HUGE and there was ample parking.  We chose a spot and went on in.  All eyes widened as we entered the LARGEST indoor sporting area we have ever been too- and we have been to many, too many...  In front of us was a large circular desk with a receptionist (for real) and rows of turnstiles, one set to let you in, the other to let you out.

    Sensing our amazement and outofplacedness (new word), the receptionist asked if we needed help.  We explained that we were there to climb and she, then, explained the 2 different areas- traditional rock climbing and another area- that had several climbing apparatuses that were completely non-traditional- a spiral of poles that increased in size until one would be about 20 feet off the ground, a red tower where it looked like one would climb to the edge and then jump to a punching bag that would lower you to the ground, and many more. She also explained that no one was at that area now and that if camps came in and needed that area, we would have to stop- which might have been weird/ hard since that area was hourly.

 Our climbing monkeys, unanimously, chose the traditional rock climbing area that was one price for all day. Which included:

• 30-foot-tall climbing walls
• 30-foot-tall climbing arch
• Crack climbing
• Dozens of top-rope and lead climbing routes
• 15-foot freestanding boulder

THE ADVENTURE: Once inside the rock climbing area we were greeted by some 20-something climber/ workers.  Kim and I explained the children's skill level and boasted of our own ability to belay- which gave us some discount.  After paying about $46 for 2 kids to climb, have harnesses, and ??? our pierced ally set the kids off to climb The Boulder so he could test Kim and my amazing safety harness skills.

The Boulder

AWESOME AUTOBELAYER

The kids quickly scrambled to top of The  Boulder while Kim and I struggled through our test.  It HAD been over a year since we last tried this.  (Make a head, give him a tie, through the loop, Double back...).  Miraculously, Kim and I passed and were ready to belay the children.  Since there were 4 of them and 2 of us, the children had the option of using the autobelayer- which does exactly as it sounds- clip in and climb and it will let you down gently. I wish there were more than 3 or these!!!!

A- all smiles

R- like a spider monkey!

T- Scaling to the top

 The kids climbed and we belayed.  They climbed and we belayed...They climbed and we... might have taken our hands off to take some pictures (no children were hurt in the picture taking process).   Belaying is a bit tiring and cut into our chattering- so it was nice to be able to send the children to the autobelayers and/ or the free climbing boulder. 

The Kids lasted a bit more than an hour- maybe 2?!?!?- and then set off to explore the rest of the complex, commenting that they might have liked the other climbing area better * sigh*.  In addition to a ton of bball courts, volleyball courts, tennis courts...Spooky Nook conveniently has an arcade in the middle of it... an expensive, shiny, everything is soooooo coool and the kids had NEVER seen any of the games before and PLEEEAAAASE could they play. I, aka sucker mom,  gave my kids 5 dollars to spend- which they quickly found out they needed to put on a card.  M played giant Connect 4 with T and A and R
took a wild VR ride.  5 minutes later $5 was gone. Kim had gone to look at the food options and came back frustrated.  Kids knew they were done climbing (thanks ALL DAY PASS) and we left for Jim Mack's.

THE ADVENTURE (Part 2):  Jim Mack's (http://jimmacksicecream.com/)   is a food, ice cream, mini golf, mini zoo and awesome basketball area place in York.  This was one of last year's stops- after a Chickie's Rock hike and worth the return trip. For the cost of a soft pretzel at SN, the kids got shakes or real food.  We ate/ drank and headed out to play and visit some old friends.

BankShot 2013

The kids went right to the FREE BankShot Basket ball and shot around, literally, for quite a while.  This unique game can be done by keeping score and following the directions- but we see no fun in that and kind of go nuts!  There is just joy when one hits the angles quite right and makes a basket.

 Next we went to visit some of out feathered and fuzzy friends from last year.  Their accommodations are not huge, but they seem well cared for and for  $0.25 you can feed them- worth saving the quarters for the bear, where one slides the food down a pvc pipe and she stops it with her paw!!!!

TIPS/ TRICKS:  For Spooky Nook:  check the prices and make sure you know what activities everyone wants to do. Pack food- must stay in car. Set expectations for the arcade.  If there are events there, they charge a fee for parking.  There are signs all over asking if you paid your parking fee. We did not have to pay a fee.  For Jim Mack's: Go, have fun, bring quarters. We have not done the mini golf, but there is usually an online coupon for a bit off.     Bring a camera. Have a milk shake.