BUCKHEAD AREA VENUES THAT MAKE PARTY PLANNING A PIECE OF CAKE
STORY: Sue Rodman
When it comes to their kids’ birthdays, some parents enjoy the idea of having a gaggle of youngsters over to the house for a themed extravaganza complete with homemade cake and party games. But some would prefer that the chaos and mess take place somewhere else. For those folks, we have the perfect list of party places for every age child, and all you have to do is pick up the phone.
Catering to Toddlers and Preschoolers
Catch Air in Sandy Springs is a bounce house extraordinaire that’s a favorite with the littlest partygoers. In addition to inflatables, there’s Tiny Town, a special area specifically for kids under 4 feet tall. The Sandy Springs location features a tiny carousel, ball pit and light-up dance floor. Parties include 80 minutes of playtime and 40 minutes in a private party room, and you can bring your own cake if you like.
Options for Elementary-Age Kids
Birthday celebrations at Legoland Discovery Center in Phipps Plaza include 60 minutes in a private room and include pizza, cupcakes and bottomless fountain drinks. After that, everyone is offered unlimited use of the attraction. Kids can challenge each other to the best two out of three on the interactive video game-like ride Kingdom Quest (tip: earn the most points by shooting the ogre at the beginning of the ride), build and test Lego Racers to their hearts’ content, pretend to be swashbucklers on Private Adventure Island and spin until they can’t take it anymore on the Merlin’s Apprentice ride.
Oodazu is a kids’ haven that started in Los Angeles. The yoga studio/ indoor play experience has recently opened a location here on Miami Circle. Parties at Oodazu include a private room and two-hour play passes. If yoga isn’t your children’s thing, they can attack the climbing wall, play Pop- A-Shot or try the futuristic virtual reality pods where they can experience one of 50 different scenarios, including the popular Candy Roller Coaster or an action-packed scene from Star Wars. Best of all, there’s a parents’ lounge complete with TVs, laptop stations and a live video feed for keeping an eye on your youngsters.
Finding Tween Fun
Parties at Buck’s Sports Barn are held in a 1940s-era barn located on two acres along Peachtree Road in Buckhead. (Buck’s can also bring the fun to your place if you’d rather.) You can expect 75 minutes of activities and 45 minutes for cake and presents. Buck’s has a celebration to inspire any age, including finicky tweens. For example, kids can learn aerial arts from a professional circus performer or see who gets to the finish line first in a ninja-style obstacle course.
Impressing the Hard-to-Please Teen Crowd
They may play it cool, but even teens still love getting together to celebrate their big day with friends and family. It’s not always easy, however, to find an appropriate activity to keep them entertained. One option is CityHunt Atlanta, which organizes area scavenger hunts. Using a mobile app, teens scour a section of Buckhead to complete a photo safari. It may sound easy, but many of the prompts will require some rather creative thinking. Kids can go in one group or compete against each other. CityHunt customizes the experience, so it can have whatever theme you choose, or, if you’re on a budget, you can pick one of its preplanned Ready-Set-Go Adventures.
DETAILS:
Buck’s Sports Barn
2303-B Peachtree Rd.
Atlanta 30309
404.869.8003
buckssportbarn.com
Catch Air
5920 Roswell Rd.
Sandy Springs 30328
678.882.1205
catchairparty.com
CityHunt Atlanta
cityhunt.com
Legoland Discovery Center
3500 Peachtree Rd. N.E.
Atlanta 30326
404.848.9252
atlanta.legolanddiscoverycenter.com
Oodazu
800 Miami Cir. N.E.
Atlanta 30324
404.565.0259
oodazu.com
