Though I’ve lived in the greater Cleveland area for most of my life, I’d never had any experience with the I-X Indoor Amusement Park, aside from its catchy theme song (you know the one: “So cool so fun; if you’re not here you’re the only one…”). But this year, I decided to change that.
I’ve been to Memphis Kiddie Park and Cedar Point with my sons, ages 2 and 4, and thought this would be a great “in between” opportunity for some rides that offer my oldest a little more thrills than the former, and is closer to home and more wallet-friendly than the latter.
A cold, dreary Friday was the perfect opportunity to head to the I-X Center. We got there right when it opened at 11 a.m. and were pleasantly surprised. For starters, it was clean, well-organized and all the rides were spaced out, so even though the crowd grew larger as the day went on, I never felt crowded. The large selection of rides and attractions meant the boys never had to wait more than one ride cycle for their turn behind the off-road truck, twirling barrel, helicopter, “Crazy Bus,” carousel, etc.
The 20 acres of activities are well-divided so that older thrill-seekers can head to the back (Mountain Dew Thrill City), while families with young children stay up front in Kidzville. There seemed to be a ride to match the intensity level of every family member.
In the Kidzville section, a range of height restrictions lets preschool age and older kids ride on their own for most things, yet smaller kiddos (like my 2-year-old) could experience the rides with an adult. Carnival games were mixed in among the rides and there were plenty of affordable food options throughout the I-X Center.
My youngest’s impending naptime heralded the end of our visit, so we didn’t get the opportunity to catch any of the live entertainment (click here for a schedule), but again, the variety offered is impressive.
We capped off our visit with a ride on the locally-famous I-X Center Giant Ferris Wheel, complete with a stop at the top that allowed us to watch an airplane take off at the nearby airport (yes, the boys were beyond excited), then headed home for naptime. We’ll definitely make a return visit next year.
The I-X Indoor Amusement Park is happening through April 15, so there’s plenty of time left to enjoy the event. New this year is a special family-friendly admission policy that requires everyone under the age of 18 to be accompanied by a parent or chaperone after 5 p.m. To plan your visit and for more information, click here.