Where to Take Your Grandkids Over Holiday Break

If you’ve arrived at this post, it probably means you have family visiting you over the holidays! We’re certain you’ve found things to keep everyone happy and busy at your house, but what happens when everyone starts to get a bit of cabin fever?  Here are our recommendations for where to take your grandkids in Rochester MN. These ideas are geared for kids 10 and younger, but we also included several guides below with even more ideas for kids of all ages (1-99, that is). Have fun!

SPARK – Place of Play

SPARK – Place of Play (formerly Minnesota Children’s Museum Rochester) has so many things to do: educational, immersive displays, a huge climber, a huge interactive water feature, role-play opportunities with costumes, stages, a grocery store, and more, a maker space, a wind tunnel wall, music, yoga, story-time, Zumba and much more! Regular SPARK programming and pop-ups from community partners provide new experiences every time you visit.

Address: Inside Apache Mall – 1201 12th Street SW, Suite #632 (inside the south corridor of the JCPenney wing)

Phone: (507)218-3100

Cost

Children under 1: FREE
Ages 1-59: $12
Seniors (60 and older): $11
Military (with valid ID): $11
Play for All (EBT/SNAP): $6 WEBSITE

Boundless

Address: 3825 Superior Dr. NW, Rochester, MN 
Phone:(507) 205-3920

Boundless is Rochester’s fully-inclusive indoor playground! This amazing 40,000 square foot facility features a massive playground, toddler zone, sensory equipment, full basketball/volleyball court, quiet activities, and more, all under one roof! This is the perfect place for people of all abilities to PLAY!

Cost: $12 per child + $3 per supervising adult

The Garden Skatepark

Address: 3820 Broadway Ave N, Rochester, MN 
Phone:(507) 382-3086

The Garden is the ultimate destination for skaters of all ages and skill levels. Their state-of-the-art indoor facility features a variety of obstacles and ramps for skaters to practice on, as well as a safe and welcoming environment. Plus, fuel up at The Cafe, which offers a full coffee menu, plus smoothies, sodas, snacks, and ice cream!

Cost: $12.33 (+$1.00 sales tax) per skater

Chip Shots

Address: 3820 Broadway Ave N, Rochester, MN 
Phone:(507) 361-0401

Chip Shots is perfect for a meal or appetizers + some friendly competition! With non-stop indoor fun featuring 3 full pickleball courts, cornhole play on astroturf, 6 sports simulators, golf simulators, and a full kitchen and bar, this is the place to be no matter the weather or season.

Cost: Varies depending on activity. Find pricing here

Miss Angie’s Place

Address: 222 S Main St, Pine Island, MN 55963
Phone:(507) 351-3684

Miss Angie’s place seeks to be a place to feel safe, secure, and wanted. Miss Angie’s Place is focused on 4 PILLARS that have been with the owner throughout her life: Art, Nature, Spirituality, and Movement.  Read more about Miss Angie’s Place here. She offers a variety of programs throughout the month. Check the calendar for all the details! WEBSITE

Quarry Hill Nature Center

Address: 701 Silver Creek Rd NE, Rochester, MN 55906 //  (507) 328-3950

Phone: (507) 328-3950

Quarry Hill Nature Center is set within Quarry Hill Park on the NE side of Rochester. The Nature Center offers so many opportunities for open-ended exploration.  Observe reptiles, fish, birds, and small mammals, or grab a pair of binoculars to watch the birds. Get up close with artifacts such as feathers, fossils, animal bones, and more.  There is a climbing structure/treehouse and a library to read more about our environment and the animals we share it with.  Outside the Nature Center, discover miles of trails and outdoor exploration.

Cost: FREE (donations accepted)

Oxbow Park & Zollman Zoo

The brand new Nature Center (opened 2023) includes exhibits of some regional animals, including snakes, birds, and turtles, as well as displays and artifacts associated with our natural world. The expanded experiences provided by a new addition to this building and existing park facilities allow groups and individuals more ways to learn about and enjoy nature!

The Dr. Paul E. Zollman Zoo houses over 30 species of wild animals native to Minnesota. Many of the zoo creatures have physical injuries that have rendered them non-releasable, while others are surplus zoo animals from other facilities. In some cases, animals are purchased from licensed animal facilities with donation funds set aside for such purposes. The zoo is named after Dr. Paul Zollman, DVM, in recognition of his dedication to Olmsted County.

Address: Oxbow Park, 5731 County Road 105 NW, Byron MN, 55920

Phone: (507) 328-7340

Cost: FREE (donations accepted)

Roca Climbing & Fitness

Address: 6071 Rome Circle NW, Rochester MN 55901
Phone: (507) 218-1500 

Roca Climbing & Fitness amenities include indoor climbing, climbing instruction and training, a yoga studio, a fitness deck, a retail shop, special group events, and a spectator area. Whether you want to take the family, or kids, or escape for a few hours to burn energy, Roca Climbing is home to many great opportunities in one location!

Cost: Day Pass – $17, Day Pass with Gear – $23

Art Heads Emporium

Address: 317 S Broadway, Rochester, MN
Phone:(507) 319-0117

Air Insanity

Address:  1607 Hwy 14 East, Rochester, MN
Phone:(507) 322-6197

Kids climing the walls at home? Take them to Air Insanity– Rochester’s trampoline park! Kids can jump and jump and jump, tackle the ninja warrior obstacle course, jump into the foam pit, test their skills on the rock climbing wall, play extreme dodgeball, and run up the warped wall! With no shortage of things to do, this one is a slam dunk (kids can do that too!).

Cost: Varies by amount of jump time- see pricing here.

The Machine Shed

Address:  11 2nd St NE, Rochester, MN
Phone:(507) 285-6501

The Machine Shed is a blast from the past– a classic arcade plus vintage game store! With all of the classic arcade games from the 80s and 90s and pinball, adults will have a blast sharing fun from the past with kids today!

Cost: $10 per person for *all day play*

The Mess Hall

Address:  1635 Broadway Ave N. Rochester, MN
Phone:(507) 785-0226

The Mess Hall is a place to go and…MAKE A MESS with no cleanup! Smash, destroy, or splatter paint everywhere– it’s all good at The Mess Hall. Break, smash, and destroy in the Smash Room, and paint, splatter and make a huge mess in the Splatter Room with glow in the dark paint and black lights! It’s sure to be a memorable time.

Cost: Varies depending on activity and number of people. See pricing here.