Looking to find some indoor family fun? Find your family fun at one of the trampoline parks, museums, libraries, theaters, and more in the Harrisburg & West Shore area!
The places listed below are some of the very best spots to enjoy family fun in Harrisburg, Mechanicsburg, New Cumberland, Linglestown, Lemoyne, Camp Hill, Wormleysburg, Marysville, Dauphin, New Kingston, Colonial Park and the surrounding communities.
Do you have a favorite spot we are missing? Email the info to rachaelb@macaronikid.com to get it added to the list!
ART & MAKER SPACES
Color Me Mine (Harrisburg) allows families to let their creativity take over as they paint custom pieces of pottery.
Color Me Mine (Mechanicsburg) allows families to let their creativity take over as they paint custom pieces of pottery.
Jubilee Cake Studio (Mechanicsburg) hosts fun cake and cupcake decorating worships, also features an indoor play-space that will soon be expanding tremendously.
The Susquehanna Art Museum (Harrisburg) houses thousands of interesting pieces of art in rotating art exhibits, as well as special events and talks for all ages.
Mud Luv Pottery Studio (Carlisle) Pottery studio with classes and open studio hours
The Art Center (Mechanicsburg) Art Gallery with opportunities for workshops, classes, and camps
Create-a-Palooza (Carlisle) Kid and Family focused art and pottery studio with ample open studio hours and fun classes, workshops, parties, movies, and more
BOUNCE PLACES, ARCADES, GO KARTS
K1 Speed (Lemoyne) offers a couple of different go-kart options, including a track designed for kids with additional safety features implemented.
Sports Emporium (Carlisle) features a large indoor arcade, VR, laser tag, indoor go-kart track, snack bar and more.
Get Air Trampoline Park (Harrisburg) has a variety of trampolines for all ages from toddler through adult.
Monkey Joe's (Camp Hill) is a walk-in bounce place offers inflatable bounces, obstacle courses, slides and a snack bar for toddlers, preschoolers and kids 12 years and under.
Sky Zone Trampoline Park (Mechanicsburg) offers a variety of trampolines, dodgeball, basketball, toddler play area, foam pit, snack bar and more for all ages from toddlers through adults.
Urban Air (Harrisburg) Trampolines, warrior course, climbing walls, ziplining, a massive indoor playground, and more.
Chuck e Cheese (Harrisburg) Family friendly arcade and restaurant with lots of options for younger kids.
Dave & Busters (Camp Hill) Sports bar and restaurant with a huge arcade conveniently located in the Capital City Mall
The Coliseum (Camp Hill) Classic arcade with a family friendly restaurant and state of the art bowling
Fun City Adventure Park (York) Trampolines, bumper balls, climbing, a ninja course, an indoor playground and more!
BOWLING
Kids Bowl FREE at several local bowling alleys this summer
ABC East (Harrisburg) Kid friendly bowling and lounge also offers escape rooms and arcade games
ABC North (Harrisburg) Kid friendly bowling and lounge
ABC West (Mechanicsburg) Budget friendly bowling and pizza on the West Shore
Trindle Bowl (Mechanicsburg) Bowling, indoor glow mini golf, arcade and cafe (with affordable kids meals)
Midway Bowl (Carlisle) Bowling, Duckpin, Axe Throwing, Gold Simulator and Bar and Grill
ESCAPE ROOMS, RAGE ROOMS, BATTLE ARENAS AND TEEN/TWEEN PICKS
Escape Games Live (Lemoyne) gives families 60 ish minutes to find clues & solve puzzles in order to escape.
Escape Rooms at ABC East (Harrisburg) doesn't pair you with other groups and instead lets you solve clues along the way with your friends and family.
Escape Rooms at Grand Illusion (Carlisle) Recommended for ages 12 and up. Themes and puzzles change seasonally.
The Rage Room (York) Goes above and beyond your typical Rage Room by offering paint splatter and creative spaces, a tinker space for kids to disassemble and assemble electronics and mechanical items, and a soft kids and toddler smash room. Parachute Paint and Marble Painting are particularly fun for families.
Breakdown Rage Room (Hanover) Typical Rage room for 14 and up, operates by appointment only.
Battle 5 Extraction (Harrisburg) The largest Nerf/Foam Blaster Arena in Central PA (also great for younger kids!)
Stumpy's Hatchet House (Hershey) 13 and over with an adult on Saturdays and Sundays only
Do You Even Escape? (Camp Hill) Escape rooms. Ages 8 and up. Kids age 8-12 may need adult help solving clues.
GAMING CAFES
Eclipse Gaming Cafe (Carlisle) offers a cozy gaming cafe with comfort food and a great selection of board games for all ages.
Ooowee Art & Gaming Cafe (Harrisburg, PA) offers a relaxing place to enjoy RPG, collectable card games, and strategy games. They also host art classes, competitions, and the best in nerdy and hipster fun like cos-play, anime, improv, and more.
HISTORICAL
Mechanicsburg Museum Association (Mechanicsburg) shares the history of Mechanicsburg and it's inhabitants.
U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center (Carlisle) honors soldiers past, present and future by sharing historical data, artifacts, machinery and history related to strategic leadership, the global application of Landpower, and U.S. Army Heritage.
Cumberland County Historical Society Museum (Carlisle) offers a look at artifacts and information related to the history of Cumberland County with a museum, gift shop and research library.
Fort Hunter Mansion and Park (Harrisburg) invites families to tour the mansion and enjoy the park grounds to spark your imagination about a bygone era.
John Harris-Simon Cameron Mansion (Harrisburg) invites families to tour the historic mansion on Front Street that’s been vital to Dauphin County History.
National Civil War Museum (Harrisburg) invites everyone to take a look at the history of the Civil War, how it started, the Battle of Gettysburg and what has been learned from it.
State Capitol Building Tours (Harrisburg) are available as both guided and self-guided tours of our state capitol.
PA National Fire Museum (Harrisburg) is housed in an 1899 Victorian Firehouse and shares the history and apparatuses of firefighting.
Harris Tower Railroad Museum (Harrisburg) Open seasonally
LIBRARIES
Cumberland County Libraries:
- East Pennsboro Library - Enola
- Clive J. Fredricksen Library - Camp Hill
- New Cumberland Public Library - New Cumberland
- Joseph T. Simpson Library - Mechanicsburg
Dauphin County Libraries:
- East Shore Area Library - Colonial Park
- Kline Library - 29th St, Harrisburg
- Madeline Olewine Library - N. 3rs St, Harrisburg
- McCormick Riverfront Library - Walnut St, Harrisburg
Perry County Library
- Marysville-Rye Library - Marysville
MOVIE THEATERS AND PERFORMANCE THEATRES & STAGES
Colonnade Theatre (Millersburg) offers live shows, movies, art & more
Gamut Theatre Group (Harrisburg) is home to the Popcorn Hat Players, a local theatre group that offers fantastic performances for families on beloved tales and fables.
Midtown Cinemas (Harrisburg) in Downtown Harrisburg is the perfect spot to catch indie, foreign and even outdoor movies.
The Sunoco Theater at the Whitaker Center (Harrisburg) schedules a variety of live performances in downtown Harrisburg.
Whitaker Center's Digital Cinema (Harrisburg) Unique lineup of immersive shows you wont find elsewhere.
Imaginary Friends (Harrisburg) One of a kind children's puppet theatre offering musical and engaging shows at Strawberry Square
Carlisle Theatre (Carlisle)
AMC Classic Hampden 8 (Mechanicsburg)
NATURE
Ned Smith Nature Center sits on more than 500 acres and offers families an up close view of nature as well as hosts a variety of local events.
Olewine Nature Center is located inside Wildwood Park and offers hands on displays for kids of all ages
Indian Echo Cavern allows the public to get a glimpse into the large cave system under Hummelstown, near the Swatara creek.
The Oakes Museum of Natural History is located at Messiah College and is open to the public on Saturdays to share a collection of Smithsonian quality African and North American mammals, eggs, birds, fish, seashells, minerals, insects, and fossils.
SPORTS FACILITIES, ROLLER AND ICE RINKS
Olympic Skating Center is a fantastic spot for Harrisburg & West Shore families to learn to roller skate and to enjoy open skate hours.
Yellow Breeches Sports Complex is home to a semi-professional ice hockey team, and a variety of sports for kids and adults.
Climbnasium (Mechanicsburg)
Dexterity Depot (Camp Hill)
Fountainblu Skating Arena (New Cumberland)
Twin Ponds Ice Arena (Harrisburg)
STEAM & HANDS ON FUN
The State Museum of Pennsylvania (Harrisburg) featuring a planetarium, thousands of artifacts and artwork related to the history of Pennsylvania and notable residents, gift shop and Curiosity Connection, a play area for ages and under, the State Museum of Pennsylvania offers hours of educational fun.
The Whitaker Center offers families a science center, theater and cinema, and three floors of hands on, interactive displays.
Lykens Valley Children's Museum (Elizabethville) encourages kids to explore, learn, imagine and make memories together.
Keystone Kidspace (York) Just out of our area but a top pick for all four of my kids so it makes the list! STEAM maker space, hands on science center, and hub for all things fun. Offers open play hours and many classes, workshops, and camps.
Curious Little Playhouse (Hanover) encourages kids to explore, learn, imagine and make memories together.
Where the Wild Things Play (Hershey) a playspace for younger children with several dramatic play areas, a toddler area, and a STEM station
Hershey Children's Museum (Hershey) A brand new children's museum in Hershey for children 8 and under focused on learning through play
Indoor Playground at Vibrant/Adventure Park (Mechanicsburg) An indoor playground inside Vibrant Church (home of the popular Adventure Playground) for young children with ample comfy "cafe style" seating for adults. (Indoor playground open to the public Monday-Thursday 9-4 or Saturdays by reservation only)
DINE & PLAY (section under construction)
Cracked Pot Coffee Shop
Sweet frog (Camp Hill)
Sweet frog (Mechanicsburg)
Melting Pot (Harrisburg) Best for older kids/teens
Mikado (Mechanicsburg)
Shogun Asian Fusion
Kajimachi Asian Steakhouse (Harrisburg)
Cold Stone
Duck Donuts
Play Places/restaurants with indoor playgrounds - Nothing like an indoor play-place to entertain the kids for a bit and get the wiggles out on a rainy day. You'll find them at all of these locations
- Chick-Fil-a
- 6416 Carlisle Pike Ste 3500, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050
- 4655 Lindle Rd, Harrisburg, PA 17111
- 2 Noble Blvd, Carlisle, PA 17013
- McDonalds
- 5550 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050
SHOP & PLAY (section under construction)
Midtown Scholar Bookstore + Cafe offers families a variety of special events, cafe, books by local authors, in addition to their large store filled with books you'll love.
Bass Pro
Build-a-Bear
Chocolate World
Barnes & Noble
While most of the venues featured above are solidly in the Harrisburg and West Shore Region, we've borrowed a few of our favorites from our closest neighbors in York, Hershey, and Carlisle. If you are interested in more to do in these areas, please check them out!
Macaroni KID York
Macaroni KID Hershey
Macaroni KID Carlisle
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**Please excuse our mess! This guide first appeared in 2019 as "40 Indoor Places to Play" and has remained our most popular article with dozens of hits every day. I'm working diligently to update the guide! If I'm missing anything, please drop me a line at rachaelb@macaronikid **
