Mt. Playmore is Central Texas’s largest indoor playground, located in North Austin (13609 N. I-35, Austin 78753). My family and I visited there on a recent Sunday morning, and I’m pretty sure all our eyes popped wide open as we stepped inside. The place is huge! And the big, central playscape is many, many levels high, with bridges and slides and other obstacles extending far above our heads.
Tip: Bring socks for everyone! We didn’t know in advance that anyone entering the playscape needs to be wearing socks (not shoes, not barefoot). Good thing Mt. Playmore sells socks of all sizes for $2.50 + tax per pair, so we were covered. We noticed most kids there wore socks throughout the whole place, even when they weren’t climbing in the playscape, and there are cubbies where you can stash your shoes.
There are a few token-operated kiddie rides right up front, and my two- and four-year-old did want to stop there first. Tokens cost $0.25 each, so we purchased $5 worth, which was actually too many — we didn’t use them all, as there are only a handful of rides that take tokens, plus the kids wanted to move on to that ginormous playscape pretty quickly. They enjoyed taking a few turns on the carousel, however, as well as the oversized Tonka truck and the little Ferris wheel-style ride. 
But on to that amazing playscape! It is situated in the center of Mt. Playmore around an arena filled with comfy couches and lounge chairs for adults to sit and wait while their kids play. There are signs posted that instruct parents simply to “monitor” their children, but parents do have to accompany younger kids inside the playscape. There are multiple entry points around the playscape, and once inside, multiple levels, obstacles, slides, bridges and more. The kids loved it!
Small kiddos are allowed in the playscape if accompanied by a parent, but there is also a toddler play area in the front of Mt. Playmore for children ages three and younger who are more comfortable playing in a safe, enclosed space with smaller, age-appropriate toys. I could see why some parents and kids might want this — my two- and four-year-old totally loved the big playscape, but it was definitely full of big kids who were running and climbing a lot faster than my kids were able to, and my son got a little freaked out at one point when he couldn’t figure out how to get out. The playscape is like a maze! Fortunately, my husband was in there with him, and all was well.
The day we visited, we arrived shortly after 10 AM, when it opened, and there really weren’t many people there yet. By 11:30, the place was getting more crowded, but I never felt like it was too loud or overwhelming. At one point, a man showed up with a tortoise and some other animals for a reptile show, which my kids loved! And Anna and Elsa of Frozen fame arrived just as we were leaving, much to everyone’s amazement.
We thought Mt. Playmore seemed like an awesome place for a birthday party. There’s so much for kids to do, plus there are party rooms and so many great spots for adults to chill out and chat with each other while their little ones play. Aside from the comfy lounge chairs/couches area, there are also plenty of tables and booths, and there’s even free wifi! I even saw a few people with laptops, who had clearly come to get some work done while their kids amused themselves. (Oh, boy, I can’t wait till my kids are old enough to play independently!!)
There is also a restaurant that has a lot more to offer than just pizza, which I thought was nice; seems like most kiddie play places have pizza only, so it was a pleasant surprise to see salads, sandwiches, appetizers and more offered, as well. (To view the full menu, click here and scroll all the way down the page.)
Mt. Playmore also has lots more to offer, including reptile shows most Wednesdays (sometimes at 11 AM, sometimes at 6 PM — check the calendar for specific dates and times) and free Child IDs given out by New York Life Insurance Co. on the second Saturday of each month (in August, this will be Saturday, 8/8, from 11 AM – 4 PM).
Mt. Playmore also hosts a monthly Autism & Special Needs hour on the third Saturday of each month — in August, this will be from 9–10 AM on Saturday, 8/15 — for families of children with special needs, to provide play time with lower stimulation levels than during regular play hours. (Regular admission pricing applies during the Autism & Special Needs hour.)
Location:
13609 N. I-35, 78753 (next to Kohls in the Home Depot shopping plaza at Howard Lane)
Hours:
Sunday – Thursday: 10 AM – 8 PM
Friday & Saturday: 10 AM – 10 PM
Admission Prices:
Infants (0–1 year): FREE
Children ages 2–3: $4.95
Children/teens ages 4–18: $10.95
Adults ages 19+: $1.50
Monthly passes: $39.95 and up
Annual passes: $174.95 and up
Group rates are also available Monday through Friday; click here to learn more.
Mt. Playmore
13609 North IH35
Austin TX 78753
