Hello all!
We are driving to SA to take my son to SeaWorld for his 3rd birthday. We were going the day before his birthday and driving back on his actual birthday. I wanted to turn one of our rest stops into a little time to grab something to eat and for him to play. I am looking for something like Chuck E. Cheese that is not too far off of I-35 somewhere in between SA and DFW. I would like something age-appropriate but not just bounce houses, prefer a good mixture of toys. A place where we can bring in snacks and WiFi would be a plus, too. I hear there is an IKEA in RR that is pretty kid-friendly, is this true? If you know of a good Chuck E. Cheese that is not too crowded often and has a good tot area, that will be a good backup plan.
Any recommendations? TIA!
I don't know about those places, but if you just need a break on the way, Chick-fil-A has indoor play areas, and most of the fast food places also have them. Not the same as Chuck-E, but good in a pinch for some distraction. Have a nice trip!
There is a Chuck E. Cheese near the intersection of I-35 and tollroad 45. It's on the south side frontage road of 45 (not I-35). There's also the Mayborn Museum in Waco (it's a great children's museum right off of I-35...on the Baylor campus). They do allow you to bring your own food. This one cost money though, of course. The Ikea is at 1431/Chandler Rd. and I-35.
I don't know about IKEA, but in Georgetown (just north of Round Rock), we have Chick-fil-a, Burger King (BIG play area), and McDonalds, all with play areas. I think the Burger King is the largest, and it is indoors.
Jumpy Gym in Austin is off of Slaughter at Manchaca (about 5 minutes off of 35, but it's a straight shot). They are great, with bounce houses and tons of toys (ride on toys, kitchen sets, train tables with trains, blocks, dress up, etc). You can bring your own food to their snack area...where they have art supplies. I take my 2 and 3 year old boys there all the time. It's a great energy burner and it's cleaner and cheaper than Chuck E. Cheese always ends up being. www.jumpygym.com/
The IKEA in Round Rock does have a play area. From what I remember it has some toys and a ball pit. It's designed to leave your kids there while you shop. Parents aren't allowed in the play area, children have to be between certain heights, can stay in for up to 45 minutes(my son always got kicked out early for throwing the balls) and they limit the number of kids in at one time.
We prefer the Chucky Cheese that GG mentioned. To get to it, exit 35, go along the feeder road, and then double back. It can get crowded with parties, but has plenty of parking around it.
