Originally a scream park during Halloween season, Land of Illusion has since expanded to hosting attractions year-round. Their summer attraction is Aqua Adventures, which includes paddle boarding, beach volleyball, a water obstacle course, a beach-themed bar and grill, and games like horseshoe and cornhole.
Status: All attractions will open Wednesday. COVID-19 measures will be in place.
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
The home of Fiona the Hippo is a popular destination for families across Greater Cincinnati.
Status: Partially opening on Wednesday. Outdoor exhibits will be open. Indoor exhibits, food and retail, rides, and animal encounters will remain closed. Zoo policy dictates for the time being that capacity will be limited, so reservations are required. Masks are recommended but not required and all patrons are asked to keep six feet apart.
EnterTRAINment Junction
This West Chester family playground is home to the world’s largest train display, a kids’ play area, and the A-Maze-N Funhouse.
Status: Opening Wednesday. Not only will all attractions be open, but "do-it-all" ticket prices will be reduced to $13.95. All ticket types that expired after March 1 will be valid through July 31, 2020. 1st Class Boarding Pass members will have an additional 120 days added to their tickets, and the "Bring-A-Friend-Free" promotion will be expanded until June 30, 2020.
EnterTRAINment Junction assures patrons that surfaces and bathrooms will be cleaned periodically throughout the day. The whole facility will be intensively cleaned after hours. Employees will be wearing masks and maintaining social distancing. Patrons are asked to do the same.
Newport Aquarium
The home of the shark bridge and Scuba Santa was set to open a new exhibit called “Shipwreck: Realm of the Eels” when the pandemic hit.
Status: Closed, though an announcement about their opening date is expected this week.
King’s Island
Cincinnati’s premier amusement park is anxiously awaiting to introduce guests to Orion, one of only seven giga coasters (roller coasters featuring a 300-plus-foot drop) in the world. Orion features a 300-399-foot drop, over 5,000 feet of track, and reaches speeds of 91 miles per hour.
Status: Will open to season pass holders on July 2 and will open to the public on July 12.
Topgolf
Far from a mere driving range, this features a variety of golf ball-hitting games for people of all ages and skills. A full menu and bar helps with the frustration.
Status: Closed. No reopening date has been set.
The Web
This West Chester venue for kids of all ages features laser tag, indoor go-karting, virtual reality video games, blacklight miniature golf, miniature bowling, and a climbing wall.
Status: Opened Wednesday. Hours are: Sunday 12–9 p.m., Monday 1–8 p.m., Tuesday 1–8 p.m., Wednesday 1–8 p.m., Thursday 1–8 p.m., Friday 12–11 p.m., Saturday 12–11 p.m.
Archery Arena
Ever wanted to play dodgeball with bows and arrows? You probably never thought it until someone suggested it, but now it sounds like fun, right? No archery skills are required. Trainers will get you up to speed before each game. The object, of course, is to tag your fellows with foam-tipped arrows.
Status: Partially open. Archery Arena was created with birthday parties, bachelor parties, and corporate events in mind. Until further notice, weekly bookings are available for up to 10 people.
Escape the Room Challenge
This increasingly popular game involves a group of 4-12 friends locked into a room, where they have one hour to solve the puzzles and discover the hidden items that will lead to their escape. There are themed rooms involving a rich uncle, a gypsy fortune teller, the Mafia, and international espionage. There’s also a VR room.
Status: Open. All rooms will be sanitized daily and after each use, particularly the props, puzzles and major touch points. Staff will be wearing mask and guests are asked to wear them also in the public spaces.
Niederman Family Farm and Paintball Country
This landmark family farm offers an archetypal choice. You can do nice things with your kids like pet the animals or riddle them paint-filled pellets.
Status: Open. Guests are asked only to maintain social distancing and follow the arrows in and out. Employees will help keep people spread out.
About the Author