Kiddie Acres Amusement Park & Miniature Golf

 

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rachel m.

Austin, TX

8/29/2009 4 photos

First and foremost, my 18 month old had a frickin' BLAST at Kiddie Acres. She could not have wanted anything more. This is a perfect outing for toddlers.

Being a California transplant, I relish every little bit of authentic, old school goodness Austin has to offer. I'm pretty sure Kiddie Acres was built in 1953 and never touched again, and I mean that in the best possible way. There is essentially nothing left in California that hasn't been knocked down and replaced with something shiny and new and plastic, and I love that Kiddie Acres has been left in such a pristine, crusty, authentic state. I think Kiddie Acres is a national treasure. It should be protected by some kind of environmental act.

I also love that there's no admission fee (you can buy as many or as few ride tickets as you want), so you can just pop in for a quick pony ride or two; you don't have to make a big production out of going there. It's also extremely easy to access and not crowded at all. I have a harder time parking at Central Market.

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Elite '09

63

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Chad S.

Austin, TX

11/10/2007

I'm depressed.  But I wasn't this afternoon, as I packed up the kids and headed toward what promised to be hours of fun at Kiddie Acres!!  Train rides!! Pony rides!!  Carousel!!  Ferris Wheel!!  Whoooo hooooo!!! Obviously, I was fired up for a good time.  Then, as I drove down Howard Lane, spotted the sign at the last second, and turned in, I was faced with the SORRIEST looking miniature golf course I've ever seen.  This was the onset of my depression.  

Miniature golf brings to mind castles, wind mills, and various other cool miniature things scattered about a course, all of which adds up to a good time for all.  The course at Kiddie Acres is sans all of the above.  Not one structure, not one moving obstacle, nothing.  I think there was a tree and a closed umbrella in the vicinity.  Other than that, it was concrete-lined astro turf.  And dead leaves.  We passed on the golf.

There is one little main area for the rides....consisting of a carousel, little airplanes that spin around hanging from chains, cars that go in a circle, boats that go in a circle, and a 20' high ferris wheel.  All of them are old looking and a bit rickety. The coolest thing was the that the airplanes have propellers that spin when they fire the ride up.

Oh, and pony rides.....probably about 40' round trip, 2 times around.  The way it works here is that you buy tickets, and then use them for the rides, all of which were one ticket, except for the train (2) and the pony rides (3). I bought 25 tickets, which cost $30.  They have a little snack bar thingy where you pay, and it just felt wrong forking over $30 for anything at all there. But Papa's girl (she and her little brother call me Papa...their Momma's from Italy) was asking for a pony ride all morning, and Google presented me with Kiddie Acres, and damn it, she was going to get her pony ride.  

One hour later, we were out of tickets, and I was getting my balls broken about buying some balloons.  Time to go home and get a drink.

So here's the deal.  They get 3 stars because they exist.  A place to take kids, without any cost for admission (which makes perfect sense once you arrive), where you can go to (try to) enjoy both pony and train rides.  Every town needs one.  And they were nice enough, as they took my $30 with a smile.  In fact, as I sat there and shook my head as I looked around the place, I thought to myself, "why the hell don't I open a little park with shiny new rides, shiny ponies, and colorful miniature golf? Next to Circle C!"  I swear, a killing is ready to be made.  Props to you if you beat me to it....I'll be there paying you $4 for a 1 minute pony ride.

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