Vacationing On Hilton Head? Here Are Best Things To Do With Kids At The Zone
Located 20 miles north of Savannah, Georgia, Hilton Head Island is a popular resort destination in South Carolina and a more upscale alternative to Myrtle Beach.
Drawn by miles of calm and pristine Atlantic beachfront, a host of world class golf and tennis facilities, outdoor activities galore, families have long found Hilton Head to be an alluring vacation destination.
As a historic South Carolina resort city, your family will love swimming, exploring shopping, sightseeing, and more.
Yet some of our favorite family-friendly things to do are not located on the Island but in neighboring Bluffton, South Carolina, just a short 15-20 ride over the Cross Island Bridge. With a wide array of activities under one roof, this is your must-stop for fun and adventure when visiting Hilton Head. Why is The Zone our favorite place for family fun? Let’s count the ways.
Laser Tag
What Is Laser Tag?
Laser Tag is a shooting game similar to paintball and airsoft. The biggest difference between Laser Tag and other sports, however, is that Laser Tag is safe and clean. You’ll never have to wear safety equipment because players don’t shoot pellets or paint balls. Instead, Laser Tag uses completely safe beams that will never hurt anyone. Not using pellets or paint balls also means that there won’t be any residue or clean up involved after playing.
At The Zone, their Laser Tag is here to change everything you thought you knew about the activity. Gone are the days of backlights and neon loggers and simply trying to get the most hits. Most of their game modes involve two or more teams. While it is possible to play successfully and have fun without teamwork (most groups of young children will have fun just running around and shooting) teams that work together toward their goal will usually win the match. We just love the mission-based and strategic aspects of The Zone’s Laser Tag.
Mirror Maze
The Zone has the most amazing mirror maze in the Lowcountry. Want to learn more about these mind bending attractions? Read on.
What Exactly Is a Mirror Maze?
It goes by many names. It is also known as a hall of mirrors, a mirrors house, or a maze of mirrors. It’s a maze that has mirrors for walls, which adds to the difficulty of a regular maze.
There are two main types of images:
- Fun House of Mirrors – A fun house of mirrors uses mirrors and glass. The glass will create a barrier, showing you an area that you potentially can reach. These are the type of mazes that you will find in traveling fairs and carnivals.
- Infinity Mirror Maze – This kind of maze gives the illusion of infinite hallways in multiple directions. In some cases there could be infinite reflections. This is accomplished by the angles of the mirrors in relation to each other. This type of maze also has a more modern feel. The Zone is infinity style!
History of the Mirror Maze
The first mirror maze is believed to have been made by Peter Styvesant (governor/director of New Amsterdam, now New York). His inspiration came from a visit to the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France. The Palace had a Hall of Mirrors that was built in 1869.
Upon returning to New Amsterdam he constructed a mirror maze and charged one Dutch Guilder to enter.
Most mirror mazes were part of traveling carnivals. In fact, in the 1800s there were only two permanent mirror mazes in the entire world. One was located was in Switzerland and the other in the Czech Republic. By the 1900s there were more mirror mazes in the United States than any other country in the world.
Today, modern effects such as choreographed colored LED lights, black lights, and music systems have been incorporated into some of these classic attractions.
A repeat: The Zone has the best mirror maze in the Lowcountry.
Escape Rooms
Why Do We Love The Zone’s Escape Rooms
They Offer a Cool Time – Escape Rooms force you to use your brain, to solve, to think out of the box. You’re motivated to get results and overcome difficult challenges. Not only is this a fun game to spend time with your family, it’s also an excellent activity to challenge yourself as well.
They Tie People Together (Not Literal) – Although there are exceptions, escape rooms are meant to be a group activity. So if you are not paired with a team, you can always bring along your family or a group of friends and complete a challenge together.
They’re Good for Mental Development – One of the major benefits of escape rooms is that they provide puzzles that need to be solved. And, as you may have guessed, this is a great exercise for your cognitive skills
They Speed Up Your Adrenaline – Who doesn’t like a rush of adrenaline now and then? Especially when you accomplish something so challenging, like solving a puzzle? Unlike a stroll in the park, escape rooms provide a beneficial experience that forces you to rush and think sharp with your teammates to win. This, in turn, will provide you an adrenaline rush that you’ll fondly remember with your family and friends.
They’re a Break From the Every Day – Spend too much on your smartphone, laptop, or tablet? An escape room is a good place to break from the routine. Some people may be turned off by the restrictions on technology use inside escape rooms, but once you experience it, you’ll see it was worth it.
Yes, The Zone’s Escape Rooms are super fun and an ideal place to build on new skills
Ninja Course
Ninja Warrior is a sport that relies on body weight strength which means anyone can participate. Moms, Dads, and kids can enjoy training for Ninja Warrior Course.
- Ninja Warrior Improves Functional Strength
- Ninjas Require Flexibility to Navigate Tricky Obstacles
- Balance Is Crucial to Ninja Warrior Training
- Fine Tune Your Agility
- Increase Focus & Precision
- Increase Core Strength
- Experience the Wonderful and Caring Culture of the Ninja Warrior Community
So if you want to learn the skills of Ninja Warrior, or just get fit in a fun and exciting way, then head to the Zone. Ultimately, Ninja Warrior provides accessible fitness and fun for any person who enters a Ninja course.
Batting Cages
The batting cage is such a ubiquitous resource to today’s athletes that it’s easy to forget that it has not always existed.
Wellington Titus of Hopewell, New Jersey, was the forefather of the batting cage. Titus worked as a mover of houses, an unconventional trade at which, according to legend, he was phenomenally talented. Titus also played as catcher for his local amateur baseball team, the Hopewell Athletic Club. Like many players, Titus disliked having to chase down pitches that had gone far astray and far-off foul balls when practicing hitting. He surely spent as much time chasing the ball as he did at the plate in practice.
This necessity was naturally the mother of invention as, in 1907, Titus developed what he called a “baseball backstop.” The device (essentially a portable batting cage) quickly found a following, and the demand for it proved so great that Titus immediately filed for a patent. Most telling of all, Titus had signed a contract with the company A.G. Spalding and Brothers to mass produce his “baseball backstop” before its patent had even been approved.
The batting cage has now become one of the most important baseball training resources, and perhaps the most indispensable training device in any major spot. Baseball is, after all, a game of hitting and pitching. A talented defensive player is diminished if he can’t hit, however a powerful hitter who can’t play defense worth a lick could be a world class designated hitter. Thus the batting cage is synonymous with baseball training and is the ultimate, all-in-one, hitting crash course.
The Zone is home to the cutting edge Hit Trax technology, a training tool used by 94% of MLB players. Their Hit Trax Simulator is the only one in the area. If you’re looking to improve your baseball /softball hitting prowess, then you need to stop at The Zone. And, yes, it is also great fun to just hit some balls.
Mini Golf
Mini golf is an American pastime with a lot of history. While some refer to the sport as putt-putt, crazy golf, mini putt, and other names, the basics of mini golf remain the same. As a byproduct of the original full-size golf sport, mini golf is relatively easy to play while also being a lot of fun.
In 1916, in Pinehurst, North Carolina, the first official standardized mini golf course (called Thistle Dhu) was created. The term Thistle Dhu was a play on words from “this will do” meant to reflect the concept that if a large scale golf course was not accessible a mini golf course would do.
Mini golf is an incredibly fun and entertaining game. The Zone, with its unique layout, exciting greens, and challenging course, makes the possibility for adventure endless. An added perk is that the course is indoors and thus temperature controlled….rain or shine, no problem.
Time FREAK
Want an energizing fitness experience? See where fun and fitness meet. Fast-paced gameplay and energizing sound effects, immerse yourself in this adventure pumping attraction. You will be indulged with heat-pumping music, heroic sound effects, and intense voice prompts.
A brief description: buttons light up around the room, see how many you can push before the clock runs out. Play by yourself or with family. See if you can increase your score. Warning: you can get hooked!
Mechanical Shark
The Mechanical Shark is a hilarious spin on the classic mechanical bull ride. This ride functions like a mechanical bull with comparable speed and difficulty. No, we’re not talking “Urban Cowboy.” An inflatable platform surrounds the shark for a safe landing. Are you ready to brave a ride on The Zone’s crazy Mechanical Shark?
Financial Intelligence
The Zone combines fun and financial literacy. Children ages 4+ can learn about the power of financial intelligence while exploring escape rooms, laser tag, mini golf, a ninja course, and more. There is an educational factor built into every single activity at The Zone.
Interested? Want More?
The Zone is an ideal spot for a birthday party, corporate event, fundraiser, team building, networking, bachelor/bachelorette party, and much much more. Adults can relax with a glass of wine or a bottle of beer.
You’ve requested time off from work. You’ve secured your place to stay. You’ve packed your bags and your family has made the drive to Hilton Head. Now it’s raining. Don’t let the weather get in your way of having fun. Head to The Zone while you’re waiting for a sunny beach day. After all, a rainy day on vacation still beats an ordinary day at home.
We have you covered. Family activities when visiting Hilton Head….The Zone. Rainy day activities when visiting Hilton Head….The Zone. If you want the biggest bang for your buck while on vacation take our advice and visit The Zone.
The Zone
108 Buckwalter Pkwy Suite 2F
Bluffton, SC 29910
(843) 836-3701
https://thezonebluffton.com
