Summary
The Pump House Waterpark and Clips & Reels climbing gym and movie theatre at Jay Peak can entertain a family during a needed indoor break in the winter, spring, summer or fall.
Vermont resorts are expanding their four seasons of fun with unique activities in their base areas. Jay Peak is no stranger to these offerings. The Pump House Waterpark and Clips & Reels climbing gym and movie theatre can entertain a family during a needed indoor break in the winter, spring, summer or fall.
My older son and I spent an afternoon at the Clips & Reels last spring and had a blast. As a former, and very intermittent climber, I was excited to get on the wall with my son who has been going climbing every now and again with his grandfather.
We booked one hour of access on the climbing wall and ropes course. Rates are $25 for adults, 15 and up, and $20 for kids 14 and under. It was the perfect amount of time to explore the variety of climbing features and take one loop around the ropes course.
When we arrived, attendants helped us get geared up with a harness and gave us a review of the autobelay system and safety protocols. Once geared and educated we were ready to climb!
Climb On!
The climbing space features about a dozen ways to monkey around. My son was eager to explore them all and I shook off some cobwebs with a simple grip wall climb. With limited numbers of people allowed per hour, we had no problem trying every feature. Our favorite was racing up the side-by-side timed walls to see who could make it up first. Ollie also enjoyed the free-standing towers that offered a fun balance challenge.
Next we tried the ropes course. I’ve done a few ropes courses, so it was familiar to me, but it was definitely a challenge for my son. At six years old, he struggled a bit with the distance between features, and had a harder time getting through some of them. That said, he loved the challenge and attempting to balance on the moving boards and swings.
As our time ran out, we exited the ropes course and checked out the arcade that we were just balancing above. Ollie played a few games and then we moved onto snacks and our next adventure.
Movie Time
While we didn’t have time for a movie, we checked out the 142-seat theatre that hosts throwbacks and family movies. The movies are free for lodging guests and $5 per non-lodging guests. Check out current schedules here, or call 802-988-2755.
The lounge outside the theatre features pool tables, couches, flatscreen TVs, pinball, and bowling.
The Pumphouse Waterpark
As a frequent visitor to Jay, I can’t count the number of times I’ve enjoyed myself at the Pumphouse Watepark. Introducing it to my kids has been a whole new round of fun. While adults and older kids might head straight to Le Chute, for some gravity defying fun, or test their balance with indoor surfing at the Flowrider, the rest of the park is made for the little kiddos.
Kids 5 and under have a great space to splash around safely in the playground-style Mills Pond Kids’ Play area. The Big River is fun for all ages, as you can choose to simply float around and let the water take you where it will, or actively seek the rapids, falls and currents. The green and blue water slides allow for tandem riding in tubes. And the deepwater activity pool brings you right back around to those climbing skills with a wall for scaling and basketball nets for some competitive play.
My younger son (3) enjoyed floating the river with me and splashing with friends in the play area the most. The older one (6) was non-stop with the water slides and chasing friends in the river. We all enjoyed the French fry snacks and arcade games that rounded out the day.
The only indoor waterpark in Vermont, the Pumphouse is a must-try for any family, whether you pair it with a hike or ski day. Day pass rates are $36 for kids 4-14, $45 for adults, and free for kids 3 and under.
All-Season Fun
Jay has got it dialed when it comes to four seasons of fun with these offslope activities. With great deals in the off-season, green mountains to explore in the summer, and the most snow in the east in the winter, it’s a no-brainer. It even has great food! Explore more at www.jaypeakresort.com.
Sarah Wojcik is the founder of All Mountains Mamas, starting it in 2012. Becoming a mother in 2017, she grasped the opportunity to share her passion of skiing and snowboarding with families across the U.S. and came on as a contributor and manager. Formerly the Director or Marketing and Communications for Ski Vermont, and currently the creative editor and digital partnership director at Ski Area Management magazine, she writes with great knowledge of the ski industry in Vermont and beyond, and from the point of view of a new mother working to get back out on the slopes with two kids in tow. She is also the proud owner of Vermont’s #1 family fun resource, FindandGoSeek.net.