Showing posts with label outdoor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label outdoor. Show all posts

Sunday, February 25, 2024

Hidden Valley, Wildwood






Location: 17409 Hidden Valley Dr, Wildwood MO 63025      636-938-5373

Website: https://www.hiddenvalleyski.com/

Tubing at Hidden Valley is super fun! There is no age limit, you just need to be old enough to be able to sit in the tube.  As of 2021, they have a new height restriction of a minimum of 42".

Always check the Snow Report before coming out to Hidden Valley for updates on snow and tubing conditions. Skiing, snowboarding, and tubing are weather-dependent activities, and conditions and hours are subject to change without notice.




They have 16 total lanes for tubing but not all of them are always open. The lanes on the right of this photo are the slower ones and the lanes on the left are faster. There are attendants at the top who make sure people follow the rules and don't follow too closely to the person who just went down.  Only one person can sit in a tube however several people can link up and go down together by holding on to each other's straps.



Polar Plunge is the largest snow tubing hill in Missouri. This area is separate from the ski area which is over to the right. 






There is a floor on the bottom of the tube which is nice so snow doesn't hit your bootie. They want you to put your feet out over the logo and hold on to the straps with both hands and then an employee gives you a push and off you go!





This is the lift area. It's actually like a conveyor belt. You stand on it, hold on to the tube strap, and pull the tube behind you. You stand there and it takes you up. There is a bit of walking from the end of the tubing hill to the lift but it's level.  The tube was a bit heavy to pull for my 5-year-old.


They have a concession stand here and a bunch of tables at the base of the hill. My son was too scared to try tubing so we sat at the tables and had a hot dog and hot cocoa and watched my daughter go up and down.



The table area has a fire pit going to keep you warm on a cold night


It's not cheap to do this, the regular price is $32 per person and you get 2 hours. But sometimes they offer deals and price breaks if you go late. This place is very popular with teens and college kids so we went early at 5pm and it wasn't busy at all. By 7pm when we were leaving it was starting to get crowded. It was really fun though and my daughter LOVED it.  






Rental area



Bar & restaurant area. The prices were not great, I got a coffee, a hot chocolate, and a muffin and the bill was $14! 



Regular ski area











Monday, February 5, 2024

Bobwhite Park, Ellisville


Location: Parkdale Circle, Ellisville MO 63011

Amenities: playground, basketball court, covered picnic area

Website: http://www.ellisville.mo.us/199/Facility-Rentals-Parks-Trails

Playground ground cover: Poured rubber

Bobwhite Park is a small neighborhood park with a playground and a basketball court. The playground was renovated in early 2024. There's no shade or restrooms but there are fabric shades over some picnic benches.




Old playground



There are 2 baby swings and 2 sling swings



The play structure has stepping stones, a rock wall, slides, a spider web climber, a bridge, and a gear board. 











Maze board


Free-standing spinning chair




Sunday, December 17, 2023

Winter Wonderland at Tilles Park, Ladue




Location: 9551 Litzsinger Rd., Ladue, MO 63124

Website: https://www.winterwonderlandstl.com/

Winter Wonderland is a drive-through light display. They lost the parking lot so they no longer offer the walk-through or the carriage rides. It is open every year from the end of November through New Year. Current fees are $20 per carload. They are open from 5- 9 p.m. daily. You can purchase those tickets online through Metrotix or pay cash when you go. 

Every year during the holiday season, Tilles Park is transformed into a Winter Wonderland with more than a million twinkling lights and various holiday scenes, including a special holiday wreath, a toy factory, holiday bells, a bubbling stream, a tunnel of lights, and of course, Santa and his reindeer, making it one of the most popular Christmas light displays in the St. Louis area.

A great website to find over-the-top residential displays set to music is Holiday Light Hopping.