I’m always on the lookout for things to do on the weekend with my daughter, and Treetop Adventure Golf in Cardiff was the perfect solution for a wet and windy weekend.
We’ve all been there, we check the weather forecast and discover that it is another weekend stuck inside. Don’t get me wrong, a weekend at home and inside isn’t a bad thought, but when that’s what you’ve been doing for the past month, you just need to do something different.
Living in Cardiff, there is a mix of wet weather activities that you can choose from. You could visit the National Museum, go to the cinema, read at your local library or go out for food. Although the latter seems to be an inevitable add-on for any of those.
As a family, we’ve never been big fans of golf. However, mini golf is in a league of its own and we all turn semi-pro at the very thought of attending one of these places. This weekend was no different.
There are a number of adventure golf places near to where we live. We really like T-Rex Golf in Old St Mellons, but unfortunately this was recently flooded. The family golf at the Celtic Manor Resort has also been a hit, but the unsettled weather left us debating whether or not to take the risk. Treetop Adventure Golf in St David’s 2 is all inside, and we’ve not really visited it since it opened, so thought we’d give it a go.
For those of you that haven’t been, Treetop Adventure Golf is hidden away on car park level 3 in St David’s 2 shopping centre. I say hidden, it isn’t really. You can follow signs from inside the shopping centre, which will guide you to it. We always head to the signposted lifts near Costa Coffee (ground floor) or by North Face (upper floor). This is by the far the easiest way to find it.
Treetop Adventure Golf has two indoor, 18-hole mini-golf courses. They are all rainforest themed and you can choose from the Tropical Trail or the Ancient Explorer. The sound affects and lightning really add to the atmosphere and make you feel like you’re in a different world. They are both of a similar difficulty level, so it doesn’t matter which one you choose. If you do arrive before midday, you can play both courses for the price of one – so well worth it!
Lockers are available to store your coats and bags, it costs £1 but this is returned to you. You will get hot quite quickly playing, so head straight over to the lockers and put away your belongings. You’ll thank me later! The toilets are also located in the same area, and if you have little ones with you, you’ll want to make sure they go before you start.
Although there is no minimum age, all children need to be occupied by an adult (obviously). My daughter is six and absolutely loved it. We attempted to keep score with the card provided to you, but we lost count after the first few rounds! But who cares?
At the very end of your game, whether you choose to do both courses or one, you can take a swing at the bonus 19th hole. If you get your ball in, you’ll get a free pass to admit one next time! Cool huh?
When you do get thirsty and hungry because you will. Treetop Adventure Golf has its own cafe and a reasonably priced ‘Pizza Cabana’ – we didn’t eat here, but we’ll definitely be giving it a try next time.
Overall, there is a good mix of skill level required and it resulted in lots of family fun. The rainforest theme is quirky and is echoed throughout the venue, right down to the toilets.
What I will say is that it does get busy quite quickly, and sadly, this can lead to some queuing around the course. There isn’t much of space between each hole either, so at times, you do find yourselves squashed in with others. You can carefully balance on the sides of the course to avoid the greens, but try explaining this to children.
It is a brilliant wet weather activity, but bear in mind, everyone will have the same idea. Rock up early and you’ll have no problems…
Treetop Adventure Golf fast facts
- Cost for a family of 4 – £29.50 for 1 course or 2 courses for £43.50
- Play before 12pm and get both courses for £29.50
- There is a discount for under 5s / pay per person if there is less than 4 of you
- £1 refundable for the locker
- Open from 10am on the weekend
- No need to book, just turn up
- Birthday parties welcome (make an enquiry on their website)
- There is a monthly quiet time event
