Cowabunga's Indoor Kids Play & Party Center - Manchester

Cowabunga's Indoor Kids Play & Party Center - Manchester

Reviews Summary

This indoor play space is highly praised for being a fun, clean, and affordable destination for families with young children. Parents appreciate the variety of activities, themed events, and birthday party options, often noting the friendly staff and well-maintained facilities. Many highlight the value of memberships for frequent visitors. While most reviews are glowing, a few mention occasional staffing issues or food quality concerns, but even these often commend management for responsiveness. The space is especially popular for burning off energy, with kids aged 10 and under enjoying the bounce houses, arcade, and interactive areas. Overall, it’s a beloved spot for family outings and celebrations.

About This Listing

Has Food
Good for kids
Wheelchair Accessible

Who Can Play?

Most arcades welcome all ages (some may have age restrictions for certain games)
Minors may need parent/guardian supervision (policies vary by location)
No gaming experience required - games range from beginner to expert level
Comfortable clothing and closed-toe shoes recommended for safety
Valid ID may be required for certain attractions or age verification
Groups and parties welcome (advance booking may be required)

*Note: Age restrictions and policies may vary by arcade. Check with your local facility for specifics.*

First-Time Visitors

First-time visitors may need to sign a waiver or register for a game card. Staff are typically available to help explain games and provide tutorials. Some arcades offer newcomer specials or free play sessions to help you get started.

Common Restrictions:

Age-Based Some games may have height or age requirements for safety reasons
Capacity Popular games may have wait times during peak hours

*Note: Policies vary by arcade. Confirm with your local facility.*

What to Bring

Cash or card for tokens/credits (some arcades are cashless)
Valid ID for age verification or membership signup
Phone to capture high scores and memories (check photo policies)

*Note: Payment methods and requirements may differ by arcade.*

Preparing for Your Visit

Check arcade hours and peak times online before visiting
Eat beforehand or check if the arcade has food options
Bring friends for multiplayer games and competitions
Wear comfortable clothes you can move freely in
Avoid bringing valuable items that could be lost or damaged
Check for special events, tournaments, or discount days
Set a budget for games and stick to it
Stay hydrated, especially during long gaming sessions

*Note: Tips may vary by arcade type and location.*

How to Get Started

Most arcades accept walk-ins, but call ahead during busy periods or for large groups. Check for membership deals!

Other Helpful Info

Most visits last 1-3 hours depending on games and group size
Popular games may have longer wait times during weekends and evenings
Many arcades offer unlimited play packages or time-based pricing
Some locations host tournaments and special events regularly
Prize redemption available at many arcades - save your tickets!

*Note: Policies, pricing, and features differ by arcade. Contact your local facility for details.*

Features

Has Food
Good for kids
Wheelchair Accessible

Contact Information

Address

725 Huse Rd

Manchester, New Hampshire 03103

Hours

Monday Closed
Tuesday 10AM-8PM
Wednesday 10AM-8PM
Thursday 10AM-8PM
Friday 10AM-6PM
Saturday 10AM-8PM
Sunday 10AM-6PM

Customer Reviews

Fabulous indoor kids play place! Watch out for lots of promotions and special events that make it very affordable. There are plenty of places inside where you could spend more money, but you definitely don't have to in order to have a wonderful time. Staff was friendly, helpful And visible. Lots of kid friendly food options. Very clean environment. The vibe is bright, fun and active. A wonderful spot for the entire family, especially for kids ages 10 and under. Lots of options for birthday parties and priva

This is a great place to spend a Sunday with the kids in the middle of winter. The price is cheap to get in and there is so much for the kids to do. From bounce houses to claw machines. We got the family meal deal is worth it. So much food for under 30 bucks. A whole pizza and two kids meal plus for drinks. Definitely coming back

The kids had a blast. The bouncy houses are great ?? Food was pretty good, and the price of a family meal, which is two kids' meals, a cheese pizza, and 4 drinks (2 kids and 2 adults) for $27. I love that the plates are Frisbees on the kids' meals. The only reason this isn't 5 stars is that a few of the games didn't work with my card, and one of the cars as well. Overall, it was a good experience, and I would definitely go back!

Wonderful! The place is great and well kept, and the staff is nice. I ended up booking a private party for my daughter Lucy?s birthday, and the young lady who was our party host and was with us for the whole party was above and beyond. Polite, great attitude, just all around a joy to have for a children?s party, my husband liked her so much that he left a generous, very well deserved tip. I have even recommended some of my close friends and family to this party host so they could have the same enjoyable par

This place got the lock on lil kids parties!!! So better that it's just you and your party guests!! 1st room 2 different blowups that are massive. 2nd room 2 more plus a floor that is interactive. Then it goes dark and the glow lights come on. 3rd room your pizza food and cake!!! Hands down best place imo if you want a more private setting with just your kiddos and friends!

Clean, fun, and perfect for young kids! Our 2-year-old had an absolute blast, and we'll definitely be back. Highly recommend Cowabunga?s for a family outing!

I took my son here last Friday for the leprechaun event. This was our first visit and we had an awesome time! The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. It's a spacious place and clean. I love the front with all the toys for kids to pick something. My son loved riding on the little bumper ride-on. I'm considering having his 4th birthday here, we loved it so much and can't wait for our next visit!

SUPER GEM FOR KIDS: Absolutely amazing place. Took my three-year old grandson and five-year old granddaughter. The variety of activities kept them super happy for well over two hours. Bouncy houses, gym apparatus, bumper cars and so much more. Granddaughter got a kick out of the hurricane simulator. I was envious of their good time, so I too took off my shoes and joined them on some of the slides. Can't wait to go back. As an added bonus, they slept on the car ride home. I also appreciated the free Wi

Nice place for the kids to jump around and get some energy out, especially on a day with poor outdoor weather. Beat I would say for kids in the 3-7 range.

Don't take your young kids here.. I brought my kids there for a play date and was told there wasn't an age minimum so I had to pay for my 1 year old as well, who I had to defend from all the bigger kids tearing around.. then come to find out I was charged twice for the visit.. spent over a half an hour on the phone trying to to sort out the ordeal took weeks to get an actual refund for the double charge. Do not recommend for any kids under 3 really, large space with bigger kids tearing around, even in the "

My kids love it. Both the 8 year old and 2 year old can have fun. Come on Wed for $10 deal.

I brought my daughter here for the first time for a birthday party, so this review is strictly about that. The separate play areas just for the party were perfect. It was nice to have your own little bounce houses and only have the kids in the party in them. You get 45 mins in each room. The first room had a big bouncy house with climbing things and another double inflatable slide. There was also a little Lego table. The 2nd room seemed to be a bigger hit as it had the fun black lights and disco lights and

My family and I love coming here! It's affordable and the kids can just run from one area to the next without any issue! They have many chairs and tables that you can sit at. They also do have a food menu, not anything extravagant but your normal chicken fingers and french fries (pictured but by the way they come with three of them or they have I believe a six piece option. Also they have macaroni and cheese bites which is the other triangular food pictured. They have four different slushy flavors, many cho

I wanted to take a moment to adjust my previous review of this establishment. While I won't sugarcoat the fact that the atmosphere was uncomfortable and the staff displayed some disrespectful behavior, I must commend the management, particularly Alexia, for going above and beyond to address the horrific situation that unfolded during our visit. Alexia's commitment to rectifying the issues we faced was truly commendable. It's not easy to navigate a challenging scenario, especially when it affects a special

Great spot to get some energy out! Not too crowded and plenty of room for kids to run around and play. Will be be back again.

This place is a lifesaver, particularly during the cold New England winter. We came for our first time about a month ago and knew before that visit was even over that we were going to buy into the monthly membership for our two boys. Three visits more than covers the cost of the membership when compared to single visit prices. This is a safe place for kids to play. Parents can let their guard down a bit as there really isn't anywhere for your kid to go. The doors are monitored by the staff. I must say too t

We have taken our daughter here a few different times, we love it! The equipment is adult friendly so we can climb and play with her. And adults are free! The prices are reasonable, your best deal is definitely for 3 hours (29.99, with a kids meal included). On New Years Eve they had the 2 private gyms open to the public and a confetti countdown every 2 hours. There is a ton to do and jump and play on - our 3 year old runs around the entire time and never gets bored. The event space is enclosed so we can si

Oh, the kids love this place. It's nice and spacious, they have food and drinks, it seems to be clean and its in a good location. Maybe they can add an arcade for the parents... just saying....

They updated their ball area with new, clean mats and fun, interactive wall activities. Party rooms open for spring break one being a dark, black light room. Lots of fun for the little ones!

Fantastic experience with the private party at Cowabunga, Manchester! Well worth the extra expense. Cowabunga was fun, clean, and well organized. The staff members who helped us were amazing, and the kids all had a great time!

Great place for children, week days are usually not too busy so it's easy for kids to just freely run around and have time of their lives. Food is actually good, and employees are very kind and professional. We come here a lot, it's always been a good experience!

Done 2 birthday party?s, last year and this year. Staff are great and place is awesome, kids have a lot fun. Definitely would recommend having birthday for your kiddos!

Open layout so you can see all the different bounce houses/play areas. It's clean and well maintained. Fair prices for what you get. My kids loved it here

We had a great time best experience we have had at a play place and we have been to all the staff was amazing and so accommodating and heated everything for the kids and interacted with the kids no other play place does this

My Granddaughter's Birthday was Awesome today!! The Kids and Adults had a Blast!! And Samantha was absolutely the best at setting things up, and taking care of us!! Highly recommend having your children?s party here. This was our first time Here and We will definitely be back!! Thank You Samantha ??????

This is a great place to let the kids run around and burn off some energy! Lots of seating and tables. Pizza tastes great and the slushy drinks are yummy. Usually the staff is cleaning off the tables and vacuuming if there's a mess. Bathrooms seem pretty clean. We enjoy coming here.

We've been coming to Cowabunga?s now for about four years and every time we come, it's absolutely fantastic and continually improved upon the previous visits. It's great that parents get to participate for free and the kids are always having fun!!!

How was the Planning Process? Fantastic! Tell us about your party! Amazing party! Clean facilities, wonderful and friendly staff. Everything was perfectly executed for our 4yr olds birthday and it was so smooth and easy mom and dad even got to enjoy the fun! What did you like best about your party with us? We so appreciate everything you've done for us to make our son?s birthday special and super fun! The kids favorite part was the second room with the black lights! Supervisor checked in at every step

Great place to let the kids go nuts while still in control. Unique things like the cotton candy and lots of fun bouncy things. You can even bring your own food and drink inside. Definitely worth it!! Dad approved

I was looking for something to do with my granddaughters (ages 3 and 4) that was inside because of the extreme heat. I came across cowabunga?s. It looked like it'd be fun, great reviews. I'm so glad I went. The girls had a blast!! I almost went for the 1 hour time limit. So glad I didn't! I chose 2 hours. We had pizza (very good!) after playing. My 4 year old granddaughter looked at me and said, Grammy! This place is amazing!! When they are back to NH for a visit again I guarantee they will request to go ba

Cool, clean, safe, friendly place for kids to run and play.

Great experience. If you have 2 or 3 year old you need to keep an eye on them because the 5 to about 9 year olds are brutal on the little ones. Especially when their parents aren't watching. Staff is pretty attentive and it smells clean, which was a pleasant surprise. Food is about what is expected for a kids indoor play ground.

The place was clean but the inflatables did not look clean. A lot of the inflatables were ripped so they had tape on them. Parents are not watching their kids though so it's like a free for all. Big kids are pushing the little kids and in the ball area shooting balls at the little ones on the floor really not nice. Parents should have to be supervising their kids or raise them to be kind. I followed my kids everywhere. It would have been a lot more fun if there weren't mean kids. But overall nice place. Wen

Absolutely Disastrous Experience I recently visited Cowabunga, and I can confidently say it was the worst experience I have ever witnessed. From the moment I walked in, the unprofessionalism was astounding. The staff seemed completely disorganized and uninterested in providing any level of service. Instead of addressing the issue, the employees were dismissive and rude, making me feel like a nuisance for simply asking for assistance. I personally reached out via email to the general manager, Alexia, seek

Have loved this place for years. Kids get all their energy out and sleep well afterwards haha. $20 for two hours is plenty. Affordable food options. They don't charge the parents. Love it

This place is fun for all ages! Friendly staff and something different and the pretzels and cotton candy are yummy! Definitely recommend!

Our 5-year old (and his Dad) had an absolute blast here and can't wait to go back! Prices were very reasonable, everything was clean and spacious, and staff was friendly; I had to move our reservation to a different day and had no trouble doing so over the phone. Great place for a family to spend an afternoon!

UPDATE:...Took my grandkids here for 2022 Winter vacation ...STILL a great place for kids of all ages. This is my first time in the Manch location and it is bigger and better!!! Had a great time there with my grandkids. Everything was clean and they had a lot of fun. My only complaint would be the parents that let their kids that are too old for certain sections play and hog up the fun for the smaller children. Venue could use some better supervision over the adults.

Our party was by far one of the best we've had for our kids. We all had a blast! Loved having the option of having a theme character, as our son?s reaction was priceless when he saw Mickey Mouse come into his party. The decorations and set up were great! We also loved having the transition from one play place to another and having the eating room separate. We loved that there was enough space for adult guests to sit and chat while the children played. The private space was a super bonus and our host was gr

My kiddos had a blast. We have been in a lot of bounce house places and this is by far the best. I had fun in the arcade machines, specially Ms. PacMan. The place must have read the other person?s complain about the carpet. I saw pads around the bounce houses so no worries. $12 per kid was so worth it.

Easy planning process, attentive staff, very clean, lots of fun!

Great place to take the kids! We take our 1 and 3 year old and they love it, also it's amazing they don't charge for adults, but we still have just as much fun! Lots too choose from, cute themed days, and it's always clean!

We bought ticket online for 2 hours but management allowed us before the time and stayed around 3 hours. Kids loved it. Inflatable 5/5. Ice cream 5/5 Cleanliness 5/5 Lego board 5/5 Tunnel 5/5

Always a good time! We take 2 to 4 year olds and they all have a blast. Enjoy it so much we do a membership!

Had my daughter?s 3rd birthday party here and really enjoyed it. It was my first time doing a private party and really like it. Brooke was our host and she did everything for us. She was super kind and very communicative of what she was doing next and if I needed anything. Isabella decorated the cake table and was super friendly and sweet. I was very pleased, thank you both. Haha, was so happy writing this review got carried away with a typo. Sam was our Host. She was amazing!!! Brooke was the supervisor w

We love coming here! The kids play for hours and the food is not too overly priced. Always a good time

Visiting from California, my nephews brought me here. I must say I had a BLAST!! What a great idea...a bounce place that allows the adults to participate!!! Ideal. Plenty of things to keep busy. Plenty of space. Lots of eating area. Staff was extremely helpful & enthusiastic. The whole place was clean & inviting. Bright & fun!! ?? Convenient food definitely for great prices. Unfortunately, the food is your typical frozen, cardboard tasting, fake fried, extremely unhealthy food. I don't mind paying an extra

This place is well worth a visit! Brought my toddler to meet his cousins for a play date before being stuck inside during a snowstorm and it did the trick! We will definitely be back.

First time to Cowabunga?s & it was fun for my 4 year old. He had a great time! I love the prices here though, that is a huge plus!! You can play for 2hours for $20. I was just a tad bit disappointed when we first walked in, the website ?to me? made it seem much more bigger than it in fact is. They have two rooms (idk what's inside them) but they're for Parties only? I would like to see at least ONE of the employees doing some sanitation things tho. Considering we have some parents that don't know how to kee

We were there for the Spiderman event with our 3 years old die hard Spiderman fan. The staff let us in 40 minutes earlier than the event time as we were in the area earlier. The place was clean and not overcrowded at all. The food was great. My daughter loved the pizza and frozen drinks and so did I. We will go back again. Oh by the way this was our first time going to Cowabungas.

Very large cleaner then hookset NH staff is young not that helpful we went for a birthday party u get to use 2 rooms for play and one for the party then after u get to use the other large play area for free fun for all ages there was only cake and ice cream at this party so my daughter was very hungry later on i ended up buying 2 slices of very hard pizza over priced and nasty and a drink i did see food from other places there so I guess it's ok to bring that in and off ur see people buying food from cowabu

This place was so fun. Our kids had a great time and it was well worth the price of admission! We will definitely be back!!

Very fun for the whole family. I love that I got to play with my son through every part of the experience

my daughter had her 2nd birthday here,I'll start off by saying they had a great time, but it was really stressful for us adults. as soon as I got there my daughter wasn't on the list for birthday parties then come to find out they had mixed someone eles up with hers, then it's super stressful picking up from one room after 45 minutes to the next room for 30 minutes then to the next room to eat then have cake and open presents unfortunately we didn't have enough time to open presents they put everything on

Love it here, kids had so much fun! Ages 3 and almost 2 had a blast. They will be passing out after this, even better!

We love it here! It's affordable, fun, and always clean! Great variety of bouncy houses, games and more!

The kids love it! We go to let our little one burn some energy! Highly recommend

Second time hosting a birthday party at Cowabunga?s, and will continue to do so. We had both a public and private birthday party. Our public party was done 2 years ago, and the private one was this December. Both are handled perfectly by the party pros. I personally prefer a private birthday because the party pro is doing basically everything for you. I enjoyed the time to be more of a host & interact with the guest. The food is always good, and it's a clean environment. The kids had a blast! A huge shoutou

The 50 bucks a month for the membership is soooo worth it. My two year old LOVES our cowabungas trips :)

Although the kids had fun, 1.They messed up the birthday reservation. 2. The Staff were unprofessional and kept their arms crossed with annoyed looks on their faces the entire time. 3. The price you pay for a private party is ridiculous to get 30 mins in one room, 45 mins in the next, and then 30 minutes to eat, meet with the character you pay 79.00 for, sing happy birthday and do the cake. They also forgot the ice cream that we brought. There wasn't even enough time for presents. For almost 600.00 they d

This was a really nice place for kids! It was fun and there was so many things to do! Both my little ones had so much fun! Thank you to Kanye and Abby for making us feel welcome! Phenomenal service! 02/10/2022 update on this place! Still awesome as ever! Cam helped us this time and he was really polite and nice! He made my sons day, they were both given a free balloon! Overall a good experience!

Perfect place to spend your afternoon during February vacation with a 3, 5 and 9 year olds. The kiddos had a blast and the pizza was delicious. We will definitely be back!

I went here for the birthday of a friend's child. I have never been to a place like this so I cannot compare it to any other. What I do know is that the place was very clean, safe and well staffed. The noise level was insane but that's to be expected with music, children and blowers running to keep things inflated.

I took my 3-year-old niece and she had a blast. We stayed for an hour which was the perfect amount of time because she was pretty wiped out by the end.

This place was so much fun and very reasonable priced! Also, no big kids knocking down the little ones.

Been going here since my son started walking at 9 months, 6 years later we still come once a month. The owners truly care about their business and will fix any issue you bring to their attention. They place is very clean for how busy it gets. I do miss the candy for fill a cup option , it was my mom relaxing snack but I just bring my own now. I love that they don't hunt you down when your time is up like other places.

Great place for little ones?? friendly staff , clean environment and above all entertaining for kids and pocket friendly

My kids had so much fun here. It is definitely aimed more toward elementary school kids but alot of fun. Staff was very friendly & helpful as well. The place was clean & sanitary.

Great place to bring your kid(s) to get some energy out.

Booked a private themed birthday party for my son?s 5th birthday for him and his friends and I highly recommend! The private gyms are just as clean and well maintained as the large open gym. The kids had a great time and us parents had a chance to relax and socialize while they played. Staff was amazing and the character visit was a hit!

This location had a bunch of new bounce houses and interactive spots for kids. Easily burn two hours of energy here every time we come down. Buying a month pass pays for itself in two visits, and we are coming here weekly now. Especially during the winter, it's a warm safe place to play, 7 and 3 year old love it!

Thankfully it was not bust at all. Adults are free with a kids purchase, didn't see any staff around except at the front counters and they are young teens. Cute for young kids. We were pretty tired before our hour was up so left before then, good place to kill time or have fun.

Great indoor place to take the kids if you're looking to kill some time and let them play. Adults are always free to play with them and additional children after the first can usually get a discount.

What I appreciate as a mom! I pay for my kids to play and I can come and watch or play with them. You can bring your own food and snacks AND they have their own available. It's clean the staff were kind and helpful. Engaging in conversation with the kids instead of ?yelling? at them to not do what they were doing. Being kind and polite. When places charge for all people to enter and not necessarily participate it's hard. Here is manageable and they even have meal deals to make it worth it. We will be back!

Great indoor play place with 7 big bounce houses, 2 of which were for under 4 years d. Bounce houses are sturdy enough that parents who want to can join their kids. Price is reasonable at $12 per kid, adults are free with kid and those under two are free. Typical chaos you'd expect for an indoor bounce house play place. They have a few arcade games, etc as well.

Nice place for kids. Took my 3.5 and 1.5 year old they had a blast.

Been many times with the kids. And this time we celebrated my daughter?s birthday. Stress free, the staff is amazing. So private and fun for the kiddos. Would highly recommend having your party there.

Great for younger kids. I had fun at a Birthday party for a 2 year old!

We visited Cowabungas, as a fun last day of April vacation. It was myself, my fianc? and our 6 year old twins. We had a BLAST. I really appreciate that adults can use the equipment. Most places don't allow that and it was incredible to be able to enjoy the fun with our kiddos, instead of just watching from the sidelines. Such a great family spot. The staff were all so kind and helpful as well. I personally interacted with at least 5 staff members during our 2 hour visit and was always met with a smile and a

This place is amazing it was really fun for me and my siblings but the food was not that good but the playing and other stuff they did was fun the employees were nice and I had a really good time 4 stars

Great place to take the kids during the week for a few hours of energy dumping. Great customer service, clean environment, although it would be nice for there to be a few other things besides the bounce house and maze, most games on the sides are out of service or don't work well at all. Will revisit again.

Friendly staff, clean spaces, good food and prices. Lots of fun

We had an amazing time at Cowabunga! Super fun inflatables for young kids!

The rules don't mean anything, so many kids and parents walking around without socks and none of the employees care. The signs say "Socks must be worn by all climbers" but everyone should wear socks, as barefoot parents go after their kids all the time. Nasty & gross. The website SUCKS, it is very hard to book a playtime, even when logged in as a member, it has never worked right the first time, always takes multiple attempts. My kid loves it, and its a great place for sure. If EVERYONE wore socks and the w

Fun place for kids. Recommend membership if you going to come a lot like myself. Can save you tons of money. Overall my daughter loves the place. They have food here too!

Wonderful place to bring the kids, they had a ball, very safe rollerblading rink, food was great, recommend Highly A+++++

I came here with my 1-year old and my 3-year old and they both loved it!

Plenty of things to keep a toddler busy. There was enough things to play on with out it seeming to be too crowded. I think they could expand and still be busy. Food and food options definitely could easy improve.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s it like visiting an arcade today?

It’s a mix of nostalgia and high-energy fun! Many arcades blend retro classics like Pac-Man and pinball with modern VR games, racing simulators, and rhythm challenges — often with music, lights, and a social vibe.

Is it better to go alone or with friends?

Both can be great! Solo visits let you focus on your favorite games, while going with friends adds competition, teamwork, and laughs. Many people plan arcade meetups as a casual hangout or even date spot.

What should I bring to an arcade?

Usually just yourself and a way to pay (some arcades still use coins, others use cards or apps). If you're competitive, bring your A-game. If you're social, bring friends or meet new ones over multiplayer games.

What’s the best time to visit an arcade?

Weekdays or early afternoons are usually less crowded — perfect for focused play. Evenings and weekends bring the buzz, especially at barcades or venues with DJs, tournaments, or themed nights.

Can I meet new people at arcades?

Absolutely! Arcades attract a mix of casual players and serious gamers. Whether you're jumping into a four-player co-op or chatting between rounds, it's a fun, low-pressure way to connect over shared interests.

Are arcades still just for kids?

Not at all. While many arcades are family-friendly, there are also adult-oriented ones with full bars, 18+ nights, or vintage nostalgia themes. Arcades today cater to everyone — from first-timers to lifelong gamers.

Are there events or tournaments I can join?

Yes! Many arcades host regular competitions, retro nights, cosplay parties, and more. Whether you're into high scores or just want to watch and vibe, events add an extra layer to the experience.

What if I’m not great at arcade games?

No worries — arcades are about having fun, not being perfect. Try a variety of games, ask others for tips, and remember: the vibe is more “let’s play” than “let’s win.”