Tag Archives: Springfield VA

Super, Awesome, & Amazing Fun at The St. James

Conquering the climbs in the Super, Awesome, & Amazing active entertainment center

 

If you’re on social media at all, by now you’ve likely seen some kind of advertisement for The St. James. I know they’ve been popping up in my feeds since the sports, wellness, and entertainment facility opened in Springfield, VA, last fall. At that time I thought it was just a huge health and fitness center that would be a nice gym option for people who lived nearby it. Had I realized it was an enormous complex with an active entertainment center, indoor waterpark, sports opportunities galore, even a spa, we definitely would have checked it out awhile ago. But it wasn’t until recently that I became aware of all it had to offer, though once I did, I made a plan to go.

Ready for fun!

On a day off from school back in March, I took Sasha and a few friends for a first visit. It was still winter, during a stretch of cold and rainy weather, and from everything I’d read about the Super, Awesome, & Amazing activity center and interactive waterpark, it seemed like a perfect place to take the fun, adventurous crew of girls.

So many options…

Our first glimpse of the The St. James as we arrived was one of awe. I knew it would be big, but didn’t know just how massive. Once we were inside and started to see more of it, we understood why. After being greeted by the front desk and getting directions to our destination, we made our way there, passing by a humongous gymnasium with at least three full-size basketball courts and a full-scale indoor soccer pitch. (These are only open to members and participants of sports leagues and camps. Later on, we also saw squash courts, Olympic sized swimming pools, batting cages, and an ice rink… they cover the sporting gamut.)

A peek at the hoops

A view from above of the active entertainment

But back to the Super, Awesome, & Amazing activity center. When we got to that area, the girls took one look at the 30,000 square foot space below filled with all kinds of climbing structures, trampolines, and obstacle courses, and could barely contain their excitement. We registered for a one-hour session and bought the special socks they were required to wear, then headed downstairs to get the fun started.

Taking the high road

American Ninja Warrior training

Bouncing blurs

They donned harnesses and clipped onto wires to climb, rappel, and navigate walkways 20 feet above the ground. They bounced, flipped, and executed acrobatic moves. They swung from bars and on large platforms and crawled in tunnels to maneuver through obstacle courses. Essentially, they had a blast conquering the different elements around the space and enjoying some active fun. We might have overstayed our session a bit, but no one said anything about it.

Scaling the glass wall

Tunnels and more mazes to navigate

All of that activity worked up appetites, so we headed to Vim & Victor, the restaurant/cafe (yes, there’s one in the complex) for some fuel. You can sit down for table service, or opt for something quick from a cafe line and take it to eat at a high top table or comfy seating area.

Grab an easy bite at the cafe

After lunch we made our way to the aquatics area, where there is a whole interactive waterpark that the public is welcome to enjoy. (There are a couple of pools in that area, too, but for members only.) The waterpark isn’t huge, but it’s pretty impressive for the contained space with plenty of features for a really fun time.

Ready to make a splash!

They loved the slides

There are several slides some with tunnels, a big bucket that dumps water, sprays and splash elements all around, and “bridges” to access the different areas, and of course shallow pools that the slides lead into. There’s a locker room right outside, where the kids were able to change, and the St. James provides towels, which is convenient.

Emerging after a spin in the tunnel

Lots of sprays and splash features

Benches are right outside the glass doors and walls of the waterpark, so parents can sit and watch (or read a book or bring a laptop and get some work done — the WiFi works well). Of course, adults can enjoy the water fun, too. Oh, a quick mention about ages… we saw kids from toddler age to early teens enjoying both the waterpark and active area. Obviously, the little ones need to be supervised at all times, but there are features that they can enjoy, too. There are height restrictions for a few climbing structures and the tunnel slides in the waterpark, but children of all ages are welcome.

Always a good rule

Needless to say, it was a pretty great day off from school for Sasha and her friends. Because the cost can add up, this isn’t something we’ll make a frequent thing, but it’s definitely an outing to keep in mind for special splurges. And speaking of cost, admission to the active entertainment area and waterpark are $15/hour each (so $30 total) Monday – Thursday before 3pm. After 3pm and on Friday & Saturday, they are $23/hour. Certifikid currently has a deal on passes for $13-17. KFDC Tip: I saw that The St. James is offering a Free Day Pass right now, good for a one-time visit, Mondays-Fridays, from 9am -9pm through May 31, 2019, and it gets you access to a lot of different areas.

VR games are also available (though not included with admission)

Of course, you could also consider membership options to The St. James. A friend of mine had signed her son up for a hockey league there and ended up getting a membership, so her family could use the facilities while he was at practices. She’s had all good things to say so far, which isn’t surprising. It’s a pretty incredible place.

Spa! Something for next time… 🙂

The St. James is located at 6805 Industrial Road in Springfield, VA. Hours for the Active Entertainment Center and Interactive Waterpark are 9am – 9pm Monday – Thursday and 9am – 10pm Friday & Saturday. [2023 Update: Current hours at the Active Entertainment Center are Thursday-Friday 3-8pm and Saturday-Sunday, 9am – 8pm; in the Waterpark hours are Saturday-Sunday 10am – 6pm.]

 

This post is NOT sponsored, nor was I invited by The St. James to visit. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

 

2 Comments

Filed under All ages, DC, Indoor Play, Ongoing, Sports, Virginia, Weekdays, Weekend

Indoor Soccer at the Fairfax Sportsplex: The most fun to be had inside this winter!

fairfax_sportsplex_soccer_border

Parents, don’t let your kids get cabin fever this winter – sign them up to play INDOOR SOCCER at the Fairfax Sportsplex! Conveniently located just inside the beltway in Springfield, VA, and spanning over an acre, the facility contains five indoor soccer fields where kids can have a blast!

Indoor soccer is a win/win: Kids love it because it’s fast paced and high scoring, and coaches love it because it develops players’ soccer skills with lots of touches on the ball.

Boys & girls teams, as well as individuals ages 5-18, can get in on the action and fun: Teams can enter with their own roster and coach, or you can sign up your child to be placed with other kids their age to form a team with a parent coach. There are no practices, just action-packed games each weekend.

fairfax_sportsplecx_team

The Fairfax Sportplex has separate leagues for Recreation/House Level players, where the emphasis in on FUN! Even kids new to soccer can get a lot out of playing indoors — the ball doesn’t go out of bounds, so there is no waiting around for restarts. And the program provides kids with lots of touches on the ball, learning control and good technique, all while scoring goals and having fun playing the fantastic game of soccer!

There are three winter sessions:
Session 1: November 12 – December 18 (register by November 3)
Session 2: December 31 – February 5 (register by November 28)
Session 3: February 11 – March 26 (register by January 31)
Sign up online here!

Have a child younger than 5? The Fairfax Sportsplex also offers Tot Soccer Classes during the week for children ages 3-5!
Tot Soccer at the Sportsplex is a high energy, year-round soccer program designed specifically for young players. Children are encouraged to develop their physical, mental, and social abilities through creative soccer games and other activities taught by professionally licensed coaches. Players learn individual skills and teamwork and, most importantly, have fun while developing a love for the game. Tot Soccer emphasizes mastering basic coordination and agility with and without a soccer ball as well as providing an environment that builds confidence. Learn more here.

fairfax-sportsplex_logo_sm

The Fairfax Sportsplex has been in the business of soccer since 1992 and takes pride in supporting the soccer community. They have a professional staff that loves soccer and working with kids.

League Director Nicole Brower
Coach Brower has been organizing the Youth Soccer Leagues at the Sportsplex for 20 years, seeing the program grow into one of the largest in the area. She is a USSF “B” License Coach, Loudoun Soccer Club Coach, Tuscarora High School Coach and was named Washington Post Girls High School All Met Coach of the Year in 2016. Her favorite part of organizing leagues is seeing the same kids come back each year, excited to be able to play indoor again. “We’ve been around long enough, we are seeing past players who are now parents bring their kids to play, providing soccer for generations of players”

Tot Soccer Coach Bill Creswick
Coach Bill is a nationally licensed soccer coach with USSF and NSCAA accreditation. He served on the coaching staff of Marymount University (VA) women, and coached boys and girls soccer for James W. Robinson, Jr. Secondary School in Fairfax. Coach Bill is widely regarded for his ability with the very youngest soccer enthusiasts. Since 1996 he has led the Fairfax Sportsplex’s 3-6 year-old skill development program (Tot Soccer) combining sound soccer fundamentals with a special talent to engage young imaginations.

Have questions or want to learn more? Visit the Fairfax Sportsplex website or contact Nicole Brower at nicolebrower@verizon.net or 703.723.3490.

This post is sponsored by the Fairfax Sportsplex, however, I only promote programs, places, and events that I genuinely believe in and think will appeal to KFDC readers.

2 Comments

Filed under Fall, Gradeschoolers, Indoor Play, Preschoolers, Professional Service, Seasonal, Sports, Teens, Tweens, Virginia, Weekdays, Weekend, Winter