Dan Whittemore opened Soar Indoors in October 2013. A structural engineer by trade, he said he spent 15 years helping the Department of Transportation build bridges.

“It’s funny, I built a whole room full of bad bridges. I always say the course is a great mix of structural engineering and video games. Some of the obstacles in this room were based off of levels from the Mario Brothers, believe it or not,” he said.

Soar Indoors features two courses – a low course, and a challenging high course. No matter which course you take on, all participants go through a safety briefing before they’re allowed to climb.

Like many other indoor parks, Soar Indoors allows both walk-ins and pre-reserved groups, although ticketing is a little bit different.

“Tickets last as long as you want to stay…” Whittemore says with a chuckle, “…or as long as you hold out, so there’s no artificial time limit.”

Soar Indoors is open Wednesday through Monday at 422 North Main Street in Manchester, CT. Admission is $18.95 for adults and $12.95 for kids 12 and under. You can visit them online at soarindoors.com.