Europe’s adult playgrounds – Not as dirty as it sounds!

Get your mind out of the gutter, whatever you were thinking, you were most likely wrong. This article is all about certain areas throughout Europe where the adults can let go, play and wind down. Spotter András summed it up very nicely: “Trying out toys, enjoying the sunlight or the green shades under the chestnut trees are serious matters that kids shouldn’t deal with. [...] playgrounds without children are much better anyway”.

So without further ado, here are some great Spotted by Locals’ spots where all you adults can ‘chill out and let your inner small person come out and play!

1. Benczúr Köz playground, Budapest (by András Nagy)
Pictured above

2. The Red Square, Copenhagen (by Cindy Fonvig)
“There’s also an elephant-shaped slide, but I haven’t tried that one: I’m rather confident it’s put there so children will have something sensible to do while their parents are playing.”

3. Climbing on Flakturm, Vienna (by Julia Heiligenbrunner)
Sure, little kiddies can play on this too. But we’re willing to bet they wouldn’t dare go as high you would!

4. Parc del Laberint, Barcelona (by Anna Boluda)
We consider this an adult playground because kids are probably not allowed in these unsupervised. Imagine the pant-wetting & tear-stained little ones you’d get if they were set free to get lost in this large maze. No really, this is adult only and fun fun fun!

5. Unterer Letten, Zurich (by Sabine Schweizer)
This is adults (and skilled swimmers) only because the current is way to strong for the wee ones. Add to that, the fence at the end that’s there to keep you being swept away, has gaps big enough for children to slip through ;-).

6.  Biķernieku forest, Riga (by Marta Tomase)
With the wind through your hair (what’s left of it maybe?), you can go all out in this forest in Riga. With biking or inline skating!

7. Kart’in Club Helsinki, Helsinki (by Nea Barman)
Okay, you might not need a drivers’ license to play in this spot, but we’re pretty sure you have to at least be able to see over the steering wheel. This is also a perfect spot for those drivers that have a lead foot and want to play Speedy Gonzalez without the chance of a fine.

8. Eisbach-Welle, Munich (by Andreas Eder)
When it’s cold you’ll need a wet-suit, but above all you’ll need a board and talent. This is not for the faint-hearted beginners (or children).

9. Megazone, Oslo (by Andrea Chirulescu)
Amongst all the kids “[...] me and my friends were a bit out of place that afternoon, but that didn’t diminish the fun at all. You also need to keep in mind that Megazone can organize birthday parties as well as company team building events, so they’re probably used to handling people of all ages.

10. Bike Punk Fest, Warsaw (by Szymon Kubia & Ola Synowiec)
This is an acrobatic dance party. People show off their amazing BMX skills. It’s coming up in July this year.
“Alco-round: drinking alcohol and riding in a circle. Winner is the one who will fall last.”, definitely not for children!

So there you have it! A couple of cities with spots that are perfect for an adult to play in. But there’s more! Let’s not forget the various football stadiums spread across the 41 cityblogs, or the several interactive museums. There’s always room for playing, no matter where you are or how old you are!