On a recent afternoon, after slick roads and piles of snow had kept us in the house for days, I took my 2-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Sarah, to the Playplace at the Halfmoon McDonald’s to burn some energy.
It was surprisingly fun, entertaining her for an hour and a half with its tunnels, big slide and more.
It got me thinking: Maybe there were even bigger and better Playlands elsewhere in the Capital District. In the winter months, I’m always looking for fun and cheap things to do indoors, so a mission was born. Over the next few weeks, we hit every McDonald’s in Albany, Schenectady and Saratoga counties that had a Playland.
This primer might help other parents looking for a good, active time despite the cold. In short, skip Schenectady County. You’ll find a few fun places in Albany County, but for the very best Playlands, Saratoga County is the place to be.
The best of the bunch
Ballston Spa McDonald’s, 201 Church Ave.
Pros:
• Giant play structure featuring two slides; several small tunnels; a long, solid tunnel and a long, mesh tunnel; a couple of bumpouts where kids can look down and wave.
• A Nintendo station offering four video games that kids can play for free.
• Separate play area for smaller kids.
• Enclosed dining room with lots of tables for people with kids who want to play.
Cons:
• Because most of the play structure is solid plastic, I often couldn’t see Sarah. That can be troublesome not only for peace of mind, but because it makes it hard to direct kids into other areas of the structure that they might enjoy.
• The area for smaller kids is separated from the main play structure by a glass wall, meaning it could be a little tough to juggle kids of various ages.
Overall ranking: No. 1
Saratoga Springs McDonald’s, 3003 Route 50
Pros:
• Play structure is the area’s best, with three separate towers that kids can climb to the top. There are tunnels, bumpouts and two slides. This was the only Playplace where several kids were able to play without constantly running into one another.
• Separate dining room for kids who want to play, including a cool picnic table under an arched window.
Cons:
• Nothing aimed at the younger crowd.
Overall ranking: No. 2
Halfmoon McDonald’s, 1487 Route 9
Pros:
• Very large play structure, with a tower to climb, several tunnels, a couple of bumpouts and a big slide.
• Parents are invited to play alongside kids.
• Separate dining area had several tables.
Cons:
• Nothing for the younger set.
• Although parents are encouraged to play, the hard plastic is torture on adults’ knees.
Overall ranking: No. 3
Albany McDonald’s, 31 Holland Ave.
Pros:
• Biggest and best play structure in Albany County, offering tunnels, bumpouts and two slides, along with a little Happy Meal play area geared toward smaller kids.
• Bright, colorful room.
• Although every Playplace has signs advising against running and climbing on the structures, this was the only one where I saw an employee come in and actually enforce the rules.
Cons:
• Space is a little tight. There were three or four kids playing when we were there, and they were frequently bumping into one another.
• There are only a few tables in the Playplace room.
Overall ranking: No. 4
Good but not great
Clifton Park McDonald’s, Route 146
Pros:
• This is a tall play structure that’s easy to climb for kids and adults alike. There’s a slide, along with a disc kids can stand and swing on and a couple of round, stuffed obstacles they can climb under and on top of.
• Under the play structure is an area for little kids, with a tiny slide and other attractions.
• Separate dining room has a bunch of tables.
• A flat-screen TV offers something for parents while kids are playing.
Cons:
• The play structure may be three stories tall, but the first two stories don’t offer much except plastic stairs.
Overall ranking: No. 5
Watervliet McDonald’s, 16th and Broadway
Pros:
• Play structure is nearly identical to the Clifton Park one described above: tall, with a slide, a disc swing, obstacles and a floor area that’s made to look and feel like rocky terrain.
• There’s a mini basketball court!
• Separate dining room area with booths as well as tables.
Cons:
• As in Clifton Park, for as tall as the play structure is, it’s not the most entertaining.
• There was no basketball. Several kids went up front while we were there to ask for one, only to be told the restaurant didn’t have one.
• Chairs were mounted to the tables and swiveled only so far — annoying when you’re trying to watch your kids and they duck somewhere that’s out of your line of vision because the chair won’t turn fully around.
Overall ranking: No. 6
Guilderland McDonald’s, 1602 Western Ave.
Pros:
• Play area offers a little more than just a tunnel and slide, with a tower and a plastic fire truck.
• Separate dining area had booths and tables.
Cons:
• Pretty tiny play area. There’s not much to do in the fire truck except turn the steering wheel a few times.
• Dining area is set off from play area with a glass wall, which is fine for folks whose kids are a little older. But the younger set might like having Mom and Dad in the same room.
Overall ranking: No. 7
Better than nothing
Latham McDonald’s, 1122 Troy Schenectady Road
Overall ranking: No. 8
Rotterdam McDonald’s, Route 7 and Broadway
Overall ranking: No. 9
Rotterdam McDonald’s, 1637 Altamont Ave.
Overall ranking: No. 10
Albany McDonald’s, 1006 Central Ave.
Overall ranking: No. 11
Pros:
• There’s a slide and a tunnel. The Rotterdam McDonald’s also offer a plastic racecar and a plastic train.
• Separate dining area at the Central Avenue McDonald’s.
Cons:
• These are really, really small play structures. The Central Avenue location, in particular, offers literally just a tunnel and a slide (even though the dining room is quite large and has cute little chairs). Kids were pretty much on top of each other at each of these locations.
