If you’ve been around here for a while, you know that one of our absolute favorite things is spending time together as a family and trying new experiences. It doesn’t really matter what it is — if it’s something we’ve never done before and we can do it together, we are in. So when we started hearing buzz about Activate Games opening its very first Utah location, I didn’t even have to think twice. I immediately started rallying the troops. Yes, even the grown ones.
Because here’s the thing about having adult kids — you have to work a little harder to get everyone in the same place at the same time. But the promise of something completely new and interactive? That’ll do it every time.
So What Exactly Is Activate Games?
I’m so glad you asked, because this place genuinely deserves its own explanation.
Activate Games is the world’s first active gaming facility — and before you picture a giant arcade, let me stop you right there. This is something else entirely. Something better. Think of it as stepping inside a video game. Literally.
The Salt Lake City location (nestled in the Crossroads of Taylorsville at 5564 S Redwood Rd) is a 17,000+ square-foot facility packed with interactive game rooms, each one filled with responsive light grids, motion sensors, floor technology, and immersive sound that reacts to your every move in real time. The rooms are designed to test you — physically and mentally — in the most ridiculously fun way possible.
Here’s how it works: you book a time slot in advance, show up, and get fitted with an electronic wristband that becomes your identity for the entire experience. That wristband tracks your scores, logs your achievements, and keeps you connected to the game no matter which room you’re in. From there, you divide into teams of up to five people and then the real fun begins.
You’re not just competing against each other. You can compete against other groups in the same building and against players at Activate locations across the entire country.
Inside the Rooms
Each room holds a different timed physical challenge, and every single one is completely unique. You pick your room, scan your wristband, read the challenge, and go. Games last around one to three minutes each, but they are one to three of the most intense, laugh-out-loud, surprisingly competitive minutes of your life.
What blew me away was the difficulty system. Every room offers levels from 1 all the way up to 10 — and you have to earn your way up. Beat a level, unlock the next one. The better you get, the harder it gets. It’s built for repeat visits, and honestly? After experiencing it, I completely understand why.
We spent an hour and a half there, and I can tell you with complete honesty that not one second felt slow. There was no standing around. No waiting. No scrolling. Just nonstop movement, laughter, strategy, and a whole lot of trash talk.
Our Favorites (Though Picking Is Hard)
With many rooms to choose from, narrowing it down feels almost criminal. But if you’re asking what had us absolutely hooked — and sprinting back for another round — here’s our list:
Mega Laser — dodging and weaving through a room of lasers is every bit as cool as it sounds, and we all discovered we are significantly less graceful than we thought we were.
Mega Grid — imagine a digitized, high-tech, fully lit version of “the floor is lava” and you’re getting close. Except the grid is constantly changing and your brain has to keep up with your feet.
Strike — incredibly satisfying and surprisingly competitive. This one had us hollering.
Hoops — deceptively simple, genuinely addictive, and the reason at least two of us have sore arms today.
I will say — I was not expecting to get as invested as I did, as fast as I did. Within the first ten minutes, something just clicked and suddenly we were in it. Fully, completely, embarrassingly in it.
The Thing I Loved Most
You want to know what really got me?
We put our phones down.
Not reluctantly. Not because we were asked to. We just… didn’t need them. There was no moment where anyone reached for a screen because we were too busy actually playing. Actually competing. Actually together in a way that doesn’t happen nearly enough anymore.
It felt like being kids again — the real kind of playing, where you’re completely absorbed and a little sweaty and laughing so hard your stomach hurts. I didn’t realize how much I missed that until I was standing in the middle of a laser room trying to remember how to use my body. It was pure, uncomplicated joy. And by the time our hour and a half was up, none of us were ready to leave.
Perfect for Just About Everything
Here’s the part where I tell you that this is not a one-and-done experience. We are already planning our next visit, and I’ve been mentally cataloging every single person I want to bring with me.
Activate Games is genuinely perfect for:
- Birthday parties — they have group and party packages, and honestly, this would be the most memorable birthday you could give someone
- Date nights — competitive and fun and a great way to see a different side of each other (just maybe don’t make bets you can’t win)
- Family reunions — everyone from age six to seventy can play, and I mean everyone
- Corporate team building — nothing breaks down walls quite like dodging lasers together
- Girls’ trips, friend groups, cousin hangs — or honestly, any excuse you can come up with
Because at the end of the day, you don’t actually need a reason. You just need to go.
We had the absolute best time, and I haven’t stopped talking about it since. If you’re in the Salt Lake City area — or even if you’re not — make the drive. Book your slot at here and go play like you mean it.
You can thank me later!
*we were invited to facilitate a feature, all opinions are our own*
the mommy avenger 
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