The best laser tag NYC families will love

Bowlmor has more going for it than its bowling lanes—it also offers NYC-themed laser tag in a 3,000-square-foot arena ($8.19–$10.19 per round). Kids will be briefed in a room channeling Central Park before entering a dark labyrinth decked out with the NYC skyline, local street signs, a Statue of Liberty mural and the centerpiece: a mock Washington Square Park arch, which players can pass underneath on an elevated platform. As another bonus at Bowlmor, there's also a 1,500-square-foot gravity ropes course suspended high above the space. Here, youngsters can brave a narrow, Z-shaped balance beam, climb up a vertical cargo net, walk across tight ropes and a 35 foot long rope bridge. Bowlmor Chelsea Piers (bowlmor.com/chelsea-piers).

Indoor Extreme Sports offers plenty to keep kids (and adults) busy. We recommend Black Ops ($40–$41 per player) and Zombie Laser Tag ($33–$44 per player) for older kids (ages 12 and up). At the 8,000-square-foot Black Ops arena, players can scoot around fake offices, a restaurant, a clothing store, a video store, a supermarket, a bridge, a tunnel and more—and they'll get into games like team deathmatch, capture the flag, dominator and search-and-destroy. It's even based on the U.S. Military spec projectile-less training platform deployed with the F.B.I. and U.S. Army.

Zombie Laser Tag is downright terrifying. Extreme Sports can rearrange the field so players have a different experience every game, and they also adjust the lighting to "non-scary glow-in-the-dark" to "downright terrifying dark," depending on the players. For an added fee for parties, you can also hire some roaming Zombies to make things even more challenging!

For classic Laser Tag, sign up for Arena Laser Tag ($25–$33, ages 8 and up) at Extreme Sports' 1,000-square-foot field. Teams stand off against each other for three-game rounds that last about five minues each. Indoor Extreme Sports, Long Island City, Staten Island (indoorextremesports.com).

This sweet facility offers go karts, a 4D theater, bumper cars, bowling, a soft playground, indoor rides and classic games like Whac-a-Mole. Best of all, it offers Cosmic Battle Laser Tag, which is every bit as cool as it sounds. The HUGE 6,500-square-foot arena has two playing levels, awesome-looking laser gear and can accommodate up to 38 people at once. Click here for pricing information. iPlay America, Freehold, NJ (iplayamerica.com). 

Known widely for its role as an ice skating and ice hockey venue, Bridgewater Sports Arena also offers laser tag in its LaserZone ($6 per game, $20 unlimited). Kids (ages 5 and up) will dig the fog-filled, black light-illuminated arena complete with colored vests and phasers and will also love the fact that it has plenty of nooks to hide in. When it’s time to take a break, visit the Sports Arena Arcade to explore over 65 games and simulators or check out the Soft Play area with plastic tunnels, mesh crawl spaces and a large ball pit. Bridgewater Sports Arena, Bridgewater, NJ (bsaarena.com).

Q-Zar on Long Island boasts plenty of laser tag games (starting at $7 per game) to keep your kids (ages 5 and up) busy! Little ones can play a solo game with no teammates, try “Stun” where players have unlimited lives and the goal is to score as many points as possible, or attempt “Battlefield,” where players have to avoid “mines” that detonate with laser beams. If you want to take a peek at the arena, there’s even an online map, so serious players can make a game plan ahead of time. Q-Zar, Carle Place, NY (qzarny.com).