Get Sporty! 6 Awesome Indoor Sports Centers

Southern California can’t seem to make up it’s mind when it comes to the weather these days. Whether you need to escape the sun or take shelter from a rainy day, these San Diego indoor sporting centers will keep cabin fever away and provide much-needed entertainment.

Photo: Colleen Holt via Flickr Creative Commons

Glide Around at UTC Ice
If you want to combine your sporting activity with a side of shopping, then check out UTC Ice. Nestled within the Westfield UTC food court, this ice skating rink is open for daily public skating sessions. Kiddos glide around the rink while listening to the top tunes. Parents can join in the ice skating fun or watch from the sidelines with a latte in hand. If you have a beginner, there are gliders available to hire. Shaped to look like a seal with handles, they’re the perfect way to get your balance or even take your kids for a spin on the seal seat as you skate your heart out. UTC Ice also offers a free Saturday introductory skating class at 11:15 a.m. This class teaches your little ones the basics of ice skating like balance and movement. Admission for public skating starts at $12 and skates are available for rental for $4. Don’t forget to bring gloves, warm clothes and snug knee high socks with you. Helmets and elbow pads are recommended if you have them.

UTC Ice Town
4545 La Jolla Village Dr.
San Diego, Ca 92122
858-452-9110
Online: utcice.com

Photo: Kroc Center San Diego

Do Everything at the Kroc Center
When you have a family with a variety of sporting loves, there’s one place in San Diego that can satisfy: The Kroc Center. This huge fitness and cultural center has tons of options to count to get the kiddos moving. Skateboarders will love the indoor skate park with a 8-foot half pipe, banks and quarter pipes. Just bring your boards and pads and start shredding. Swimmers will dig the indoor open swim family hours, plus take advantage of the Tuesday Toddler Splash times where you are welcome to bring down your floaties and toys to have some water fun. If more ice skating is on the cards, check out the family open hours at their ice arena with a skating field of NHL standards. Plus there are hundreds of youth sports leagues, drama classes, music workshops and arts and craft sessions to join. Once your activities are over, check out Mission Brew Coffee for a snack stop with fresh coffee, smoothies and paninis. Memberships are offered at the Kroc Center or bring the family down any time for a day pass starting at $6 for adults and $4 for kids. There is plenty of parking available as well as change rooms and showers.

Kroc Center
6845 University Ave.
San Diego, Ca 92115
619-287-5762
Online: sd.kroccenter.org

Photo: Lou Oms via Flickr Creative Commons

Batter up at JP Longball
Swing batter batter, swing! JP Longball is THE place to check out if you have a baseball lover in your tribe. This indoor batting practice mecca includes five batting cages, curve ball and arm-pitching machines, all open seven days a week. You’ll find a range of cages for all styles: three serve-up fast pitches, another takes the tempo down with slow pitch soft balls (perfect for kiddos) and for full authenticity the last cage has a dirt surface so you can dig in and use your spikes. You can purchase timed increments ranging from 15 minutes (about 150 pitches) all the way to a 60-minute session (a whopping 600 pitches). Be sure to check out their happy hour between 12  and 4 p.m. where all cage time is half priced. Kiddos aged 5 and up are best suited for the action at JP Longball. Prices start at $12 and bats and helmets are provided in the price of admission. It’s worth calling ahead for reservations or pop past and try your luck.

JP Longball
5232 Riley St.
San Diego, Ca 92110
619-299-4487
Online: jplongball.com

Photo: One Industries via Flickr Creative Commons

Zoom Away at K1 Speedway
Drivers ready! Start your engines at Carlsbad’s K1 Speedway, a 60,000-square-foot electric go-cart racing track open rain or shine. Either call ahead for a reservation or take up their junior arrive and drive package where you can set down tracks at this first come first serve basis with other junior riders on their junior go carts – especially made with seat belts, roll bars and automatic shut off. It makes for a safe way to get a driving thrill for the youngest. A 12-lap race runs about $19.95 plus $6 for an annual registration fee that includes free use of a helmet and helmet sock. If you have a Go Pro, bring that along as some of the helmets have a mount so you can record all your action. After your race. check out the snack bar and games area. It’s worth noting that it gets busy for junior carters on the weekend so perhaps prepare for a wait.

K1 Speedway
6212 Corte Del Abeto
Carlsbad, Ca 92011
760-929-2225
Online: k1speed.com

Photo: Aimee Giese via Flickr Creative Commons

Swim it up at McGrath Pool at the Toby Wells YMCA
Get splashy at the Toby Wells YMCA swimming pool. Located in Mission Valley, this 25-yard indoor swimming pool is the perfect way to get wet. Every day from 12 – 6 p.m., the YMCA hosts family swim time where kids, moms, dads and grandparents can take over the pool. They open up their awesome two-story winding thrill-grabbing water slide for some extra fun on Saturdays. It’s worth noting this pool is basic, so you’ll need to enjoy some good old fashioned Marco Polo or jumping in from the edge. There is not a splash area, so be prepared to bring floaties and get in the pool with younger kids that can’t swim comfortably at a 3-foot depth. Drop the kiddos off at the child watch center for a supervised kids club while you take up a pew at the grandstand to supervise the older kiddos. It’s heated to a toasty 86 degrees so you won’t need to worry about getting chilly and you can take advantage of their heated indoor showers to rinse off afterwards.

Toby Wells YMCA
5105 Overland Ave.
San Diego, Ca 92123
858-496-9622
Online: missionvalley.ymca.org

Photo: Lenya McGrath

Jump Around at Rockin Jump San Diego
Enter the doorway of Rockin Jump San Diego and watch as the family are transported into a world of jumping and bouncing. This trampoline house is located in Miramar and welcomes all kiddos, young and old, to take on some jumping fun at one of the five trampoline fields that are covered in bouncy pads that cover the floor and even the walls. Plus, they have a huge stunt air bag for you to do flips into, a foam pit perfect to do x-beam battles and a huge indoor rock wall for climbing fanatics. Prices start at $10 per hour, and you’ll need to sign a waiver and pick up a pair of rockin socks before you bounce off. Parents will love the cafe, comfy couches throughout and free WiFi. Parking is limited, so be prepared that you might need to park on street and put that umbrella up to get inside.

Rockin Jump San Diego
8190 Miralani Dr.
San Diego, Ca 92126
858-693-5867
Online: sandiego.rockinjump.com

Do you have a favorite indoor sporting center?  Let us know in the comments below!

— Lenya McGrath