Where does one find their happiness?
The answer is obvious for gold diggers in California: at the bottom of a gold pan! When the great gold rush peaked, thousands moved towards distant lands to try their chances. The hunt for shiny nuggets has remained fascinating to people around the golbe to this day. Now Children can experience the gold rush themselves at the Adventure Zoo, Wildlands, in Emmen/Netherlands.
But it’s not just panning for gold that will fascinate you. The playground knows how to impress with its high climbing and slide towers. The play landscape is thematically based on distant past and picks up the atmosphere right in every small detail. The typical wooden buildings of the time were implemented in two play towers and attract from afar due to their height. They encourage children and adults alike to climb atop platforms and enjoy the exciting views of the park. Animals, which are huge standing on the ground, now appear tiny. Here there is room for role-playing games in a somewhat quieter atmosphere. The long, curved tunnel slides provide an additional adrenaline rush when you go back down after a short breather.
Gold panning is particularly popular on hot days. Sand and water can be dammed up or diverted in endless water-mud systems or simply trickle and flow freely. A circulating system pumps the water into the water tank on the roof of the play tower and directs it back to the large pools via funnels and channels. The little visitors experience the elements and learn about their physical properties in a playful way. Actual gold has not yet been found here – but lucky children have.
The Adventure Zoo with its gold panning playground is definitely worth a visit. It offers exciting adventures, especially for history and animal enthusiasts. But everyone else will also get their money’s worth there and leave the park richer in many beautiful memories.