In the modern world, the entertainment industry is constantly searching for new ways to attract people and create unforgettable experiences. Cobb’s Adventure Park in Calgary is a bright example of how family recreation can be rethought by combining elements of agricultural tourism, an interactive zoo, and active leisure. You can find more about this at calgary-name.com.
History of the Amusement Park
Cobb’s Adventure Park is located in Calgary at 1500 84 Street NE. Initially, it was Cobb’s Corn Maze, and the owners’ first experience with animals involved only three pigs. In 2015, owners Mike and Maureen decided to travel to Australia. They found out that kangaroos are more hypoallergenic than some animals. The founders dedicated 2016 to research. Keeping kangaroos at Cobb’s proved to be a difficult task, but they managed it. This experience eventually paid off.
The next stage in the establishment’s transformation story was 2017–2019. It was during this period that the corn maze was transformed into “Cobbs Adventure Park.”
The official opening took place in May 2017, after which the first six kangaroos arrived on the territory. Next came the turn of several rescued animals: corn snakes, geckos, and sugar gliders (sugar possums). These animals were donated to the park.
In 2018, rescued animals continued to arrive at the park, including a ball python, a red-tailed boa, a carpet python, chickens, ducks, and more sugar gliders. At this time, Wendy, a new wallaby (a smaller relative of the kangaroo) at Cobb’s, took part in a real test journey when she was being brought to Calgary. She had to survive a powerful snowfall, which made her arrival a memorable event that visitors are told about.
In 2019, the amusement park welcomed another guest—Marley, a sulcata tortoise. She was donated to the facility. The park was also given Pablo, a wallaby, and then the number of chickens, ducks, sugar gliders, and iguanas gradually increased. The next gift was another wallaby, Felix.
Exotic Animal Rescue Service
Given the number of exotic gifts, the non-profit organization “Cobb’s Exotic Animal Rescue & Education Foundation” was established in 2020. Bandit the wallaby arrived at the park, and in 2021, the facility was donated a forest where the animal lived. In the following months, 10 emus, Spike the tortoise, a cockatoo, and several porcupines arrived at the park. Ferrets arrived in 2022.
Since 2022, the non-profit organization “Cobb’s Exotic Animal Rescue & Education Foundation” has been closely collaborating with the Wildlife Festival. This collaboration transforms entertainment into an important tool for a social mission. They use exotic animals for educational tours across Canada, to raise funds and spread awareness about responsible animal husbandry. Thus, this allows people to build a long-term life connection with exotic animals, supporting Calgary humane society efforts.
Entertainment
The amusement park is a family business that offers a variety of entertainment for visitors of any age. The petting zoo is a key attraction, but it is far from everything. Separately, the fence maze, puzzles, games, carts, giant slides, tractor rides, and much more are worth noting. The park successfully combines animal zones and active/interactive games with puzzles.
- Animal Enclosures. The petting zoo is home to over 100 wallabies and kangaroos (including joeys in their pouches). The variety of animals is pleasantly surprising: sloths, anteaters, porcupines, pigs, turtles, alpacas, emus, snakes, chickens, rabbits, ducks, fainting goats, doll sheep, ferrets, a green iguana, and sugar gliders. Admission is included in the general admission ticket, and children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. The animal enclosures close at 8:00 PM for all evening events.
- Rides and Interactive Puzzle Games. The park’s main attractions include: pedal carts, the giant slide, tractor rides, and mini-golf in the dark (with UV illumination).
- Rest and Games Area. In the FunZone, various outdoor games are available: hoop toss onto toy horses, bean bag toss, and rope toss onto a stand. “Bouncy balls” are provided for toddlers.
- A unique specialization of the park is interactive spatial puzzles. Visitors can enjoy the fence maze, rope maze, “jump from the dots,” pyramid puzzle, math maze, and much more.
The amusement park has several operating schedules: spring, summer, and fall. It is important to monitor the schedule, hours, and the cost of tickets/passes (from $21.95 to $69) on the park’s official website.
Food and Charity
Visiting the amusement park in Calgary, no one will go hungry. There are food trucks on the territory that offer chicken strips, burgers, hot dogs, french fries, ice cream, cotton candy, and many other delicious treats.
It is worth paying attention to the “Kicking’ Kangaroo” hot sauce, sold in the gift shop. 100% of the sales proceeds go to support the animals in the park.
Tours
Cobb’s Adventure Park is a great place to spend an active and interesting whole day. School field trips are available Monday through Thursday (from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM). Separate tours are designated for youth or children’s groups. They can be adapted for team-building, leadership development, and special needs.
A private park tour option is available for groups up to 10 people. This is an exciting two-hour private group tour, during which you can get individual time with the animals. The service is available year-round.
It is important to consider the weather conditions and always dress accordingly.
Adult Night at Cobb’s Adventure Park
The name is intriguing, so what should adult visitors expect from the amusement park? This is a separate seasonal opportunity for adults who can enjoy the spirit of Halloween. The park gates will open to everyone interested for an evening of haunted houses. Visitors can expect spooky mazes and special encounters, holiday fun without the children.
On Halloween night, licensed bars serving strong alcoholic beverages and food trucks are operating. Every guest has the opportunity to recharge and head off to meet adventures.
Unique Innovations
Cobb’s Adventure Park in Calgary successfully transformed itself from a small business into an innovative model for family leisure. The owners were able to implement a number of unique innovations that distinguished it among traditional amusement parks. Its formula for success lies in the harmonious combination of entertainment, educational mission, and philanthropy.
The park operates not only for entertainment but also as a non-profit center for the rescue, rehabilitation, and care of exotic animals (Cobb’s Exotic Animal Rescue & Education Foundation). People usually buy such animals without careful consideration and later worry about where to transfer/donate such pets. The organization solves this important local problem.
The park regularly hosts educational programs for the public and schools. Staff members teach the proper care of exotic animals. The park has a collection of animals unique to Alberta.
In addition to traditional visits, the owners have developed unique visiting formats to expand the audience. They offer Adult Night, seasonal events, camps for children, group, and private tours.
The park owners invested funds in creating a significant number of intellectual and physical games. This also set Cobb’s Adventure Park apart in Calgary and beyond.
Thus, a unique and exciting experience awaits visitors. The owners demonstrate a new approach to the entertainment concept. At Cobb’s Adventure Park, the focus is not only on high-tech attractions but also on engagement, education, and creating an inclusive environment through a diversity of offerings.