To Hawley I go

What has 18 holes, hundreds of buckets of balls, a go-cart track and is fun for both adults and children?

Costa’s Family Fun Park, located on Route 6 in Hawley, PA is just that destination spot. Now owned and run by Mickey Black and brothers Randy and Ron Schmalzle, the park has made some great improvements over the past two seasons. The goal of the new owners is to constantly improve upon the park while keeping it family oriented.

“Our market is the family,” said co-owner Randy. “We’re really excited about it. It’s the new playground.”

If you’re interested in an intense game of miniature golf, look no further. The 18-hole mini course is complete with two waterfalls, two ponds and a stream. By the fourth of July, an operating waterwheel will also be a draw. A bluestone path takes you over bridges and up and down the series of holes to the end.

To perfect your swing, you can also “drive” golf balls at the park’s driving range. The course, clearly marked with distance flags every 50 yards, is 250 yards in length.

Up the pathway is a series of batting cages set up to please even the most worthy batter. There are 10 batting cages in all; five of them are set up for softball and five for baseball. Each cage is individually enclosed with steel fencing so that no one gets hurt. All have different degrees of speed.

The fast-pitch area offers speeds up to 85 miles an hour. The field is set up like a traditional baseball stadium, complete with advertisements on the outfield wall. It makes you feel like a major leaguer even if only for a little while (and they pitch more than three strikes).

What’s better than the wind at your face and your friends or family trailing behind you? Nothing, especially if you’re leading the way on the go-cart track. The track is full of twists and turns that excite the need for speed. Outlining the course are a series of rubber bumpers so that even the wildest driver is safe. There are three types of go-carts available for the whole family: the Iroc’s for the kids, the Jaguars for double occupancy and the Leopards for the adults. The Leopards reach speeds up to 19 miles per hour, which is pretty fast for the twisty track.

And, for the little ones there is a children’s play area named Kiddie Land. The kids can pedal a go-cart around a supervised track, climb the web ladder and slide down a tube into the ball pit. We all remember how fun it is to jump into brightly colored balls without a care in the world.

Some of us may be a little handier at video games. Costa’s game room is a neon-lit room with 20 different games to play. From basketball to pinball, the arcade has machines with all different intentions. Here’s where you can earn points. Based on your performance the machines will dispense tickets so that you may claim a prize. The redemption center includes such goodies as ice cream, playing cards, lava and strobe lamps, remote control cars, and if you’re a big-ticket earner, a Play Station.

All this activity causes some serious hunger. Costa’s not only has ice cream to cool you off; they also offer a full-service restaurant menu from fries and dogs to fajitas.

One of my favorite things about Costa’s is that the park is so well shaded, which keeps it cool even during the hottest hours of summer. A boardwalk actually takes you past a small patch of forest that is full of birds, peepers and other wildlife.

The park is beautifully manicured and landscaped. Flowering plants surround you as you make your way from station to station. Small topiaries border the porch.

Over the next few years the park will grow. There is vision for the future, including bumper boats and a children’s nature walk. The park sits on 30 acres and only about 14 are currently being used. Also, by the fourth of July, there are plans for the new Kiddie Playground to open.

If you’re looking for family fun in a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere, this is the right place. Costa’s is open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. For more information call 570/226-8585 or visit costasfamilyfunpark.com.