For the Whole Crew
Family
Fun Guide
From thrilling waterparks and creative arts studios to scenic trails and adventure camps — Ponca City is a destination the whole family will remember.
Ponca City, Oklahoma
01
01 — Water Fun
Splash Pads, Pools & Summer Cool-Downs
When Oklahoma summer turns up the heat, Ponca City has options for every age. The AMBUCS Swimming Pool at 601 S 6th St is a beloved community staple: waterslides, diving boards, and $1–$2 admission, open daily 1–7pm in summer (closed Wednesdays). RecPlex offers a family pool with a water slide and a 25-yard lap pool available year-round indoors. Multiple free splash pads are scattered throughout the city — perfect for toddlers on a hot afternoon with no admission required. Note: The Hub H2O Waterpark is not open this summer but is expected to reopen for the 2027 season.
When Oklahoma summer turns up the heat, Ponca City has no shortage of ways to cool the whole family down.
AMBUCS Pool — $1–$2 admission
RecPlex — year-round indoor pool
Multiple free splash pads citywide
Hub H2O Waterpark — reopening 2027
02
02 — Outdoor Adventures
Trails, Camps & Wide-Open Spaces
The outdoors are a major draw for families visiting Ponca City. The Lake Ponca trail system offers scenic walking and biking along the water, with picnic areas and natural scenery that make for a perfect half-day. Camp McFadden, located east of Ponca City, is the region's premier adventure camp — offering hiking trails, archery ranges, a zip line, canoeing, fishing, and ropes courses. It accommodates groups up to 100 in a lodge setting and offers cabins, RV hookups, and tent camping for overnight stays. New Life Trails adds another dimension: an animal therapy farm with over 100 animals, horse riding lessons, and birthday packages in a nurturing, nature-filled environment that also serves disabled veterans and at-risk youth.
Camp McFadden gets kids off screens and into the wild — with zip lines, archery, canoeing, and ropes courses on the edge of the wilderness.
Lake Ponca trail system
Camp McFadden — zip line and archery
Canoeing and fishing at the camp
Ropes courses for all skill levels
New Life Trails — 100+ animals
Horse riding lessons and therapy
03
03 — Arts & Creativity
Studios, Stages & Young Imaginations
Ponca City's arts scene welcomes families at every level. Doodle Academy is the city's creative studio hub for kids of all ages: birthday parties with artistic themes, summer camps, glass fusing, pottery, and painting classes leave every participant with something handmade and a great deal of pride. Evans Children's Academy of Performing Arts nurtures young performers through structured education, stage productions, and community performances that build confidence and creative skill year-round. The Poncan Theatre — built in 1927 — brings it all together with free summer movies every Tuesday at 10am and 2pm, plus live performances and concerts in one of Oklahoma's most beautifully preserved historic venues.
The Poncan Theatre offers free summer movies every Tuesday at 10am and 2pm — a wonderful first encounter with the magic of a historic venue.
Doodle Academy — pottery and glass fusing
Birthday parties and summer camps
Evans Performing Arts Academy
Youth stage productions
Poncan Theatre free summer movies
Tuesdays at 10am and 2pm
04
04 — Sports & Recreation
Golf, Skating & the RecPlex
Ponca City offers families an impressive spread of sports and recreation options. RecPlex is the all-in-one indoor destination with a 40-foot rock climbing wall, racquetball courts, and a dedicated KidZone for younger visitors. The Lew Wentz Golf Course at Lake Ponca runs a Junior Golf Program for players ages 6–16 each summer — two 7-day sessions that teach fundamentals in a scenic setting and build a skill kids carry for life. The Dan Moran Skate and BMX Park is Ponca City's premier outdoor skate destination, loaded with ramps, rails, and obstacles for every skill level from first ollie to competition-ready. Special events and competitions run throughout the year at the park.
The Lew Wentz Junior Golf Program introduces kids ages 6 to 16 to the sport in one of the most beautiful lakeside settings in the state.
RecPlex — 40-foot rock climbing wall
Racquetball courts and KidZone
Lew Wentz Junior Golf — ages 6 to 16
Two 7-day summer golf sessions
Dan Moran Skate and BMX Park
Ramps and rails for all skill levels
05
05 — Seasonal Fun
Holiday Ice Skating & Year-Round Events
Ponca City keeps the calendar full for families in every season. Each holiday season, Veterans Plaza at 323 E Grand Avenue is transformed into a festive destination with a synthetic ice rink open to the public. Ice on the Plaza is a seasonal highlight — lace up your skates, take in the holiday lights and atmosphere, and make memories in the heart of downtown. Year-round, the city's festivals and community events add texture to every visit: from spring outdoor festivals to summer waterpark season to fall harvest gatherings and winter holiday markets. The Poncan Theatre's programming runs all year, and the city's parks and trails offer reasons to return in every season.
Each holiday season, Veterans Plaza transforms into a festive skating destination — a seasonal tradition at the heart of downtown Ponca City.
Ice on the Plaza — holiday synthetic ice rink
Veterans Plaza — 323 E Grand Ave
Spring, summer, fall, and winter events
Downtown holiday markets and celebrations
Poncan Theatre year-round programming
Seasonal parks and trail activities
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