FLORIDA, UNITED STATES
Yeah, yeah, Disney World is there, alongside several other giant theme park imitators. But Florida's big kid friendliness extends beyond that. The water-based jetpacks that have spread all over the world started off in the Florida Keys, while anyone who grew up wanting to be an astronaut will love the Kennedy Space Centre at Cape Canaveral. One of the optional extras there is a day-long Astronaut Training Experience where would-be Armstrongs undergo training, meet a real-life astronaut and take part in a simulated mission with real space shuttle controls. See kennedyspacecenter.com.
ROTORUA, NEW ZEALAND
The birthplace of Zorbing has plenty of other ludicrously fun things to do aside from rolling down a hill in a giant plastic hamster ball. Many of them are at Agroventures, where you can whizz around in a jet boat, hover around in mid air above a powerful wind column or pedal-power yourself around in a little cubicle underneath a monorail. See agroventures.co.nz.
QUEENSTOWN, NEW ZEALAND
If Rotorua is the North Island's playground, then Queenstown is the South Island's. Some of the thrills – such as white water rafting, skydiving and bungy jumping – are decidedly high adrenalin, but there are simpler pleasures too. The Skyline Luge offers an opportunity to race downhill in rudimentary carts, and the Shotover Canyon Swing (canyonswing.co.nz) sees you swoop high over the Shotover River (skyline.co.nz/queenstown/luge). See queenstownnz.co.nz.
TOMBSTONE, ARIZONA
Cowboys and Indians fantasies can be lived out at this weird but endearing slice of retro cheese in southern Arizona. Famous Wild West names are found in the graveyard, the streets are left unpaved with horses and carts clattering down them and old saloons have stayed pretty much as they were. Then there's the OK Corral, where the famous gunfight between cowboys and Wyatt Earp's lawmen is re-enacted on a daily basis. See tombstoneweb.com.
PEMBERTON, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
If childhood meant a lot of time climbing trees, then the Pemberton forests in south-western WA up the scale somewhat. The Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree, Gloucester Tree and Diamond Tree are three towering Karris that have pegs strategically hammered into their trunks. The spiralling climb up them is pretty much guaranteed to bring on vertigo and test whether climbing trees was quite as much fun as you remember. See pembertonvisitor.com.au.
THE ELECTRONIC MUSIC PROJECT, SEATTLE
Set up by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, the EMP is a time-sucking, engrossing journey into the worlds of musical heroes and classic music videos. But the kid who grew up singing into a hairbrush will be giddiest at the On Stage exhibit. This is a significant step up on karaoke, allowing you to get up on stage, sing and mime with real instruments while being filmed for your very own music video. See empmuseum.org.
SUN CITY, SOUTH AFRICA
The notorious Apartheid-era whites-only resort has reinvented itself as a multicultural, multiracial playground. The casino and big shows are the initial lure, but things like the largest maze in the southern hemisphere, mini golf course and a gigantic wave pool with several massive slides help. Another handy bonus is that it's right on the edge of the Pilanesberg National Park, so big kids can marvel at lions, rhinos and heffalumps in the wild. See suninternational.com/sun-city.
LAS VEGAS
Casinos and shows are also the stock in trade for Sin City, but there's a ridiculous amount of entertainment buried alongside them. The Rio, for example, is opening a glow-in-the-dark Kiss-themed mini golf course. New York New York has a rollercoaster running through it. The MGM Grand has a CSI Experience where you get to play at being forensic investigators. And Dig This Vegas (digthisvegas.com) is a "heavy equipment playground" that allows visitors to get behind the controls of diggers and earth movers. See lasvegas.com
NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND
Everyone grew up with the Robin Hood story, and Nottingham is where it took place. But the recent opening of the National Videogame Arcade there makes the Midlands city a real treasure for adults who grew up gaming. It has plenty of retro arcade games available to play, but also offers a hands-on museum-like exploration of how they're put together for lovers of Mario, Sonic and Manic Miner. See gamecity.org
