I spent the day at Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park on a beautiful, breezy Saturday, and it was the perfect weather to enjoy everything the park has to offer. The park has multiple parking lots with one main entrance. Parking was easy, but I definitely recommend completing the online waiver before you arrive; it makes the check-in process much faster. I also suggest purchasing your tickets in advance since popular dates can sell out. There were so many water activities to choose from that everyone in the family could find something fun to do. I was impressed by how many lifeguards were stationed throughout the park, which made me feel that safety was a priority. The atmosphere was lively, family-friendly, and full of people enjoying the day. There's an open-air food court with a variety of food, drinks and seating area. The scenery is beautiful, and the former quarry makes for a unique backdrop you won't find at a typical water park. A few tips for first-time visitors: * Wear water shoes; they'll make walking around much more comfortable. * Bring sunscreen, towels, and plenty of water. * Complete your waiver and buy your tickets online before arriving to save time. * Check the park's website before your visit for hours, weather updates, and any activity restrictions. Overall, Brownstone is a great destination for families, groups of friends, or anyone looking for an adventurous summer day in Connecticut. I'd definitely come back! read more

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We had a great day of family fun at Brownstone. We brought a cooler and plenty of water to save money. VIP parking is available for $10 but the regular parking is fine. Reserve ahead of time especially on weekend days when it's hot out because they do sell out. It's crowded in the picnic areas but we were having so much fun in the water we barely got out. If you are overweight or not reasonably athletic you will probably want to bring a chair. Our favorite parts were the highest zip lines and the big slide because the wait time was more reasonable for both. We got wakeboarding passes but it was so crowded and slow moving we didn't even try. The crowds thin out after 4 so if you don't want to spend all day come after noon. 10-11am and you are waiting in line to get in even if you did the waiver in advance. read more

Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park - Amusement Parks Near Me - Portland, Connecticut

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I have been a returning customer at Brownstone for 5 years now - my college friends and I always plan a yearly summer trip to meet up at Brownstone. However, when planning our trip this year, we had an unfortunate experience with Brownstone's customer service. Due to COVID restrictions, the park understandably had to limit their daily capacity. This limited capacity caused Brownstone to sell out much farther in advance than a regular summer (especially for weekends). This required us to purchase tickets in July for our usual trip in August, not knowing what the weather would look like for that weekend. When the weekend came, Hurricane Laura was moving through the area. The night before our trip, the forecast for the entire day was showing at least 85% chance of thunderstorms the entire day. My group included people who were planning to travel 5+ hours round trip for the park. Needless to say, with the thunderstorm forecast and our long trip lengths, we wanted to reschedule to a new day. I called Brownstone the night before our trip (Fri), asking about my options for refund/rescheduling. The operator told me that the park would remain open in the storm, and that there were no refunds (Note: When I asked about rescheduling, she did NOT mention rescheduling to a new day as an option). We did not feel safe swimming in water with thunder and lightning, and took the hit losing $273 in tickets. On the day after our trip, Brownstone messaged me on Facebook messenger saying that they DID in fact have the option to reschedule tickets to a new day, and asked me to call the office to reschedule. After calling Brownstone a second time, I was told differently, yet again, that I could not reschedule my tickets since I had not done so before my booking (even though I had called the day before to ask about my options, and was not told I could reschedule). The Brownstone employee was incredibly unpleasant to talk with, and again stated that our $273 would not be refunded. I was incredibly frustrated by the inconsistency in the information I was being given from each Brownstone employee I spoke with. I usually love this place, which is the only reason I am not giving it 1 star based on this experience. However, I am not sure if I will now be a returning customer - I am empathetic of the current pressure put on businesses during the COVID pandemic, but was disappointed by the inconsistent and terrible customer service on top of my loss in $273, even after being a returning customer for years. Be certain of your planning to this park before you pay! read more

Well first time there on Sunday the 7th of August, it was so much more than I ever expected. So many activities that the day isn't long enough to get it all done. I mostly just watched everyone else doing zip lining, cliff diving and rock climbing. I mostly just stayed in the lake and kept cool, because it has been a three week Heat wave and this just perfect. It was only a little over 2 hours away from Quincy and coming back home felt even faster. This water wonderland is down a side street and Bam there it is. There's an online registration and you have to book at least 2 weeks beforehand, because it books up really fast. This water park has something for everyone and every age. There are little food shacks and an ice cream shack too! Our families really enjoyed it there at Brownstone Park, and we can't wait to go back. This is a hidden gem and I just wanted to let everyone know about it. read more

This water park is awesome! It has cliff jumping, zip line (different levels), trampoline, rock climbing, water obstacles, rope swing, wake boarding, scuba diving (must have license), kayak and paddle board. They provide you with a life jacket, but it's kinda dirty... you need to rent your own paddles for the kayak though, or you can bring your own. They got a patio for food and you can buy it or bring your own. I would recommend bring your own because it's expensive in there and not that good. If you do get a drink make it so you can refill it the whole day. Bring your own water shoes!! No sandals.. because I'm certain places your feet will touch the rocks under the water and hurts. Also try not to bring jewelry and sunglasses. Minimalism to the max. 4 stars because the workers got Attitude as if they don't want to work there. Except for the guy who helps you at the small zip line post. read more

Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park - Amusement Parks Near Me - Portland, Connecticut

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No signs of rules and regulations so the staff makes Their own rules depending or your nationality It feels like they always in top of you my pre teen Kids could not have fun in conclusion the staff needs To loosen up a little and stop harassing the kids i been to Better place in other states read more

Overall brownstone is a great place! My son loved zip lining and the inflatables on the water. I wish we would of bought the wake-boarding that looked super cool. Pros: Affordable, close enough to RI to make a day trip, you can bring coolers Cons: small seating area, long wait times, the wood ramps are not secure, the swim area is really small read more

Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park - Wake boarding - Amusement Parks Near Me - Portland, Connecticut

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I almost DIED HERE!!: I took my 17 year old brother to celebrate his birthday and we had a great time even though my life flashed before my eyes there. I don't swim nor do I know how to, yes there's life jacket but they don't check to make sure your life jacket is tight enough. So I jumped in the 149 feet water with a loose water jacket, I had my fried who knew how to swim but she wasn't able to help me, after minutes of screaming for help while there was people swimming all around me. When I was just about to give up this girl (angel) finally helped me after watching me suffer for the longest time. Long story short, I WILL NEVER GO BACK UNTIL I LEARN TO SWIM. Pro: affordable tickets, family fun, spacey, bring your own food, beautiful place, no on land games to play, awesome zip lining fun Cons: rude employees, life jacket not checked, water too deep, becomes boring quick read more

Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park - Amusement Parks Near Me - Portland, Connecticut

Don't believe the internet hype from YouTube videos and their promos. If you had the entire park to yourself, without the need to swim against currents from attraction to attraction, you'd be finished within an hour. Went on Monday 7/27 and the dudemanbro directing everyone waiting to go in couldn't help himself with his "no cheetos allowed inside" spiel. No ChEeToS iNsIdE bC tHe FiNgErZ jAm ThE zIpLiNez So LeAvE aLL cHeEtoS wiTh mE. Dude there's a fucking vending machine inside how do you not get a bag for free everyday? All other staff are usually helpful, some more than others. One dude who was manning the rope swing thing was def annoyed at people belly flopping from poor technique when swinging/stepping off. Enough to give a whole speech saying if you can't do 4 pull-ups you shouldn't be in the line (the attraction sign says 2 pull ups). I also noticed there was not one staff member who wasn't Caucasian. Maybe that's just today, 7/27, but the minorities were the patrons. Back to the park- it was at only 25% capacity (750 people) due to COVID. Somehow with 3/4 more space per patron people still manage to not social distance. If you've never been, get the adventure pass. It's literally a ticket to do the zip lines and everything else is a throw in. As the inflatables should be because they were all damaged already (missing hooks). Basically it's 6 activities to do- zip line, try to climb inflatables, rock climb, jump off a cliff with/without rope, wakeboard, or go down a water slide. Not sure who it's for but BONUS/HIDDEN attraction: a diving board to the left of the port-a-potties by the water slide line. You'll spend more time swimming from activity station to station and waiting on lines than you will doing the actual activities. Be prepared to swim in place at times due to the river current and/or the waves from the staff on boats recycling the zip line equip from start to finish. Not a place I'd think of being a repeat visitor. Did everything once and because of the lack of other things to do once that's complete, it gets boring waiting on queues. Can't imagine the wait for activities when this place is maxed (3,000 people). read more

I'm just very unhappy with them right now. I called this morning to try to reschedule my tickets. I desperately want to go to Brownstone, unfortunately, I woke up with bad cramps, nausea, aches, and just generally unwell because of my period. My periods are insanely unpredictable and I have NO idea I was going to get it. Personally, I am not willing to go and be miserable AND have to stand in long lines. I understand they have rules and policies, but there should be an exception for this especially during a time like this. People don't have extra money to spend on tickets they're not going to use. I simply wanted to blow off some steam from my stressful job, but, apparently that it too much to ask. For clarity: I did NOT ask for a refund or an exchange for a different item. I just need to move the date out till the weekend on the 4th read more

Really awesome option for a hot summer day. Staff was very helpful, Bridget got us checked in quickly and explained everything. Great crowd, everyone seemed to be enjoying the place. Wakeboard operators were very knowledgeable and were able to get 1st timers up and riding. read more

Cons: Food was bad. The island is too small. Bathrooms were gross. Employees were rude. Pros: Water was clean. Lots of stuff to do. read more

I have had a very inconvenient experience with brownstone park. The operator was rude and did not understand the fact that I am a party of (7) traveling with an infant. I was originally supposed to go to the park July 4 but the weather was horrific so we did call and have that date rescheduled ahead of time due to the thunderstorm warning for the area. We rescheduled for today's date July 25 yesterday's weather showed that it would be a great day in the forecast however unfortunately it is not a great day today. It is cold and windy outside. Due to the fact that we are traveling with an infant and small children we will take the $273 loss because we will not be in a park uncomfortable with children when they are going to be cold and likely not want to enjoy the park due to the weather! I think that their policy is ridiculous and very stupid because it would've been nice to at least have a chance to get refunded for some thing that we did not attend. I understand the fact that they have a capacity but if people can call 48 hours ahead of time and that means that they have already sold the ticket that called ahead of time. I recommend that no one buy their tickets ahead of time even though they are stating that they are only selling a certain amount of tickets a day (capacity) Due to the unfortunate weather in Connecticut changing ever so drastically from one day to the next It is better to buy your tickets a day off if you do plan to go here I will not be returning customer due to the unsatisfaction and the inconvenience that they have given me by not even being lenient with changing the date date. I have seen that that is not just a complain that I am having but a complaint that past customers have also had so you have definitely been warned I do not recommend that you buy tickets ahead of time if you plan to go here and if you plan to go somewhere where your family is taken into consideration I don't recommend that you go here at all. This is a very STINGY establishment that does not take into account the well-being of its customers. I feel that $273 was stolen from me Because they do not give refunds anyway so at least you can do is change the date! read more

Been wanting to visit Brownstone ever since I found out about this hidden gem in Connecticut. It's a really cool place. An old quarry that people turned into somewhat of a water park with zip lines, inflatables, slides, rope swings, etc. it's a really cool place to spend the day, and they've got a grill and pizza section, dippin dots (big fan), and the option to pay extra for kayaking or water skiing. The water itself was a perfect temperature and seemed well maintained given it was a quarry. Also, we went on a Saturday cause we work during the week, but I would totally recommend going during the week if you can. It was beyond packed, which made parts of it unenjoyable. Lines were extremely long for everything, constantly floating into people, but you expect that on a busy day. A few things: I wished the beach area in the middle was a little larger. People looked like they were camped out there for days with tents, hammocks, enormous setups, etc. which made it nearly impossible to relax there for a little while. I think it would be smart to have a few lifeguards stationed in the water by the inflatables - yesterday there were a ton of teenage boys not listening to the rules and lifeguards screaming from all angles. It got pretty annoying and I think this could be remedied by having someone in the middle closer to where that's happening. Also, closer to the end of the day, the boardwalk with littered with some bandaids and tissues which was kinda gross. I was very careful to step around it, but I think that's something they need to pay attention to since everyone is barefoot. read more

SO MUCH FUN. Well worth the 36 dollars for hours of activity. Not everything is open every time (like I was too scardeycat to do the high rope swing but the short one was closed). Everyone wears a PFD here, no exceptions. It makes for a more relaxed atmosphere and let's be honest covers a lot of things we don't want to see or share. I was completely unafraid of the clear water and having the PFD made up for my lack of swimming practice this last year. There were school groups there when my coworkers and I went, but there were enough lifeguards and staff to go around and keep everyone safe and having fun. For the ladies, I'd recommend wearing a boy short or bike shorts, the harnesses and water impacts can cause bikini bottom issues! Bring sunscreen, you can carry in water but food and drinks were reasonable including an all day option. read more

Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park - Amusement Parks Near Me - Portland, Connecticut

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We really wanted to like this place. I think if we came back on a weekday, I'd be giving a 4 or 5 star review. As it happened, we went on a Sunday. We had to stand in line for what felt like an hour, just to get in. They only have one cash register, and inexplicably, it seemed like everyone was waiting until they got to the counter to decide which package they wanted. There really was no excuse for that, because they did have pamphlets out explaining what the different packages included. We went for the more expensive package, but probably should have gone for the cheaper one, because most things included in more expensive package, like wakeboarding and the zip line, had wait lines of more than an hour each. I feel for the owner, because the 2009 summer has just been awful for business. Wet, rainy and cold. It's mid-August, and the weather is just now heating up. I can't totally fault him for letting in every person that showed up, but I do think it would have been wiser to close the park at capacity some time before the wait lines got out of control. They sometimes sell sandwiches at the snack shop, but they didn't have any this past Sunday. We were offered a chance to order pizza delivery, but we chose to leave and drive to a nearby Burger King. You are allowed to bring your own food, and I highly recommend that you do that. You are required to wear a life jacket any time you enter the water or cross a dock, which is probably a good thing because in places, the water is 100 feet deep. You are swimming in an old brownstone quarry, after all. It's a great park for children, but I recommend only bringing kids who are strong, confident swimmers. Some parents we saw had brought their 5 year old, and he seemed terrified. Unless I missed something during our visit, I am pretty sure there is no "shallow end" to swim in. All of the water is deep. All in all, this park is something Connecticut desperately needs, and I'm glad to see it here. It's also neat to think about the history of the brownstone quarry you are swimming in. Many many buildings were built in cities all over the northeast, with brownstone from right in this quarry! I look forward to returning next summer, but I think I'll plan my visit for a week day. Oh! One last tip before you go: wear shoes of some kind. Flip flops, aqua shoes, SOMETHING. There are gravel paths and hot asphalt to cross. Not a barefoot friendly environment at all. read more

Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park - Amusement Parks Near Me - Portland, Connecticut

When I first got there, it looked good. Then my little daughter Crisathinun wanted me to go in the water, so i did. AND THE WATER WAS TOO WET! WORKERS WERE ALSO SO RUDE! They told me my name was Ed instead of Edward J. They should be ashamed of the wet water quality. Also there was a fishy touching my foot. SHAME! -Dr. Edward J. Waterlily, PhD read more

Definitely a neat experience. I was hesitant based on some of the reviews however my husband and I drove by to check it out one day and it looked like so much fun! I brought my teenage daughter and her friend. They had a blast and stayed in the water the entire day! We came on a weekday around noon. The crowd was decent but not overwhelming. Some of the zip lines had 15-20 min waits but towards the end of the day 4 pm or so lines died down. Based on other reviews I was expecting rude teenage employees however the encounters I had were rather pleasant... Greeted nicely and wished us a fun day! The food shack had a decent list of selections- burgers, chicken strips, sausage grinders, pulled pork, clam strips, French fries, fried dough, ice cream etc. for 3 of us I spent about $30 on lunch. We also rented a paddle board for $12/ 30 mins. The area to paddle board wasn't too big but good enough for a first timer. I would however recommend anybody who owns water shoes to bring them because the walk up to the zip lines was all mulch and was a bit painful at times. I didn't find it hard to find a spot on the beach area to lay out my stuff. Beach chairs, coolers, food from outside is totally allowed which is great! I will definitely plan ahead and bring my own food next time. Renting a floating gazebo seems fun but I think it's a bit pricey $95/ half day for the smallest size (12 people). Bathrooms are very very hot and muggy... A bit on the gross side, but what would you expect for a water park... Sinks were clean at least. Love that parking is free and the shuttle drives you down from the parking area. All in all, for $29/ per person, it was better than any amusement park and will for sure be back. Plus is... It keeps kids physically active and off social media for a day! Ha! read more

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There is so much potential here, but the place is definitely lacking in safety, landscaping, cleanliness and organization. We were there for over 3 hours and only got to complete one attraction. The rest of the time was spent waiting in line. We finally threw in the towel waiting for the second attraction and we left. The life jackets are all falling apart. The walkways are not nice on the feet. Cut my foot on a sharp rock. Weeds growing everywhere. Trash everywhere. Tiny bugs all over the place that swarm you and your food. Water was full of seaweed and yuck!!! The kids doing parking we're on their phones not paying attention. We didn't know where to go to park. Drove past the turn because the kid didn't direct us. Overall the entire staff was unfriendly. I don't know how to explain, but they don't do anything to make the experience fun, better. The number of people allowed in should be much lower. There was no place to sit. We found a tiny little corner that we couldn't even spread our towels out on. The staff should hire someone to come in and study the logistics of this place and make recommendations to improve the customer experience. I'd be willing to pay more for a better experience here as I mentioned it has excellent potential. read more

Brownstone is a small water park located in an old quarry. This is not your average water park. You'll only find one water slide here. To fully enjoy Brownstone, you'll need to have some physical prowess as well as fearlessness to do the bigger things in the park. There are climbable inflatables (including a blob), ziplines, cliff jumps, high rope swings, rock climbing, wakeboarding, and even kayaking. It's also required that you keep your life jacket on at all times, so that helps with safety. It's nice that you're able to bring your own food and picnic in the park. I highly suggest renting out one of their floating gazebos if you have a large group. It's much nicer on a weekday than a weekend, because they get filled to capacity on weekends. The lines for the activities become extremely long. As of now, it's my preferred water park. read more

This place has anything you can think of doing in the water. It's a huge quarry with zip lines that end in the water and a water slide with a drop at the end. It also has a rope swing and cliff jumping. There is a separate area for kids 12 and under with an inflatable obstacle course. For an extra cost you can try weight boarding. You can rent a private gazebo or just find a table or sand for your stuff. You can bring in coolers and chairs and they do have lockers to rent. read more

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I have been wanting to come here for the past three summers, and finally made it today. My only regret or disapointment is that I didn't come here sooner. First of all the park is easy to find and get to from just about anywhere. Check-in was super easy and we were quickly on our way to having fun. The staff was all very friendly and very encouraging. I am extremely afraid of heights, but the activity attendants we friendly, made small talk to help me relax, and even offered tips on the best way to do the activity (zip lines, slides, cliff diving, etc.). I also like that the park allows outside food to be brought in, does not serve or allow alcohol, and does not allow smoking. I found this place to be much more enjoyable and interactive than just going to an amusement or water park. read more

Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park - View of just some of the park - Amusement Parks Near Me - Portland, Connecticut

It was so much fun with friends enjoying experience in water park. My friend found this place on the internet and we chose this place because its not too far from NY. There are a lot of activities and I was there all day long. It was so worth claiming up the mountain then sliding down and see the view from the top. read more

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This place is fun! The more adventurous you are, the more fun you will have! Go ahead, take the plunge off the 15' or 25' cliff dive! A less courageous visitor can still enjoy swimming but won't get the same bang for your buck as those who take advantage of the zip lines, cliff jumps, and fun obstacles. Pros: *You can bring in your own food and non-alcoholic drinks, saving money. Food also available onsite. *Clean, clear water. *Separate area for younger children. *Convenient online ticketing. Cons: *Rugs on stairs near the cliff dive are old and ripped/torn. This is a safety issue and needs to be addressed! *Very little actual land. Difficult to find a spot to put your things and to sit down and relax. You're sitting on top of everyone else and jockeying for seats/tables. We rented a pavilion and we're grateful for it...we had shade, a place to eat, and safe place for our belongings. *Grossly inadequate bathroom (3 bathroom stalls for a park that has 2,000+ visitors - seriously? *The so-called "changing room" is nothing more than a cramped space lined with lockers. Do NOT expect to change your clothes there! *Be prepared for LONG wait times at some zip lines (cargo net zip line is the longest). Could be better: *Lifeguards need bullhorns - their instructions couldn't be heard. Potential safety issue! *Beach needs to be more sand, less rocks! * Paths should be sand, not pebbles and wood chips. Hard on bare feet. Tips we learned from the manager: -Monday is least crowded day of the week. -Arrive early (open at 10am) and do the activities you want to do the most to enjoy them without lines. With a few upgrades / tweaks mentioned in this review, this place could be 5 stars! read more

Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park - Pavilion rental was key on this busy day. Bargain at $99! - Amusement Parks Near Me - Portland, Connecticut

We had a really fun day with a large group of friends, however the park which seems to be run primarily by teenagers and early twenty year olds is very disorganized. On a busy day expect to wait in line for about an hour for very zip line , or other major attraction. The walkway up to the rope jump is extremely slippery due to the moss, there doesn't seem too much attention to safety other than the fact that you have to wear a life jacket. I would recommend go later in the day, when the rush is starting to slow down, play in the water and go on one or two zip lines to maximize your day. Bring your own food- as you won't really get anything great there. read more

Had a great time. A little expensive for those that are just there to accompany their kids. Also the lines were way too long for the zip lines. The water was quite nice. read more

This is a great place for teenagers and adults to have fun. It is mill friendly but the older you are the more you can do. The staff is super friendly and safety comes first. I suggest trying everything especially the zipling into the water. We came on a field trip and the students had a blast! read more

Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park - Bus full of kids exhausted!!! - Amusement Parks Near Me - Portland, Connecticut

Loved this place. I dislike heights & water but had an awesome time with out scout troop. The lines were a bit long but moved quickly ... my 12 yo loved everything he tried and was able to push himself to do a fewer things he never thought he would! I was surprised on how out going staff was and how clean the facilities were too. Maybe a few more lockers would help. Over all a great adventure ! I'll be back next year! read more

Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park - Amusement Parks Near Me - Portland, Connecticut

Great Concept & would have had a better experience if I felt my child and the other children in our group were kept a little more safe. Definitely not a place for smaller kids (great for teens) cons: Life Guards on their phones, Harnesses weren't checked on my child (luckily my kid had enough sense to ask the attendant to check), visitors running wild cutting and knocking down little ones and attendants did nothing to ensure safety. Across the street there is an oil/petroleum company so the smell was alittle overbearing when entering. Life jackets were worn & broken (so bring your own) Staff was not friendly or engaging. pros: Beautiful property, water was clear and lots to do. Food was disappointing but the great thing was that coolers were allowed so pack your own snacks and beverages. read more

They need to put stairs going up to the zip line tower instead of having a webbed rope and metal pegs to climb up! It was very challenging for me trying to climb up especially with the plantar fasciitis in my feet. I even saw kids struggling to climb up especially when they can't reach the metal pegs near the top. The park itself is fun, but they definitely need to upgrade that to stairs and would also be a lot safer! read more

Can I give it negative stars? LAME LAME LAME. If you are an adult who had any time "misspent" as youth this place is BORING! I wanted to jump off the 60' cliffs, not the 20' cliffs. Zip line? !YAWN! The big one was an 8 second ride (I timed it). Oooh. I guess after jumping out of airplanes and experiencing free fall for a full minute, I should have expected that being strapped onto a zip line to drop a total of 60 feet in 8 seconds would be pretty boring. It was. The "rock climbing" is fake handholds bolted to the rock face. About as challenging as climbing a ladder... I've technical climbed Mt. Washington routes and several other of the Presidential Range mountains and I've hiked/climbed various other parts of the Appalachian Trail. This? I wouldn't even have bothered with a rope. If you have done any white water rafting or kayaking then the idea of slowly paddling around a small, enclosed area will be excruciatingly boring. Bottom line is this: if you have any experience doing REAL adventure sports, this place is no more exciting than an elementary school playground. If all you have experienced is an elementary school playground, then this place will get your blood pumping. My one word of caution: we took people's advice and went on a kind of dreary weekday to avoid the crowds. It is true that there were only two or three busloads of kids, but almost all the attractions were closed. We checked the website in the morning for conditions. It said 14/14 zip lines were open, 3/3 wakeboarding runs were open, 6/6 rock climbing runs were open, and everything else was open, too. When we got there only 3 zip lines were open (and that included two "racing lines" that were right next to each other, so in reality just two different runs). The rock climbing was closed, the wake boarding was closed. The water "obstacles" (inflatable) were open, but all the kids seemed to flock to them (not that adults would probably want to bother with them, anyway). The cliff diving (a whopping 15' and 20' high) were open but the high springboard was closed. The people doing check in never mentioned any of that, and there are no refunds. Make sure you call ahead and ask before you plop down all that money and only be able to access 15% of their activities (and only about 5% of the really adventurous ones). FYI: after your very expensive admission fee, if you buy their food be prepared for movie-cinema type prices. Hotdogs are $4. Hamburgers $5, cheeseburgers $5.25. I didn't even see what a slice of pizza cost (because the pizza ovens were closed, as were the Monster drink booths, the pretzel booths, and pretty much everything else). They try very hard to get you to part with your money as they have other "shacks" that sell Oakley gear, various "surf/wakeboarding" gear, "cool surfer" jewelry, etc. There is only one "public" covered tent area which is pretty much out of the way from the rest of the park. All the other "gazebos" are available for rent only. I could see a family of four (two adults, one high school-aged child, and one middle school-aged child) easily dropping $300+ for the day. I found the pictures on their website to be very deceiving. The place just didn't feel as big in person as it looked online. They also don't tell you it is smack dab in the middle of an industrial/commercial area with a petroleum terminal across the street on one side and "main street" on the other. The quarry gets run off and you can just see parts where there is just a bunch of garbage and flotsam. EEW! Parking near the entrance is very limited, so be prepared to walk if you go on a busy day. I can honestly say that I wish I had gone into work. This was an absolutely HORRIBLE experience. Not only did I waste the admission money, but I burned a vacation day, too. I will never go back here, and will never recommend it to anybody else, either. read more

My child went to that park with her school camp and she told me so many good things about it! The water is kind of deep but you have life jackets on every second so there is no way you'll drown. Plus, they have some really fun activities like tug of war, ziplining and cliff jumping! There are a few fish in the lake but it's not a regular sight. The only downside of this place is that the line for food gets really long and it doesn't move very fast. My child told me that she forgot her lunch on the bus so she had to go wait in line for 10 minutes, by then it hadn't even moved, so she just got dippin dots and ate her lunch on the way home. All of the staff members there are really kind and talk with the children if they have any questions about the safety of some things! So all in all, it's a really fun place to go during this hot weather, the water is warm and everyone said they loved it! read more

This place is amazing. Fun for kids and adults. Totally get your money's worth. I'm kind of obsessed. :) Here's an excerpt from my Stefcations travel blog: If you're a Connecticut native like me, you'd likely never imagine that a cool place like Brownstone Discovery Park would be hiding anywhere near this neck of the woods. If you have kids and are looking for an all-family activity - and even if you don't have kids (because I don't), you would be amazed by the fun you'll have here. The cost of a pass? $28. The hilarity? Priceless. A daily pass that will gain you admittance to all of the "adventure" sports (cliff jumping, swimming, ziplining, waterslide, wakeboarding, scuba diving, and large inflatable toys - the fun of which should NOT be underestimated) will cost you $28. (The park happened to offer a special this Labor Day weekend for $20. Yay, us!) Call me crazy, but the admission price for places like Six Flags or Lake Compounce is considerably higher than that ($35.99 a person at "the Lake" last time I checked); plus, at those other places you'd have to pay extra for parking. Here at Brownstone, not only is parking free, they've got a shuttle to bring you down the road and drop you off at the gates. The other option at Brownstone is the general swimming pass, which includes swimming, kayaking, hiking, and biking, and costs $18. But come on, face it, you'd really just be wussing out. read more

Not fun... More like awful. Glad to be back at work dealing with customers because this sucked tremendously. How can a place get a license and still not care about the safety and well being of paying customers. Repeat business myst be low because all who go are newbies who " want to just give it a try!" Dumb view. No security exists. Younger kids are whos in charge of saving lives etc etc. Loud mouth disrespectful kids seemed to find no problems with getting off rides and just getting back on , even threatening those who would speak.. The lifevests arent inspected or cleaned, totally worthless. How scary is it to have a gender mix lockerroom and noone guarding the rooms for perverts? Id rather spend mire and go to a nationally known/ recognized park thats actually a park and know " rules" are followed. Would you rather by a car that was in a known accident and feel safe after or get proof from a legitimate dealer? Lol The end. Do some research people read more

If you're an adrenaline junkie like I am then you're going to love Brownstone! I go at least twice every year. It's also a great place to take out-of-towners visiting CT (especially those looking to conquer their fear of heights ;). The price is pretty steep but it helps that parking is free, and you can bring whatever you want into the park (no need to buy their food/drinks unless you want to). Recommendation- WEAR WATER SHOES and bring plenty of water and waterproof sunscreen!!!! Brownstone also does a lot of charity work although they don't brag about it and I appreciate that, for instance every year they allow all of us in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program to bring our Little 1 day for free. I frequently see other non-profits group names on their chaulkboard as well (this board is located near the restrooms and "welcomes" any groups that are coming there that day). I'm glad to have such a fun place so close to home!! read more

Unique place, but you'll need to look passed some things to enjoy it... It's REALLY dirty. There were trashcans about (no recycling?!) but park visitors are on their own to keep the place clean. I didn't see any staff actively cleaning while we were there. It's also located in a pretty industrial area so keep your expectations low when you get there. The place is run by kids, there is absolutely no denying that. I highly recommend you double checking a zip harness on your kids, they won't it seems. My 8 year old daughter and I did one of the zips together and I pretended she was on a zip line by lifting her up just to check it. Playful parenting at its finest. You'll need to watch out for your families safety. The park says no alcohol but that doesn't stop anyone it seems. Again, watch out for your safety. Another reason it's dirty I guess. When you're drunk it's hard to locate a trash can. Personally I get more from a hike than I did here, but if you can look passed the cleanliness problems, safety issues, people drinking in public, and heavy Lord of the Flies vibe you get, you might have fun. Perfect place for groups of teens. read more

Giant water trampoline, a rock climbing wall that leads to zip lining, wake boarding with a pull and jump features, diving board, cliff jumping, giant slide...I could keep rambling. This place defeated me, in a great way. I left refreshed and exhausted from all the jumping,swimming, and climbing around. The giant iceberg was impossible to climb after doing more than a few trips up the rock climbing wall. Regardless, I want to go back to school that monster and slide off of it. Oh and you know that movie Heavyweights? Yea, the one with Ben Stiller are cracked out as a fitness instructor? Well, Brownstone has that thing in the movie that the kids fly off, just a wee bit smaller. Your friends will fall over after seeing you flail in the air. Just avoid the weekends if you can, I hear it gets packed and the waits are annoying. You'll get your moneys worth on a weekday. read more

Loved it! Kids had a blast! Zip lines were exhilarating! Lines were not too long on the weekdays. It's a good idea to bring your lunch and buy your tickets ahead of time. Don't forget to fill out your waivers online. read more

Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park - Amusement Parks Near Me - Portland, Connecticut

The kids loved it. You do need to be in shape as and adult to participate in the activities. The price was reasonable for the activities. We felt $22 for the non participants was too pricey. We wanted Grandma to come to watch all the kids but $22 was too much to sit at a picnic table all day. Zip lines are amazing. My oldest son said there were not many rules there and that made it more fun. We brought in coolers and food. If you want a good spot where you can lay your stuff out go early. We used the concession tables and no one chased us off. Got to the big zip line early because the line becomes longer as the day goes on. read more

Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park - Amusement Parks Near Me - Portland, Connecticut

Had no idea this place existed until a family member stumbled upon it one day and told me. Seemed like a neat place and turned out to be a lot of fun. Some of the floats and things are getting a little worn out but all and all it's a great way to get some exercise and have a fun time swimming. Went late in the season on a September Saturday, was a little cloudy so maybe that scared off some people but when I went to check out the place on labor day weekend, there were so many people they had to refuse new entries into the park. Would definitely recommend and return to, just be wary of the crowds. If it's a hot day there will probably be a ton of people. read more