It’s laser tag, 16-lanes of bowling, a ropes course, an indoor playground, private karaoke room, and a sprawling arcade with 65 games. Oh, and there’s a full-service restaurant with a bar and a 4,000-square-foot beer garden.
“It’s entertainment for everyone from 2 to 82,” said Eric Shirley, one of the people who has been working to bring this project to fruition for more than two years.
Now, High Tides & Good Vibes is set to open Dec. 13 at 13971 N.C. 50 in Surf City.
“We saw both a need for the community, and for the people who visit the island every year,” he said.
What is it?
As you enter the 40,000-square-foot complex, you’ll see a hand-painted mural and a VW bus, beyond that there’s a ropes course that takes people along the ceiling near the three-story indoor kids’ playground.
“It’s really cool,” Shirley said. “It’s got these pneumatic pumps like the old bank tellers. They put these Nerf balls in, and it sucks them all over the place and you can blast them with Nerf Blasters.”
Among the games is a seven-minute interactive movie / video game simulation where the seats move while you’re shooting. There are also bays for projection darts, axe throwing and sports like golf. The two-story laser tag arena has a theme where a group of surfers find buried treasure, who are then attacked by zombie pirates among sea skeletons and black lights.
In the bowling area, an LED screen television screen spans the 12 lanes that can be changed with the click of a button, including one that allows player avatars to interact with one another. There’s also a four-lane VIP area that can be booked for private events.
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What about the food?
The Boardroom on-site bar and restaurant will serve elevated versions of the favorites, Shirley said. They’ve set the scene with a cream-and-wood interior lined with Brazilian hardwood planter boxes filled with foliage. Chef Shannon Pitts, whose culinary background includes working on Figure Eight Island, leads the kitchen.
“He’s a fantastic chef who has won awards for his brisket,” Shirley said. “And he makes phenomenal wings.”
The menu will also include craft burgers, wood-fired pizzas, and a variety of different handhelds and appetizers. Look for 12 local beers on tap, including three selections from the Salty Turtle Beer Company and three from Surf City Brewing Company.
Outside, there’s an 18-foot covered stage in the beer garden with another huge LED screen that will be a place to gather for both live music and sporting events.
Their grand opening is a Christmas Extravaganza, that feature some ticketed events like a Jolly Burn workout at 10 a.m. and a cookie-and-beer pairing later in the day. The schedule also includes a visit from Santa at noon and an ugly sweater competition in the evening.
Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her at [email protected].
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.starnewsonline.com ’
