If you’re planning a big family gathering, a birthday party for your child, or another event with lots of other people, you’ll need a fantastic venue at which to host your guests and make sure everyone is comfortable and having fun. That’s why Crème de la Crème of Carmel has compiled this list of some of the best family-friendly party venues in and around Carmel, Indiana. So the next time you need a great place to host an event, try one of these five local party destinations.

BASH

“Decorate your own cupcakes.” licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Flickr by erink_photography

If you’re looking for an event space that caters to practically any party you may throw, then BASH is sure to be your local go-to venue. This versatile, 4,000-square-foot space can host seated and standing events, including weddings, cocktail hours, bridal and baby showers, anniversary parties, birthday parties, graduation parties, and practically any other event you can think of.

You can choose to plan the event yourself, or trust the venue’s planning services to take your party dreams and make them a reality. For family functions with both kids and adults, choose from a cash bar, full-service bar, or BYOB. Get food from one of their partnering local restaurants, or cater your own potluck meal instead. That choice, and many more, are yours to make in this multifunctional event space.

BASH is located at 1235 Keystone Way South in Carmel.

Goldfish Swim School

In addition to high-quality swim lessons for kids of all ages, Goldfish Swim School also offers awesome pool parties for group outings and birthdays. You can book a two-hour party package that includes private access to the pool and a party room, certified lifeguards to provide extra eyes on water-based activities, and complimentary cupcakes and drinks for the kids. You also don’t have to worry about decorations because Goldfish Swim School has you covered — they provide tableware, chairs, and tables as well as themed decorations like centerpieces and balloons.

This would be a great option for a kid born in winter, fall, or spring when it’s typically too cold for a pool party, and summer birthdays and get-togethers at Goldfish Swim School mean beating the heat outside. Book your any-season family party or gathering at Goldfish Swim School, located at 271 Merchants Square Drive Suite A-110 in Carmel.

Bongo Boy Music School

Bongo Boy Music School offers more than just drum-based music classes; they also do rockin’ kids’ parties that are sure to get everyone, adults included, moving and grooving. Host a drum circle for children ages 4 and up and throw a birthday party or a get-together with friends or cousins from out of town that no one will ever forget.

A Bongo Boy Music party is 90 minutes of music-filled fun, perfect for the little musician in your family or kids who just get a kick out of banging on drums and dancing. It also helps if parents are cool with the noise, too. Choose between two party options: the regular Drum Circle Party includes the festivities, tables, and tableware for all the guests, while the Deluxe Drum Circle Party has all that plus cake, pizza, snacks, drinks, and balloons. You can also get a pinata and party favors for a little extra.

Bongo Boy Music School is located at 8481 Bash St. Unit 1100 in Indianapolis.

Splash Island at Plainfield Recreation Center

Head a little way out of town for a different kind of water-filled fun at Splash Island in Plainfield. This place offers more thrilling pool party action with water slides, obstacle courses, water guns, a lazy river, pool basketball, a 500-gallon tipping bucket, and much more. Plus, there’s a wide variety of party packages to choose from to fit your party’s needs and budget.

You can book the whole indoor aquatic center all day, with a minimum of six hours, or the entire park, both indoor and outdoor facilities, for two hours or more. If you need a place to eat between rides on the slides, reserve a meeting or banquet room. Bring your own food or grab snacks at the concession stands, which serve pizza, sandwiches, pretzels, hot dogs, ice cream, and more. And, if you’re a member or local resident, you get some great deals on all party package options.

It’s important to note that only spring and summer parties can use the outdoor pool and splash zones in addition to indoor facilities, while winter and fall parties only get access to the indoor aquatic center since Indiana winters get cold and snowy in the off-season. Reach out to Splash Island at Plainfield Recreation Center, located at 651 Vestal Road in nearby Plainfield.

Kiln Creations

Kiln Creations, formerly known as Half Baked Pottery, is a fantastic family-friendly destination for any group of artists. Since they cater to both kid parties and adult parties, you can book your little Picasso’s or Kahlo’s birthday party here and have both parents and kids paint at the same time, or just bring adult friends and family for a bachelorette party, friends night out, date night, or adults-only get-together.

At a Kiln Creations party, there are a variety of packages and pricing options to choose from so you can host the party you want. Generally, kids can pick any item, like a bowl or figurine, at or below a specific price and paint it however they like within 1.5 hours. Then, these pottery pieces stay at the shop to get glazed and fired in a kiln to become a finished masterpiece. When the pieces are ready for pickup, every piece is wrapped and labeled with the child’s name and each child gets a gift certificate to use next time they visit.

Adult events come in the form of bachelorette parties, baby showers, or any other gathering, and you can host at the studio or have them come to you. No matter which type of party you have, you get a studio host who assists in preparing the space, teaching everyone painting techniques, and cleaning up.

You can find Kiln Creations at 6511 Ferguson St. in Broad Ripple, Indiana.

There you have it, five of the best family-friendly party venues in and around the Carmel, Indiana, area. Did we miss any of your family’s favorite local places to host a party, group gathering, or other event? If so, contact Crème de la Crème of Carmel to let us know. We’ll be sure to add it to our growing list!