Baton Rouge residents were able to jump for joy when trampoline park Area 51 Extreme Air Sports opened in April. Now, customers can jump a little more with new events and activities.
General manager Aaron Tucker moved from Colorado to open Area 51, an indoor trampoline park located at 10111 The Grove Blvd. It features more than 60 trampolines, along with foam pits and tight ropes, and open jump allows customers access to the entire park by the hour.
Apart from open jump, Area 51 offers Theme Night Thursdays on the first Thursday of the month. Themes include ’80s, dubstep, hip-hop, pajamas and sports. Guests are encouraged to dress up for theme nights. Tucker said to keep an eye on Area 51’s Facebook page for the each month’s theme.
“Tuesday nights from 6 to 9 p.m. are college night,” Tucker said. “[With your student ID] it gives you $3 off your jump time, so that’s a really great program.”
The park also offers weekend events. On Friday and Saturday nights, Area 51 turns off the lights, turns on the lasers and turns up the music to become Club51.
“The whole atmosphere completely changes,” Tucker said.
He said the location will soon be installing a subwoofer, which will enhance the club music experience. Area 51 employee Sebastian Pereira said participants love the glow wristbands they receive.
Area 51 rents the park to customers who would prefer to create their own events. Tucker said two LSU sororities have already rented out the facility.
Along with party-centric activities, the basis of the park allows guests to get a good workout. Those interested can take advantage of its fitness program, 51Fit.
“It’s a very dynamic workout,” Tucker said. “I’m quite confident it is unlike [any] fitness class that people have tried before.”
Pereira said the workout involves working the core, legs and a lot of cardio. Participants use the trampolines, foam pits and ninja obstacle courses.
The program can appear more like fun than fitness, but once customers start moving, the health benefits become apparent.
“When I tried it my first day, I was sore as can be,” Pereira said. “The first 10 minutes killed me.”
The park also offers group fitness activities. Tucker said the facility’s second dodgeball tournament will be coming up soon. Its last tournament was during the summer, and more than 30 teams participated.
No matter what the customers are interested in, employee Trisha Theriot said it’s a fun place for everyone to blow off some steam and have a good time.
“It’s just an all around fun place to be,” Theriot said. “It goes back to saying when you do something you love, it makes it all the better to be there.”

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Karen Welsh

Area 51 extreme air sports is a new trampoline activity spot located near the Mall of Louisiana which is fun for all ages.