A Carousel for Missoula

This place is so amazing and the people who run it are so kind. Our grandma is in a wheel chair and they kindly had accommodations to safely get her on the ride in her wheel chair to ride with her grand daughter. She said her best memories as a little girl were riding the carousel and she was so happy to relive those memories with us. We absolutely will be back

I love carousels. This one is well maintained and generates smiles for young, old, and young at heart! Each pony has a history, and there is a lot of history about the making of the carousel on site as well. There is a lovely little gift shop where I was able to purchase an ornament of the pony rode. It is also located next to the riverwalk, so you can take a stroll or a swim. If you're in Missoula, you should visit this place.

Zach (one of the carousel attendants) was amazing! My son was scared to get on at first, and Zach did his very best to encourage my son to get on. After my son saw the ride a few times, he decided to get on. He started on a horse that didn't go up and down, and he loved it. Zach then encouraged him to try one that went up and down for his last ride. My son agreed with a smile and a high five. He loved it! Zach went above and beyond to encourage a shy/scared boy to have a fun time! Thank you, Zach!

Beautiful carousel, but heartbreaking to see so many dead birds outside. I visited today and found three dead birds that had flown into the mirrored walls surrounding the carousel. This can’t be the first time. Mirrors confuse birds because they reflect the sky and trees, making them think they can fly through. Please, this needs to be fixed. Stickers alone won’t solve the problem. Why not invite the community to paint over the mirrors with something creative and beautiful that still keeps the carousel’s charm while saving the birds’ lives? I’ll gladly take down this review when the issue is addressed — but until then, it’s too sad to ignore.

This was the highlight of my kiddo's week. He had so much fun. It is only $1 for kids and $2 for adults! We rode it twice! The elderly man running it made it so much fun for my kiddo the way he interacted with him!! The playground outside is amazing! We didn't want to leave!

Our little one loved the Carrousel for Missoula. The carrousel itself is amazing. Clean, neat and very fast. But more than that, the playground and area around it is amazing too. We had lots of fun.

A fun, historic place that's fun for the while family! The carousel rides are super affordable at $1-2 per ride. The horses are beautiful and the history totally interesting. We loved it!

Such a neat place with so many ways to enjoy the time!! Just had my child’s birthday there and was extremely satisfied! Haley and Shaun did such an amazing job with catering to myself and the party guests!! 100% perfection!! Thank you to the team and Tracy for making this private party possible!!

Cute little restored carousel in downtown Missoula, well worth the very reasonable price, even have the grab the ring feature, easy when it's slow but a little Harder as the carousel picks up speed !

Kids had an absolute blast riding the carousel. They loved trying to grab the rings. They wanted to ride it over and over.

Daughter's 4th birthday party was a lifelong memory!!! Certainly the unique craftsmanship of each horse, the antiquity, the entire ambiance, and enthusiasm of each employee. Clean, spacious, courteous; historic gem. Family friendly place thats perfect all year round. From booking, to tearing down decorations, everybody deserves 10 stars. Jeff is a one of a kind human who really made it such a memorable experience for everyone, certainly the birthday girl. Hailey was so sweet and helpful, I am forever thankful to the staff for such a beautiful seamless experience. I have no doubt my little will want to celebrate at the Carousel again. Worth every penny!

This carousel is a must for both adults and kids of all ages! We have been coming here since 2006 and my daughter insists to come here every year on her birthday. The horses on the carousel are all hand carved and each is different than the next. The carousel is situated adjacent to Caras Park, right along the Clark Fork River. During the warmer months, the walls open up and you can see in from outside. This is one of the faster carousels in the United States and is definitely at the top of my list for the fastest carousels I, myself have been on. As you walk in, there is a gift shop directly to your right where you can purchase fun souvenirs, toys, and other items. There is also a separate little area that accommodates birthday parties. Just next door is Dragon Hollow Park. Kids can have fun on the carousel and then go outside and play on the newly renovated playground. It's a win-win for both parents and children!

$3.00 for 1 adult & 1 child. Next door is a toddler & big kids climbing structure for free.

Awesome place to go for the family beautiful hand carved horses and things faster than you think it would be

Loved this ride Only downfalls are 1. They need smaller rides for the Littles at least they have seatbelts so when we went they were buckled in for safety 2. The staff were nice/lines weren't long at all and quick to get in to the ride 3. The gift shop is nice and small however the problem with that is with the purchases with the card and everything you have to do a surcharge/fee of anything at $4.50 and or $5 so I was buying 3 waters and because I used card I had to get a couple more items but at first the lady who served me the first time was super nice but never said anything about the surcharge anyways the list goes on

My nine year old is REALLY into Playgrounds lately. So when I knew Missoula was on our road trip list, I searched and decided we better come here for the playground and the bonus carousel. She is Already planning our next trip lol! She was to scared to try and grab the rings for a free ride token, but next time she said "her arms will be longer she will go for it!" I rode it with her twice and it was 5 Bucks! So nice to have something so affordable especially when you are on vacation and already have enough money going out! It was 93 degrees so we didn't play on the playground as long as we may have liked but it will be one for the memory books for sure! We also went to the over look and watched some surfers and kyakers. And there's a bench along the trail, heading from the park to the water overlook, that is perfect For getting a picture of your family and the M on the mountain! Yes!!!!!!

Love coming here with my toddler. Not only is the carrousel ride affordable but they just plain love it. To see the excitement on his his face is priceless. After the ride make sure to go to the playground which is one of the best around. When you're done head up the hill to the Tamarack brewery or down the trail to watch others battle "The Wave." The carrousel is in great condition and although it's not a Louff it's pretty amazing. Find your favorite and hold on tight, this one whips around pretty quick. Fasten your seatbelt and reach for the golden ring!

Amazing playground for kids 1.5 and up. Our 2.5 year-olds loves the wooden structure and slides. Free is a great price and there are good places to eat nearby.

Carousel was great, desk lady not so much. I had my 6 week old baby strapped to me and she literally made me pay for my baby to ride the carousel. Also it goes really fast and my 4 year old almost flew off.

What a sight!!! It was not only a gorgeous carousel but the location with the river behind it was a nice touch! This is the third fastest carousel in the US reaching speed of 8 mph which was very very cool! So happy o got to experience it!

When is a carousel more than a carousel? When you're in Missoula. Their carousel goes above and beyond ordinary and is a special part of the town. It opened in 1995 after local volunteers put hundreds of thousands of hours of work into building everything. And I mean everything - it was a local's idea to build this and one local who spearheaded the project and provided a lot of the mechanics required to make it work; then it was other locals offered the time and money to paint and build and fund everything that had to be done. The result is an incredible and distinctive carousel that has a huge array of horses, many of which feature a design that was chosen by the person who sponsored that horse's construction. You won't find a single duplicate anywhere in it. There're also a couple oddities, such as a dragon, that you can ride. Then in addition to this there's gargoyles, mirror frames, and more decorating the entire building. Oh, and a working band organ - how else can you have a true working carousel? Not only is the whole thing absolutely gorgeous, it's also wicked fast. Well, not dangerously fast, but by comparison to the average carousel it's pretty swift - it's one of the only carousels where they require you to wear a belt since it's easy to slip off the side of your horse as you go. There's also a mini-game where riders on the outside ring can grab rings dangling from a decorative dragon's mouth - whoever grabs the last (brass) ring wins a free ride. The result of all of this is a cool place that even my own family has spent several hours at together - note that my family is comprised entirely of adults and teenagers (plus one not-quite-two-year-old at the time of my last visit here). Fun, unique, gorgeous, and enjoyable for everyone? Definitely a 5-star experience in my book!

If you are in the Missoula area and are searching for something for your kids to do, this is the place to be. There is an extremely cute carousel complete with authentic pipe organ music. The fee for riding was .25. Adjacent to the carousel are two great playgrounds. One for toddlers and another for older kids. The entire area, including the bathrooms, is clean and safe and fun for the kids.

Great family fun in Missoula. Inexpensive entertainment. Supports downtown. Next to the river.

Love this old timey, charming slice of Americana. Nestled in a park, the carousel was bustling with children and their parents, grandparents and nannies. It was so cute to listen to the children picking out the horse they were going to ride with while waiting in line. Their voices were filled with excitement and anticipation. I can't remember seeing a carousel that actually has a brass ring to grab but this one does. In fact, my adult daughter had never even heard of it. You get a free ride if you grab it. Hours are a bit loosey goosey. The sign actually says that it will open by a certain time but it could open earlier.

Love the story about the maker of the carousel and the promise to/from the city of Missoula to take care of it. It's very inexpensive for kids-- just 75 cents to ride and has a brass ring that kids can try to grab to win a free ride. Not much else to do in the immediate area, and has inexact hours in summertime, but definitely a must-do if in Missoula with kids! Very much a local highlight.

To reiterate some other reviewers, this is NOT a typical carousel. It goes insanely fast. My kids (4 and 7) almost got whipped off from the impact and I was nauseous AF when I got off. That said, it's probably a great time for older kids and there is a cute playground right next door.

I wasn't sure I'd enjoy this, but it's a really unique and fun attraction right in the heart of Missoula. It's filled with history, inexpensive, and provides a good laugh for people of all ages. In an interesting twist, there is a dragon beside the carousel whose mouth is filled with rings. As the carousel soars by, one reaches for the rings, and the person who grabs the last, golden one gets a free ride! There is a gift shop on site, as well as a concession stand with nice lemonade. Give it a go!

What a great attraction this carousel is! My granddaughters and their cousins love to come here and get a ride on one of the beautiful horses. Added to the joy of the carousel is that amazing Dragon Hollow park right next door. I love that the structures are crafted so that adults can easily enjoy the adventure with their little ones. There's so much exploring to do, with climbing and traversing bridges, looking out turrets, swinging, sliding. Our 3 year old and 18 month old granddaughters both had a blast running around this park to find the next adventure. The setting isn't half bad either, with that river nearby and a view to the city of Missoula. We went on a weekday and the parking was easy. I love that the city of Missoula is taking care of their youngest residents in such a fun way.

This is a super cool fun thing to do if you are in Missoula! This is not just a carousel, it is a SUPER FAST carousel!!! They seatbelt you on, then whip you around at near light speed, making the paint on the walls blur and your eyes water. Okay, not quite that fast, but it chugs along a pretty good clip for a carousel. It is nestled in a park. I went during a Sunday in the spring, and it wasn't too crowded. There were the usual suspects, mostly in strollers and dribbling snot. Then there the three of us. We bought two tokens *I believe* at like .50 a piece to ride. You could ride on the outside of the carousel and try to grab the golden ring from the dragon's mouth if you wanted to be adventurous. Probably one of the neatest things about this ride is that it was funded and built by the community. Many artists came together to help carve, paint, and decorate the carousel itself and the carve the horses. They even have volunteers creating and repairing horses through a window. There are bright colored murals all over the wall with villages and magic and dragons and happy children. The horses are all just beautiful. You go into the giftshop and you can buy a postcard with your horse on it! I thought that was so neat. I knew my money was going to a really cool cause also. When you leave the carousel, there is a great little park outside call Totland. It had a pretty sweet jungle gym thingy going on with a piratical theme. Good for the little ones or for some screwball 20 somethings who were extremely bored and hungover in Missoula on a Sunday where NOTHING IS OPEN ON SUNDAY. We wanted to claw our eyes out, and then we found this. So cool. Go ride it, relive your childhood, and donate to a great cause!

You're never too old for a carousel ride! :D We were the only ones there on a weekday morning and had our pick of mounts, and it was hard to choose bc they are all so beautiful. If you enjoy carousels then you will love this! As a bonus it goes much faster than other carousels I've ridden. Ride on the outside to grab for the golden ring and a free ride. the carousel is well-maintained, the staff courteous, and the whole thing is indoors so you can ride in any eeather

Fun place to bring my grandkids when they come to town. A little fast for my liking but still great to see the smiles on kids faces. I recommend this

Seriously who doesn't love a carousel? It makes your inner child want to come out and play. Had the best time with my bestie here on a Saturady afternoon. We were the only "adults" on our ride, but since we acted like we were 5 it was ok. I loved all the fun different styles of horses, even a dragon! Reasonable prices to ride and I love that it is right next to the park and river...made for a fun & relaxing afternoon.

I was expecting a tourist trap. I was expecting Disneyland prices to ride a Carousel. I was expecting long lines. I was dead wrong. I arrived minutes after they opened and I paid for our ride (Three tokens, $2.25 for two kids and one adult). When we walked out of the gift shop, the Carousel had already started, so we queued in line and were now the second set of people to ride it for the day. We rode the ride one time around. My four-year-old daughter loved it, she rode a horse she named "Rose" and my two year old and I sat in the chariot with the comfortable chair. Afterwards we played in the neighboring playground, which was a bit chaotic, but both my girls left with a smile. Overall, it was a great experience, something I would not hesitate doing again in the future.

Very cool city feature although it went way too fast for me. The kids loved it and the park next store

They saved a carousel in Missoula and for '2.25 (ages 16-55), you can ride for a few minutes. It will whip you around so buckle up. Afterwards you can buy souvenirs in the gift shop or walk along the riverfront. On Thursday in the summer head to the food tents nearby.

I'm 45, and I like riding on the carousel. It really is fun. be sure to get a horse on the outside so you can try to get the golden ring! Keep in mind that each horse is hand-carved. very beautiful work! i recommend this for kids of all ages. :)

We loved riding this. Fast carousel. Had to wear a leather belt for safety. Game where you try to grab a golden ring from a dragons mouth. If you get the golden ring you get a free ride. Have to get on outside horse to try to grab. It was fun. Only $5 for 2 kids and 2 adults to ride it.

Loved this place! Stopped while traveling and ended up spending two hours here! Kids loved the carousel and play area. Cute little gift shop as well. It's a cheap way to have some fun!

This was one of the highlights of our winter trip to Missoula. My 4 year old Niece loved it. We rode too. There were only a few other people so we could chose any of the beautiful handmade ponies we wanted to ride. It was only 75 cents for kids to ride so we did it several times. It's fast and fun ride.

This is not your grandfather's carousel. It's a super-charged wheel of fun. I like the variety of colored horses to choose from and the fact that if you sit on the outside you can try to pull a golden ring out of a dragon's mouth. Be careful though. This baby moves! The park outside is one of the coolest things this old dog has seen in a while. It's an enchanted castle you can climb through. Not your typical run of the mill playground with monkey bars etc. my kids loved it. If you ever find yourself in Missoula this is a must see attraction. Just be ready to drag your kids outta here kicking and screaming 'cuz they won't want to leave. The staff here are pretty awesome too!

The carousel is so beautiful and we love the playground but we waited 2 hours for my nephew to try and ride the dragon. There was a birthday party going on and the kids in the birthday party just stayed on the carousel forever. They never had to leave to get back in line. Just a suggestion, but maybe give some other kids a turn. Especially since there is only one dragon and we're from out of town.

A beautiful carousel that has a great back story. We were visiting family and looking for something to do so decided to give this a try. We were easily able to get tokens to ride and got on out horses. We had the belts on wrong but were corrected. I was a little surprised they took the belts so seriously but as soon as the ride started I understood. This is the fastest carousel I have ever been on! My daughter was scared and almost started crying saying it was too scary, about halfway through she opened her eyes and enjoyed the rest of the ride. After she wanted to go again so that's a good sign.

Missoula is very lucky to have this place. Hand-carved horses, great location, and fun for kids (especially the older ones who can reach the rings). My only complaint is that because the music is so loud and the place is so colorful (all good thing for most people), I get sensory overload very easily. Probably has to do with the fact that I get motion sickness. I still had fun there today. My general rule is a two ride limit. Great place to take out of town guests! Dragon's Hollow is also great in the summer.

A wonderful attraction for young and old alike. My grandson's first carousel ride. The location is fantastic, however, the help while we were there were completely lacking any personality. Would have been better if the young man could have smiled, or at least acted like he wanted to be there. Assume if he acts like that all the time, he is a relative and didn't have to apply for the job.

The kids love both the carousel and Dragon's Hollow. Endless games of tag, obstacles for the older kids and slides for even the youngest kids. The horses on the carousel are fantastic, with different colors. There is even a dragon! We go quite often and sometimes I pay one token to ride the carousel with my young child and sometimes it's two. I never really know ahead of time. But Dragon's Hollow is free. If you're hungry, they will let you order food and have it delivered. Several pizza places or Jimmy John's will deliver.

Our kids love this place. We always have to go to the Dragon Hollow park and ride the carousel every time we are in town.

Fun place to visit! I was in town for a few days visiting family and we went to the carousel in missoula & it was a great time. Fun for kids and adults alike. Very affordable as well, I recommend if you need a fun thing to do while in Missoula!

I took my 5 year old here for a birthday party. Great fun for kids of all ages. I actually had fun riding it a coulple of times myself! Friendly staff and nice pricing, good time to spend with your kids and friends!