Thrill and Chill Zone is a family entertainment center in New Town, North Dakota, on the Fort Berthold Reservation, and it is Indigenous-owned. The golf simulator sits alongside nine other attractions in one building. For a town this size, the range of what is packed inside is genuinely unusual.
The simulator lets you tee off on famous courses in a realistic indoor setting, which matters more here than in most places. North Dakota winters close outdoor golf for months. An indoor bay in New Town is one of very few ways to keep swinging between November and April without driving to Minot or Bismarck.
The attraction list is long. There is a laser tag arena with obstacles and lighting, a towering rock wall with multiple routes, a Sky Trail ropes course suspended above the floor, bowling lanes, a mini golf course, a basketball court, and an arcade that trades tickets for prizes. Private theater rooms round it out.
Those theater rooms are the detail worth flagging. They are small private cinemas you can book, which is not something most family fun centers offer. Combined with the party rooms, they make this a practical spot for a birthday or a team celebration rather than just a place to burn an afternoon.
The Bar and Grill handles food and drink between activities. It is set up for both a quick bite and a longer sit, and it keeps groups from having to leave the building mid-visit. That matters in New Town, where dining options within a short drive are limited.
Hours are the thing to plan around. The center is closed Monday and Tuesday. It opens from three to nine on Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday, and from eleven to nine on Friday and Saturday. Check before you drive, and note that the venue asks visitors to sign a waiver, which you can complete online in advance.
There is also a footwear policy, which the venue posts alongside its hours. That is standard for a place with a rock wall, a ropes course, and bowling lanes, but it catches people out. Closed-toe shoes are the safe assumption for anyone planning to use the climbing or trail attractions.
New Town sits on the shore of Lake Sakakawea in Mountrail County, in the heart of the Bakken region. The lake is one of the largest reservoirs in the country and draws anglers and boaters through the summer. Four Bears Bridge and the surrounding badlands scenery are close by.
Practical details are simple. Parking is free in the lot and on the street with on-site spaces available. Free Wi-Fi covers the building. The center is wheelchair accessible at the entrance, in the parking lot, and in the restrooms, and it is set up for kids with party services and arcade games.
The venue holds a 5.0-star Google rating, though across only five reviews, so treat that as a small sample rather than a verdict. For a golfer in western North Dakota, this is a rare indoor option in a region with very few. For coaching or a club fitting, you will need to look toward the larger cities.
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