Gramado: get to know NBA Park, Snowland and Space Adventure – 06/28/2023 – Tourism

It had been more or less ten years since Fábio Silva, 40, and Michele Cristina Santos Silva, 37, had not visited Gramado, one of the main cities in the mountainous region of Rio Grande do Sul. Back to the place this year, the couple from Limeira (SP) came across a scenario that seemed as beautiful to them as the last time. But something had changed.

“We noticed that the city was still impressive for its beauty and cleanliness, but there is no comparison.

Now there is much more movement and more attractions”, he says. The day before, the couple had taken their daughter Lívia, 4, to Vila da Mônica, one of the theme parks that took over the city in the last decade.

While she was having fun with Mauricio de Sousa’s characters, her parents enjoyed Parque Terra Mágica Florybal, which is located in neighboring Canela, but was created by one of the most famous chocolate brands in the region.

Historically linked to a bucolic imaginary of cold weather, chocolate and romanticism —in addition to the national film festival—, Gramado has also become a center for a variety of amusement parks.

The region was even chosen to house an unprecedented development linked to the NBA, the American basketball league. In the 4,000 square meters of NBA Park, opened in April, it is possible to play on an official court, jump tied to giant rubber bands, compare your size to that of players and enjoy spaces with electronic games, food and consumption.

According to Sérgio Perrella Filho, Vice President of Licensing and Retail for the NBA for Latin America, the number of more than 7.5 million tourists per year and the excellence in hospitality and gastronomy weighed in favor of the city in Rio Grande do Sul. In addition, he cites the region’s tradition of good service.

“All these attributes made the city the ideal place to house the first NBA Park in the world. We have no doubts that it is a model with the potential to be replicated in large capitals, in other countries”, he says.

According to the Secretary of Tourism for Gramado, Luia Barbacovi, the proliferation was spontaneous —there was no incentive from the public authorities— and accelerated from 2014, with the inauguration of Snowland. The success of the attraction aroused interest in the type of project that, in some cases, involves a long construction period and an investment of more than R$ 100 million.

Snowland wants to reproduce the feeling of having snow in Gramado. Whether winter or summer, the indoor park maintains the temperature, which reaches -5°C in the coldest area. There are 11 attractions including artistic presentations, video games and ice sports, of course, such as skating, skiing and snowboarding. There are 16 thousand meters of park, half under snow.

Another attraction that also challenges the weather conditions is AcquaMotion, which goes against the grain of Snowland. Inaugurated in 2021, the four-story water park features a surreal setting, with slides, thermal pools at 36°C and even an artificial beach with waves. Finally, there is an infinity pool on the edge of the mountains, of the instagrammable type.

Although the secretary attributes the boom in parks to Snowland, the pioneering venture bears a local stamp. In 2011, the first sculptures of Parque Terra Mágica Florybal were inaugurated, inspired by the imaginary conceived by the brand Florybal Chocolates. It is a fantastic universe in which fairies, elves and dinosaurs live side by side.

All surrounded by a very striking location, as the park is set in 69,000 square meters of native forest.

Vila da Mônica, on the other hand, had to wait almost two years for its opening, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, until it was finally inaugurated, in October 2022.

In an area of ​​25 thousand square meters, the famous Limoeiro neighborhood is recreated, where the characters created by Mauricio de Sousa live. In all, there are more than 30 attractions, which take turns between pleasing the smallest and rescuing the affective memory of the parents. The highlight is the Casa do Louco, a labyrinth of optical illusions and special effects.

Last May, neighboring Canela, also in the Serra Gaúcha, gained a more adult structure, the Space Adventure Park, or, as it became known, Nasa Park.

Licensed by the US space agency, the park is aimed at fans of astronomy and space exploration. In 4,000 square meters, you can see how the Houston control room works, part of an Apollo capsule, learn all about the moon landing in a full-size module and experience the physical sensation of taking off in a rocket.

All this proliferation of theme parks served to diversify the public in Gramado —now, more families, compared to traditional couples without children— and, to boot, increase the average length of stay and the values ​​consumed in the city.

A survey carried out by the city hall throughout 2022 supports this perception. The number of tourists who declared being in the city with children is 30.6%, already close to the number of couples, 34.6%.
Most tourists stay in the city between 4 and 5 days (38%), a number already well above that of those looking for weekend accommodation only (2 to 3 days, 20%). Another 29% have a period of stay between 5 and 7 days.

The survey also reveals that 34% of those who passed through the city spent more than R$ 1,000 per day (including accommodation). This is by far the most numerous track.

About 6% of those surveyed rated their experience in Gramado as negative. Of those, 35% cited price as the main reason. Traffic was also mentioned, with 14%, an aspect that has worsened in recent years. Incidentally, there are rare times when parking is available on the streets, even paid ones.

Amusement park rides are one of the reasons for the rising costs of family trips, as tickets to the most popular attractions cost between R$ 150 and R$ 200 — and prices are also steep in restaurants, bars and the like . A fondue sequence at the traditional Maison de La Fondue, for example, ranges from R$162 to R$239 per person, depending on the meat chosen by customers.

For those who want to spend less, it’s worth staying tuned for advance purchases on theme park websites, promotions and websites that offer discount coupons for tours and restaurants.

The number of visitors to Gramado only decreased in 2020, the year of the Covid-19 pandemic, but even so, there were 5.7 million tourists. The following year, there were 6.8 million and, in 2022, 7.5 million – more than 60% of them outside the South region. For 2023, the forecast is to exceed the mark of 8 million visitors.

The high winter season also influences the cost of accommodation in the city, which offers 24,800 beds. Thus, neighboring municipalities in the mountains benefit, such as Canela, Picada Café, Nova Petrópolis and São Francisco de Paula, which offer over 7,500 beds, part of them in smaller enterprises, such as inns and huts. They are good options at more affordable prices.

The most distant cities —Nova Petrópolis and São Francisco de Paula— are about 45 km from Gramado.

Serra Gaúcha Parks

AcquaMotion Gramado Termas Park
Attractions include thermal pools, water slides, beach with artificial wave and observation deck

Est. Mun Linha Ávila, r. Linha Carazal, 501, Gramado. Phone: (54) 3050-1700. From R$ 149.90 for individual entry (adult). More information here.

NBA Park
Venue includes official basketball court, shooting practice, skills challenge, giant trampoline pitch, video games and museum

Av. das Hydrangeas, 4795, Carniel, Gramado. Phone: (54) 3699-3000. From R$ 159 for individual entry (adult). More information on the website

Terra Mágica Florybal Park
In a large native forest park, explore a fantastic universe inhabited by fairies, elves and dinosaurs, with giant scenery and sculptures. There are also attractions like a 7D cinema
(not included in ticket)

RS-466 Highway, 1630, Jardim dos Pinheiros II, Canela (also in Gramado). From R$ 150 for individual entry (adult). More information on the website

snowland
Indoor park with artificial snow and 11 attractions, including skating, snowboarding, skiing, snow mountain and video games

RS-235, R. Linha Carazal, 9009, Gramado. Phone: (54) 3050-1700. From R$ 199.90 for individual entry (adult). More information on the website

Space Adventure
Licensed by NASA, it brings immersive experiences, an exhibition with more
of 300 original items from the space programs, replica of the control room, reproduction of the Apollo 11 capsule and takeoff simulator for the Moon, among others

Av. Don Luiz Guanella, 960, Vila Suiça, Canela. From R$ 99.90 for individual entry (adult). More information here

Monica’s Village
Among the attractions, inspired by the universe created by Mauricio de Sousa, it is possible to visit the Casa do Louco
(a labyrinth of optical illusions), Franjinha’s laboratory, Marina’s studio and the home of the main characters in the Limoeiro neighborhood

R. Germano Boff, 611 – Carazal, Gramado. Phone: (54) 3421-9999. From R$ 179 for individual entry (adult). More information on the website