[Updated on March 16th, to reflect the venue’s new name] Previously under the name Flip Out London, Pinball Republic London is a place where you can play a large number of pinball machines, all at the price of an entry fee. If you are a pinball fan, this club is a place where you can really play a variety of machines, and unlike arcades at the pier, it doesn’t cost you 25p or even a pound a go.
Dann and I have done escape room style games and escape rooms before, ourselves, but never have we done a real life escape room with the kids! When looking for fun activities we could get the children to on the weekends, Si5 SpyMissions came up, with a branch in Chelmsford. This branch of Si5 SpyMissions offered quite a few different age groups, as well as a family package that could accommodate all ages along with a guide. As we have children ages 5 to 11, we figured this guided family package was the best fit for our family, and went off!
We love exploring new places to eat, and when it comes to food, we are a huge fan of Japanese styled food, especially when there are plenty of different small plates to try out. A new restaurant opened up in Epping, called Yakimono Robata, which describes itself as Japanese Tapas. When we saw Yakimono Robata opening up, in a town that we often drive through, we had to stop in and see if it was any good!
We ended up getting the Premium Tasting Menu, which is 80£ for two. This contains a bunch of courses that come when they are ready, covering different fish, vegetables, and meats. We ended up swapping one dish out, which they were happy to do for us, and had a great time eating everything there. This tasting menu is split between us both, with tasting plates in front of us!
Soft Play is a particular favourite, especially when the weather takes a cold, rainy turn during the British winter times. We have tried out a few different soft play areas, with our own favourite landing at 360 Play Basildon. This area has a bunch of different activities to do, which really does keep the kids busy, while the adults can chill on sofas or at tables, working on their computers. As both of us work from home, half terms and days off of school fit perfectly into the realm of soft play, where everyone can have a good time while getting out of the house.
360 Play Basildon has this entire motto about playing with your children and engaging with them – with all of the buildings and objects being parent friendly as well. You can choose to let your kids run about while waiting at a spot – but the wifi is a bit spotty so it’s hard to completely connect and work. There is also a massive outdoors area, by the looks of things, which include paddle boats, small shops and a sand area, but the weather hasn’t been good enough for those to be open on days when we go.
The National Trust is an organisation that maintains various gardens and historical properties throughout England. Many of the places within the National Trust are free to visit, but some do cost fees or have car park fees nearby them to help maintain them. We ended up getting a National Trust membership, which allows us to park in carparks for free, go to a bunch of places that do cost, and otherwise attend National Trust seasonal events. There is a lot on in the National Trust, and many places to visit. As we live in the Essex area, we decided to explore as many of the local National Trust sites as we could, and we’ve picked out a bunch of our favorites from our county and the bordering ones! Let’s get into our list of the best National Trust Sites in Essex and the surrounding areas.
Continue reading “Best National Trust Sites in Essex and the Surrounding Areas”
