I visited Flamingo Land with a group of friends last summer and had a great time. Like many of the…read morereviewers, I remember going as a child and I was not disappointed. We got the Coastliner bus from Leeds bus station - some of them call at Flamingo Land, which is quite handy - and the bus ticket gets you money off the entrance fee. It is a long bus journey though! There are a mixture of rides: some are really good (Velocity and Kumali were my favourites) and some are a bit tamer - there's a helter skelter and a carousel amongst others. I felt there were plenty of rides to keep us occupied for the whole day, and the queues weren't as big as they are at other theme parks. We did have a look round the zoo and I enjoyed the sea lion show, but the rides were the highlight for me. We made a point of going to see the flamingoes (it is flamingo land after all!)but were overpowered by the smell! However, I did like the cable car which travelled round the park, providing an aerial view of the rides and saving my weary legs! I would definately visit again.

We only got on 3 rides, the 1st one took nearly took 2 hours to get on because the queue was long…read more We tried going on sick and the fire alarm went off. Then we tried going on the volecity motorbike ride and it was raining and by the time we were going to go on it. The operator told us there was an issue with the ride.

A really icnonic amusements on Roker beach front…read more Very Very cheap, i don't think i have ever spent more than 30p on any kind of arcade game in there. There is even a cafe/chip shop where you can get tea, coffee or sausage and chips. Aswell as ice creams and cold drinks. Very friendly staff, always packed during the summer.

a good place to take the kids to on a rainy day - lots of 2p machines to keep them entertained for…read morea while at a low cost! good parking outside and cafes nearby when you get tired of gambling!

You may've seen the really annoying adverts for this one. I've never reached for my remote control…read moreso quickly in my life. Having said that, Lightwater Valley is a grand day out. Wow I sounded very Yorkshire even by my standards there. This is one of the more known amusement parks in the North and it will soon be open for the upcoming season. That means rides galore and silly funfair related fun. For the bigger kids (and we're included in that) there are ten adrenaline rides. We're not talking quite in the same realms as Alton Towers but they really aren't bad. The Ultimate used to be their crown in the jewel but you'll find other newer attractions to add to this now. It is still the longest rollercoaster in Europe though. For smaller people there are even more rides and I love the skate and go-karts. Ace fun regardless of your age. Everything is included in a one off admission as well so once you've shelled out to get in it's play time unlimited. The eateries are basic at best and very expensive so smuggle some pack lunch in. I also recommend trying to plan your visit around the school holidays as it does get very busy. That can't be helped and they will try getting you on the rides as quick as possible. An adult ticket costs £20 which for a day isn't too bad really. Family tickets are cheaper and they also have some special offers. Praiseworthy value for money. Bring on some oooohhhh and arghhhhs.

I want to step out of another closet here. I am a fun junkie. Ok I've said it!…read more In a previous life I was a regular visitor to theme parks as, sadly, it was part of my job. Because of this I gained a little experience of rides and theme park structure and i wish to bring all my awesome skills to bear in the case of Lightwater Valley. Discounting the great weather (which was a plus but for which I am giving LWV no credit) I am still enamoured of this wonderful place. We went for a family day out and being a family of 6 (now comprising 4 adults and 2 children) these trips are never as cheap as a miserly Yorkshireman would like but we had come by a discount voucher so admission for the whole family was £89.70. The pricing structure seems fairer than some other parks as it is based on height and therefore on how many rides a person can use (this is good as my son is quite petite for his age) A great selection of rides meant that every member of the family left happy (and in some cases quite shaken) and it's always a plus that the whole thing is set in nice countryside. I dropped a star because the catering (in common with most theme parks) lets them down portions being small and prices high. I couldn't finish without a word concerning the staff. I imagine that operating these rides over and over again can become quite disheartening and perhaps downright boring and indeed this is often clear by the facial expressions and demeanour of the staff but I am pleased to say that all the staff here seemed happy and even at the end of the day they allowed 'just one more ride' rather than sullenly chasing everyone away.

Namco Funscape sits within the Yellow Mall of intu Metrocentre - it's brilliant! Takes you back to…read morethose awkward teen years when you still couldn't quite go into the pub without it being bloomin' obvious you were nowhere near old enough (kids, just don't do it) and needed somewhere to entertain you and your mates. There's loads to do to while away some time, it's got penny arcades, dodgems, those funny machines where you dance on the floorpads in (or out) time to some god-awful Europop tune, air-hockey, pool tables, a bar and (my personal fave) ten-pin bowling. Which is where this review now ventures. Now, I like bowling and Newcastle has a few bowling alleys dotted around, sadly the XS up at Longbenton is no more and there's still one in Fenham which looks like it has seen better days. Lane7 is good if you're after swish U-S-of-A style atmosphere, but it's string bowling (pins dangle on strings) which just ain't quite the same. So, if you're after that authentic bowling experience, I'd recommend you head over to Namco. 18 lanes of proper bowling fun, 8 of which are partitioned off into 'The Lounge', you can now bowl in your own shoes (flat soled only, sorry ladies) which is a slightly bizarre experience, but one you get used to. They still have a stock of actual bowling shoes, just in case. It's always very well maintained here, the balls are returned to the racks in size order so you're not taking ages hunting for the right weight, the lanes are in great condition and (so far) I've never had the pin-setter go wonky and breakdown. You also get lane service for drinks, keeps you nicely refreshed as you chalk up another strike. Some great offers to be had, such as on Wednesday and Sunday evenings when you can get 3 games for £6 (after 6pm). So pull on those retro shirts and pants, get yourself down and prove that you're 'The Dude' or 'Kingpin' after all.

This is an amusements arcade located next to the main fairground in South Shields. It is often…read moreplagued by chavs (though they are an integral part of British society and I guess there's nothing you can do to get rid of them!) which is a shame really. It has all the typical things you'd find in an amusements such as fruit machines, etc etc. They have a small kiosk which sells fish and chips which are very nice, and also sells other typically fairground snacks like candyfloss. I believe they are currently working on installing a new bowling alley in fact it may already be finished which should attract a wider audience to the area.

This isn't a massive Place like Blackpool pleasure beach or anything, more of a fair with rides…read morelike Bumper Cars, Waltzers, a small rollercoaster, hook a duck and 3 or 4 small arcades with Teddy Machines etc. There is also a couple of cafes on site, and a fish and chip shop. Also there is the Dunes arcade which as a Bowling Alley and Bar Restaurant that does reasonable priced pub food off the specials board and good priced kids meals. The Fair is also attached to the Pier if you fancy a nice stroll, the beach is also quite clean here. Over the road from Ocean Beach Pleasure Park is a lovely park with large boating lake.