My kids love Adventure Island. We are lucky enough to live nearby and have been many, many times, but it never loses its appeal for them. This year, they were excited to go once it reopened, and when we got the opportunity to visit as part of our series of reviewing great days out in co-operation with Visit Essex, we all leapt at the chance!
Visiting in March means it’s a lot quieter in the summer, though even in busier times, it’s never too bad: queues can be long but it’s not like visiting some other theme parks. At this time of year, the kids get the opportunity to go on everything, multiple times, and to really make the most of it. If you’ve never been, Adventure Island kind of crosses the border between a fun fair and a theme park – you can choose to buy tickets to just go on a few rides, or for best value can buy a wristband which covers you for the whole day. What’s great is that these come in different colour bands for different ages/heights, so you don’t pay over the odds for small children who can’t go on everything. And there are plenty of smaller rides for younger children too!
All three of mine are now blue bands, which means they can go on pretty much everything (there are one or two exceptions, which are height based, but everything else is covered. And they really do go on everything! I love that they are just as excited to go on the Crooked House, which as been there since I was a child and it was called Peter Pan’s, to the brand new Screacher. My kids are 8, 12 and 14, and all have their favourites:
Dexter (aged 8)
- Rage
- Pharaoh’s Fury
- Ramba Zamba
- Green Scream
- Green Terror Tube
Iris (aged 12)
- Axis
- Rage
- Screature
- Ramba Zamba
- Green Scream
Felix (aged 14)
- Rage
- Screature
- Ramba Zamba
- Green Scream
- Archelon
As well as the rides, there are plenty of places to eat and drink, plus an Adventure Inside area which is great for cold or rainy days. Then of course some arcade games: the staple of any decent seaside resort! Adventure Island really is a great (and affordable day out, and one we will almost certainly be having again multiple times this year!
Visit Adventure Island – No 1 Theme Park in Southend on Sea, Essex for more information
