The O2 is an entertainment complex with a distinctive dome roof, located next to North Greenwich tube station in south east London. It's an iconic landmark that houses an arena, which hosts world famous entertainment and sporting events, but it's also a popular destination for outlet shopping, dining, and fun attractions. I visited with my husband and my two sons Odhran, 9, and Reuben, 6, on a Saturday afternoon in early March to see exactly what The O2 has to offer families...
THE ACTIVITIES
1. Up at the O2 and Easter in London
The first thing Reuben noticed when we arrived at The O2 was that were people scaling the dome shaped roof. If your family love a bit of adventure then Up at The O2 is an unforgettable climb that allows you to scale the iconic rooftop for breathtaking views. And for an Easter experience like no other, The O2 is relaunching its cupcake decorating workshop, as climbers get to decorate and eat delicious cupcakes while soaking in breathtaking, 360-degree views of the London skyline. The Easter-themed experience will take place on Saturday 12th, Sunday 13th, Saturday 19th, and Sunday 20th April, with two sessions available on each date at 3pm and 3:30pm. Tickets for the Easter cupcake decorating climbs are available now for £42 per person – the same price as a standard weekend Daytime climb, but also including additional time on the roof as well as one cupcake per climber.
2. Hollywood Bowl
We visited Hollywood Bowl where we got into the swing of things with a game of ten pin bowling, before trying duckpin bowling for the first time. We dined on a Family Feast deal of burgers and fries and a hotdog for Reuben, and my husband and I enjoyed a cheeky pint. The boys then spent a bit of cash in the arcade. Hollywood Bowl was busy and the atmosphere was lively. Pop star Sabrina Carpenter was performing at The O2 Arena on the night of our visit, so there was a buzzy atmosphere of fans gathering early for the concert.
3. iFly Indoor Skydiving
This wasn't our first visit to The O2, and on a previous visit, Odhran and Reuben got to try out iFly Indoor Skydiving, after being gifted the experience as a Christmas present from a family member. Step out of your comfort zone and experience the feeling of freefall without a parachute. Odhran loved this experience but Reuben was only aged 5 at the time and found it a bit too intense, though he has been asking to revisit and give it a go again.
4. Oxygen Activeplay
Another family-friendly attraction at The O2 is Oxygen Activeplay We love this giant trampoline park, which has lots of different areas for bouncing, climbing and soft play fun. Odhran and Reuben always enjoy a visit to Oxygen, it's one of those attractions most kids are guaranteed to find fun, and it's perfect for burning off all that energy.
5. Activate
The world's first active gaming facility opened at The O2 at the end of last year. It's a live-action gaming adventure with nine interactive game rooms, where you must take on both physical and mental challenges. It's suitable for groups of two to five and for ages 6+. There are different difficulty levels to challenge all abilities. So, it's an attraction you can enjoy with friends or as a family.
6. TOCA Social
If interactive football is your thing, then you might want to visit TOCA Social, which also offers a Little Ballers kids menu. There's no age limit at TOCA Social - as long as a child is old enough to kick a football, they can play. But kids under 18 are only allowed until 7pm Monday to Thursday, and before 4pm on Friday and Saturday. Kids are welcome all day on Sundays.
7. Clip 'n Climb
This is one of the latest additions to the wide range of family fun activities at The O2. The indoor climbing activity is for all abilities. Climbers must be four-years-old and above and a minimum weight of 15kg. We haven't tried Clip 'n Climb at The O2 but we have tired it at another shopping centre and it's a great way to reward the kids with a fun activity after dragging them round the shops.
8. Cineworld
Cineworld at The O2 has 19 screens, making it perfect for catching the latest family movie. It has special screens if you're looking for a memorable experience, including the Superscreen (Cineworld's largest auditorium in the UK) and a 4D cinema with moving seats, scents, water, fog and even snow). If it's a special occasion, you could even book a VIP experience with luxury recliners and an exclusive bar area.
9. The outlets
This was the first time we visited the outlet stores at The O2, and I was delighted to find that you can get up to 70% off RRP on over 60 designer brands. We were on a mission to find new trainers for the boys so we visited Nike and Adidas, before finding trainers we liked in the New Balance store. The boys trainers were less than half RRP at £24 each, and my husband couldn't resist picking himself up a discounted pair at £56. So, three pairs cost £104, which we thought was a really good price compared to the normal retail cost of New Balance trainers.
There are other shops kids will enjoy such as Claire's and the giant Lindt chocolate store, and you might find a pair of bargain school shoes at Clarks outlet. I was keen to check out Reiss and Next but the boys were insisting we move on to Haute Dolci, the exciting dessert spot I'd been promising. After sampling the outlets at The O2, I'm eager to return and grab myself a couple of bargains. It's also worth keeping an eye out for mid-season sales, when you can bag and even bigger discount!
10. The restaurants
The O2 caters to all tastes with a wide variety of restaurants to choose from, including lots of family-friendly restaurants and eateries that won't break the bank, such as Las Iguanas, Nandos, Zizzi, Kitchen Pizzeria, Five Guys and Slim Chickens. On a previous visit, we visited Snowflake Luxury Gelato, and can highly recommend. But on this occasion, we couldn't resist a visit to the Insta-favourite Haute Dolci for desserts that tasted as amazing as they looked. The venue is stylishly designed and offers mocktails, hot and cold drinks, a brunch menu and an evening menu. But we were there for the sweet treats. After careful consideration, I opted for one of their signature dishes - the San Sebastian Cheesecake. It arrived cold but served with a warm milk chocolate drizzling pot. The cheesecake was light and creamy and so tasty.
My husband chose An Offer She Can't Refuse - a fluffy waffle with strawberries, Belgian milk chocolate and Madagascan vanilla gelato. Odhran went with the Fabulous Ferrero milkshake and a pot of strawberries dripping in milk chocolate, Reuben chose the Very Berry pancakes, which were fluffy and came with fresh fruit and syrup. We all cleared our plates! Haute Dolci is a top recommendation when visiting The O2, I can't wait to return and try their signature Matilda Cake. Including service, the bill came to £54.83. We hadn't reserved a table, but arrived pre-dinner time and were seated pretty quickly. However, a queue had formed behind us by then, so I would recommend booking in advance. But it's open til late (11pm or midnight on Fridays and Saturdays).
In summary
We spent several hours at The O2, enjoying an activity, a little retail therapy, and grabbing some food. There's so much to do here that you could easily enjoy a whole family day out here, and the variety of food outlets, shops and activities mean you can tailor your visit to suit your family's interests and budget. Find out more here