Back to the Future: The Musical (Adelphi Theatre)
If you've got a child who loves a bit of wackiness then a trip to see Back to the Future: The Musical is an absolute must. I visited recently with my nine-year-old son Odhran. We were both totally engrossed, laughed throughout, and felt wowed by the special effects. Despite it being late on a school night when we left the theatre, Odhran felt pumped after a wonderfully fun experience. The critically acclaimed, Olivier, WhatsOnStage, and Broadway World Award winning musical, based on the hit 1984 film, is going into its fourth year. It welcomes new cast members, including recent graduate Vasco Emauz, who makes his West End debut as Marty McFly, and Orlando Gibbs as George McFly, alongside returning cast members, including Cory English as Doctor Emmett Brown and Sarah Goggin as Lorraine.
If you're unfamiliar with the storyline of Back to the Future, here's a quick summary: Marty McFly is a rock 'n' roll teenager who is accidentally transported back to 1955 in a time-travelling DeLorean invented by his friend, Dr Emmett Brown. But before he can return to 1985, Marty must make sure his high school-aged parents fall in love in order to save his own existence.
The musical adaptation has broken box office records at the Adelphi Theatre in London and it's easy to see why. I loved the 80s nostalgia, and being able to share this cultural reference from my childhood with my nine-year-old son, felt like a special experience. Book Back to the Future: The Musical if you want to do something memorable with your child this October half-term.
Booking: Suitable for those aged 6+. Under 4s will not be admitted. Tickets cost from £19.55. To book visit BackToTheFutureMusical.com. Currently booking until 27 July 2025.
Phantom Peak
If you're looking for a unique family day out, then Phantom Peak could be the perfect activity for you and your family this half term. It's an immersive experience where you wander around a town inhabited by quirky characters, and solve mysteries. Using your phone and a link to the Jonassist website, you’ll be assigned a unique storyline, and you must follow a trail and solves clues to help townsfolk. You'll spend more than four hours here, strolling around at your leisure, mingling with live actors and immersing yourself in the storylines, exploring the sets, and enjoying a drink or a bite to eat.
We visited during the Spring season, but each season at the Peak has something new to offer. So, fans of the attraction can visit several times to experience something different. Hallowed Peak: The Lunar Festival has now arrived, and this is an eerie time of year with ghosts and ghouls taking over the minds and nightmares of the townsfolk. There will be some spooky sightings around town, but this season's theme is more autumnal than Halloween focused.
Booking: There's no age requirement for Phantom Peak. From our experience we'd say it's probably best suited to ages 9+. Tickets available from £20 per person. Book here
The Paddington Bear Experience
The whole family will enjoy this immersive experience, exploring the world of the beloved fictional book and film character, Paddington Bear. Hop on board a train at 'Paddington Station' and journey to 'Windsor Gardens', where Mrs Brown is in a flap. The annual Marmalade Day Festival is due to take place but something has gone wrong, and Mrs Brown and Mrs Bird need your help. Kids will love taking part in tasks to help save the day. The small cast of actors gave a wonderful, high-energy performance, and designer Rebecca Brower has created a fantastic set. I visited with my son's Odhran, 9, and Reuben, 6, and they both loved the experience. Read our full review here. The Paddington Bear Experience, located at Riverside Building, County Hall, right next to Westminster Bridge, is a charming way to enjoy time with the kids this half term
Booking: A standard adult ticket costs from £29, and a child (2-15) costs £19. Children under 2 go free. These costs include the booking fee. Prices vary depending on peak and off-peak hours. Book here
Jeff Wayne's The War of The Worlds: The Immersive Experience
This multi-million-pound attraction in the heart of London celebrates its fifth anniversary this year. It’s an immersive experience that brings to life the 1978 multi-platinum album Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds, inspired by H.G. Wells’ 1897 sci-fi novel.
Composer Jeff Wayne re-produced his iconic score and created new sound effects exclusively for The Immersive Experience, which uses live actors, movie-quality sets, VR, digital tech and multi-sensory effects to create an experience that has received thousands of five-star reviews online. Visitors travel back to 1898 and must escape a Martian-occupied Victorian England in an action-packed journey through the classic tale of The War of the Worlds. The experience is suitable for those aged 10+ and is one not to be missed.
Booking: Tickets cost from £45-£82 (plus booking fee). Limited VIP tickets are available from £120. Book here
Creams Café
Kick off the half term holidays by taking the kids for a delicious dessert. Creams Café has around 100 branches across the UK, with almost 40 of those based in London. It offers a wide range of freshly prepared desserts including waffles, crêpes, sundaes, cakes, milkshakes, sorbets, gelato, and vegan desserts. It's a super handy destination on a half term rainy day when the kids are getting cabin fever and you haven't got anything else booked to keep them occupied. We recently visited a branch in Bromley, Kent, for a Friday evening treat. The menu has lots to offer, but what we love most is the ability to build your own dessert (perfect for kids). For example, you can choose whether you want a waffle or a crêpe, the toppings, and which flavour ice-cream you'd like scooped on top.
Odhran and Reuben both went for waffles. Odhran chose toppings of Kinder Bueno, mini marshmallows, milk chocolate sauce, and a scoop of cookies and cream gelato. Reuben chose fresh strawberries, mini marshmallows and milk chocolate sauce with bubblegum gelato. I had a deliciously hot crêpe with banana slices, milk chocolate sauce and salted caramel gelato. We all cleared our plates! Creams Cafê branches all have distinctive signage and purple furnishings. The comfy booths and lighting fixtures give it a traditional ice-cream parlour feel and the environment is enticing for kids. Each person can eat for under a tenner, making it an affordable half term trip out.
Booking: We've usually found that you can drop in without the need to book. Find a store locator here