tried & tested

Earlier this year, our 7 year old had an Inset Day, so we decided to take the opportunity to spend the day in London with him. The weather wasn’t looking great, so we needed an indoor backup plan and having asked my followers for recommendations, @londondayoutwithkids suggested Babylon Park. It's an outer-space-themed amusement park in Camden, set across 3 floors with rides including a roller coaster, bumper cars, trains, as well as dozens of video games, a visual simulator, bowling, a jump complex, a soft play area, a café and restaurant, a souvenir shop, a prize shop, and more! Perfect for our gaming-obsessed boy!

Having shared a Reel from our trip earlier this year (you can see it here, we were invited back to do a full Tried and Tested review for the website.), so here we go...

Babylon Park is based in Camden, just a short walk from Camden Underground station and is London's largest indoor theme park. Entry is free and you don’t need to book, so it’s a great place to plan as part of your trip to London, or head there if the weather turns wet. You control how much you want to spend on games, rides and food, through buying different credit options, known as Babylon Currency. The ‘coins’ you buy are loaded on to your Babylon card, bracelet or app for you to use throughout the Park- so much easier than having to remember cash!

You can buy your ‘coins’ upon arrival or in advance on their website, and top up at any point from the screens around the park.

We were lucky to be gifted bracelets that allowed us 2 hours of unlimited rides and gaming to do this review, so we went straight to the arcade games.

Each of the games and rides show the ‘price’ in Game Coins- you simply scan your app, card or bracelet to activate the game or to gain entry to the ride.

There really is something for every gamer here- from retro games like Sonic the Hedgehog, Mario Kart and PacMan, to traditional fairground prize-winning games like toy grabbers and hook a duck, and physical games like basketball, strength tests and boxing. The boys absolutely loved being able to try the different games, and it was great for my eldest to be able to game alongside his dad on two-player arcade games.

Like most arcades, you can win tickets whilst playing, which you can take to the Winners’ Station to exchange for prizes.

There are also lots of rides in Babylon Park, including a rollercoaster- something I never expected to see underground on Camden! Some of the rides have a height limit, but luckily our youngest is very tall, so we were all able to go on the rollercoaster. I was a bit nervous about whether he’d get scared having never been on one before, but he absolutely loved it sat alongside his brother- proper little daredevil! Don’t be duped by its size- it’s brilliant for adults too, and you get to go round a number of times, whizzing through the main arcade.

There are lots of different rides to choose from- manysuitable for little ones too, so there really is something for everyone. My youngest loved the children’s mini ferris wheel, the Drop Tower (another one I was shocked at how much he loved it!) and other small rides dotted around the Park- there was loads for him to do!

Having gone on a Monday previously, we were a bit apprehensive about going on a Saturday, but despite being busy, we rarely had to queue, and even when we did, it was just a few minutes’ wait.

 

Having spotted the soft play on the way in, the boys were desperate to try it out (it costs Game Coins like all other aspects of the Park) and had a great time running around, while we got to sit down and have a break!

The Park also has a café where you can buy snacks, drinks and food, as well as a great array of sweet treats.

Whilst Babylon Park may seem all about the kids with its bright colours, it's brilliant for adults too- so many arcade games to play (including nostalgic ones!), and we saw many couples and groups of friends enjoying their time there.

You can see the full Reel from our trip here.

Babylon Park also has Parties and special events.

Parties: Kids’ parties have 1 ½ hours of unlimited games and rides, as well as access to the soft play area, private party room, food and drink, plus a Babylon ball to take home. Find out more here.

SEN mornings: On selected dates, you can enjoy exclusive access to the park from 10am for an hour, free from the hustle and bustle of the general public. Find out more here.  

Corporate Events: It’s not all about the kids, you can also choose a corporate package to enjoy Babylon Park as a group of adults. Find out more here.

Babylon Park is open 7 days per week.
Times:
Monday to Friday 12pm to 8pm
Saturday 10am to 10pm
Sunday 10am to 9pm

Address:
Babylon Park Camden, 8 Castlehaven Rd, London NW1 8QU.

To find out more about Babylon Park, head to their website here.

Our tickets were kindly gifted by Babylon Park for us to review this attraction.

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If you would like a Tried and Tested review for your attraction or event, please get in touch. 

Don't forget to check out all my other Tried and Tested reviews here.

You'll also find Reels from our various days out on my Instagram page here.