SANDS NICE
UK’s biggest indoor beach that’s free to visit – with rollercoaster, kids shows and huge helter skelter
If you're in search of the ultimate real beach experience, keep reading to uncover the world's best beaches
AFTER a five-year absence, the UK's largest indoor beach has finally made a return.
One of the problems with planning a day out at the beach in the UK is that the unreliable weather can often put a dampener on things.
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However, by bringing the beach inside, Centre:MK in Milton Keynes has removed that issue.
More than 102 tonnes of sand has been shipped in to Middleton Hall at the shopping mall to create an indoor beach for people to make the most, regardless of the weather.
Pre-pandemic, the indoor beach was a big fixture in the town and this year is the first time it has returned for five years.
One of the best things about the beach is that it is free to visit, while some of its attractions also don't cost a penny.
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Included in that are free Punch and Judy shows, which run on Tuesdays and Thursdays, every hour on the hour between 11am and 2pm each day.
What's more, face painting and deck chairs are also free for families to make the most of on their inside days out.
The shopping centre's website also brags about having "plenty of fair rides to keep the whole family entertained from Bungees and Helter Skelter to our shark rollercoaster".
There are also fairground attractions and games, like hook-a-duck and others.
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However, these are paid attractions, with prices ranging from £3 to £6.
The Beach has been open since Friday, July 19 and will remain open until September 1.
UK park home to one of Europe's largest indoor playgrounds has four 'worlds' for kids to explore
The director of the centre Kevin Duffy told MiltonKeynes.co.uk he was pleased to finally bring the attraction back to the mall.
He said: “We are delighted to be able to bring the beach back again, after so long.
"It’s so well loved by families in the catchment and a really fun experience for the school holidays for families looking for somewhere to go with their children. It’s completely free to enter and there are free activities,
"The best part is that it is the biggest indoor beach in a shopping destination in the UK, so families can enjoy a day out to the beach without worrying about the great British weather."
The UK's best indoor attractions
The UK's unpredictable weather means finding indoor activities is essential for parents treating their kids to a day out.
Here's a list of some of the best attractions found firmly underneath a roof in the country.
Empire of the Sea Dragon Indoor Zone
This play area claims to be the biggest indoor play park in the UK.
The entertainment hub is home to five floors, with slides, rope bridges, swings, net towers and rides.
There's also the Trauma Tower, which Empire of the Sea claim is the "best indoor ride in Devon" because of its huge 50ft drop.
Other indoor rides at the Devonshire-based indoor play area include a Ferris Wheel and a Submarine Ride.
Play Factore
This indoor play zone claims to have been designed especially "to provide families with a state of the art active indoor play arena to play in together".
Included in its attractions are the tallest standing indoor slide in the UK, as well as a full indoor laser tag arena, interactive trampolines and zip wires.
In addition to the UK's tallest indoor slide, it also has the country's largest indoor play frame, made up of a network of tunnels, slides and obstacles, including giant bubble balls, spider nets and rollers.
What's more, for kids more into playing ball sports, it has a football pitch and a basketball court built into the play frame.
Gravity Max
Gravity Max has sites in both the north and south of the UK, including in Liverpool, Castleford and Wandsworth.
It also recently opened a brand new one in East London at the Westfield Shopping Centre.
The main draw of the site is its E-karting super track, which runs on two separate tracks across multiple levels, offering various different racing experiences.
It also has Tokyo-style arcades covering almost an entire floor of their own upstairs.
There's also a nine-hole Coca-Cola minigolf course, which requires players to tap their club in before starting, so each shot can be counted digitally, meaning no cheating is able to take place.
Meanwhile, upstairs, the Heineken sports bar is found, which has private booths to allow those who have booked them to have their own choice of music, as well as their own TV screens to watch their choice of sport.
Members of the public can visit between 9am and 6pm from Monday to Friday, between 9am and 7pm on Saturdays and from 10.30am to 6pm on Sundays.
Milton Keynes isn't the only spot in the UK to have its own weather-proof beach, with All Things Wild in Worcestershire also home to a room full of sand and seaside activities.
Spades and buckets are free for youngsters to make sandcastles out of, while other playground apparatus is there to play on too.
It's open from 10am To 5pm every day.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Meanwhile, this is what it's like inside the world's largest indoor beach.
This new £250m water attraction coming to the UK will have indoor beaches, as well as loads of pools, slides and other features.
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