A Day Out at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
July 10th, 2016The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
The 2012 London Olympics may now seem a distant memory but the legacy lives on at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. We popped down recently for a day out and were pleasantly surprised with the range of activities available for adults & children alike. With attractions that include the NEW Orbit Slide, FREE adventure playgrounds & a swim in the former Olympic Pool, there is plenty of choice to suit all budgets.
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The Orbit Slide at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
1. The Orbit Slide
Our first port of call was the NEW Orbit Slide that offers visitors a chance to try out the world’s longest & tallest tunnel slide! Snaking from top to bottom around the Orbit Tower a total of 12 times, here’s an opportunity to enjoy the ultimate helter skelter with views over the former Olympic Park during your journey! Reaching speeds of up to 15mph, your 76 metre decent, (that’s higher than Nelson’s Column), takes a mere 40 seconds and offers thrill seekers a great new addition to the park.
Find out more in our Guide to the Orbit Slide; A Tried & Tested Review.
Top Tip; pick up subsequent trips down the Orbit Slide from just £5pp for another chance to experience this new attraction, (subject to availability).
View from the top of the ArcelorMittal Orbit
2. The Orbit Tower
For those that like to enjoy activities at a steadier pace, you can still enjoy a visit up the Orbit Tower and simply return to ground level by taking the lift or spiral stairway. This offers a cheaper and more relaxed visit with fantastic views over the former Olympic Park & beyond towards the city of London. Glimpse back to those golden days of the London Olympics whilst you consider how the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park legacy is shaping up as the years go by. Great to see that entrance to the Orbit Towers is included with your London Pass that offers entry to 60+ top London Attractions.
More information available in our Guide to the Orbit Tower.
Top Tip; ask the staff stationed on level 2 to help you undertake some novel tricks with the mirrors that always goes down well with younger guests!
Aquatics Centre at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
3. The London Aquatics Centre
Did you know that for the price of a swim at your local leisure pool, you can enjoy a swim in the competition pool of the former Olympic pool? Here’s a chance to swim in the lanes used by the likes of Michael Phelps & Ellie Simmonds during the 2012 Olympic & Paralympics Games. Alternatively try a Dive For All public drop in session and follow in Tom Daley’s footsteps by making use of the 1m, 3m & 5m boards. The great news is that whilst the extensive swimming facilities are second to none, the entrance charges remain reasonable, (an adult swim is under £6pp).
More information available at the London Aquatics Centre.
Top Tip; look out for the Aqua Splash & Extreme Aqua Splash sessions that provide inflatable assault courses across the pool!
Playground at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
4. Adventure Playgrounds
There are 2 fantastic playgrounds available within the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The Outdoor Rooms, located close to the former Olympic stadium, includes a sand pit, slide, low rope bridge & a selection of swings is best suited to younger children. We headed over to the Tumbling Bay adventure playground that is about a 10/15 minute walk from the main entrance, (located close to the Lee Valley Velopark). This extensive play area is suitable for children up to the age of around 14 years and sports an array of climbing assault courses complete with a clusters of swings & water features.
Top Tip; look out for the water fountains set in front of the stadium with 195 water jet bursts that children & adults are free to enjoy!
Santander Cycles, (photo; Phil Loach)
5. Explore By Bike; Santander Cycles
Time to explore the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park by bike with help from the Santander Cycles scheme. With large docking stations to be found outside the London Aquatics Centre & the Velodrome, here’s a chance to enjoy a bike ride on a budget. Bikes are available to residents and visitors alike, (adults and children 14 +), where you simply pay a small daily access fee and a usage fee that is dependent upon the length of time you have the bike in your possession, (the first half hour of every trip is FREE of charge). You can sign up on the day and see where your journey takes you.
More information available at Budget London; Bike, Boat or Train.
