One of our first VIP visits this year was from North East Family Fun. The name says it all, they are a North East Family of 5 who seek out fun where ever they go. These are our highlights of their visit to Coral Island, we enjoyed their visit so much we invited them back again. 

Coral Island is the largest FREE admission attraction in Blackpool. It's right on the seafront near the tower and you really can't miss it. It's open until LATE (often midnight) and the ideal spot for a night out with tweens in tow. We spent 3-4 hours in Coral Island. We went inside feeling the sun on our faces and as we left, it was dark outside. We had the best time - proper, old-fashioned seaside fun with a few modern touches such as the VR games and digital bingo. If you're looking for a night out in Blackpool with older kids, Coral Island will more than deliver.

_{Sam - North East Family Fun}

What were your highlights?

I just love playing on 2p machines as do my kids. It brings back ALL the nostalgia of visiting the seaside in the summer as a child myself.

Kids Eat Free: There are 4 restaurants at Coral Island and they all offer 'kids eat free' at all times. I love that there are no restrictions on this (1 free children's meal per adult meal purchased) and if you're on a budget, the restaurants and cafes in Coral Island are definitely worth a look.

Where did you eat?

We chose to dine in The Buccaneer Pub which is a Pirate-themed pub in the heart of the action. The theming is fantastic and even the staff are dressed as pirates. We chose 3 courses each which set us back £44 (excluding drinks) for the 5 of us which is the cheapest pub meal we've had in a long time. The service was super quick and friendly and we were served all three courses in around an hour. I really appreciate quick service after a long day out with the kids.

Who won on Camel Derby?

The Camel Derby is a game I used to play on every seaside holiday with my family when I was little. The kids have never played it (I don't tend to see it many places these days). We challenged each other and our competitive streaks came out. For those who don't know, you roll balls along the table and if it drops in a hole, your camel will move forward a certain number of places until there's a winner. The competition was strong and Steve turned out to be a winner! I can't believe he beat me!!!

Our Highlights of the North East Family Fun Visit 

We love Heidi's creativity after being banned from buying any more soft toys she managed to work out an alternative plan. No one said she couldn't rightfully win one. Heidi obviously has the skills because she won a Pug on her first attempt, we hope you called it Coral. 

 We couldn't believe it when she won a Pug with the grabbing machine on her first go. She was over the moon! 

Family Fun: We love whole family games where everyone can get involved. The smiles captured on camera by Sam, as the boys played Air Hockey are contagious. 

What prizes and goodies did you go home with?

Prize Bingo: We had three winners in our group and the prizes were pretty decent. We could have chosen a mini pool table or 6 tubs of slime but the kids decided to blow all their winnings on sweets instead. We could have chosen a mini pool table of 6 tubs of slime but the kids decided to blow all their winnings on sweets instead. 

Vote: Pirate Flyer or Ghost Train?

Ghost Train for Sure. I found the Ghost train to be pretty scary but the kids were too cool and said it was fine (although this didn't stop them going on a second time!). 

Pirate Flyer is a great ride to get started as it takes you around the whole of the arcade and gives you a birds-eye view. Great for people spotting too

What did you think of our new Virtual Reality Rides?

Jack and Harry played on a Virtual Reality game which was so funny to watch. In fact, they built quite a crowd as they were super amusing. Jack couldn't believe how realistic it was and started riding the 'rollercoaster' with no hands. At £3 a pop, I thought it was expensive but once they'd tried it, I thought it was excellent value for money as they loved it. I think I'll actually pay for them to play more VR games in the future. 

We loved the North East Family Fun visit so much, we have invited them back and we are looking forward to following their next adventures.  Check out the full review of Coral Island by North East Family Fun