Families flock to Portsmouth's waterside amusement park, where exhilarating activities include a high ropes course, roller coasters and a huge indoor play area.
The oceanfront Clarence Pier Amusement Park is one of the biggest funfairs on England’s south coast and a local Southsea institution. Play the penny slot machines and step aboard the spinning carnival rides. A dizzying high ropes course offers even more thrills for those who dare to climb it.
Brave the wobbling heights of the Pier Pressure, the U.K.'s first two-tiered high ropes course. The course is comprised of more than 28 different elements, including swinging bridges and tightrope walks, at heights of up to 30 feet (10 meters). Before you begin, take part in a safety guidance session and get fitted with a harness. It looks scary but is suitable for anyone over 5 years old who meets the minimum height requirement.
Board the Twister or the Skyways roller coasters to experience high-speed twists and turns. Younger thrill-seekers will enjoy the Air Balloons or Speedy Gonzales rides. The gentle Balloon Wheel ride offers sea views, while the Carousel is a classic attraction suitable for the youngest visitors to the park.
Let children run wild in the indoor play area, where they can have fun in ball pools and on obstacle courses and slides. They'll have hours of enjoyment in the tunnels and bouncy castles at Pirate Pete's Adventure Playground. Stop at the traditional arcades to try your luck on penny slot machines and to challenge your friends to video game competitions.
Clarence Pier is located near some of Portsmouth's historic sites. While here, stop at the nearby D-Day Museum and remember the heroism of soldiers in World War II or walk through underground tunnels in a fort at Southsea Castle, a Tudor and Victorian fortification.
Most attractions at Clarence Pier Amusement Park cost a certain number of tokens per ride. Alternatively, buy a wristband that gives you unlimited access, including one trip on the high ropes. Rides close for the winter but the indoor play area and arcades are open year-round.
