For a unique experience in the evening, check out one of my favorite immersives!

1. Avora: The Immersive Cocktail Experience

  • Location: Hackney
  • Experience: A futuristic journey into a magical world where you’re recruited as an explorer to uncover the secrets of Avora, a glowing forest. The experience combines theatrical storytelling with mixology.
  • What to Expect:
    • You’ll be guided by actors through dazzling sets resembling an alien botanical utopia.
    • Craft and enjoy three unique cocktails tailored to the theme.
    • Engage in an interactive storyline that lets you choose between preserving or exploiting Avora’s beauty.
  • Highlights:
    • The vibrant neon visuals and eco-conscious themes.
    • A great blend of sensory indulgence and ethical storytelling.

2. Alcotraz: The Prison Cocktail Bar

  • Location: Multiple (Covent Garden, Shoreditch, and Brighton)
  • Experience: A thrilling speakeasy concept where you smuggle your own booze into a high-security prison. Guards and inmates guide you through the experience with a mix of comedy and drama.
  • What to Expect:
    • On arrival, you’ll don an orange jumpsuit and be “processed” as a prisoner.
    • Interact with actors playing strict guards and mischievous inmates.
    • Hand over your contraband alcohol, which is mixed into custom cocktails during the show.
  • Highlights:
    • The playful tension of sneaking and scheming with the inmates.
    • Hilarious improvisational performances by the actors.

3. Moonshine Saloon: Wild West Cocktail Bar

  • Location: King William Street, Bank
  • Experience: Step into the Wild West as a bandit and smuggle in your liquor to the saloon. This immersive cocktail bar brings cowboy charm and Western adventures to life.
  • What to Expect:
    • Dress up in cowboy hats and waistcoats provided by the saloon.
    • Interact with barkeeps, outlaws, and sheriffs in a rustic Wild West setting.
    • Your smuggled alcohol is turned into personalized cocktails while you navigate the story.
  • Highlights:
    • The beautifully themed environment with swinging saloon doors and poker tables.
    • The mix of improvisational acting and tailored drinks.

4. Phantom Peak

  • Location: Canada Water
  • Experience: A massive open-world steampunk adventure that combines immersive theater, puzzle-solving, and a theme park vibe. Described as “the Venice of the West,” it’s a sprawling town full of secrets.
  • What to Expect:
    • Explore the town freely, interacting with eccentric characters and uncovering mysteries.
    • Choose your own adventure paths, from lighthearted fun to deeper storylines.
    • Enjoy themed food, drinks, and quirky attractions as you unravel Phantom Peak’s mysteries.
  • Highlights:
    • The scale and detail of the sets, with canals, shops, and secret hideaways.
    • Freedom to interact with the story or simply enjoy the atmosphere.

5. The Gunpowder Plot

  • Location: Tower Vaults, Tower Hill
  • Experience: Travel back to 1605 and join Guy Fawkes and his co-conspirators in an attempt to blow up Parliament. This immersive historical drama mixes live action, VR, and impressive sets.
  • What to Expect:
    • Begin your journey in the eerie vaults beneath the Tower of London.
    • Meet historical characters, solve puzzles, and make decisions that impact the story.
    • VR scenes enhance the experience, allowing you to explore 17th-century London and its landmarks.
  • Highlights:
    • The historical accuracy and thrilling narrative.
    • The combination of live performances and cutting-edge technology.

6. “The War of the Worlds: The Immersive Experience”

Highlights: State-of-the-art VR technology and adrenaline-pumping scenes.

Location: Leadenhall Street, City of London

Experience: Based on H.G. Wells’ novel, this combines virtual reality, live performances, and physical sets. Journey through Victorian London as an alien invasion unfolds around you.

Tips for Enjoying These Experiences

  • Book in advance: These are popular and often sell out quickly.
  • Participate fully: Many experiences rely on audience engagement to be truly memorable.
  • Follow instructions: Some, like Alcotraz and Moonshine Saloon, require you to bring your own spirits.
  • Dress the part: Avora, Alcotraz, and Moonshine Saloon provide costumes, but Phantom Peak encourages you to dress in steampunk or Victorian attire for full immersion.