It is becoming more and more common for people to want to head to a venue that gives them everything that they could want under one roof. Sometimes that involves being able to play pool, darts, shuffleboard and crazy golf whilst having a few beers with mates. Other times, though, it’s more about what you can do with the family on a day out. It is that latter crowd that the Guilford Spectrum is aiming for, thanks to its numerous different options that are almost all family friendly. Even the one that isn’t is its fitness area, with some arguing that that is also something that kids should be getting involved with.
What You Can Do
Before we look at the various activities on offer at Spectrum in more detail, it is worth clarifying what you can do there. The first thing that you will likely be interested is the swimming pool, which also has slides and rides that people can use along with diving boards and child-friendly sections.
There is also an ice skating rink, which is impressive in size and often has shows on, such as Aladdin On Ice. If that feels a little too active for you then you might want to head to the bowling alley instead, which is where you’ll be able to enjoy some time with bowling balls and the ten pins that you’re trying to knock down with them. If it’s too tough you can put the bumpers up.
The fitness centre at Spectrum is split into different areas, with the gym offering a place to concentrate on the likes of weights and running machines. The PowerHouse is an outdoor version of the training facilities, offering a unique space to improve your fitness levels. Add in the indoor cycle centre and the fact that you can work with personal trainers or do group exercise classes and you can see why it’s popular.
Spectrum isn’t just about having specific things to do, with the likes of retail outlets and coffee shops offering places to while away your time. EasyPuck, for example, is where you’ll head to get any number of different ice hockey related things, such as sticks and other accessories.
The Swimming Pool
To refer to what’s on offer at the Guilford Spectrum as a ‘swimming pool’ is to massively play down exactly what you can do here. The Leisure Pool is the most basic of offerings, but even that is to damn it with feint praise. Open for everyone and promising a Toddler Splash session for under-5s, it is very much family friendly. More to the point, though, this is where you’ll find access to the numerous different slides and other adventurous things that provide plenty of fun for all concerned.
If you consider yourself to be more of a serious swimmer then the 25 metre pool might be more what you’re looking for. It offers lane swimming, meaning that those that like to work at a particular pace can do just that. If you’re at the other end of the spectrum (pun intended) then you can head to the Teaching Pool, which is where you can take part in the Learn to Swim programme. Finally, for the braver ones amongst you, there is a Diving Pool that offers the ability to leap off diving boards into the pool in a safe and supervised environment.
Bowling
Tenpin Bowling is one of the oldest activities for families to take part in, thanks in no small part to the fact that virtually every member of the family can do it. Even little toddlers can push a ball off one of those guides that will send it on its way to wherever it is pointed. As you get a bit older you are more likely to be able to hold the balls yourself, at which point the bumpers are a good way of avoiding the ball going into the gutter every single time. You don’t even need to wear the bowling shoes if you don’t want to, provided your own shoes are closed toe, clean and have a flat sole.
The bowling alley, named Spectrum Bowl, promises Moonlight Bowling sessions across the weekend evenings, which is when the main lights are turned off and the disco lights are turned on. Those with dandruff might not be too pleased on account of the fact that the blacklight shows off whites to be brighter, but for everyone else it is great fun. If you feel a bit peckish after your bowling session then you can head to the Italian American diner, Strikers Diner, and pick up the likes of hot dogs, pizzas and fries.
Ice Skating
If you thought that Spectrum already sounded pretty impressive, prepare to have your socks blown off. The venue has an Olympic size indoor ice rink on offer, welcoming thousands of people on a weekly basis. Whether you’re looking for somewhere to head to with your family or a group of friends, this is almost certain to tick your boxes. It caters to everyone thanks to the Learn to Skate lessons, whilst the Penguin and Snowmen skating aids will make sure that you feel right at home on the ice when you use them.
On top of being open to the public, the skating rink is also where you can head to for ice shows from time to time. These are sometimes outside casts coming in to perform and sometimes shows created by the in-house skating coaches, but they are very much a sight to behold. If you get the bug and decide you want to skate yourself but would like to do it in a more exciting environment then you can head along to the ice discos, which take place towards the end of the week and over the weekends.
Fitness Centre
If you want to get into shape then the Spectrum Gym is the place to look out for. It offers all of the top-of-the-range equipment that you’d expect from a modern day gym, meaning that you can look to improve your cardiovascular health or lose a bit of weight if that is your aim. Whatever it is that you’re looking to do fitness-wise, the gym has everything that you need to enjoy a varied and fun workout. You can even connect to the Life Fitness Connect app in order to track what it is that you’re up to.
You can take part in classes or work with personal trainers in order to get the best out of your experience. If you like to mix things up then you can head to the PowerHouse, which is an outdoor fitness area that has numerous different equipment like battle ropes and dumbbells to ensure that you’re able to get fit in the fresh air. Any classes taking part here are obviously weather dependent, but whatever it is you’re looking to achieve there is a very good chance that the Fitness Centre will have you covered.