Could a gift experience be just the ticket for your hard-to-buy-for teenager? Samantha Laurie plays Santa
Indoor skydiving
Suspended a few feet off the ground in a giant wind tunnel blasted by winds of up to 175 mph, this is the closest most of us will get to aerial freefall without donning a parachute and jumping out of a plane. Suitable for all ages, iFLY Basingstoke in Hampshire has a 40% discount on its Kick-Start experience if you book by Dec 31 (£28.99 for two 60-second flights).
Take to the skies
Although one must be 17 to acquire a pilot’s licence, there’s no legal minimum age for the commencement of flight training. Cloudbase Aviation (theflyingschool.co.uk), based at Redhill Aerodrome, will take over 11s up in its dual-control microlights for a 45-min (£119) experience or a one-hour lesson (£146, best for over 14s). Over at Fairoaks Airport in Chobham, Synergy Aviation (flysynergy.com) offers flying experiences in two-seater Cessnas and four-seater Pipers (younger children can go up with a parent) from £95 for 30 mins.
Glide like a bird
Being launched into the skies on a giant winch might not be everyone’s idea of the perfect gift, but it’s certainly memorable. Flights at Surrey Hills Gliding Club, based at Kenley Aerodrome near Croydon, last for 5-10 mins. Suitable for 13+ years; from £45.
Behind the wheel
Mercedes-Benz World at Weybridge has two Christmas offers for youngsters eager to get behind the wheel: an action-packed off-roading experience (£85, one hour) and a track based learn-to-drive package (£80, one hour). No age restriction, but you need to be over 1.5 metres tall.
Skywalk Adventure
This new treetop adventure at Sandown Park, Esher boasts some amazing views – from its 25-metre heights you can see right across London to The Shard and you’re high above the skiers whizzing beneath you on the dry slopes below. There are two circuits and you can do one or both. Suitable for kids of 8+ (an adult needs to be on site). Cost: child £19.50 (one course), £26.50 (two courses); adult £25/£33; family ticket £105.
Watch out for Christmas holiday specials on the website: skywalkadventure.co.uk
More ideas...
- How about a spot of ‘urban mountaineering’ on the roof of The O2? Suitable for over 9s (at least 1.2 mtrs tall); from £36; theo2.co.uk
- Bungee jump from a platform next to The O2. Suitable for over 14s; currently reduced to £59; intotheblue.co.uk (‘outdoor’)
- Lead a cuddly, friendly llama through the lanes and woodland of the Surrey Hills, stopping for a pub lunch or a picnic. Suitable for over 8s; child £40, adult £70; surrey-hills-llamas.co.uk
- Pull up a high tech motion chair at London’s only 4DX cinema in Wandsworth and prepare for rain, wind, strobe lights and vibration; cineworld.co.uk
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