Merlins Amusements

Merlins Amusements sits right in the heart of Minehead, a proper old-school seaside arcade that's been pulling in families for decades. You'll find it packed with everything from vintage penny slots to modern redemption games - the kind of place where kids can burn off energy while adults nurse a nostalgic coffee. It's not vast, so you're looking at maybe an hour or two depending on how deep your children want to go with the claw machines and racing simulators.

This is squarely family territory. If you're staying at Butlins Minehead - literally a five-minute walk away - Merlins works as a rainy afternoon backup or a quick evening outing. Same goes for the Minehead Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite just down the road. Teenagers might find it a bit dated compared to modern gaming centres, but younger kids genuinely enjoy it, and the variety of games means you're not forced into buying tickets for rides you don't want.

Go in the shoulder season if possible - summer Saturdays get rammed with day-trippers. Bring change because not everywhere takes cards. It's free to walk in, but you'll obviously need to budget for tokens or cash for the games themselves. Nothing fancy, nothing Instagram-worthy, just straightforward seaside fun that hasn't tried to reinvent itself. That's actually its charm.