Romford

A first trip to Romford usually starts with working out what to do with the kids, and the town has that covered. Kidspace Romford and Oxygen Activeplay give younger children somewhere to burn off energy, while Namco Funscape Romford and Rollerbowl Romford suit an afternoon that mixes arcade games, bowling and a bit of noise. None of it needs much planning ahead; these are the kind of places you can turn up to and fill a few hours without a fixed itinerary.

For somewhere to stay, Romford leans practical rather than boutique. The Premier Inn London Romford Mercury Gardens and Premier Inn London Romford West are the obvious choices if you want a predictable base close to the town centre, and the Travelodge London Romford does much the same job. If you'd rather something smaller, Gidea Park Hotel, Havering Guest House and Repton Private Hotel offer a more local, guesthouse feel. Wherever you base yourself, you're within easy reach of the shops, the market and the activity centres.

Put together, Romford works well as an easy, unfussy trip: settle into one of the Premier Inns, Travelodge or a smaller guesthouse, spend a few hours at Kidspace, Oxygen Activeplay, Namco Funscape or Rollerbowl, and let mealtimes be the main decision of the day given how much choice there is on the doorstep.