4 New Family Attractions in Metro Manila to Take the Family This Christmas!

The most wonderful time of the year is upon us — just look at all the merriment happening around you: malls are decked out in Christmas décor, major thoroughfares are brightly lit up, and Christmas songs are being played everywhere. We’re sure you have reunions and Christmas parties penciled in your calendars in the next few weeks, too. And the best part this Yuletide season? There are new pasyalan places that opened just this year and cater to families! Add these to your usual holiday haunts and have fun exploring.

The ABS-CBN Studio Experience

ABS-CBN gives its viewers a chance to experience what it's like to be part of their favorite TV programs — not as an audience member but as a contestant / guest / housemate! The 1,400-square-meter ABS-CBN Studio Experience, or Studio XP, boasts 15 attractions and full-scale set reconstructions crafted to present a jam-packed ABS-CBN experience in a one-stop site. 

Inside the Reality Studio, visitors get to be a housemate doing tasks in “Pinoy Big Brother” Breakout under Kuya’s guidance; a contestant beating the time at “Minute To Win It”: The Experience to become the Last Man Standing; or a visitor at the “The Voice” Open Mic. They can also throw punchlines with the cast of “Goin’ Bulilit,” and take the hot seat in “Tonight With Boy Abunda’s” Fast Talk. They can try competing in a multiplayer game with “Misyon: Ang Probinsyano” (a patintero-based game) or the “Ang Propesiya: La Luna Sangre” (an agawan base game).

The ARX, an augmented reality game, allows a group of participants to beat out virtual monsters together in an exciting match, while guests 12 years old and below will enjoy the expansive Superheroes Playground. There's also a souvenir shop and a burger joint called Heroes Burger within Studio XP, which was officially launched in September.

Studio XP is located at the 4th Floor of Ayala Malls TriNoma, Quezon City. Rates are at P375 for first-timers and P350 for returning guests. For more information, visit their Facebook page. 

The Garage at City of Dreams

The Garage Virtual Reality (VR) Zone and food park, with its modern industrial interiors and a 563-seating capacity, allows guests to experience virtual reality entertainment in a wide range of casual dining choices, from the curated selection of food and beverage trucks and trailers set in a 2,714-square meter space at the upper ground floor of City of Dreams. Mario Kart Arcade, Ski Rodeo, and Hospital Escape Terror are games that let you immerse in a virtual world to your liking, be it fun, adventure, or thrill.

After playing, there's a wide selection of food carts and stalls that can satisfy your hunger, among them: Little Flour, Katsu Sora, Pizza Grigliata, El Chupacabra, and Chocol8. Fill up, then have another go at the games!

The Garage is located inside City of Dreams, Asean Avenue corner Roxas Boulevard, Parañaque City. Single player tickets are priced at Php450 nett, while packages are available for those playing in groups or pairs. For more information, visit their Facebook page. 

Islas Pinas

One of the trademarks of Pinoys is their love for food, so it's no wonder why Pinoy food is usually at the top of the "bucket list" of our loved ones from abroad when they come home for a vacation. If you want to hit two birds with one stone and feast on authentic Filipino dishes while touring them "around the Philippines," bring them to Islas Pinas, a Filipino food and heritage village that opened just June this year.

Islas Pinas captures the rich Pinoy heritage and culture in a sprawling 2,500-square meter space that is reminiscent of Nayong Pilipino, and recreates renowned destinations around the Philippines to give you that truly Pinoy experience as you savor each dish from the different food stalls. Get your comfort breakfast food from Sinag or pan de sal from Panaderya, pancit and maja blanca from Bilao, or feast on seafood at Pampang. Get a taste of street food favorites like kwek kwek and squid balls from Tusok, and classic dishes from different regions in Alamat. Wash it down with sago't gulaman, and finish off with a refreshing serving of halo-halo.

Islas Pinas is located at the Ground Floor of DoubleDragon Plaza, EDSA Extension corner Macapagal Avenue, Pasay City. Entrance to the venue is free. For more information, visit their Facebook page. 

Playlab

Can't keep the kids away from tech? Wish they were more active in physical play? Get the best of both worlds at Playlab, an indoor digital playground which has the coolest games for kids and the kids-at-heart.

 

Playlab at Robinsons Galleria features games aided by video projections. There are 14 installations that blend physical activity with engaging technology, such as Fantasy Water Flow, which teaches Physics, Planet Defense which involves wall climbing and a mission to save the planet on a wall projection, Butterfly World which lets you create colorful designs, and many more! Playlab also has a branch in Cebu, which opened earlier this year. 

PlayLab is located at the 4/F Robinsons Galleria, EDSA corner Ortigas Avenue, Ortigas, Quezon City. Rates start at Php 450 per person. For updates, follow PlayLab PH on Facebook.