I was looking for somewhere to go for a night or two for my birthday and came across a leaflet for Xscape and thought it would be ideal as it was close enough to get a minibus and seemed to have various things to do under one roof and I wasn't disappointed.

Xscape was built in 2003 and £56 million has been put into it, it is huge so you can't miss it and the building is kept clean, there are plenty of safety measures in place for each activity and there is always someone around should you need to ask for help with anything.
Location
Xscape is located on the M62 at junction 32 and is easy to access by car, it is not so easy to get there using public transport but it is worth the effort to get there. There is a Travel Lodge right next to the building and a few bed and breakfasts nearby. The group of 16 I was with stayed in a pub about 10 minutes away which provided a minibus to take us there and back which was a bonus.

Cost
One of the things that made me choose Xscape to visit was the fact that unlike many other tourist attractions there is no entry fee and you just pay as you go for whatever activities you choose to take part in. The bars and restaurants are also reasonably priced.

Food and drink
There are a few choices of places to eat and drink and something for all ages including Burger King, Frankie and Benny's, Ask, Subway, Nando's, TGI Fridays and Pizza Express.
There are a few bars and pubs and they all have really contemporary, clean decor and comfortable surroundings. Most of these are open from lunchtime until 11 or 12 at night and have music, cocktails and live entertainment.

Things to do
I stayed 2 nights near Xscape and went to Xscape 2 days, the first day for activities and the second day for relaxing, eating and drinking. After 2 days you've pretty much seen it all and it would be a good place just to go for a day trip. It's a great place for families as there really is something for everyone including:
A bowling alley with bar, DJ, pool tables and arcade open 12 til late
A cinema open from 9am til late (on Saturday mornings they show junior movies for £1)
Laserzone
Indoor surfing
An indoor skate park with equipment hire
Indoor skiing and snowboarding, lessons are available and equipment hire
Climbing wall
Dodgems
Aerial assault course
A gym
Soft play area with a party area and an area just for toddlers

The whole group I went with did the laserzone and bowling and had a good laugh, a few of the more daring tried the indoor skiing and aerial assault course but us wimps still had fun as there is a viewing area where you can sit and have a drink, take pictures and laugh at the others falling over!
Since I was there they have also added a cosmic golf course which is an indoor mini golf course lit up in brightly coloured UV lights I have seen pictures and it looks very cool I think children would love it.

Each of the activities is individually priced so you can spend as much or as little as you like. Outside Xscape there was also a funfair, I am not too sure if it is always there or if it is seasonal.
There are a few shops mainly selling sports equipment and clothing, there is also a shopping outlet centre just around the corner although it is nothing to do with Xscape itself.

I would recommend a day or weekend here to people of all ages, it's a great day out without having to spend a fortune!