Hey everyone, Blake here with my latest review on The Virtual Reviewer. I recently took my family on an outing to AR’s Entertainment Hub in Houston, Texas, and wanted to give you the full scoop on our experience there.
On a recent trip to visit friends in Houston, we decided to check out AR’s Entertainment Hub, which is a giant family entertainment complex offering everything from bowling and laser tag to roller skating, an arcade, VR experiences, bumper cars, a bistro, bar and more all under one very large roof! As self-proclaimed entertainment connoisseurs and virtual reality enthusiasts, I was really curious to see if this place would live up to the hype.
About AR’s Entertainment Hub and Our Visit
AR’s Entertainment Hub just opened and at 50,000 square feet, it’s one of the biggest entertainment hubs we’ve ever seen. The complex is inside a converted grocery store so there is tons of parking and they utilized the space extremely well. My friend had told me great things about the variety of attractions and VR experiences they offered so I was eager to try it out with my family.
We visited on a Saturday afternoon and purchased the unlimited day pass which gave us access to everything except the arcade. The complex was very busy but we managed to try just about all of the attractions during our 5 hour visit. The unlimited pass was a good value given everything that was included.
First Impressions
Upon entering AR’s, I could immediately tell this place was legit. The lobby area had super cool Tron-style lighting and neon and looked really modern and sleek. My inner tech nerd was pleased. We got signed up for our passes quickly and the staff were very friendly. I also appreciated that they were strictly enforcing mask policies to keep guests safe.
We decided to start with laser tag and made our way through the dimly lit neon corridors to the arena. The laser tag arena was well designed with plenty of atmospheric lighting, fog, and music. We geared up with our vests and guns and had an epic laser battle – me and John versus Patty and Jenette. 20 minutes, many pew-pews and quite a few laughs later, we finished up drenched in sweat but smiling. The laser tag was a hit! The vests and equipment were decent quality and the arena made you feel like you were battling Armageddon.
After fueling up on greasy pizza, we made our way around to try out the other attractions. The roller skating rink was full of smiling kids and neon lights. None of us had skated in ages but we had a blast slowly wheeling around and trying not to fall on our butts too much! The mini golf course glowed under blacklights and had some cool interactive elements. The bumper cars were also a surprising adrenaline rush as we gleefully crashed into each other over and over. We also tried our hand at virtual reality zombie shooting (I dominated of course!) and several arcade games.
The VR Experience
I had heard that AR’s Entertainment Hub had an impressive virtual reality zone but I have to admit my expectations were low based on most VR setups I’ve tried at family fun zones. Boy was I wrong! They have seven different VR experiences powered by cutting-edge XR technology and the graphics were stunningly realistic, on par with the latest VR games I’ve played on my Oculus Rift at home.
We tried two of the experiences – a jungle adventure where we rode cartoon trains through an immersive landscape, and a zombie apocalypse shooter that was scarily lifelike. Each VR experience supports up to 4 players at a time. The xR technology means the experiences combine virtual reality with movement around a real physical set. So as you wear a VR headset, you can actually walk and move within a mapped space that then transforms into the VR realm! It was incredibly immersive and massively fun, especially the zombie shooter where we ran around blasting walking corpses, and dodging attacks.
I was thoroughly impressed that a place like this had such cutting-edge VR technology AND made it fun for the whole family. We will definitely be back to try the other experiences next time! The VR zone alone makes AR’s worth the visit.
Food & Drinks
No family entertainment excursion is complete without overpriced greasy food and sugary drinks! AR’s Entertainment Hub did not disappoint on this front. They have a large bistro serving up all your entertainment dining favorites like pizza, wings, fries, burgers, nachos, and more. The prices were pretty reasonable and standard for a place like this. A basic cheese pizza was around $15 and fed our whole crew. I had low expectations for the food but was pleasantly surprised that everything we tried tasted fresh and was actually pretty good.
In addition to the bistro, there is also a nice-looking bar for the parents to enjoy a drink or two. The bar area has pool tables, seating, and an outdoor patio with a fire pit! Drinks were affordably priced with beers around $5 and cocktails around $8-10. I enjoyed a couple of cold ones while Patty sipped wine as we watched the kids goof around on the roller rink from the bar. The bar had a great vibe and lively atmosphere. Major bonus points for AR’s having a designated area just for adults to relax!
Family Friendly Factor
When rating any family entertainment hotspot, the key factor for me is how much fun my kids have. And I’m happy to report that AR’s Entertainment Hub is extremely family friendly with something to entertain kids and adults of all ages! From little tykes in the playground areas to teens battling it out in laser tag to parents enjoying drinks and conversation at the bar, there was universal appeal across generations.
My teens are sometimes tough critics when it comes to family activities but both John and Jenette had an absolute blast the entire duration of our 5 hour visit. They were all smiles and kept wanting to try “just one more” attraction. Seeing my kids so thrilled and being able to actively join in many of the activities together as a family made for a really special and memorable experience.
Between all the variety of activities included on the day pass to the modern amenities like free WiFi, phone charging stations, clean bathrooms, and excellent hospitality, AR’s seems to have thought through a flawless family entertainment formula that keeps everyone occupied for hours on end. Major kudos to them, as it’s no easy feat keeping two teenagers thoroughly entertained while their parents relax!
The Verdict
After many hours bouncing around AR’s Entertainment Hub with grins on our faces, we finally called it a day. As we walked exhaustedly back to the car with two sleeping teens in tow, I reflected on our experience. I have to say, AR’s Entertainment Hub vastly exceeded my expectations as one of the best family entertainment centers I’ve ever visited.
Sure it has some areas that could use improvement – the bowling lanes were small and seemed worn, some arcade games were broken, and they could use a few more food options. But overall, the variety of attractions included at one very reasonable price point was incredibly impressive. My whole family was utterly entertained the entire 5 hours…no small feat!
The cutting-edge VR experiences at AR’s aren’t just fun but put many others I’ve tried to shame. Adding bonus points for the full bar and lounge for adults as well as a perfect ambiance with lighting, music, and friendly hospitality across the board – I fully understand the 4+ star rating AR’s Entertainment Hub has earned among hundreds of enthusiastic guests.
In summary, if you find yourself in the Houston area looking for outstanding family-friendly entertainment, look no further than AR’s Entertainment Hub. With affordable pricing, non-stop attractions for all ages, high-tech VR experiences that wow even seasoned gamers like myself, and perfect hospitality – AR’s is an absolute must-visit destination providing 5 full hours of customized fun for the whole family!
Conclusion
And there you have it folks – a fully comprehensive scoop on our epic experience at AR’s Entertainment Hub in Houston, TX! As you can probably tell, we had an absolute blast as a family making memories to last a lifetime. I love discovering local gems like this that bring family joy and quality time together.
Technology is amazing but I think we can all forget to live in the moment, especially myself as a tech professional. Outings like this allow us to put aside devices, disconnect from work, and simply play together. The hours whizzed by as we goofed around enjoying activities from a bygone era like roller skating and mini golf combined with cutting-edge VR innovation – all under one very cool roof!
Now if you’ll excuse me, after reliving this epic day I’m suddenly feeling extremely nostalgic and think I’ll challenge the kids to a family game night when they wake up from their post-AR’s comas! Maybe some virtual reality dodgeball or hoops… Thanks as always for reading and keep being your awesome selves! Cheers!