If you’re looking for some fab days out this summer in East Anglia but don’t know where to start, I’ve got you covered with this handy list of some of the best attractions and activities taking place in the area! Whether your little one is a budding palaeontologist, adrenaline junkie or mini thrill seeker, there’s sure to keep everyone happy! Have an amazing summer!
Holkham Estate – Wells-Next-The-Sea, Norfolk
Holkham Hall is the perfect place to take the kids this Summer regardless of the weather! They’ve got a whole host of things to do and see for kids of all ages. **Brand new** for 2016 is the Field to Fork exhibition, which is a fun, very interactive yet educational experience for families to learn all about Holkham’s exciting farming history. The Woodland Play Area is kitted out with a tree house, rope ladders and even a zip wire! But the fun doesn’t end there! Whatever you fancy doing Holkham Hall probably has it! Including kayaking, canoeing, water zorbing, climbing, cycling, walking picnic spots.. and so much more! Find out more.
Marsh Farm Animal Adventure Park – Chelmsford, Essex
**29% Off Tickets**
Animal lovers will be spoilt for choice when it comes to this amazing farm! As well as getting to see some of the many lovely animals and birds on site, they’ll also get to have lots of fun in their indoor and outdoor play areas… which includes bouncy pillows and mini tractors! Find out more.
BeWilderwood – Norwich, Norfolk
Based on the book “A Boggle at BeWILDerwood” by local children author, Tom Blofeld, this adventure park has lots of bridges, slides, crocklebogs, tree houses, zip wires and so much more! Big kids (that means you!) can join in as there’s something for everyone. Find out more.
Paradise Wildlife Park – Broxbourne, Herefordshire
**29% Off Combo Tickets**
Paradise Wildlife Park is just that for animal lovers! With 13 variations of monkeys and big cats, as well as the chance to feed some cute critters in the farmyard and lots of fascinating daily shows to watch, they’ll be spoilt for choice! Head to the Lagoon Pool to cool off, try your hand at the Safari Golf Course or let the wild ones loose at one of their many play parks. Find out more.
Dinosaur Adventure – Dereham, Norfolk
Hunt dinosaurs and unearth fossils at Dinosaur Adventure! Collect stamps as you walk along the trail to hunt down life sized replicas… for every one you find you’ll earn a medal! Little dinos can head to the adventure playground to enjoy swinging, sliding and climbing. There’s a separate area just for the under 5s and even a Fun Barn, Deer Park, crazy gold and more! Find out more.
ZSL Whipsnade Zoo – Dunstable, Bedfordshire
**Save 13% On Tickets**
With over 600 acres ZSL Whipsnade is home to more than 2,500 amazing creatures from every corner of the world. See elephants, lions, bears, giraffes… and so much more! The kids will love meeting all their favourite animals up close and if they want to blow off some energy there is also a Hullasbazoo play area, farm yard and a steam train! Find out more.
Gulliver’s Land Tickets – Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
With over 70 rides, attractions and experiences aimed at younger children between the ages 2–13, there’s something for every mini thrill seeker! Ride log flumes, coasters, dodgems and a Pirate ship. There’s also lots of exciting shows and activities to watch and take part in! Find out more.
Chilled in a Field – Tonbridge, Kent
**Get Up To 50% Off**
Come along to this quirky award winning and independent festival, set in the beautiful countryside in Kent, which is perfect for party people and their little ones! There’s lots of lovely areas that the kids will love, including Wonderland for little artists, ‘The Making Place’ where they can learn fascinating science and tech facts and the ‘Flying the Nest’, is a visual feast of costumes, props and puppets not to be missed! Get up to 50% off your tickets when you book with Picniq! Find out more.
The Raptor Foundation – Woodhurst, Cambridgeshire
Free Child for Every Full Paying Adult with a Days Out Card
This lovely Raptor Foundation houses injured raptors and returns rehabilitated birds back into the wild. Little nature enthusiasts will love the chance to see some beautiful birds, including owls, falcons, eagles, hawks, buzzards and more! Find out more.
Ely Catherdral – Ely, Cambridgeshire
Come and grab a slice of culture and marvel at some extraordinary architecture. Little historians will be able to take an insightful tour through this medieval building, making their towards the tower to see The Octagon! Once you reach the top, you’ll have one of the best views of the countryside. Find out more.
Skylark Maize Maze and Funyard – March, Cambridgeshire
Take a walk on the wild side at Skylark Maize Maze! Mini adventurers will love taking on the challenging Maize Maze, which covers 12 acres. They’ll also have the chance to meet some lovely animals and have a go at some fun activities, including pedal-go karts, obstacle course, giant inflatable slides, zip wire and more! Find out more.
Pigeons Farm Children’s Activity Farm – Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
Budding farmers will love getting the chance to make friends with some cute and cuddly animals, including cattle, sheep, rabbits, mini Shetland ponies, pigs, goats, lambs and many more! Kids can also have a go at Egg Collecting and pay a visit to their multiple fun play areas. Find out more.
Baylham House Farm – Ipswitch, Suffolk
Come and discover some fascinating wildlife at this 50 acre farm! You’ll get to meet some livestock, Highland cattle and Herdwick sheep. Little adventurers will love blowing off some steam in Baylham’s fun playground and giant tyre mountain. Find out more.
Africa Alive! – Lowestoft, Suffolk
For a wild and adventurous day out, come along to Africa Alive! This wonderful walking safari, set in 100 acres, will give you the chance to make some new four legged friends, including cheetahs, lions, giraffes, zebra, meerkats, hyenas, and so much more. You’ll also get to find out about all of the fascinating conservation work that the staff do to look after these lovely animals! Find out more.
Great Notley Country Park – Braintree, Essex
This lovely country park has over 1000 acres of vast open space for little explorers to roam free in! Take to the two wooden play areas, or have a go on the football pitches and try some fishing. Bring along your bike or hire one on site to explore one of the many cycle routes on offer and take in the glorious sunshine! Find out more.
Hitchin Lavender – Hitchin, Hertfordshire
Grab your wicker basket and head to Hitchin Lavender to stock up this wonderful smelling and calming flower. Budding gardeners will love it’s beautiful colour, as well as having the chance to wonder amongst the vast field of purple. For rumbling tums, head to the lovely on site cafe to pick up some yummy food and hot drinks. Find out more.
Jump Arena – Luton, Bedfordshire
This fab trampoline centre, which has 50 trampolines, will leave mini gymnasts jumping for joy! All trampolines are surrounded by soft walls, as well as lots of trained staff on site, making this both a fun and safe day out for all. There’s even a soft ball pit that you can jump into, meaning there’s sure to be plenty of fancy tricks on display too! Find out more.
Stockwood Discovery Centre – Luton, Bedfordshire
Little historians will love having the chance to discover the many displays of local social history, Archaeology, Geology and Rural Crafts on show at this amazing museum. The museum also has lots of lovely gardens waiting to be explored, including the Elizabethan Knot Garden to the Dig for Victory Garden! Find out more.
Bletchley Park – Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
Once one of Britain’s best kept secret as home to the Codebreakers, this heritage site now freely offers a fascinating insight into the huts that the clever Codebreakers worked in, as well as an multimedia guide for you to brush up on your history as you wander along the site. There’s also Hut 4, a cafe offering lots of yummy food and drink to refuel after a hard days work of decoding! Find out more.
Isle of Wight Steam Railway – Bembridge, Isle of Wight
Step back in time to take a journey on this lovely steam train! With newly restored carriages, these locomotives are in immaculate condition and run along five miles of track running between Smallbrook Junction, through Ashely and Havenstreet to Wootton. There’s even a children’s play area, which includes a steam train climbing frame with swings, swings and more Find out more.
Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary – Ventnor, Isle of Wight
Spend the day making friends with some cute donkeys at the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary, which offers birthday parties, caring for donkey days and lead a donkey days. You can even support the work this lovely charity do by adopting a donkey! Find out more.
Mid-Norfolk Railway – Dereham, Norfolk
£4 off family day ticket with Days Out Card
This fab heritage railway is great for all of the family… especially if your little conductor loves trains! Travel through the heart of the Norfolk countryside in a 1950’s railcar and even enjoy cream team whilst on board! Grab £4 off a family ticket with our Days Out Card! Find out more.
The Priory Lido – Ware, Hertfordshire
Built in 1934 and originally used as an unheated public bath, this newly reheated pool is the perfect place to relax on a warm sunny day and enjoy some picturesque riverside scenery. There’s lots of trained lifeguards on site, so your little fins can cool off, have fun and be safe. Find out more.
East Herts Miniature Railway – Ware, Hertfordshire
Since being founded in 1978, this well loved miniature railway now has 5 locamotives! Little train lovers will marvel at its fully operational colour-light signalling system in use on their single circuit 7¾” track. Find out more.
Knebworth House, Gardens & Park – Knebworth, Hertfordshire
This stunning House, Gardens and Park is the perfect relaxing day out for all of the family to take in some Vitamin D! Go for a lovely stroll among the grounds, tackle the maze or try the Dinosaur Trail offering 72 life-sized prehistoric creatures. You might even spot some deer grazing on its 250 acre gardens! Let the little ones run riot in the adventure playground, complete with zip wires, swings, slides, walkways and a bouncy castle. Find out more.
Godshill Model Village – Shanklin, Isle of Wight
Come and marvel at this 1/10th scale miniature versions of Godshill and Shanklin Old Village! Made from sand, cement and thatched, these models are just like the real thing. You’ll also have the chance to take in some lovely scenery in their gardens and picnic area, as well as pay a visit to their charming little on site cafe. Find out more.
Saxtead Green Post Mill – Woodbridge, Suffolk
Bring the family along to this history rich and picturesque mill, which was built in the 13th century and carried on working until the 1940s! Climb its many stairs to discover more about its past, or take an audio tour to hear some fascinating facts along the way. Find out more.
Canoeing at Bungay Loop – Bungay, Suffolk
Take to the waters at Bungay Loop! Hire a canoe to wade down to the lake, loop around Bungay Loop and across the landscape of the Waveney Valley. This lovely outdoors activity takes approximately three hours, so is sure to create some lovely lasting memories! This does mean little fins must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Along the way you’ll have the chance to see some beautiful widlife, including swans, herons, kingfishers, butterflies, dragonflies and even otters! Find out more.
Southwold Maize Maze – Southwold, Suffolk
Curious little minds will love having the chance to figure out this vast maze, which covers 8 acres. They can also take part in some fab activities on site too, including pedal go-karts, pedal tractors, a large sandpit and even a jumping pillow! For rumbling tums, there’s an on site cafe offering lots of yummy food and hot drinks. Find out more.
Southend Planetarium – Southend-on-Sea, Essex
Budding astronauts and astrologists will love Southend Planetarium, which offers an out of this world day out! Learn all about the solar system, astronomy and the night sky. Curious minds will also have the chance to ask the lecturer some questions, making this both a fun and educational activity that will help with the school studies too! Find out more.
RetroSkate – Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
Free Skate hire for public sessions and roller discos with Days Out Card
Step back in time for this retro themed family activity! Come along to show off your skills at their public skate and roller disco sessions, or try a coaching class where a helpful instructor will show you the ropes. Little ones can give it a go in the under 5’s only rink or have some fun without wheels in their play area! Grab a free skate session with our Days Out Card! Find out more.
Gnome Magic – Colchester, Essex
Covering 5 acres, Gnome Magic is a lovely day out for all of the family to enjoy. Visit the Gnome Museum to learn all about their history and head over to Gnome Woodland to take in some wonderful wildlife, such as dragonflies, terrapins, grass snakes, woodpeckers and more! Find out more.
Oasis Pool – Bedford, Bedfordshire
Visit this tropical paradise nestled away in Bedforshire! There’s lots of fun things to see and do, including flumes, a wave machine and bubbles, as well as a water cannon, bubble beds and more. Make the most of this lovely summer sun by heading to the outdoor pool with its rapids! Find out more.
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