A family enjoying a picnic outside Castle Howard in Yorkshire.

Outdoor Activities

Calling all adventurers! England’s great outdoors is there for the taking. From coastal hikes to family-friendly play areas and zoos, there are hundreds of outdoor activities to build a short break around. Fancy something a bit different? From llama trekking to learning to surf, there are family activity holidays and unique outdoor experiences aplenty to challenge minds and bodies. Find the best outdoor activities for kids across the UK - filter by region below to find the best options near you.

51 Experience Results

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Savour your scoops at The Ice Cream Farm

Keep the kids happy with more than 40 delicious flavours of ice cream, an outdoor play area, farm, quad bikes, mini golf and more...

Location: Tattenhall, Cheshire

 

Experience steam-age travel on the Nene Valley Railway

Visit one of England’s leading steam engine and locomotive attractions, based in Northamptonshire's Nene Valley.

Location: Peterborough, Cambridgeshire

 

Take the whole family to Chester Zoo

Venture to tantalising tropical islands in the heart of Cheshire with innovative exhibits at the UK’s most popular zoo.

Location: Upton near Chester, Cheshire

 

Sleep in the treetops on an overnight safari in Kent

Get in touch with your wild side in Kent this spring with a true African experience that the whole family will rave about.

Location: Lympne, Kent

 

All aboard heritage steam trains at the Epping Ongar Railway

Pay a visit to Epping Ongar Railway, and ride on running steam and diesel engines between period stations, through countryside and forest.

Location: Chipping Ongar, Essex

 

Discover dinosaur footprints on the beach

Everyone who has been to the beach has seen footprints left in the sand, but have you ever seen ones that have been left by a dinosaur?

Location: Brook, Isle of Wight

 

Take an inspiring trip through Shanklin Chine

This leafy gorge on the Isle of Wight is lined with rare plants, wildlife and waterfalls, making for a magical walk day or night.

Location: Shanklin, Isle of Wight

 

Trip-trap along the Red Squirrel Trail

This family-friendly cycle and walking path encompasses an exciting trail of artwork, sculpture and trolls under bridges.

Location: Newport, Isle of Wight

 

Build sandcastles at Bamburgh Beach

Do you know your cockles from your winkles? St. Aidan and Grace Darling certainly did. And what better place to learn than on Bamburgh Beach.

Location: Bamburgh, Northumberland

 

Get lost in the twists and turns of Wistow Maze

Over the summer, pay a visit to the famous Wistow Maze, a versatile puzzle in the English countryside that changes shape each year.

Location: Wistow, Leicestershire

 

Step back in time on the Severn Valley Railway

Enjoy a combination of rolling countryside views and hints of a bygone era on a superb day of steam-hauled splendour.

Location: Kidderminster, Worcestershire

 

Go glamping at Lookout Lodge inside ZSL Whipsnade Zoo

Enjoy the ultimate overnight experience and camp next door to the animals of ZSL Whipsnade Zoo.

Location: Dunstable, Bedfordshire

 

Go on an exotic adventure at Woburn Safari Park

Explore the habitats of lions, zebras, giraffes and much more at this family-friendly, conservation-focused safari park.

Location: Woburn, Bedfordshire

 

Picnic in Blackpool’s largest park

Stanley Park, in the heart of Blackpool, is renowned for being one of the region's finest parks.

Location: Blackpool, Lancashire

 

Spy on endangered wildfowl at Rutland Water Nature Reserve

Visit Rutland Water's famous wildfowl sanctuary, covering a 1,000 acres of bird hides, mucky nature trails and interactive visitor centres.

Location: Rutland Water, Rutland

 

Go bananas for Trentham Monkey Forest

Pay a visit to the only place in Britain where you can walk among 140 Barbary macaques roaming free in 60 acres of forest.

Location: Trentham , Staffordshire

 

Take time out and relax with a Llama at Wellbeing Farm

If you’re looking to try something different with the kids, then try Llama Trekking through the beautiful West Pennine Moors.

Location: Bolton, Lancashire

 

Get closer to the animals at Paradise Wildlife Park

Venture to Hertfordshire for an exciting day out with the family at this award-winning zoo; see a range of exotic animals and enjoy a whole host of experiences and attractions.

Location: Broxbourne, Hertfordshire

 

Have a medieval sleepover at Warwick Castle

For a family holiday with a difference, grab your sleeping bag and head to Warwick Castle to spend the night within the castle's historic grounds.

Location: Warwick, Warwickshire

 

Find yourself on a farm in the heart of Nottingham

Stonebridge City Farm is a slice of the countryside in the heart of a city centre.

Location: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire

 

Go fossil hunting in East Sussex

You never know what you might find on a fossil-hunting session on Peacehaven beach.

Location: East Sussex

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