The 19 best things to do with kids in Colchester

Really nice place with a very respectful conversion to among the oldest castles in the UK. Lots of interesting exhibits that give equal coverage to all the different peoples that have occupied it. There are several books in Latin and Middle English dotted around, among numerous other things. You can get a ~2hr visit done for sure, not accounting for the wonderful Castle Park! There's also two other museums close by, focused on natural history and Victorian times. Do check them out too!

Cozy little castle with a small surrounding park. There is not much going on inside, the whole interior is converted to a modern exhibition with different artifacts. 30-40 mins was enough to walk. There is a toilet (ran out of toilet paper). Also, no family discounts and they are not part of English heritage. For a family of 4 we paid about 50 GBP which is terrible. Guided tours cost extra.

A great day out. The grounds are well worth seeing (hence the couple of pictures) as well but once inside, the castle is interactive, very well laid out and really interesting. The staff were incredibly helpful and their customer service was first rate. Highly recommend.

We took our 8 year old granddaughter who was fascinated. Lovely staff who were very well informed. We all loved it and plan to make a return visit very soon. To much to take in on one visit.

A beautiful castle on the outside and an excellent, informative museum on the inside. The kids loved it, especially the interactive activities. It is set within some gorgeous grounds and pretty gardens. Highly recommended.

Amazing castle 🏰 to look at, although there are parts that have fencing around due to the deteration of brick work, but for a 900 year old building, it's doing pretty well. You can visit inside at a cost of £13.50 per adult, and as far as I know, there's plenty to see inside. The grounds around it are well maintained with lovely flower and rose beds. Well worth a visit and a walk around the grounds, good day out.

Plenty to interest people of all ages in this museum. It has a wide range of exhibits and interactive displays and a tour of the Roman part of the castle. The museum illustrates the significant history of Colchester with impressive ancient items that show how skilled people were in Roman times. Don't miss the prison cells and the story of the witch finder. All good, we spent a couple of hours enjoying it all. 👍👍👍👍

A free-spirited place for the arts of Colchester. I like that this is not just an art gallery, but it can also be a place for cinema screenings. They can keep some arts, making them go down in history with that mosaic. Arts are not always pictures or sculptures, I was also met with cardboard tags with writing on them. Artwork could also be video like a saucy one on the screen with a picture of edited with things like computer mouse marks. You have got to have this anywhere in your area

A free artistic and educational resource with a market. We enjoyed exploring the stunning building and artworks

So grateful to First Site for everything they’ve put on during the summer! Their holiday fun activities have given us so much to do because they have a lot going on during the week (Tuesday - Saturday). Special thank you to Lorraine for being so welcoming and accommodating — if you plan to come here she’s always happy to help ✨ 10/10 would recommend coming here!

Looking for something different? This is the place! We've so many live performances from Opera, Ballet to West end shows. Plus although you don't get the theatre experience your not paying extortionate prices plus train fares, being on the doorstep. Comfort with drinks and food available both inside and around it's a great way to spend an afternoon or evening😁

Love this gallery. More people should come here! We are so lucky to have it.

A great venue to host a work awards evening. The venue is spacious, close to town so plenty of parking places and there is enough equipment required to make sure the evening runs smoothly. Jess one of the event organisers has been great and will look after you throughout the evening for you and your colleagues.

Amazing place! Great for little ones. Lots of interaction and activities. Fantastic collection of art work on view and currently your art can be displayed along side some famous names! Good little cafe inside, bit pricey but tasty food and good coffee. Friendly staff, happy to chat and very welcoming. I could buy everything from the gift shop, fab array of arty gifts. It was only our first visit but will certainly make an effort to return when back in the area! A little gem of place. Lucky Colchester!

I love this zoo. Even though it’s busy you can still enjoy the experience. Lots to see and do. The animals have some lovely enclosures and look happy. I love the glass so you can get up close to observe. It’s probably my favourite zoo as zoos go and I’ve been to lots! They clearly do a lot for conservation too and that’s massively important for the welfare of endangered species particularly! It’s clean and the staff are lovely!

Had a lovely day out here plenty of animals to see,some were hiding in their beds as it was a bit chilly but you could peep at them there. There's walk through areas to get up close. Plenty of food and drink cafes dotted through the zoo and picnic benches too. Definitely worth a visit.

Love a zoo trip!! such an enjoyable experience. Great variety of animals to see and even though it can be very busy you still see and enjoy it all. The animals all have great spacious enclosures and plenty of items in for them to enjoy. There is plenty of things to see and to do which is great. The Gift shop at the end is brilliant as well, has a great variety of things for all ages.

Our first visit June 2025 10 people. We thoroughly enjoyed our day and the staff were so lovely and helpful. The encounters were fab and so much going on even on a. We’ve been to a good few zoos across the UK as we came from SE and visited whilst on holiday and this is the best we’ve been too so far. There is a lot of pride in the zoo and people maintaining the grounds and you can tell the animals are well looked after, some of the enclosures are fabulous. We spent the day there and still didn’t see everything! So many food places too with nice food choices. Totally recommend!

What an amazing zoological zoo. It's started off as wet and windy but cleared up as there was many indoor areas to visit. The meerkats took abit of coaching to get them outside but eventually came out. Feeding the giraffes was really good and exciting for the children. Well grown ups. The staff were really helpful and knew exactly where to send you when lost for the next adventure around the park. So many animals and looked in good care. Lots of schools visiting which was good to see. Well done teams.

Really enjoyable day and a huge variety of animals to see. It’s really well laid out and the animals all looked happy. The Africa section was impressive. The elephants and giraffes seemed happy. Every turn you took there was something new to discover. Food options were a bit hit and miss with long waits for average not even hot food. That was the only down side but went for the animals hence the 5 star review. The green anacondas were stunning as were the chimpanzees

I had an absolutely fantastic time visiting Colchester Zoo! One of the highlights of the day was the amazing train ride that took us on a scenic journey around the park, giving us a chance to see the majority of the animals from a unique and relaxing perspective. It was such a fun and convenient way to explore the zoo. Another great feature was the variety of informative talks held at different animal enclosures throughout the day. These talks gave us the chance to learn more about the animals, their behaviors, and conservation efforts, all while getting a closer look at them. The staff were friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about what they do. Overall, it was a brilliant experience—perfect for families, couples, or anyone who loves animals. Highly recommend visiting Colchester Zoo for a memorable and educational day out!

My daughter is learning disabled and it can be difficult to keep her amused but she had a go at the interactive jigsaw and games in the room with the large dollhouse. She liked the museum showing old toys and could relate to the more modern versions that she had...I enjoyed reading about Ms Cavandish and just how she seemed born in the wrong time. Extraordinary woman.

Whilst I didn’t visit the museum itself, I did book a private tour with Louise to take a small group around Colchester and it was fantastic. We walked around for over an hour learning all about the history of Colchester, seeing the Roman and Norman influence in the area and appreciating the brickwork and ruins throughout the city. There is a free tour on Saturdays that I can’t speak to, but if it’s half as good as a private tour on weekdays it’s well worth the time. Louise was enthusiastic and knowledgeable, and you could tell she is passionate about history. Thoroughly recommend. Emailing the visitor centre to set up the tour was pleasant with fast responses.

Really nice family friendly free museum. Lots of top quality items from the past to marvel at. Many of them are domestic appliances, but there are toys. The house was once a grand house owned by the MP for Colchester , Charles Grey (not the Prime Minister) in the 1700's. There is information about demostic Servants and the History of the House. Very interesting 👌

Good museum, quite small but full of interesting artifacts.

A compact social history museum featuring everything from vintage vacuum cleaners to dolls houses, art, and royal memorabilia. Should you be in the postbox spotting game, Hollytrees boasts a particularly fine early Victorian example. There's also a wide selection of clocks and a small gift shop with the usual souvenirs, along with some Roman themed items.

Hollytrees Museum is a small lovely museum located in Colchester and situated within Castle Park, off Colchester High Street. The museum is a beautiful Georgian townhouse surrounded by beautiful gardens. It is worth a quick visit if you happen to be in Colchester town and even strolling around the gardens can be very relaxing.

A very enjoyable experience with lovely staff who were very friendly. Three floors of fantastic old clocks, toys, household items accompanied with photos and write ups which really tell the story about the house. Spent a very good hour here with the kids.

This is a lovely park, well maintained and with a diverse landscape, covering sport grounds, a play ground, a flower garden, tree lined walking paths, a lake, a koi pond, a sandpit and most famously - a castle. It’s great in any weather but summer and autumn are the best seasons to admire the spectacle of colors in the park.

We visited & stayed in Colchester to see James & Texas, as part of the summer series. Decided to visit castle & took part in the tour. Tour guide Gillian was fabulous, talked to us a lot & great knowledge. Castle is very interesting. We had fun in Colchester & found the people to be very friendly & helpful.

Saw Craig David at Lower Castle Park. Helpful staff, toilets were close by, amazing experience. One negative, if you don't know the area very well it's very hard to find the car park for events. I paid for parking but couldn't find where the car park was! 🤔😕

Castle Park in Colchester is the perfect spot to unwind on a warm summer’s day. The gentle rustle of leaves, the fresh breeze drifting through the trees, and the laughter of children playing create such a peaceful atmosphere. The playground is beautifully designed, giving kids plenty of space to run, climb, and explore. There’s even a drinking water tap close by, a small but thoughtful touch that keeps little adventurers refreshed during their play. The park is dotted with tall, leafy trees, offering cool shade and a sense of calm no matter how hot the day gets. Walking through, you can’t help but feel you’ve stepped into a place where history and nature blend seamlessly. The only thing missing from my visit was stepping inside the castle itself. It would have been incredible to wander through its ancient halls and imagine the stories it could tell, especially since it was my very first trip to Colchester.

Castle park concert - don't go VIP it's a complete waste of money. You get a spot furthest away from the stage with minimal views of the stage. The toilets were nice, but that's it. And whoever put the flags up needs sacking. They blocked the screens!!!

Wonderful historic place with nature calm sightseeing and kids playground

Excellent park, lots to do from sand pits to swings. Huge green area to enjoy a picnic also!

Excellent friendly and helpful staff, loved the little windows to hunt things in, loved the microscope for use, megladon teeth and jaw plus information was the star for 11 year old!! Perfect free thing to do for a couple of hours with the kids.

Few gems that appear in this compact museum. Does seem to be a decent place for children to explore a litttle bit. However, the place does feel a little tired and does require a facelift. There are some features that are engaging, however and there does appear to be some plans to modernise the place.

A shame that the minerals and sea birds had no labels and were difficult to view in very tall vertical cabinets. I miss the old display cases and they could save room by making smaller gift shops.

Great 1-2 hours of fun at the museum. Little one had lots to do and see. The creation stations with feathers, glue, googly eyes and paper plates was so fun. Great addition of the free sanitary products in the toilets too.

Was a lot different to what I was expecting but it was a very nice museum. Would highly recommend if you are in Colchester

Very nice place with a lot of History there! Very educative for the Kids. The musem also has a microscop and you can even see each Line which you have on your hand. I Recommend the place especially for families with Kids! ❤️

Really cute little museum, it's free entry so a great place to bring kids who are interested in science or need something to do on a rainy day. The staff are always so friendly and engage with the little ones, telling science facts etc. I brought my 11 year old sister and 9 year old brother here (but have been bringing them for several years!) and they particularly love: The microscope Firefly the fox The gift shop (prices are very reasonable) And the little play area in the middle. I'd absolutely recommend visiting if you have a spare hour :)

First time visiting the mercury theatre last Saturday evening to see the Illegal Eagles. Parking was very easy, Saint Mary's car park had lots of spaces and it was just a short walk and you were there. Small restaurant where you enjoy a meal before your show. Shop in the foyer for drinks or snacks and there's also a bar. There are stairs or lifts available to gain access to the theatre seating area. Very roomy area with air conditioning. Comfortable seats, some spacers for wheelchair users. Toilet facilities were ample and kept very clean. The lighting throughout the show was amazing as was the sound quality. Upon leaving the area I noticed that in what had been the restaurant area earlier there was a stand up show going on, so clearly there's a lot that happens here, so worth keeping an eye on their website to see what on. Good place to go for a night out.

Genuinely one of the best theatre venues I've ever visited. The auditorium is large but all on one tier, access to seats is pretty easy. The menu is reasonably priced and quite extensive. Slushies are always a bonus, and the pantos done here are a marvel.

My first visit to the Mercury Theatre exceeded expectations. The auditorium has raked seats ensuring that you get a clear view of the stage without having to peer around the heads of people in the rows in front of you, although the seats are a little narrow. The performance that I saw was slick, professional and the acoustics were very good. The actors could be heard clearly. There is a café and bar onsite and, an added bonus for the ladies, the toilets were plentiful, unlike in London where you all have to queue for two or three toilets. Parking at St Mary's car park was easy and only a few minutes walk to the theatre. I'll definitely be visiting again.

Loved the theatre but hated the performance of Private Lives . My wife and I left at the interval. This production had none of the waspish humour you expect in a Coward play. It was poorly acted...you didn't care what happened to the characters. We were, however, impressed by the theatre.

1st time visitor. Was very impressed with venue. Comfy rooms seats. Great sound. We saw endless love. Good show. Only comment would be upstairs bar was shut in interval and downstairs was rammed. Barely got drink before interval finished. Otherwise was great x

Wonderful auditorium, we went to see Adam Frost. We were up at the back when these really distracting noises started behind us during the second half. There was music, a compere and lots of singing and clapping. It was almost impossible to hear Adam Frost. Lots of people around us were complaining. We were apologised to at the end and told it was a party in the studio next door. One usherette said that people have complained a lot. THEN PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT MERCURY. A few more layers of insulation or no party when there's a speaker in the main auditorium. It can't be that difficult, but when you have paid good money to hear someone speak you do expect to be able to hear them.

What a wonderful place. Brilliant views from the second row. Good bar. Restaurant was offline but food is only a 3 minute walk away. Great staff. Snacks and water available on front desk. Briliant, show with the Simon and Garfunkel Story. Have to say it is a fantastic venue. Please support!

Largish park nice trails and very bikeable also. Draw back is not sign posted well for coloured trails blue and yellow . A lot of direction arrows are missing.cafe is here and parking also. The turn in too can miss if you blink.

High Woods Country Park is a great spot for nature lovers. The field is full of colourful wildflowers, making it perfect for a relaxing walk. The paths are easy to follow and take you through some lovely green areas. There are plenty of benches around, especially near the lake, where you can sit down and relax. You’ll also find benches scattered in other parts of the park, making it easy to take a break and enjoy the scenery. There aren’t any toilets, but that’s alright since it’s a free park. It’s also a fantastic place for dog walkers with plenty of space for your furry friends to run around. Just make sure to clean up after your dogs – I’ve come across a few spots where people haven’t, and it’s not pleasant.

Lovely place to walk in woods sandy too .toilets fishing lake park for kids .

At High Woods Country Park Park, not only can you enjoy the beautiful views and walk peacefully through the forest, but you can also bring your faithful furry companion along. This park is the perfect place for you and your dog to enjoy nature together, sharing moments of adventure and exploration while immersing yourselves in the serenity of the surroundings. The spacious and well-maintained trails offer the ideal space for walking with your dog, allowing them to enjoy the freedom and excitement of discovering new scents and landscapes while accompanying you on your outdoor experience.

Very big park with very nice scenery. I unfortunately biked here during night one time while running an errand and it was very dark 😆. The small pathway lights helped keep me on track. I felt like the Slenderman was lurking behind the trees. If I had spent any more time there during that night and I would've had to collect his 8 pages... 📃

We had a great morning at the new playpark. Plenty of equipment for older kids and a separate section for little ones. I didn't take pics of the little equipment - sorry! It's all gated and there's plenty of picnic benches. The entrance to it is just off turner road. Only downside is you have to pay to park. I think it was £1 for 2 hours. We also had coffees in the visitor centre and there were huge sausage rolls too. It's a great place to go and get some fresh air!

Absolutely stunning nature forest park! Autumn is just beautiful here. Our first visit, definitely not the last. The lady in the visitor centre was so lovely, friendly. Great place for kids. Can't wait for the new playground to open soon.

These imposing ruins were part of one of the first Augustinian priories in England. They've stood at the heart of the community since the 1100s and are a fine example of early Norman architecture. The church was built in flint and reused Roman brick. It showcases massive circular pillars, round arches and an elaborate west front. It was badly damaged by cannon fire during the Civil War siege of 1648 and was never repaired.

A little let down by the place being a hang out for the local pot heads. However handy for a view of the Roman walls and a short walk to Colchester castle

Beautiful ruins but not much to see and the surrounding area is not inspiring.

Apart from the drunks it's an amazing place. Very atmospheric.

Went St Botolph's Priory to have look around as it was okay only 30 mins then left.

Wonderful ruins and definitely worth visiting.

Stunning. Highly recommended to visit this heritage to witness the amazing historic buildings.

I love it there. The guide was very informative, not just about Roman Colchester but before they arrived and after they left. There are a couple of great models of the town and the Circus, and video footage of a chariot race. I have been twice, well worth a visit.

A very quiet archaeological centre open to the public, code to the site of a Roman Circus, that is a chariot race track. Unfortunately previous development has resulted in roads and buildings cutting through the brick and stone footings. However a replica of the starting gates has been built to give a visitor an idea of the scale of this Roman facility. The site has maps and models, both of the original Circus and second century Camulodunum, (now Colchester) The site may be a 10 minute walk from Colchester Town rail station. Entry was &£5, parking available and excellent staff with whom I discussed Roman subjects, and compared ideas about how similar some Roman and 21st century conditions related.

This museum shows what the circus would have been like well. With models and diagrams over laid over photos of existing. The use of different path ways in the area to show where the walls would have been is very good. Gives a real sense of size. They had people dressed as Romans teaching children who visited how to plan different Roman games. It was a lovely educational place to visit.

Very knowledgeable volunteers. With quite a few of the exhibits outside, it's good for accessibility and active children. Fascinating to find out about this ancient sport and its role in society at the time. It is slightly hidden away so I had the place to myself on my recent visit.

We visited towards the end of the day, we had parked nearby and just happened to notice it was open (on last few occasions we had gone past it was closed). We were greeted by the friendly staff who advised that the cafe shut a tad earlier than the museum so if we wanted drinks, best to do that first perhaps. Cafe has a selection of drinks and a few cakes. Prices are not bad, and there is a small amount of seating inside the museum but more outside (which is nice if the weather is good!) After myself and the kids had demolished a bit of cake between us we popped back in for a look around. It's very informative and the staff are more than happy to answer any questions but there is a lot to read - and possibly not as hands on kid friendly as you'd perhaps want a museum to be. They did however enjoy looking at the models and we tried a bit of spot this and that on the big pictures, which when they found what we was looking for we attempted to talk about! There is also a nice outside space for a small wonder, and if weather is good it's a really nice little area for a rest / chill. In terms of facilities there is a small car park, and there is toilets. Admission to the museum is not expensive - it cost me £3 and the kids were free (kids up to 11 are free). The visit was a nice diversion from a busy day in the town / city - it was quiet on our visit and we were there for just over an hour (but that included cake eating time). If you are keen on finding out about Colchesters roman past then this is a great place to come!

Great place to visit. Thank you Linda for your time and knowledge you shared with us. She guarantees the highest level of professionalism in her trade. Also, the best banana cake I've ever had. Highly recommended!

Great displays of how the city was back in Roman times. In particular, the circus and activities around this major sporting event at the time. Good cafe, too, for light snacks or meals. Served by lovely friendly staff. It's worth a visit.

This mill is small (expect to spend an hour or so here) but the volunteers are fabulous welcoming, kind and very knowledgeable they went out of their way to make the visit special. We sat by the pond and enjoyed a cup of tea … by far the best cuppa I have had at a national trust property.

Hardly ever open - pity Mill pond makes a nice photo and you can walk along the stream.

Small place and not open all the time. Car park has space for about 3 cars, so gives you a guide of how busy it usually gets! (You can however park just down the road if need to!) With all that said its a random little visit of a place situated in an area you perhaps wouldn't expect. Its actually fairly peaceful considering its location!!

Small but extremely picturesque National Trust Property. Bourne Mill is a 16th Century building, set alongside a large pond. Its grounds may not be large, but they are charming nonetheless. The outdoor sitting area provides an excellent place to stop for a cup of tea or coffee, next to the pond. The mill itself provides an excellent glimpse into the local happenings during Elizabethan times, and the working water wheel is a sight worth seeing. On a nice day, this place also provides plenty of photo opportunities.

Small and very cute place. Recommended to take a look.

Parking for 4 cars only but plenty of free on street parking nearby. The mill is a quick place to visit but is worth it.

Very beautiful mill shame it was not open, the gate had a padlock n chain on it and the opening times had been scribbled off, the mill itself is still visable from a public footpath and there's a footpath/woodland walk/brook that runs in the opposite direction just the past the mill, would love to visit, it is not open (Jan 2022) sadly, no explanation given, nothing on the website either! Would love to visit properly

A lovely place to walk around so many different type of birds to see

Great for wildfowl photo's

Essex and Suffolk water’s Abberton Reservoir is one of Europe's top wetland sites and lies close to the east coast migration routes. There are two hides available for dedicated birdwatchers but we were here to get some fresh air and enjoy the sunshine with the grandchildren. At the visitors centre we paid £10 which gave us admission for the family, the hire of some nature packs and two maps for the character trail. The visitor centre has toilets, a shop and a café for refreshments. Outside there is a children's play area with various climbing frames and apparatus. The map and the main draw for us was the Brambly Hedge Trail which gave the children a mapped out trail to follow and seven wooden characters to find from the classic stories. There are also questions to answer to keep them interested The nature packs contained some binoculars, a magnifying glass, a jar to collect bugs, and books to be able to identify the birds and insects we discovered. In all honesty they weren't much use at this time of year but would be a lot of fun in the spring/summer. There is free parking on site and some of the trails are wheelchair friendly, they also claimed to have wheelchairs and electric buggies available for use (please check with them before getting there). We enjoyed our visit and will come again in the spring/summer.

Very pretty, you can see a lot of ducks here and it's very kidfriendly. Be careful when driving down there though, as ducks tend to cross the road and you may need to emergency break/swerve.

Beautiful spot , good coffee & cake & wildlife .

Good day out for the family. Lovely ground with footpaths for walks, huts for bird watching and a playground for the kids. Nice cafe with good selection of cakes too.

Views from the causeway of spoonbills. Also lots of little egrets and great white egrets. Only downside is that dogs are not allowed, even to sit outside at the cafe.

I’m not sure how but all of the staff are incredibly, genuinely lovely and joyful - they made our evening a total delight and seemed to have zero issue with helping on all things for our kids party. Hugely impressed and felt the party was great value. I’d say this is a step up since the last brand / owners.

Me and the family came here yesterday after school. Leon served us, lovely guy and really helpful. The rest of the staff were great too. We will be coming back for some more soon!

Today my 7 year old daughter had her very first birthday party here. The staff here are fantastic, in particular the tram leader. We will be back again soon.

Had a party here for my nephew’s birthday and everything was amazing. Our host was Kyle and he was brilliant with interacting with the kids and also us adults making sure we knew what was happening and all of the timings. Really polite and friendly a real credit to the company. Would really recommend. Clean building and all staff smiling!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding Experience at AirHop Colchester! We recently brought our Year 6 pupils to AirHop Colchester for their leavers’ reward trip, and while we arrived to discover that our booking hadn’t gone through (our mistake!), the team were nothing short of incredible in helping us turn things around. From the moment we explained the situation, the staff couldn’t have been more helpful. Sain went above and beyond to accommodate our entire group, ensuring we still received the full party package and food options we had originally planned. Their calm and professional handling of the situation made what could have been a stressful moment into a smooth and happy experience. A special mention must go to Millie, our party host, who truly went the extra mile. She kindly stayed beyond the end of her shift just to support us, and she was fantastic with the children—engaging, friendly, and full of positive energy. She even helped us cut and serve the cake, which was such a thoughtful touch and didn’t go unnoticed. The rest of the team during our jump session were equally amazing. They welcomed us with big smiles, provided socks so the teachers could bounce with the children, and made sure we had unlimited ice water refills—essential on such a high-energy visit! Every single staff member was upbeat, attentive, and genuinely seemed to enjoy making our experience the best it could be. Thanks to the exceptional service and warm atmosphere, we’ve already decided to make this trip an annual tradition for our school. We’ve also recommended AirHop Colchester to all the other schools in our local hub. Thank you again to the brilliant AirHop team—see you next year!

The staff here could not have been more helpful. My wife accidentally booked the wrong site and the manger resolved the problem right away without charging us for the correct booking. One of my kids spilled a drink and the staff were nothintg but curtious and helpful. I can't speak highly enough of the team here. Highly recommended.

Really enjoyable session, as well as being a great workout! It's very well run by the Marshalls and is a clean, safe environment. There's a little cafe/viewing area upstairs, and then aside from the large trampoline run there's also dodgeball, basketball section, jumping and ducking challenge, and more. Great fun for kids and adults.

Beautiful Gardens, you could spend all day here, we had cake and tea after our walk, the food looked very nice and reasonable priced 😊. The gardens and walkways are stunning. It's so relaxing and peaceful. It's also a nursery so you can buy lots of different plants also. I came here about 15 years ago and was lucky enough to meet Beth Chatto while i was there. She was very kind and didn't mind standing there just talking to people visiting her gardens . We will be back in the summer looking forward to it.

1st visit in years. Lovely wall around the gardens. Had a sandwich & drink in the tearoom - reasonable prices. Then had a good look through the nursery. Love the way it's set out for different planting conditions & also recommends what to grow with it.

Have been meaning to visit here for Years. Finally got around to it and was not disappointed. Nice gentle walks through the garden and looked like pretty good wheelchair access. Nice shop and restaurant. Plants and gardening books to purchase. You can do RHS approved training courses there. Annual tickets available for multiple visits. Access road is narrow but has passing places. A couple of coach parties visiting Ng when we were there. We booked online before visiting.

Probably not the best time of year to visit for masses of flowers, but colourful enough.Nice place to visit for a stroll around the gardens and then a nice cup of tea with a slice of cake in the tearoom.Also has a nursery with plants from the garden to buy.

Crikey - what an amazing place. While we were there, on a recent family visit, a Swedish TV company were filming a gardening programme. And I'm not surprised. No wonder the gardens are world famous. We were completely entranced by the whole experience, including the different spaces and environments, the nuseries, the house and the lovely lunch in the restaurant. My only advice to any visitor would be walk slowly, take your time and just let the experience soak in...

Recently, I visited Beth Chatto's Plants and Gardens in Essex, near Colchester, with an old friend. The garden is exceptionally well maintained and offers a lovely day out for families. Unfortunately, the staff in the shopping area were not particularly friendly. They overcharged us for paper bags, which didn't make sense since different customers were given different prices for them. The worst part was as we were leaving; a staff member was unhelpful and patronising while we were trying to arrange a taxi back to Colchester station. A woman even repeatedly asked us to leave the premises, behaving not great! Despite these issues, we had a wonderful trip overall!

Beths Plants & Gardens has a wide variety of plants and shrubs set in a beautiful location. The lakes and ponds have been created to encourage insects with numerous moisture loving plants. There is a canopy of tall oak trees creating shade and a peaceful atmosphere during the walk around. There are wooden benches located at various intervals around the gardens should you need to catch your breath during the visit. The Staff are incredibly enthusiastic & knowlegable and happy to answer any questions you may have. During the warmer months of the year, be sure to visit the pigs and learn the benefits they bring with regard to the preparation of uncultivated ground. Highly recommended.

Beautiful peaceful gardens and woodlands. Fiona the owner is very knowledgeable and is a great guide. She makes delicious cake too. We will be back in the autumn to see the beautiful colours in the trees.

Green Island Gardens is a beautiful garden near Colchester. It is a beautiful haven made up of woodlands and island beds. It is serene and peaceful and we spent a lovely afternoon there recently. They have a small cafe serving a good range of simple lunches.

This is a real hidden gem, we came here when we realised that Bsth Chattos garden wasn't open on a Sunday. So glad that we came here, it's not as commercial and has a lovely homely feel. There's lot's of really interesting and beautiful plants. There's also 2 national collections which is lovely to see. The gard9is divided into to sections. One is slightly more formal with beds and places to chill. There's also a kids playground with trampoline amd a tree house as well a a pond. On the other side There's the woodland garden. Each side is around 10 acres. The tea room is very down to earth selling toasted sandwiches, baguettes and soup as well as cake.

Visited the gardens today. Extremely disappointed. Not worth the £10 entry fee at all. Plus £2 for a map printed on a home computer? Tea rooms were filthy and ridiculously overpriced. Disabled parking was taken up by 4 cars - none of which were displaying blue badges. Staff member who (eventually) met us at the door was incredibly rude and didn't seem to want to assist whatsoever. Save your money and visit Beth Chatto instead. At least they provide proper tearooms, facilities for the disabled and concession rates.

Had a lovely afternoon with my husband at Green Island Gardens yesterday, just chilling in the lovely sunshine and enjoying the peace and quiet. Had a lovely cuppa and a sneaky slice of fruit cake in the tearoom, served by a very friendly young lady. Lots of beautiful flowers and unusual plants to see. Definitely worth a visit, but allow plenty of time as there is a lot of ground to cover.

What a wonderful place. The gardens are beautiful and tranquil and there is so much to see. We enjoyed strolling around the different areas and looking at the wide variety of trees and plants. There are many areas just to sit and relax. We had a cup of tea at the end of our visit sitting in the garden area outside. There were some really nice looking home made cakes although we didn't have any this time. All reasonably priced. The gentleman on duty could not have been more polite, friendly and helpful. We enjoyed it so much we upgraded our ticket so we can have more visits. Well worth visiting

Essex' version of 'Kew Gardens'! Perfect size, you can see the whole place in a day. Plenty or benches around so you can pace yourself. Quiet too so feels more peaceful. Lovely welcome from the resident doggies! Free parking. Accessible toilets. Cafe on site. Friendly staff. Nice selection of plants to buy too. Kids loved running around and exploring, especially the tree house. They enjoyed the trampolines and swings too. Well worth a visit!

Lovely place for kids - probably 3 - 10 years perfect age. Was raining when we went but we could do most things.( It's very outdoors so if persistent heavy rain I don't think it would be worth it. ) the characters are all excellent and very engaging with the children and the play areas are great quality too. It's a lovely day away from screens and flashing lights.

We went on an off peak weekend which was great value for money! We were here from opening until 3pm but you could definitely be here until closing which I believe is 4pm. Great play areas with climbing and slides, bouncy pillow, tunnels and sandy areas. The karts were fun too and great that had tandem ones so the adults could pedal for the kids as was quite tough. Chance to meet characters my little boy loved meeting Zephyr the dragon and you can join in with character workshops - We did Merlin’s potion making which our sons enjoyed! Also lovely woodland with a maize maze, dragon trail and well being woods.

We have now visited Wyvernwood wood twice. Both trips were great and the kids had an amazing time. There is so much to do, either off exploring on your own, or the planned activities/shows happening throughout the day. The actors are fantastic, very entertaining and interactive with the children. The kids were thrilled that they got to meet dragons, unicorns, fairies, a goblin, a princess, a witch and Merlin. They loved the giant bounce area and digging for treasure in the sand. There is hot and cold food, drinks (including coffee) and ice cream available on site and plenty of picnic benches scattered around. We will definitely be visiting again.

Great value for money, a full day out for our 8 and 5 year olds. The staff were amazing, especially on what is one of the hottest days. They were engaging, enthusiastic and attentive. The kids loved the experience! We booked in advance which we felt was good value. Parking was easy. We would suggest being there for 9:45 so you don’t miss the opening experience. We used the day guide leaflet with the timed events and went to them all. The day didn’t drag and there was even some laughs for the adults. Food was good - it wasn’t cheap, but these places have to be funded somehow! It wasn’t super busy which made the day even more personal. Everyone should support this location! The only feedback we had was that in the video, the warrior workshop had swords, but not on the day. Small thing, and the only thing i could raise as feedback. Thank you to everyone who was part of the day! You were all amazing.

Visited with my daughter on Sunday, value for money and for good outdoor experience, my little one had fun enjoying the nice theme welcome and the pathway to the entrance, there are slides, sand play area, jumping pillow, tunnels, dragon and princess and fairy session along with Pirate I suppose, facepaint for children is available as well on site, Tuna baguette was amazing from the cafe I did had to take off some burn parts but it was nice. The ponies with unicorn horn were beautiful to watch, the cycling cart do need alot of effort for paddling specially if you got one with single peddles so do keep that in mind.

What a fun day we had (the weather worked in our favour as well)! We couldn't believe the beautiful wooden statues (especially the Wyvern) and the playgrounds were surprisingly and the staff was very nice! We are from the Netherlands, so my daughter was not very interested in meeting al the characters, but had a great time!

Awesome day out with my 6 year old! The location, play areas and toilets were all pristine, the characters were excellent and the theme was brilliant! Lovely walk through the woods on site, everything superbly signposted, I couldn't recommend it more! My only negative feedback is that the cookies and cakes in the coffee hut by the sandpit/jumping pillow need some nets over to stop the flies crawling all over them!

Beautiful place for a lovely long or short walk through the arboretum. We took our dogs so we were a little restricted on access to the walled gardens. Nevertheless, it is a stunning place to spend time and relax on the many benches dotted around taking in the fantastic views. Highly recommended

I took my mum here for her 90th birthday, and reserved a golf buggy to take her around the estate. It was very easy to book and the communication was excellent. On arrival, the volunteer driver, Trevor, was waiting for us. He was very personable, patient and friendly. He took us all around the estate and my mum was enthralled by the trees in their spectacular autumn colours. She had a fabulous time and hasn't stopped talking about it. I'm making her a photobook of her day so that she can re-live the memories. I can't thank the staff enough for making her day so special.

Lovely experience. Staff very friendly, gardens are a delight. Feeding the fish and the geese and babies was a pleasure. Lovely picnic area, walled garden, arboretum and lakes. Lots of benches scattered around.Then back to Mrs Salisburys for refreshments. All in all, good value for money, well worth a visit.

Superb parklands, with areas dedicated to the trees from different parts of the World. We had a nice coffee and cake in the café before starting our walk and took our picnic lunch with us. It was all good, and don't miss the walled gardens, they were exceptional. When we were at the WWII memorial the gardener stopped mowing the grass so we could look at the memorial in peace. He came over and told us all about the history and recent events. So nice of him, so considerate. Thank you 👍👍👍👍👍

Great day out for all the family. Lovely kept garden and woodland. Enjoyable carp lake, beautiful atmosphere & excellent weather.

Great place to visit with lovely walks. A large river runs through the estate which is a good place to sit and enjoy the surroundings. It also has a walled garden and a flower garden. On site there is a café and a restaurant and also toilets

Recently l visited here and l had a nice time exploring the gardens and woodlands of Mark Hall. I found a good cafe on site, as well as a gift shop and plenty of toilets.

Lovely place, nice park, cafe (may be better to take cash as card machine was playing up). Lovely walk along the beach kept my 5 yo and 7 yo entertained for more than 2 hours. Be careful on the war bunker the 5 yo missed a step and has a bruise on their hip. Overall definitely worth a visit. Parking is a bit pricey but guess it goes towards the upkeep which is therefore worth it.

Beautiful place for a walk just off the beach. Lots of benches to rest. Quite a bit of history to refresh on. Wonderful play area.

We walked to Cudmore Grove Country as we were staying nearby. It was lovely and quiet as not many visitors. We walked past the Ww2 Pillbox and along the coast path to the Brightlingsea ferry landing. You have to book this in advance, we hadn't. We walked around towards Pyefleet channel but had to turnback as marshland. We then decided to walked to see the Strood crossing. We ended up walking 6.5m . When we got to the Strood the tide was in and we watched as it wenf down. We then walked back to accommodation.

Lovely open space with great views. Children's play area, cafe and toilets.

Very peaceful (on a term-time weekday). Not even the sound of the water, just birds singing.

Lovely day for a trip to the cove. A fun park for the kids and seaside walks.

A great space for dogs and children, kids have an excellent activity area. The beach is interesting with the possibility of finding fossils. - Watch out for the low, eroding cliffs. But charging for disabled drivers?? I don't know about that.

Lovely beach, parking & toilets nearby. Mixture of sand, stone & shells. Nice friendly, family atmosphere. Would definitely come back 👌

beautiful, peaceful place. I stopped by chance, but immediately wanted to stay longer. I was disappointed that those charming houses could not be rented overnight, which is quite annoying.

Great beach, especially for dog walks. You can spend the morning walking the dog at the beach and getting some beach air in your lungs. Then pop into the victory, white hart or coast inn for some lunch. It is a lovely place to visit regardless of the season.

Very wild and windy but it was 31st December! Imagine it's much nicer for families in Summer. As a dog friendly beach we found it really good to wander along the seafront allowing our labrador freedom to run around when appropriate.

Lovely walk along the beach

We stayed two nights, lovely accommodation right next to a pub with fabulous restaurant. Beach good for walking and blowing the cobwebs way.

A week back I visited this place with friends. This is the first beach I have visited is muddy and not suitable for swimming. However we dipped ourself inside the water and played with beach ball. It was lovely experience seeing the water resting on the sand beach. Went for long walk along the water and collected lot of shells. I don't recommend to visit this one if you are visiting with families as water is muddy. We spotted Jelly fishes there. Overall it's the nature, water and long walks you enjoy there. Thanks 👍