The 11 best things to do with kids in Maldon

Promenade Park in Maldon is a fantastic spot for a day out, especially if you're looking to enjoy both green space and a bit of seaside charm. The park sits right by the water, with a small beach area that’s perfect for a paddle or just soaking up some sun. There are plenty of walking tracks that wind through the park. The open grassy areas are great for picnics, ball games, or simply stretching out with a good book. You’ll find a decent selection of food stalls, especially during weekends and events, offering everything from ice cream to tasty hot meals. Plus, with several pubs nearby, there’s no shortage of options for a proper sit-down meal or a refreshing drink. Public toilets are available and well-maintained, which is always a plus on a longer visit. Whether you're with family, friends, or just enjoying some solo time, Promenade Park has something for everyone. A great blend of nature, water, and local charm.

We visited the park in late September 2025. We were on a weekend glamping trip with our family, including the grandchildren. The park was lovely for the kids, as there is plenty to do and it wasn't too busy. There is good parking and we had no trouble finding a spot.

A beautiful waterside park with many attractions, plenty of places to eat and lots of seating, a huge field for picnics and shady avenues of trees. If you can get here early in the morning as the sunrises, you’re in for a treat.

The prom is one of my all time favourite places. However as I no longer live in Maldon we have to drive and today we wanted a quiet grassy spot and we knew the far end of one of the main fields would do the trick after having to leave previous venue just before 5pm. We wanted to be there about 3 hours so we could gently sort out tea and eat it. You are talking 5.30pm to 8.30pm. I expected to pay fair enough but £8 for 3 hours parking on a Sunday evening is too much. If it was upto £5 we would of happily used and their would be a 5 star review. I do also think £8 for a full day is fair.

Such a lovely place to spend the day.. a zoo, crazy golf, woods, and a a scenic walk path. Lovely cafes and restaurants

Great place. Only been there In the summer 🌞 Places to eat, nice views and play fun areas for the kids

Nice place for a walk around. Good playground for the kids too.

Great place. Has 3 floors. Disabled and baby changing room on first floor then toilets upstairs. Lots of weapons and clothing. Small car park but it’s not that busy when we came. It was nice to visit and friendly staff. They prefer card rather than cash. You can book online then pay in person

A wonderful museum filled to the brim with a wide selection of military memorabilia from across history. Compromised of about 3/4 rooms which are densely packed and well laid out. Uniforms, weapons, badges, ordnance and more from the middle ages to present. Staff were absolutely lovely and extremely knowledgeable willing to answer all sorts of questions. Spent around 2 hours inside but easily could have spent more. 5/5 would recommend.

A hidden gem if you are into military memorabilia. The museum hosts the Donnington Historic Weapons Collection, a collection of weapons accumulated by MoD Donnington in Shropshire, over a long period of time. The curator is particularly knowledgeable.

This was a superb find for me as looking for something to do. What an incredible museum with the biggest display of guns in the country. Over three floors this museum has displays of all original items from different theatres of war and includes , special forces, spies and home front. Spears, swords, uniforms and weapons. You will need a good couple of hours to see everything, very informative displays. Definitely worth a visit as the best that I have seen and a hidden secret. There is free parking, admission is £9.50 for adults. Open Wednesday to Sunday 10.30am to 5pm. When we arrived we were greeted by a very nice and knowledgeable lady, Julie Ann Miller.

Around £10 per person, with limited parking on the site, but the area isn't busy, so you should be able to find parking. The museum is larger than it looks and it has a huge collection of scary things! No other way to describe guns and bombs! Recommend a visit! I spent a couple of hours there myself.

What an absolutely fantastic hidden gem! One man's stunning, eclectic collection. Run by really enthusiastic and knowledgeable volunteers, who are present to share interesting facts and point out rare and unusual items and give more information when requested and answer our many questions! (I think the gentleman's name was Dave... thank you!) Free parking on site. Tickets very reasonably priced. Usually closed Monday and Tuesday, but open every day for school holidays. A list of items does not do the collection justice so I won't try, however the spy section was really cool and the Victoria Cross display. Husband is ex military and was really impressed with the scope and detail. The collection spans 3 floors and is well laid out in sections. If you get overwhelmed with everything there is to see, seek out the yellow labelled items (rarest items or something interesting/different) No cafe, just a coffee machine. Plenty of chairs to rest. Photos allowed. 100% worth a visit.

This place is well worth a visit. I took my 10 year old grandson. All I heard while I was there was, "Nanny come and look at this", "wow nanny look at that". It's far bigger than it looks from the outside. Lifts on each floor and a drinks machine with seating area. I will definitely go there again.

Been visiting Maldon for many years. Its well worth a visit to the Quay especially if you are interested in Thames Barges. We usually park the car in Promenade Park (pay) because of very limited parking at the Quay (1 hour) and walk beside the river up to the Hythe. Loads of free activities for children along the way, plenty of fast food and ice cream vendors, accessible toilets, loads of seating. There are 2 pubs at the Hythe. The Queens Head and Fish on the Quay. In my opinion the Queens head is much the better place, right on the quay, quick service, excellent food and beers, dog friendly, with very reasonable prices.

Good place to see the Thames barges. Depending on the tide you can also go on a Thames barge cruise. The quay is nice to walk along right up to the end where there is a historic statue. There is a park for kids to play, a seafood shack and small cafe

Maldon High Street leads straight down to the Hythe Quay where famous Thames barges sport their russet red sails in a splendid array of colour and charm. Trips are available on the barges depending the high tide times. The area has two main pubs and is the start of the pleasant promenade walk.

Oldest river in England, and the quay built as a port by the Romans

Wow what a fantastic Quay, lots of Old Thames barges, some being renovated, great pubs for drinks and food, great history here, there was vikings landed and fought off again and again, fantastic bird wildlife, its a great place for young children, an outdoor swimming pool and play areas, just love it.

Historic Thames sailing barges which take passengers in season. The town of Maldon is delightful.

Nice walks and views

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Pirates Bay Adventure Golf – Maldon 🏴‍☠️⛳ A fantastic family day out full of fun, laughs, and pirate vibes! 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦💥 We visited with our 3 kids and had an absolute blast. 🗺️ The course is beautifully themed – pirate ships, waterfalls, treasure chests, and even a talking parrot! Every hole has its own fun challenge, but it’s not too difficult, so younger kids can enjoy it too. ⚓ The attention to detail is great, and the whole place is really well maintained. The kids loved climbing around the ship and pretending they were on a real pirate adventure. 🏴‍☠️🦜 ⏱️ It takes just the right amount of time – about 45 mins to an hour depending on how busy it is. We went mid-morning and avoided the crowds. 🎉 The staff were friendly, helpful, and really good with kids – big smiles all around. 💷 Prices are fair for what you get, and the location in Promenade Park makes it easy to pair with a walk, picnic, or ice cream after. 🍦🌳 Highly recommended for families – fun, active, and a great way to spend a sunny afternoon together! #PiratesBayMaldon #AdventureGolf #FamilyFun #MiniGolfMadness #MaldonDaysOut

Decent crazy golf, good fun and well worth a visit, fairly reasonably priced (£26 for 2 adults and 2 children). It did look a little run down in some parts, that’s the only reason for the 4 stars instead of 5.

I had an enjoyable experience at Pirates Bay Adventure Golf. There were 18 holes in total, surrounded by interesting features and water which made it a nice environment to play in. I would say that the holes could have been slightly more challenging compared to another local crazy golf course, however the price we paid seemed reasonable enough. Was quite quiet on a Monday evening, would definitely recommend.

Really lovely 18 hole mini golf course. Myself and my 8 year old visited today and the man who served us was very polite and helpful. From taking our money to helping us retrieve our golf balls when needed, everything was done with a smile ans a kind word. We opted to do the new mining for crystals also which was £1 off with a game of golf and my daughter thoroughly enjoyed this. I was sceptical at first, wondering if 1 bag would be enough but it was! You get several crystals as well as a leaflet telling you what they are. Towards the exit, once you've identified your crystals theres also a board telling you where they come from around the world which we thought was fab. Very interesting. The mini golf is situated only steps away from the peting zoo, park, picnic area, skate ramps and splash park so you could easily plot up and incorporate this into a full day of fun.

Good Adventure golf within the Promenade Park, we had fun however it looks a little tired and run down considering it's only been open 2 years .if only the water features were full of water not leaves they may well work properly and a couple of the pirates could do with a link of paint just to make it look better and cared for.

Fairly typical mini golf course around the pirate theme. Nice and easy for younger children to play.

Great fun for the whole family. Had a great time. Ice cream nearby 👍

Aw, cute little place with an interactive element where they tell you about the various furry and multi-legged critters, and you can stroke/touch them. My son and his friend enjoyed answering questions and encountering the animals up close. It is very small and a little cramped, I enjoy Whipsnade for it's openness and very large enclosures so the reason for 4 not 5 stars is just the space issue, I felt a bit for the animals in small pens. That said, they didn't have big creatures like lions or elephants, so perhaps these creatures don't need such a large space. The whole promenade area is well worth a visit. There is a crazy golf opposite and a nice walk near all the boats.

Family run small Zoo for rescue animals. From going to looking around, it was a great experience. The keepers we're knowledgeable and very helpful. Enjoyed their talks and looked closely at the animals. Highly recommend. Thank you for a great day.

Had a superb time this morning at the zoo, enjoying the private tour we’d pre-booked. It was extremely professional and the guide was superb, providing details of each of the animals and answering our many questions. Our son is in a wheelchair but the layout of the zoo is extremely accessible including when accessing the reptile area. The guide could not have been more helpful even offering to bring a chair into the meerkat enclosure. Our visit was extremely interactive, feeding lots of the animals, handling a few, and even sitting with the meerkats. Nothing was rushed, and we genuinely had the best zoo experience of our lives! The animals are so well cared for, and that may be evidenced not just by their looks but via their behaviour, and how they engage with the keepers and the visitors. Most animals are rescue animals so we’re lucky to have a place such as this to take them in. Thanks again to the Zoo. Support this place and help contribute the vital funds to keep it running.

Had a really nice day out here. Took my younger sister and she enjoyed stroking the animals. Staff were all really friendly and kind to her. I recommend going as you're directly supporting the animals - most of which are rescues.

£32 to touch 3 animals and it’s called a petting zoo,the donkeys are cornered off but it’s a petting zoo?A crow is in a cage and the ducks enclosure is bigger than the pigs enclosure, we barely saw any animals and there was chickens in the same pen as guinea pigs…it just seemed so unethical

Lovely member of staff always filled with information about the animals with what they like to eat, where they come from sleeping patterns etc. Lovely food, plenty of different drinks available cold or hot! My kids love every minute of it specially when meeting animals and being able to interact with them.

We had a lovely time visiting this charming, family-run zoo with our two young children (aged four and two). It’s a perfect size for little ones to explore without feeling overwhelmed, and there’s a great variety of exotic animals to see and learn about. A special mention goes to Zoo Keeper James, who was incredibly informative and personable. His animal talk was engaging for both kids and adults — we all learned something new and really appreciated his passion and knowledge. We’ll definitely be back the next time we’re in the area. Thank you for a wonderful day!

The kids enjoyed the soft play, but a couple of things let the visit down. We were told we weren’t allowed tap water and had to buy bottled — not ideal on a hot day with little ones running around, especially when one of their bottles leaked. Also, someone had been sick just outside the under 2’s play area. Staff slightly cleaned it up but didn’t put a sign out, so my partner accidentally walked on the wet carpet it in socks and couldn’t join in with the kids after that. I ended up juggling a toddler and a baby solo — not exactly relaxing! Could be great with a bit more attention to hygiene and family-friendly basics

Wow! Fantastic! Ended up going 3 days on the trot and it was over 40mile drive there. Helpful and attentive staff, very fair priced, absolutely loads to do. We have 3 boys and there was soooo much for them to explore. Clean, friendly, fun and recently refurbished I believe. It's an unexpected gold mine hidden in Maldon. Credit to the team there.

This place is dirty and run down. Ripped equipment with foam/padding falling out and old food squashed into the carpet. The place by face value is every kids dream until any decent parent looks at the state of the equipment and just how filthy the place really is for their child. I crawled into one of the tunnels to retrieve my 3 year old son and a clump of grey fluff/dust fell of the top of the tunnel and into my lap! At any given moment I was antibac wiping my son’s hands. So many other great soft plays about, don’t waste your money people.

Nice large area for the children to play. Unfortunately, the amount of dust everywhere you look is crazy.

Awful place, it does not look like the photos on here from 6 years ago but rather one the place time forgot. The green slides sways when kids go down it and it is dusty everywhere. My under 5 year old got told to leave the under 5 area when she was playing quietly (NO IDEA WHY!) To add insult to injury, we spent a lot of money going in and at the Cafe but they refused to give us tap water when we asked and pointed us to a sign saying it was their policy. A very young and incredibly rude employee behind the cafe stated that they don't have to as they don't serve alcohol. Zero manners at all and so unnecessary, especially when we had just bought coffees and cakes. This place needs to be shut down and condemned. I will never be back and sincerely regret giving a penny of my money to this place when they clearly don't give a hoot about the welfare of the kids who attend.

This place is the Tardis of indoor soft play places. As you enter through the child safe entrance and exit area, you can see it sprawl out ahead of you. It's across 2 floors with viewing seating areas on both levels. There's a cafe on site with extremely reasonable prices too. There are staff on hand to assist and keep the entire place clean and run smoothly. They hold birthday parties there with a separate party room.

Filthy place.. so dark, dusty and gloomy. Well overpriced for what it is! After paying almost £19 for entry, £20 on food and snacks, I asked for some tap water for my 2 year old, to be told that they don’t give out tap water & legally don’t have to as they’re don’t serve alcohol. That is just pure greed not providing tap water to thirsty children. Disgusting business should be ashamed.

We had a lovely time at the splash park, the lovely cold water was very much needed in the heat. You book in 30minute slots, which at first I thought it's not long, especially as we have to travel for a day out there. But there is much to do around the promenade 30mins was fine. You can book multiple sessions online, if you think you will want longer in the actual splash park

What a lovely day we had with our family! We booked two 25 min sessions online as we knew that only one wouldn't be enough. There was no wait for the entrance. The splash park is very nice and clean. There are many different sprinklers to play and to have heaps of fun with. Once our session ended we moved on to have icecream and children played on two different playgrounds. One is smaller with sand surrounding it, great for different digging games and the other one is a really big and ship shaped! There are also toilets, mini golf, a mini zoo and lovely fish and chip place that offers yummy chips and one of the best chicken nuggets 😋 We might be thinking about moving to Maldon as its lovely for families!!!

Great little splash park, surrounded by trees which was great to get out of the sun. You can definitely spend a day around the area, plenty of food places and things to keep the kids entertained. Massive ticketed car park, but somewhat confusing to navigate your way out.

Promenade Valley in Maldon is one of the much-loved and favourite places with everyone of all ages - in particular, with children and families. The Valley is located right in the middle of the park, hosting three of the much-loved and favourite attractions - Maldon Splash Park, Maldon Beach Huts, and Valley Galleon Play Area with Sandpit - with visitors from locals and afar! A large fenced splash park seems very appealing and enticing to children in particular. Children must be accompanied by an adult, and tickets must be purchased online. A number of very colourful beach huts are located right next to the mini-galleon play area with a sandpit. These can be hired for the day. Becah Hut is a perfect base for anyone visiting Promenade Park for the day and a great hut if you want to use the Splash Park! Each hut is equipped with a cupboard, deckchairs, internal lighting, and an electrical plug socket. Each of the huts is named after birds found in the local area. Splash Park and Beach Huts are available for hire during the summer months only. Advance booking via the website is strongly recommended for both the Splash Park and Beach Huts. If you want, you can hire a deck chair too! PROMENADE PARK: Opened in 1895, the 100+ year-old Edwardian Promenade Park in Maldon is the largest waterside park in Essex, hosting a multitude of unique features, activities, and events throughout the year. Whether you're looking for an action-packed, magnificent play area, a maze, a sensory garden, or a blissful Riverside Walk, or to watch the activities on the river or have a picnic, Promenade Park has it all! Admission to the park is free, although some facilities, such as the Beach Huts, Deck Chairs, Splash Park, Miniature Golf, and Petting Zoo, are chargeable. The features and attractions of the park include the Sensory Garden, Maze, Public Garden with Pergola, Museum, Beach Huts, Deck Chairs, Splash Park, Galleon Play Ship, Zip-Wire, Sandpits, Ornamental Lake with Fountains, Wildlife, Model Boating & Crabbing Lake, Picnic Area, Skate Park, BMX Track, Outdoor Theatre, and an Open Air Stage suitable for hosting theatrical productions and concerts. The large open space off Park Drive is a perfect place for hosting large events and informal sports! There are sports pitches (football, cricket, tennis courts, netball and basketball) and changing rooms. There are kiosks and cafes available for refreshments and other merchandise. Promenade Park has large Pay & Display car parking facilities, including dedicated areas for coaches. Public Conveniences including Radar Key-operated Disabled Toilets with Changing Facilities, are available in 3 separate places, offering easy access from anywhere in the Promenade Park!

We didn't know we needed to book a slot. We couldn't get tickets from the kiosk that was there, so our grandchildren were disappointed. It was very busy today due to the heat. Last time we went to the Promanade park, the Splash Park only had one child using it because it was raining 🤪. A very popular place. We will know better next time. The sessions last for 25 minutes, and for 1 adult and 2 children, it costs £6* (*June 2025)

The grandchildren love it but from a nana point of view I think the children who are older than 8 should be on different sessions. The sessions could be alternated would make a better environment for all I feel

such a beautiful place, nice little harbour village with perfect walk alongs an amazing park for the little ones plus a little splash park that has to be booked in advanced ! but worth it !

A large family group of us stayed here for some 40th birthday celebrations. The Glass House that a couple of us were in had everything we needed. The hot tub out on our deck was the best! Just for info, the Glasses houses are not accessible. Also, some of the sleeping facilities inside aren't as easy to access if you're older or have any mobility issues. That said, it's still a campsite. Albeit a very nice luxury one! Some of our family stayed in very well equipped tents, shepherd huts, and other types of lodges. I was told that the ones that didn't have facilities inside had access to very clean and secure toilet and shower blocks. But I can't really comment properly, as I didn't use them. The whole site looked clean, tidy, and well looked after. I felt there could have been information provided about the clubhouse, experiences, cycle, and equipment hire. We only found out about some of these things ourselves or from other visitors on the site.

This is a great place to get away from it all and kick back. Beautiful access to the coast and wonderful sunsets - club and bar on sight and play area for kids.

I took my 3 children to stay in the marquess. This is our 4th stay. When we arrived we went straight to the toilets, they were disgusting! I assumed maybe some other guests had left it that way and it would be sorted when the check were made. We went over to the deck house for dinner to be told they wouldn’t be serving food that night and to go to the beach house. On arrival there we were told they stop taking orders at 4 so had missed it, when I booked I was never made aware that I wouldn’t be able to get my very young children food (there’s no shop on site) I made reception aware I wasn’t happy but they told me they knew nothing about it so I had to drive out for a takeaway. The toilets were not cleaned over the two night period we stayed. There were dirty sanitary products on the floors, over flowing bins and no hand soap available at any time. Two ladies camping actually emptied the bins and restocked the toilet roll. This is not a cheap place but you get very little for your money, other than the park and small arcade (most of the machines were off or empty) For an extra £100 I could have stayed at haven for 4 nights with entertainment included. I did complain to reception while there and was assured the manager would be calling me to discuss our experience but nearly 3 weeks later I’m still waiting. Terrible service…avoid

This has changed over the years and unfortunately the owners are putting profit ahead of everything else. There used to be a zip line, free outside exercise equipment and climbing equipment. Unfortunately, this has all been removed to make way for yet more caravans/ lodges with the removal of these amenities which were loved by so many people, including the camping population. This does not encourage teenagers and now restricts entertainment to ages 3 to say 8 years old, with no entertainment for older children. The external entertainment is good, with live acts over the Bank Holiday weekend and on most weekends throughout the summer period.

Been here 3 times first 2 times were amazing, beautiful scenery very friendly staff. The last time we visited we stayed in a Shepherd. no gas. Bunkbeds had nails coming through So nobody could sleep on it( took photo) upgraded us the next day, which was fantastic . But still have not received the £50 deposit four weeks later. Daughter got a parking fine on site 100 . Popped but did not get out of the car. Being told there is new site owners . If do not receive £50 within a week will be posting all the photos on social media my ( sen) could of got very hurt 😢

Tidy but no pool , no play area for the kids do not go with kids as theres nothing to do!

We stayed for 2 nights in the touring section. Thr site is well located to travel around a little or close walk to the beach and walkway. The pitch had everything we needed with electric and nearby water tap. We were a short walk from a toilet and shower block, where the facilities a little dated but did the job. There was a nearer block slightly further away but didn't go to them. The site itself was very well maintained and a modern bar / restaurant which has various entertainment across the few days we were there. Would certainly recommend and would stay again