Family Fun
Enjoy a great family fun day out or longer adventure holiday in the
East of England - with lots of child friendly, exciting attractions,
activities and events, you'll be sure to find something to entertain the
whole family. Fun days out and exciting, adventure filled holidays await
you when you visit the East of England
Time Travel East
Go ‘walking with dinosaurs': by exploring the trails
home to life-size creatures at Knebworth House
(nr. Stevenage) or The Dinosaur Adventure Park
at Lenwade (nr. Norwich). The Sedgwick Museum
of Earth Sciences in Cambridge has a real
Iguanodon skeleton to see. At Cromer Museum,
marvel at the skull of a Mosasaur - a marine reptile.
Follow in the footsteps of our ancestors: climb down
into a 5,000 year old Neolithic flint mine at Grimes
Graves (nr. Brandon) - watch out for the bats! See
England's oldest wheel at Flag Fen Archaeological
Park in Peterborough; then visit Sutton Hoo
(nr. Woodbridge), burial site of Anglo-Saxon kings.
Meet the Romans: try on a toga at the Colchester
Castle Museum; or head to the Verulamium
Museum in St. Albans to play a Roman board game.
At the Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery ride
aboard Queen Boudica's chariot.
I'm the king of the castle: play hide and seek in our
splendid examples at Castle Rising (nr. King's Lynn);
Framlingham; Hedingham at Castle Hedingham and Orford Whilst
Mountfitchet in Stansted Mountfichet is the world's only reconstructed Norman
motte-and-bailey castle. Look out for exciting medieval jousting during the year.
All aboard our steam trains: don't miss fun Thomas the Tank Engine events, or a
‘Santa Special' at Christmas. Click here for our full listing of steam railways
More ‘Time Travel' treats: visit Oliver Cromwell's House in Ely, and try out the Civil
War helmets. Get hands on at the Inspire Discovery Centre at Norwich - ride
a gyroscope and make shadows. See the toys and games your gran played with at
the House on the Hill Toy Museum in Stansted Mountfitchet. Climb aboard the
supersonic Concorde at the Imperial War Museum Duxford (nr. Cambridge),
which also holds spectacular air shows during the year. The Royal Gunpowder
Mills in Waltham Abbey mixes science and nature to tell a truly explosive story.
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Animal Magic
Go on safari: drive through the reserves at Woburn,
home to elephants and tigers - then explore
the 'Land of the Lemurs'. More exotic species at
Whipsnade Zoo (nr. Dunstable) - featuring over
2,500 animals, including the new ‘Rhinos of Nepal'.
Face your phobia at Paradise Wildlife Park in
Broxbourne - with snakes, spiders and lizards to
hold. Award-winning Colchester Zoo is home to the
impressive ‘Kingdom of the Wild' complex, featuring
giraffes, rhinos and zebras. At Banham Zoo
(nr. Diss), enjoy the ‘Amazing Animals' presentation,
where you can see remarkable creatures up close.
For farmyard favourites (bottle feed a lamb and see
the cows being milked): head to Mead Open Farm,
Billington (nr. Leighton Buzzard); Wimpole Home
Farm, Arrington (nr. Royston); Barleylands Farm
Centre, Billericay; Willows Farm Village, London
Colney (nr. St. Albans); Junior Farm, Wroxham
Barns and Easton Farm Park (nr. Woodbridge).
Flights of fancy: say hello to owls, eagles and
vultures at The English School of Falconry: Bird of
Prey and Conservation Centre in Old Warden (nr. Biggleswade). More feathery
friends at The Raptor Foundation in Woodhurst (nr. Huntingdon) and the Suffolk
Owl Sanctuary at Stonham Aspal (nr. Stowmarket). All have exciting flying displays.
More ‘Animal Magic' treats: at Wild Britain in Wilden (nr. Bedford) - wander through
a tropical glasshouse full of colourful butterflies. Go underwater at the Sea Life
Centre in Great Yarmouth to see the 'Claws' display with its giant spider crab.
Whilst in Hunstanton, the Sea Life Sanctuary is home to a seal rescue centre and
hospital - continue along the coast to take a boat trip from Blakeney or Morston to
see them wild in the waters of the North Sea. Come face-to-face with an extinct
moa and quagga at the Natural History Museum at Tring
Click here for our full listing of wildlife attractions
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Seaside Special
Come and discover some of the best beaches in Britain. Many have won Blue Flag
and Quality Coast Awards We have six fantastic seaside destinations, plus miles
of unspoilt beaches. Have a sandcastle building competition, ride the latest white
knuckle rides at the fun fair, enjoy a seaside picnic, peer into rock pools, go
crabbing or search for fossils and amber.
Click here for our Seaside section.
Come and discover some of the best
beaches in Britain. Many have won Blue
Flag and Quality Coast Awards. We have
six fantastic seaside destinations, plus
miles of unspoilt beaches
Adventure and Fun
Scream yourself silly on one of the world's rarest
roller coasters at the Pleasure Beach in Great
Yarmouth. Or for one of the newest, brave the scary
‘Rage' at Adventure Island in Southend-on-Sea.
Don't miss Pleasurewood Hills (nr. Lowestoft) with
its various rides and shows, including the extreme
'Wipeout' which pulls over 5G's.
See the town and country in miniature at the
Merrivale Model Village in Great Yarmouth - go
at night-time for twinkling illuminations. Walk along
Southwold Pier to see the unusual water clock,
then try your skill on the alternative slot machines.
Meet crocklebogs and twiggles at BeWILDerwood
(nr. Wroxham) - a amazing world of treehouses,
zip wires and boat trips.
Set sail for a watery adventure: take a trip on the
Wash Monster at Hunstanton to a sandbank in the
middle of the sea. Learn to drive a little boat with
dad - and explore the waterways of The Broads. To
hire one, head to Broads Tours at Wroxham. Ride
the waves, and get totally soaked - with a thrilling
trip aboard the Coastal Voyager at Southwold.
For wet days, head indoors: zoom down the flumes and fire the water cannons
at leisure pools, whilst little ones will love our indoor playgrounds - with their
climbing frames and giant inflatables. Rollerworld at Colchester is Europe's
finest rollerskating rink. Go 'Dancing on Ice' at Chelmsford or head to Britain's
premier indoor snowsports destination in Hemel Hempstead for fun in the snow.
Special treats: the indoor Hippodrome Circus at Great Yarmouth is one of only two
remaining in the country, noted for its world-class acts and spectacular water finale.
Go behind the scenes at Ipswich Town Football Club on a stadium tour - see the
dressing rooms and walk down the players' tunnel. Enjoy a performance at the
Norwich Puppet Theatre housed in a medieval church. Finally, swing through the
trees and zip down to the ground at Go Ape (High Lodge Forest Centre,
nr. Brandon) - the award-winning high wire forest adventure course.
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The Great Outdoors
Enjoy a breath of fresh air, a picnic and some fun
outdoor games in one of our country parks. At the
Marston Vale Millennium Country Park in Marston
Moretaine (nr. Bedford) you can hire a bike to explore
the wetlands. Discover the dragonfly sanctuary at the
River Lee Country Park (Broxbourne/Waltham Abbey
area) - how many species can you spot? Take some
honey to Aldenham Country Park (nr. Elstree), with
its recreation of Winnie the Pooh's 100 Aker Wood.
High Lodge Forest Centre (nr. Brandon) is a great
place to let the children run wild, with way-marked
walks and cycle hire. Head to the windy slopes of
the Dunstable Downs for some kite flying.
Become a wildlife detective at our nature reserves.
Many hold special events, such as pond dipping or
mini beast hunts. Click here for our full listing of
country parks and nature reserves
Enjoy traffic free cycle rides along former railway
lines, around reservoirs, and through forests and
woodland. Click here for our Cycling section.
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Family Events
The East of England offers a range of exciting and varied events - from air shows,
snail racing and steam train rides with Thomas the Tank Engine, to crabbing,
mini beast hunts and medieval jousting.
