Family Fun
Enjoy a great family day out in the East of England - with our exciting
attractions, activities and events
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
(Lenwade, nr. Norwich). The Sedgwick Museum of
Earth Sciences (Cambridge) has a real Iguanodon
skeleton to see. At Cromer Museum, marvel at
the skull of a Mosasaur - a huge 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 Bronze Age
Centre (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 (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 (Castle Hedingham) and Orford Whilst
Mountfitchet (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 (Ely), and try out the Civil
War helmets for size. Get hands on at the Inspire Discovery Centre (Norwich) - ride
a gyroscope and make shadows. See the toys and games your gran played with at
the House on the Hill Toy Museum (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 (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
the 'Land of the Lemurs'. More exotic species at
Whipsnade Zoo (nr. Dunstable) - featuring over
2,500 animals, including the new ‘Cheetah Rock'. At
Paradise Wildlife Park (Broxbourne) - face your
phobia 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 (Old Warden, nr. Biggleswade). More feathery
friends at The Raptor Foundation (Woodhurst, nr. Huntingdon) and the Suffolk Owl
Sanctuary (Stonham Aspal, nr. Stowmarket). All three offer exciting flying displays.
More ‘Animal Magic' treats: at Wild Britain (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 new 'Phantoms of the Deep' (jellyfish) display.
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. At The Walter Rothschild
Zoological Museum (Tring) come face-to-face with an extinct moa and quagga.
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 (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
(Great Yarmouth) - go at night-time for twinkling
illuminations. 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 fun 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.
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, take a walk in the
tree tops at Go Ape (High Lodge Forest Centre, nr. Brandon), with its aerial course
of rope bridges, scramble nets and zip slides.
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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 (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.
Click here to search through our comprehensive database of events
