This amazing National Park and its beautiful surrounding coast and countryside offers a huge selection of activities and attractions for families. Whether you’re a Mum, Dad, a child – or maybe a child at heart, you’ll all have a blast!
Here are our top five attractions to visit – all within an easy jaunt in the car from your New Forest cottage.
Paultons Park – home of Peppa Pig World
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Voted the top family attraction in the UK, and for good reason, Paultons Park – Home of Peppa Pig World is hugely popular and a no-brainer if you have younger children (although the older ones seem to have just as good a time!).
Get ready to explore this awarding family theme park set in 3 acres of the 120-acre countryside estate. There are shows and more than 70 family rides, including roller coasters and attractions, from soft, gentle giggle rides to white knuckle clingers. Discover the five themed worlds: Tornado Springs, Lost Kingdom, Critter Creek, Little Africa and the most famous of all Peppa Pig World. Watch the smiles as your little ones see Peppa Pig and George plus lots of their friends.
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The New Forest Water Park
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Make a beeline here for a day of thrills, slips, splashes and the sound of exhilarated happy children having a blast. The New Forest Water Park near Ringwood is home to kayaks, paddle boarding, wakeboarding and open water swimming – but most families go to experience the AQUA PARK!
The huge floating inflatable assault course runs for 80m and includes trampolines, monkey bars, springboards, flippers, slides, a climbing wall, a giant iceberg and much more. The Aqua Park is open to all aged 6 and over, so Mums and Dads are welcome to join in, and most do! So go for active family fun where you are guaranteed to leave with tired but very happy children.
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Monkey World
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A day out at Monkey World (about 45 minutes from the New Forest) is a must because even the toughest critic in your family is bound to crack a smile when they see these friendly primates in action. The Ape Rescue Centre is a whole land of fun for your little ones! Take time to see the homes and stars of the TV shows’ Monkey Life’ and ‘Monkey Business’. There are hundreds of primates at Monkey World, including Chimpanzees, Orangutans, Lemurs, Gibbons, Monkeys and Capuchins which have been rescued from around the world or are on endangered species breeding programmes.
The generously proportioned pens allow families to easily watch the mischief and mayhem that ensues between the large family groups and primate parents overseeing their children at play.
When the time comes for your own little monkeys to let off some steam, head over to the huge Great Ape Adventure Play Area, where they too, can swing on climbing frames, ropes, cargo nets, and slides!
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Longdown Activity Farm
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This has got to be on your itinerary if you have little folk in tow. Longdown Activity Farm offers close up encounters with farm animals; it has some super play areas and plenty of opportunities to pose for lots of smiley photos.
The farm is great for hands-on activities, and children have the chance to get involved with bottle-feeding kid goats and calves, plus visits to the baby animal petting barn, duck feeding, meet donkeys, fluffy alpacas, cheeky Pygmy goats and more. In addition, they can hop aboard tractor rides and go-carts, bounce high in the sky on trampolines and have a go at the Pitchfork & Putt crazy golf.
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Beaulieu
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A holiday in the New Forest wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Beaulieu to see the National Motor Museum, Palace House and Gardens. Children are keen learners looking to explore, and there’s plenty to discover here. The National Motor Museum is crammed full of legendary vehicles, record-breaking speed cars, some of the world’s oldest cars, and famous cars from TV and film – think James Bond, Mr Bean’s mini and Ron Weasley’s blue Ford Anglia from Harry Potter!
Ride through the treetops on a mile-long monorail, check out the ever-changing exhibitions and explore the stately Palace and its beautiful gardens. When it’s time to let your children’s imagination run wild, head over to the magical wooden palace ‘Little Beaulieu’. The play area kingdom is full of secret passages, tunnels and staircases, a climbing wall, zip wire, sandpit, tots bus and lots of other cool features that they’ll never want to leave.
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There are oodles of attractions and fun things to do on a family holiday in the New Forest. You can see more suggestions on our blog How to wow your kids on holiday.
Take a look at our collection of New Forest Cottages for families.