Adventure & rides in Chester

Chester's adventure options come in two sizes: a day out in the countryside, or an hour in town. The Crocky Trail at Waverton is the famous one, a mile of muddy obstacles, wobbly bridges and big slides, and children come off it filthy and delighted. Pursuits at Carden Park, out towards Broxton, is the high-adrenaline end, with a high wire course, a 210-metre zip line and a free fall pillow, booked by the activity at £20 to £40 a child. You do not need to be staying at the hotel.

The two in the city are the rainy-day answers. The Hole in Wand on Eastgate Street is nine holes of wizard-themed crazy golf at £7.49 a child, including a hole played along a model of the city walls, so walk the real ones afterwards. Tenpin on Chester Retail Park has 28 lanes with bumpers, laser tag and escape rooms. Go on a Tuesday, when bowling is half price, and register your car on the reception tablet or the free parking runs out at three hours.

Adventure & rides in Chester

Tenpin Chester

Chester~35 min

★★★★☆3.9(168)

Twenty-eight lanes over two floors on Chester Retail Park, with bumpers and light balls for small bowlers and a laser tag arena for the older ones. Go on a Tuesday, when bowling is half price.

Bowling from £9.95 a game onlineIndoorsAges 4-14

The Hole in Wand Chester

Chester~35 min

★★★★★4.6(214)

Nine holes of wizard-themed crazy golf tucked off Eastgate Street, with talking portraits, a potion to take home and a hole played on a model of the city walls. About an hour, whatever the weather.

Child £7.49, adult £8.99IndoorsAges 3-12

Pursuits at Carden Park

Chester~30 min

★★★★★4.6(3,628)

You do not have to be staying at the hotel to use it. The pull is the Vertigo high wire course, a 210 metre dual zip line and a free fall pillow you jump onto from three, six or ten metres.

Children £20 to £40 per activityAges 6-16

The Crocky Trail

Chester~30 min

★★★★★4.6(3,568)

A mile of muddy obstacles, wobbly bridges and enormous slides through a Cheshire valley. Children come off it filthy, soaked and asking to go round again. This is the point; dress accordingly.

Day ticketAges 5-11

Adventure & rides elsewhere in the North West

Jungle Parc

Warrington~10 min

★★★★★4.5(10)

High ropes and treetop courses in the grounds at Walton Hall. Reviewers rate the value, but frame it as one for the bigger, braver kids.

Low entry feeAges 6-11

Gulliver's World

Warrington~15 min

★★★★☆4.0(9,643)

A theme park deliberately built for ages 2 to 13 rather than teenagers, so both of them can ride most of it. The classic full-day option on your doorstep.

Full day ticketAges 4-9

BeWILDerwood Cheshire

Nantwich~45 min

★★★★★4.6(1,400)

The best age match of anything on this list. Reviewers put the sweet spot at 2 to 10 and say a 4-year-old can do essentially the whole park; the map colour-codes areas by age and puts mini zipwires beside the full-size ones. Budget four to six hours.

Day ticketAges 4-10

Zip World Manchester

Trafford~35 min

★★★★★4.7(752)

The cheapest real activity anyone is recommending, and it's indoors. An hour of play for a fiver a head, with picnic benches for when you need to sit down.

£5.25 eachIndoorsAges 4-11

Legoland Discovery Centre

Trafford~25 min

★★★★☆4.0(4,657)

Two rides, a 4D cinema, build zones and Manchester's skyline done in miniature bricks. Squarely aimed at 3 to 10, and it knows it: adults can only visit with a child.

Book online - walk-up costs moreIndoorsAges 4-9

The Snow Centre Manchester

Trafford~25 min

★★★★☆4.4(5,629)

Real snow all year round at the venue Manchester still calls Chill Factore. Little ones get the Snow Park with sledging and slides; older kids can learn to ski or board on the UK's longest indoor slope.

Pay per sessionIndoorsAges 4-11