Chester Zoo
Excellent, but it is a lot of walking. Reviews rate 5 to 10 as the ideal age and still recommend a pushchair at four. Climbing frames, water play and sand pits break up the distance.
Deva Roman Experience
- Cost
- Adults £8, kids £5
- Ages
- 5 to 12
- Where
- Chester, Cheshire
- Weather
- Works in the rain
- Booking
- Book online - card only
Chester was Deva, fortress of the XX Legion, and this is the city's walkthrough version of it: reconstructed Roman streets and a bathhouse, costumed legionaries and gladiators, archaeological remains, and a warning list that includes strobe lighting, water splashes, loud noises and bad smells. Children rate the smells highest.
It closed in the pandemic, was bought in 2021 by Big Heritage, the team behind the Sick to Death museum a few doors away, and has been rebuilt since. Entry is £8 for adults, £5 for ages 5 to 15, under 5s free, card only. The catch is the calendar: public opening is at weekends, with weekdays given over to schools, so book online and check dates first. Handy that it sits right off Bridge Street, in the middle of everything else Chester does.
What it costs: Adults £8, children 5 to 15 £5, under 5s free. Card only, no cash. A dual ticket with the Sick to Death museum is available at a discount.
Know before you go
- Public opening is Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 6pm with last entry at 5pm. Weekdays are kept for school visits, so check the booking page for any school holiday dates before promising anyone gladiators.
- It takes card only, and the dual ticket with Sick to Death suits a child in the gruesome phase.
Worth knowing: Strobe lighting, loud noises and dark sections - better for age 5 and up.
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What visitors say
★★★★★ 4.4 across 434 Google reviews.
Read all 434 reviews on Google - filter by star rating thereAlso in Chester
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