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.
The Hole in Wand Chester
Chester, Cheshire
Crazy golf, but indoors and with a wizarding school theme, a few steps from the Eastgate Clock. There are nine holes, each a little scene: a potions cauldron that swallows your ball and spits it out somewhere else, a trip to the Bridestones, a dark mine with a unicorn, and one hole played along a model of Chester's own city walls. The talking portraits are what the children remember.
Tickets are £7.49 a child and £8.99 an adult, and every player leaves with a small bottle of potion, which is the real draw for anyone under eight. Under 3s are free but need booking. Groups of four to six get a bundled price, topping out at £69.99 for six. A round takes 45 minutes to an hour, so it pairs neatly with lunch in town rather than filling a day.
Weekday hours are short, 12 until 5, so on a school day this is an after-lunch job, while Saturdays run 10 until 6. A pushchair has to stay by the door at your own risk, and the tavern has only a handful of seats. It is a rainy afternoon answer in the city centre, and a good one, especially paired with a walk along the real walls afterwards.
What it costs: Standard tickets £7.49 a child and £8.99 an adult (16+), each with a potion to take home. VIP tickets £9.49 a child and £10.99 an adult add a bag of sweets. Group tickets £47.99 for four, £58.99 for five, £69.99 for six. Under 3s go free but must be booked in. Children need a paying adult with them. The homepage also mentions off-peak passes from £6.99.
Know before you go
- Weekday opening is 12 to 5 only, so a Saturday morning (10 to 6) or Sunday (10 to 4) suits a morning visit better. Half term week, 26 to 31 October, it opens 10 to 6 every day.
- Allow about 45 minutes for two players and up to an hour for a group of six, plus 15 minutes to get in. Tavern seating is very limited, so do not count on a sit-down afterwards.
- There is nowhere to store a pushchair, only space by the entrance at your own risk, and wheelchair access is limited by the old building.
Worth knowing: Minimum age 3. Under 16s must play with someone over 16.
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What visitors say
★★★★★ 4.6 across 214 Google reviews.
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The Ice Cream Farm
A small entry fee now, then a pay-per-play card for the attractions: a giant sand and water quarry, mini golf, go-karts and play areas, funded by a world-record ice cream shop. Cheap after 3.30pm, glorious in any weather.
The Crocky Trail
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Beeston Castle
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Grosvenor Museum
Chester's Roman story done properly: real tombstones from the fortress walls, a hands-on natural history gallery, and a walk-through period house at the back. Free, central, and the right size.
Grosvenor Park & Miniature Railway
Chester's Victorian park above the river, with a miniature railway looping the lawns, a good playground and open-air theatre in summer. Pair with a boat trip from the Groves below.
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