20 Mellowes Road

Located in the Waltham Abbey area of Essex this lovely farm will appeal to families especially those with small children.  With animals including Ella and Eve the goats and Tallulah and Barbara the pigs younger children will delight in meeting and learning about the various farm animals.  Other attractions on the farm include the new indoor soft play area where children can moo like a cow while whizzing down the big cow slide or dive into the ball pools.  Look out for a range of activities taking place each weekend and during school holidays such as sheep shearing, bottle feeding the lambs and even pig racing.  When it's time to sit down and recharge your batteries head for the Orchard Cafe or one of the ready made picnic areas.

If you like nature then the RSPB Rye Meads Nature Reserve makes a great day out.   Situated in Stanstead Abbotts in Essex this place is a haven for wildlife.  If you're a keen walker or bird watcher then this is certainly the place for you.  Kids will also love the activities on offer including the Explorer Backpacks they can borrow full of fun things to do.  Don't forget to bring a picnic!  Look out for special events taking place throughout the year such as Feed the Bird days.

Adventure Island costs nothing to enter and there is an array of rides and attractions on offer. The Big Adventure rides include the Dragon's Claw, Rage and Vortex.  For younger children there is just as much fun on offer with rides like the Cow Jump, Over the Hill and Dragon. Mini Rides include the Choo Choo Train, Crooked House and Flying Jumbos.  When you have ran out of energy you could have a wander round the gift shop and perhaps buy a souvenir of your day.

This attraction is currently under construction but we are looking forward to it opening in early 2011.  The philosophy of the Discovery Centre is 'healthy body, healthy mind, healthy planet and aims to change people's attitudes and actions towards our planet.  Educational as well as fun there are plenty of activities such as outdoor sport pitches, cycle and walking trails and indoor activity rooms.  This is a unique attraction for the whole family.

The Hop Farm offers fun for children of all ages and the fun starts as soon as you enter with Giant Jumping Pillows and huge Outdoor Play Area and Frame with Slides, Bridges, Towers and much more. There are also a number of rides including the gentle Victorian Carousel. A ride on a Shire Horse is a great way to explore the park and as you wander around you will find the fantastic Lost World Maze, the Magic Factory and the crazy 3D Great Goblin Hunt.

Chessington World of Adventures has a well deserved reputation and one of the best theme parks in the UK the site is crammed with rides for adrenaline junkies including Vampire rollercoaster which fly's through Transylvania and the Tomb Blaster which is not for the faint hearted the site also boasts a fantastic Sea Life Centre and a range of attractions for younger children including daily shows and talks.