
Discover more in Surrey
The home of an Edwardian party house, the Surrey Hills and a classic landscape garden.
Discover the best places to visit with your family around Surrey this spring, including Polesden Lacey, Hatchlands Park, Claremont Landscape Garden, Winkworth Arboretum and more. Find the best family trails for May half term, natural play areas and café stops, to make the most of spring.
Join us for one of nature’s greatest transformations as you become the world’s most famous caterpillar from Eric Carle’s best-selling book The Very Hungry Caterpillar™. Wiggle along the trail to spot juicy fruits and tasty snacks before emerging as a beautiful butterfly. Free with usual admission, 10 May to 6 July
Follow the family trail in the grounds at Polesden Lacey this May half term and help Grizwald the Griffin find a home. Buy your tickets from visitor reception (£2 per trail) and collect your trail sheet from the welcome area. No need to book, 24 May to 8 June.
Discover the secret oasis of Claremont Landscape Garden this May half term and join us for some quality family time filled with wonderment and delight. Try our golden key trail, wander in the menagerie, get stuck into some sensory play and stir your imaginations in the wonder woods. Free with usual admission, 24 May to 1 June.
Discover the secrets of fairies and dragons at Winkworth Arboretum. This May half term follow the trail to find eight fun-filled games. Travel through the castle entrance to find your map, defeat the green dragon with a bean bag toss and find all the purple fairies' magical items. Free trail with usual admission, 17 May to 1 June.
Take part in 1940s themed activities at Dapdune Wharf with bunting, spinners, pick-up sticks and the Charleston. Follow spotter trails on the towpath and a simple bike course on Dapdune Island.
Make and launch seed bombs into the meadow, go in search of wildflowers and butterflies with our spotter sheets and play meadow games (24 May to 1 June). On bank holiday Monday, meet the rangers and their tractor.
The parkland at Hatchlands is perfect for family walks. Visit the natural adventure area in Great Wix Wood and get to grips with the balance beams, tree house and bug burrow. Plus the Kitchen cafe is the perfect stop off for hot chocolate and cake.
Queen Victoria used to play at Claremont as a child and now so can you. The play area has scaled-down versions of Claremont’s garden features - explore the pavilion, glide down the slide and scale the ladders and climbing wall. Badger’s Basecamp is a hidden woodland area that’s perfect for older children to explore, with tunnels and hidden holes to discover and crawl through.
Kestrel Corner is a natural play area made using wood from the Polesden Lacey estate. Enjoy the swings, tunnels and giant nests as you embrace your inner animal and get closer to nature.
The Tree Adventure is a wonderful wooden structure at Winkworth Arboretum. It takes its inspiration from the natural environment, fitting into the woodland in an organic way. Come and have a clamber and stop for a hot chocolate at the cafe.
Enjoy the Natural Play Trail: a two-mile level walk with a chance to play in the woods, with lots of trees and structures to climb on.
Along the Hindhead trail you and the kids can try birdwatching, catching falling leaves, den building, bug hunting, climbing a big hill and creating some impressive wild art. Then warm up with a hot chocolate in the cafe after your walk.
The home of an Edwardian party house, the Surrey Hills and a classic landscape garden.