Jump, climb and play at Jump Street trampoline park in Chelmsford. Explore the area on four legs with the Rayne Riding Centre. Try dinghy sailing, scuba diving, jet boards and the climbing wall at St Andrew’s Watersports with its inflatable aqua park. Or ride a steam or diesel engine through the Audley End Estate woodlands.
Catch the latest flicks at Everyman in Chelmsford. Take a seaside trip to Frinton-on-Sea, once beloved of royalty and now home to pretty beach huts and wide, golden sands. Get the rolling ramp and gutter guards out to beat mum and dad at Namco Funscape tenpin bowling. Then hit the video games and ping-pong.
Keep kids entertained whatever their age at Great Notley Discovery Centre and Park on the 1.2km play trail with giant seesaw, climbing forest, tyre swings, sandpits, rope climbers, slides, forts and sky ropes. Or find miniature golf, fun ramps, cool bridges and cute windmills at Blake House Craft Centre.
Get down to Stanton’s Farm in Black Notley for meet-and-greets with over 70 animals, including goats, donkeys, medium micropigs, alpacas and chickens. Sign up for a Farmer Experience, alpaca walking and Feed and Forage petting slots. Or join in with the kids and paint your own masterpiece at Essex Pottery Studio.
If the urge to exercise is strong, Great Dunmow Leisure Centre can help, with its swimming pool, squash courts, tennis courts, gym and fitness classes. Stretch your mind, too, by plotting your way out of peril at Chelmsford Escape Rooms. Or head to Boom Battle Bar for axe-throwing, beer pong, shuffleboard and more.
Torment the clay pigeons at Fennes Shooting School, with trap heights of up to 120 feet. Delve into history when you discover the Kelvedon Hatch Secret Nuclear Bunker and stick around for high ropes, obstacle courses and more axe-throwing. Or pay and play the stunning nine-hole Little Channels Golf Course.
Walk or cycle The Flitch Way, an old railway trail running through Felsted from Braintree to Bishop’s Stortford, and refuel at the converted coffee shop at the old Rayne Station. Or rejuvenate your body and mind with stone massage, waxes and phototherapy at The Beauty Haven, just a five-minute walk away.
Discover a beautifully renovated, elegant Neo-Classical elegant villa set in 574 acres of historic parkland at Hylands Estate. Visit Chelmsford Cathedral and enjoy a sense of peace among the hustle and bustle of modern life. Or shop big brands at small prices at Braintree Village Outlet Centre.
