Thinking of what to do with the children? Are you looking forward to doing something that you haven’t done before? Have you thought about what great activities and experiences we have to offer across The Malverns? Come and stay on a family break or holiday and explore our beautiful area.
Below are some of our top family experiences that you can enjoy within the breath-taking scenery across the Malvern Hills and the Teme Valley.
If you are planning on taking a short break or family holiday, you can find the perfect place to stay by using our Accommodation Finder here.
FREE Children’s Trails
ENJOY NATURE AND THE GREAT OUTDOORS
There’s of course, the magnificent Malvern Hills to explore, but you’ll find many more beauty spots to explore and to enjoy a picnic; with unique flora and fauna, making it a great day out where you discover nature all around you. We just plea with you, to take your litter home. There’s the Teme Valley, Upton Ham Site of Scientific Special Interest (SSSI), Ravenshill Nature Reserve, St. Wulstans Nature Reserve, Worcestershire Wildlife Sites, as well as common-land where you’ll see sheep and cows grazing.
All we ask of you is to put your rubbish in the bins provided or take it away with you to dispose of safely later. We have some incredible scenery, home to abundance of wildlife, and we want to keep it that way. Please follow the Green Countryside Code.
EXPLORE THE MALVERN HILLS AND THE TOWN OF MALVERN
Why not take a stroll around our beautiful town, through Priory Park, play in the children’s playground, see if you can find and climb the tree with the shiny branch, made so by the many children have climbed the tree throughout the years. Pick up one of the free children’s trails from the Tourist Information centre to discover the town, or pick up the children’s trail that takes you across British camp. Take a walk across one or more of the stunning hills that provide the backdrop to Great Malvern and drop into the Malvern Hills Geo Centre at Upper Wyche where you can learn more about the Malverns from the maps of the area on display, ipads and large scale panoramas, including small displays of rocks and fossils. There’s also Victoria Park in Malvern Link with a variety of play apparatus.
BOUNDLESS OUTDOOR ACTIVITY DAYS
Want to create amazing memories that will last a lifetime, then book an adrenalin fuelled day out with a sense of adventure and a love of the great outdoors. Activities include scaling new heights on the climbing walls or flying through the trees on the amazing zip wire, test your archery skills or learn new skills such as bush craft. No matter what activities you try, you will be guaranteed of all having a jam-packed day with hopefully some very tired kids at the end of it!
Your children will love these exciting sessions in the great outdoors including; high ropes course, archery/rock climbing, low ropes assault course/zip-wire, activity climb/bush craft. All Covid-19 safe activities. Book online here.
EASTNOR CASTLE & ARBORETUM
An impressive castle set at the foot of the Malvern Hills and built around 1800’s it is perfect for a family day out with lots to do to entertain you and the kids. Explore the large lake with surrounding arboretum, there are lots of natural play resources for the kids to let off steam, with sticks to pick up, trees to climb and you may even find the occasional rope swing hidden amongst the trees. Find the icehouse, get lost in the Knight’s Maze or play in the adventure playground, woodland play area or on the junior obstacle course. Step inside the castle and back in time through looking at the medieval armour on display. Round your day off with a cool ice cream or warm hot chocolate at the castle ice cream parlour or tearoom. Find out more here.
THE WORCESTER MAIZE MAZE
Enjoy a fantastic day for all ages set in a 10 acre maize field with the Malvern Hills as a fantastic backdrop. After completing the challenge of the mazes, enjoy the adjoining courtyard. Dates for 2021 coming soon….
Find out more here.
RALPH COURT GARDENS
Twelve amazing gardens set in the grounds of a gothic rectory. Animals too! Go in search of the ‘smoke’ blowing dragon on a journey around the world and through the seasons.
Find out more here.
WITLEY COURT & GARDENS (ENGLISH HERITAGE)
Fancy taking a picnic and letting the kids run wild? Then pay a visit to Witley Court, Gardens and Baroque style Church, discover the dramatic ruins and travel back to a world of lavish house parties. The gardens are exceptional, whatever time of year that you are visiting, plenty of spaces to explore, through the enchanting woodlands, extensive grounds with parterre gardens and monumental fountains. Take a play in the wilderness play area and don’t miss the extraordinary firing of the water fountain of Perseus and Andromeda, try not to get too wet! Extend your visit by walking over to Great Witley Church, once part of the estate, it has one of the finest Italianate Baroque interiors to see within the UK with ceiling paintings by Antonio Bellucci (1654-1726). Find out more here.
SEVERN EXPEDITIONS
Hire a boat from Severn Expeditions to enjoy some leisure time out on the River Severn launching from Upton Marina in Upton upon Severn. Find out more here.
NATIONAL TRUST AT CROOME
Croome is an amazing survival of devastating loss and magnificent restoration. Parkland, carpark, limited toilets and tearoom open.House, museum and RAF themed play area closed. 1.5 mile one way route around the parkland (longer walk available).
Find out more here.
FOOTGOLF AT UPPER SAPEY GOLF CLUB
What is FootGolf? Well imagine a game that combining the best of football and golf, two of the most popular sports in the world… FootGolf is exactly that!
Find out more here.
COB HOUSE COUNTRY PARK
Activity Centre providing coarse and game fishing, animals, wildflower meadow, timber trail play area, grassland play area, wildlife pools, walks, bird watching. Mayfly café open. No picnics. No feeding of animals at present. Find out more here.
CLIVE’S FRUIT FARM
Pull on your wellies or shoes and pop along to Clive’s fruit farm within walking distance of the busy riverside town of Upton-Upon-Severn, the farm shop is open all year road with delicious locally produced food. Enjoy special time with your family picking the seasonal fruit that is available from early summer, strawberries, raspberries, then to plums, damsons from late summer and later in autumn pick your own apples and pears. After picking your own delicious fruits, spend time in the children’s play area, feed the animals such as the chickens, ducks and geese or take an amble through the farm on the nature trail. Find out more here.
TENBURY WELLS
Tenbury Wells, situated on the banks of the River Teme, once described by Queen Victoria as ‘My little town in the orchard’ is great for exploring, it has a wealth of independent unique shops, such as Mr Thom’s chocolate shop. Tenbury boasts many listed buildings from half-timbered buildings to Georgian architecture, including a very unusually designed pump rooms and Tenbury’s famous round market which is open on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. There is also a large children’s play area and a local swimming pool. Drop into the local Tourist Information Centre to pick up a copy of the Tenbury Children’s town trail or visit the Tenbury Museum, housed in an old Victorian school. Find out more here.
UPTON UPON SEVERN
Visit the town with a secret past, conflict, war, and death! Are you intrigued about its past, then read on…it all started when the town used to be a port and major river crossing for many miles, during the English civil war it was besieged and a terrible battle ensued between the Parliamentarians and the Royalists. It also suffered from a bad Chorea epidemic in the 1800’s. If you want to find out more than visit the Upton Tourist Information and Heritage Centre where you can discover Upton’s past and even dress up if you like! Pick up a Children’s Town Trail and explore the town properly, you may stumble across the traditional toy shop Ginger and Pickles on your way! If you have time call into the Tudor Museum full of curiosities and help Mr and Mrs Mouse find their 17 mischievous children playing hide and seek around the museum. Find out more here.
For Rainy Days
MALVERN SPLASH LEISURE COMPLEX
Newly refurbished Malvern Splash Leisure Centre has had a recent major face lift with new and improved facilities for swimmers new and old. With a beach area with new interactive water play features for younger swimmers, a water flume and new wave machine. There are dedicated changing facilities for people with disabilities and additional family changing areas. Afterwards enjoy a well-earned hot drink and refreshments at the indoor café. Find out more here.
GREEN FROG POTTERY AND ICEQUEST
Rainy day and not sure what to do with the kids, then we have two excellent attractions here that will put those boredom dull drums to bed. Visit the Green Frog pottery in Barnards Green, not far from Great Malvern, here the kids or even the big kids, can choose from a great selection of pottery to paint and then it will be fired and glazed and ready to collect in a week or posted to you if you are just visiting! Looking for something a little more active? Then look no further than Ice Quest in Malvern Link, it offers not only Ice skating on the indoor skating ice rink but also book a game or two of laser quest and battle for supremacy with your friends and family. Alternatively, you could book time in the escape room, figuring out clues to make your way to safety. Ice Quest offers lots of fun but fills up quickly, so booking is advised for both attractions. Find out more about Green Frog Pottery here. Find out more about IceQuest here.
Accommodation
The Malverns has a great selection of accommodation providers to choose from, whether you’re after a luxury hotel, a quaint B&B, a self-catering cottage or a camping or glamping site where you can be close to the great outdoors, you’ll find something that suits your taste and budget here in The Malverns.
Find out more with out Accommodation Finder here.
You can also view the Accommodation providers who have the ‘Safe Travels’ stamp which are signed up to the ‘We’re Good To Go’ scheme here.
