20 August 2025
3 min read
Best things to do at Wakehurst in the summer holidays
Make endless family memories this summer with fun free activities, shady play spaces, and beautiful landscapes.
Calling all families, get ready for a fun-filled day out at Wakehurst. Kids go free!
Roam wild across Wakehurst with shady play areas, new activities to discover, and over 500 acres to explore. Children 16 and under visit Wakehurst for free.
Bank a Seed like a real-life scientist
Step into the shoes of a scientist and bank your own seed with our brand-new interactive installation in the Millennium Seed Bank!
While our real seed scientists bank the world's seeds in the background, it's your turn to have a go!
Will your seed make it into the vault?
Explore the world with our Nature Heroes squad
This summer holidays, embark on a new Nature Heroes mission as you set off across the world - all without leaving the gardens!
Grab your map and discover incredible plants from across the globe, from Asia to Australia, South America to the Caribbean and beyond.
Complete your adventure and earn your Globe Trotter badge to add to your Nature Heroes cape. Are you ready for the challenge?
Celebrate with Seedscapes
Engage all the senses as you discover the work of six international artists throughout the gardens, celebrating 25 years of the Millennium Seed Bank.
Run through a giant Betula seed, admire the shapes and colours of ceramic seeds, or swing in a hammock listening to a Chilean-inspired soundscape.
Make memories in the Mansion
Step into the newly-reopened Mansion to find interactive exhibits in the Chapel and Billiard Room, exploring the story of science at Wakehurst and the history of Wakehurst's landscape.
On those rainy summer days, take shelter in the Mansion Library with a selection of kids books on the shelves.
Play at Tree Trunk Trek
Crawl, climb and get to know Wakehurst’s majestic trees on this adventurous log trail.
Nestled in the heart of Coates Wood, Tree Trunk Trek is the perfect shady play space to burn off energy on warm summer days.
Discover the Children's & Community Garden
Families can explore a newly revamped, inclusive, and accessible space in the heart of the Mansion Gardens.
The Garden is a haven for wildlife, with a bug bed planted to attract critters such as caterpillars, a woodery providing a new habitat, and an experimental bee bank, providing a home for ground-nesting bees.
It's also home to the family-favourite Mud Kitchen! Complete with pots, pans, teapots and cookie cutters, our Mud Kitchen is the perfect spot to encourage children to get creative and enjoy messy play - whatever the weather!
Uncover the secrets of Wild Wood
There’s no knowing what you might find if you keep your eyes peeled in Wild Wood, our sculpture trail amongst the oaks and hazels of Pearcelands Wood.
We’ve hidden hand-woven sculptures along a trail through the trees, from rabbits and badgers to giant chairs and dormice nests that you can crawl right into. See how many you can find.
Picnic in the dappled shade
You are very welcome to bring your own picnic to enjoy at our wild botanic gardens. And of course treat yourself to an ice cream from one of our cafés and restaurants.
New for this year, Pizza in the Pantry is now open serving pizza and gelato, to have in or take away!
Family favourites
Children's & Community Garden and Mud Kitchen
A space for families to enjoy messy play in our Mud Kitchen and explore vegetable beds, pollinator habitats and more.
Wild Wood
Delight your senses by exploring our Wild Wood trail with the whole family.
Tree Trunk Trek
An imaginative woodland adventure for children among Wakehurst's majestic trees.
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