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The Forest of Dean and Wye Valley is a fantastic place for families! There's lots to do for all ages, and there's plenty which can be done together; plenty to excite and thrill, plenty to entertain and enjoy, and most importantly for many families, plenty of opportunity to reconnect with each other, and to enjoy the calm that being in nature can bring.
Whilst a simple forest or riverside walk is the perfect start to any trip to the area, the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley is also home to many attractions and activities that can take getting back to nature to another level. From ancient castles to steam train rides, and canoeing to cave exploring, we have an abundance of excitement waiting for children of all ages, even those tweens and teens who are a little bit harder to please!
Lose yourself in a different world at magical Puzzlewood, or find the surprise at the centre of Elton's Giant Maze. Get on the right track aboard a Perrygrove Railway train, or visit the Dean Forest Railway for a steam train ride through the Forest of Dean. Step back in time and learn about the history of the area at the Dean Heritage Centre. Get out on the water with canoeing, kayaking, or stand-up paddleboarding, or fly through the trees on a high ropes experience! Get up close with birds of prey, hire bikes and head out along our miles of off-road tracks, book an archery class, or try rock climbing. Looking for something more leisurely? Sit back and relax with a river cruise along the Wye; keep an eye out for jumping trout, kingfishers, otters, and swans as you sit back, relax, and let the towering, limestone gorge scenery drift by.
Here in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley, there is so much for families to see and do that you just might want to stay a little longer to fit more in!
Number of results: 124
, currently showing 61 to 80.
Eastnor
Remarkable pottery experiences for individuals, groups and organisations. We work with thousands of workshop participants, all ages and abilities, sharing the many benefits of working with clay.
Ross-On-Wye
Learn SUP skills with our coaches. Dive into the tranquillity of SUP Yoga. Glide down the Wye kingfisher spotting. Get a buzz on a white-water adventure. Immerse yourself in a wilderness escape.
Near Lydbrook
A Forest car park with vast walks, a picnic site, pond with waterlilies and an area steeped in the heritage of mining with old railway lines and bridges and a new mining memorial installed in 2022. Off-road cycling trails and access to the Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail.
Symonds Yat West
Learn basic survival skills on one of our hands-on bushcraft courses. We’ll lead you through the priorities of survival and a range of techniques for living comfortably in the wild. Our friendly instructors will introduce you to primitive survival skills from a time when life moved more slowly and thoughtfully.
Price: TBA
Length of experience: 3 hours
Cliffords Mesne
May Hill is one of the most familiar landmarks for many miles around, with its near circular mound and crowning clump of trees. It offers wonderful views and is an ideal spot to view the sunrise and sunset over the forest, hills and valleys all around.
Nr Ross-on-Wye
Contemporary craft gallery in the south Herefordshire hills. Beautiful work, made and sold here by the makers. Ceramics, furniture, wood-carving, kitchenwood, basketry, jewellery and collagraph prints.
Ruardean Hill
The highest point in the Forest of Dean at 290m high with a beacon and a memorial to miners killed in the local collieries. The beacon was built in 2002 and is lit to commemorate important occasions. This was followed by the statue of a crouching miner installed in 2008 and the memorial in 2017. Together they represent a striking feature on the hill.
Monmouth
Stand-up paddleboarding, gorge scrambling, guided kayaking and rock climbing in the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean. Join us for an introduction, a half-day or full day of activities on rivers, gorges and rock faces in this stunning area. Fun, adventurous, and suitable for all ages and skill levels, we provide everything you need and teach you techniques, taking any fears away and making sure you have a great day out.
Pillowell
Visit artists in their workshops and galleries during the annual Open Studios Event in the Forest of Dean, Wye Valley, along the Severn and Gloucester.
Parkend
Enjoy a taste of mountain biking with our friendly experienced guides. These sessions are individually tailored to each family, to ensure all have a wonderful cycling experience to remember. No need to be an experienced rider or even own your own bike to take advantage and enjoy this taste of mountain biking!
Price: £160 per family of 4
Length of experience: 3 hours
Lords Hill, Coleford
A full day of cycle hire with bike delivery and collection including a dog trailer so you and your pooch can enjoy a day of fun in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley.
Price: £80 per person/minimum of 2 adults
Length of experience: 6 hours
Coleford
Explore the magical Puzzlewood in the Forest of Dean and finish off your adventure with a cream tea.
Chepstow
The Wye Valley Sculpture Garden is the creation of artist Gemma Kate Wood, that she has built over the last 20 years.
The garden has grown into a beautiful venue that hosts her sculpture collection and excitingly, the work of 23 other artists to create the Summer Sculpture Exhibition.
Longhope
Making your own Ploughman's has never been so easy! The class will be a combination of demo and hands on in groups. Recipes and tastings available.
Price: £60 per person
Length of experience: 3 hours
Lydney
Riverside walks, sculptures, great for birdwatching, sunsets and steeped in history, Lydney Harbour is well worth visiting as a place of beauty but also to see the power and force of the River Severn and its estuary which has the second highest tidal range in the world. Now with a new modern takeaway cafe.
Kilcot, Newent
Our experience day provides a unique, hands-on opportunity to interact with our rescued and resident animals. This is a one-to-one bespoke experience and you will not be sharing it with anyone else.
Price: £199.99 per person.
Length of experience: 7 - 8 hours
Gloucester
Gloucester Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of St Peter and the Holy and Indivisible Trinity, in Gloucester, stands in the north of the city near the river.
Lords Hill, Coleford
We challenge you to not smile on an a E-Bike ride! Not only do you get to explore more of the beautiful Forest of Dean & Wye Valley, you don’t have to worry about climbing off your bike and pushing it uphill when the going gets tough.
Price: £93 Per Adult (minimum of 2) Including 2 Junior Frog Bikes
Length of experience: 6 hours.
Near Coleford
This experience is a great way to explore the Forest of Dean for the adventurous family! A family mountain bike activity dedicated to your family needs. Choose what date you want, what you want to see and learn and we will do the rest! Come and explore the beautiful Forest of Dean by mountain bikes, learning some new skills on the way.
Price: £135 per family
Length of experience: 3 hours minimum
Monmouth
When Admiral Lord Nelson visited the site in 1802 he described it as one of the most beautiful places he had ever seen.
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*Visit Dean Wye is the trading name of Forest of Dean & Wye Valley Tourism Limited.