There are several beautiful and fun places both in and around London, that are all worth a visit. You could say, London truly has something for everyone and there can never be a dull moment! When in London, you must make the most of your time and travel to places that top your bucket list.
We visited Center Parcs Woburn Forest and immediately knew it was a worthy decision.
It is just an hour drive from Central London, making it quite accessible, and is one of the 8 Center Parcs in Europe. Spreading across 400 acres of woodland, these woods are definitely the highlight of this place. Imagine being in a lodge, surrounded by woods and just relaxing, away from all the stress of everyday life. Magical, isn’t it?
This place is in complete contrast to the big city, which is known for the continuously moving, fast-paced life. Center Parcs, on the other hand, oozes serenity.
When we arrived, we truly fell in love with what we saw as the place was beyond beautiful and intrigued all of us. We were to stay there for a total of three days.
Mornings at Center Parc Woburn Forest were blissful, with the fresh breeze, landscape and best of all, the company of my loved ones, all adding to the beauty!
As we explored different parts of Center Parc everyday, we found an array of activities for both fun and relaxation purposes.
After all, a vacation is incomplete if it doesn’t engage all your senses.
The place also has some great food options with some nice restaurants and a supermarket. However, it’s better to research all of these places forehand.
To my surprise, my 20 month old had the most fun as everything about this place was so interesting and exciting for him! Before visiting, a lot of people who knew about our travel plans told us it’s not recommended for kids around 18 months of age, as there isn’t a lot to do for kids that young. Watching my little one through the course of our stay, I must say I’m glad that we stuck with our plans. He absolutely loved watching ducks and squirrels from the window and by the pond. Kids really love fluffy little animals, don’t they? Then there was the boat ride, that particularly caught his attention and he truly enjoyed every bit of it!
I thoroughly recommend such outdoor activities for the little ones, over staying indoors. Being outdoors, observing, and engaging in fun activities, is great for their motor skills and sensory development, during this crucial stage of childhood. Of course, you have to be alert and present at all times to ensure their safety!
If that wasn’t all, we found more activities for the little one. Enthusiastically, he went ahead for some pottery painting, sensory play, and then again, playing by the sandy side of the pond. Oh, how he loved making little sand castles and swimming in the sub-tropical area! It was quite fascinating for us to watch him have so much fun there.
Then there was the older one. I could tell he was really happy to be there, as there were a plethora of activities for him to try out. He enjoyed himself thoroughly riding his bicycle up and down the hill and going to places. The little explorers car ride also got us all cheering on for him! I’m sure it gave him a fun, little off-road experience, navigating his way and overcoming obstacles. Like the little one, the older one also loved his pottery painting. I have to say, this indoor activity is super pleasing, for kids and adults, alike! No wonder the pottery painting studio is so popular and is always packed.
Together, both my kids, would be up in the morning just exploring outside the lodge. This was very fulfilling for them as not many people were outside at such hours of early morning. They ran around, collected acorns, and had the best time of their lives! What made our stay particularly unique was the fact that all of us had to ride the cycles to get everywhere. Absolutely no cars are allowed. Talk about a true woodland adventure.
If you or your kids don’t know how to ride a bicycle, don’t worry, they have electric scooters as well. They come with some exciting attachments to carry the little ones. I did try this, and it was a totally new, fun experience. The little one gazed around in utter awe.
With no shopping to do, no car to take us through long distances, we got a lot of time to bond over the little activities that we could try out. Learning new things made our stay all the more exciting and special.
When you plan your trip to Center Parcs Woburn Forest, you must know that there are a range of indoor, outdoor and seasonal activities, to choose from. Some are designed to be simplistic but exciting, while others are challenging, such as raft building, aerial adventure, electric boating and what not! If you go during the holiday season in December, you could attend Santa’s Woodland Workshop and engage in some festive flavours!
The key here is to look up the place before booking, so you don’t miss out on anything that really stands out for you.
Overall, Center Parcs Woburn Forest is very well planned out. It gives the perfect opportunity to take a break from the hustle and bustle of city life. It provides several activities and relaxation options right there, in the woods. Who would’ve thought? This innovative idea has positively contributed to its ever increasing popularity. From our experience, I would say, it is worth a second visit!
