The New Year may be a few weeks off but it’s never too early to plan New Forest holidays for 2025!
Why?
A bit of advance intel will ensure you don’t miss out when it comes to booking the perfect camping pitch or spa weekend. It’ll also help you to make time to enjoy all the beauty and adventure this magical part of the world has to offer.
Theme park fans should put aside some time in May because that’s when Paultons Park, Home of Peppa Pig World near Romsey unveils its latest spectacular – or should that be spooktacular? – ride.
Image - Paultons Park
The brand-new Ghostly Manor immersive experience will incorporate physical and digital sets telling the story of renowned ghost hunter, Dr Kinley.
During your visit you’ll discover that many of the ghosts captured by Dr Kinley over the years have escaped and he urgently needs your help to recapture them. Armed with the groundbreaking Phantom Phaser, you'll need to shoot the ghosts lurking throughout the manor to secure them once more.
There are new goings-on at Marwell Zoo, south of Winchester, too. On selected dates in 2025, visitors will be able to book a special afternoon tea in historic Marwell Hall, a stone’s throw from where the Grevy’s zebra graze. Their beautiful Glow Marwell winter light trail will return, as well as the hoped-for births of new additions to the zoo’s family.
Image - Marwell Zoo
If you’re planning to make 2025 the year you get the family out for an adventure, why not book a break at Avon Tyrrell in Bransgore in the heart of the New Forest?
Their self-contained forest lodges all have fully equipped kitchens, making self-catering breaks hassle-free, and there are also large open-plan living areas, wet rooms, free wi-fi and balconies to take full advantage of the natural surroundings.
If you are looking to sleep out under the stars, Avon Tyrrell also has forest and lake-side camping with a mix of electric hook-ups, hard standing and standard pitches – perfect for tents, motorhomes, and vans. You’ll also have access to hot shower facilities, children’s play areas and Café Explore, which is open seasonally for snacks, pizza nights and refreshments.
Many of our New Forest campsites and hotels welcome your furry friend and in 2025, Back of Beyond in St Leonards is adding a dog agility course so pets will be able to test out some new skills whilst staying at the campsite. Back of Beyond are also increasing the number of fully serviced pitches on offer, so there will be even more spaces to choose from.
Image - Back of beyond Touring Park
If you normally visit the Forest at a certain time of year, why not make 2025 the one where you switch it all around, to experience, the rustle of fallen leaves and cosy fires of autumn, or the crunch of frost and ice beneath your feet in winter? If you normally stay inland, why not book a holiday cottage near our tranquil beaches – we’ve got more than 40 miles of ‘secret’ coastline for you to explore!
Next year is a big one for this area, as the New Forest National Park celebrates its 20th birthday. In that spirit, why not encourage the kids to release their inner David Attenborough, by visiting the New Forest Reptile Centre? It’s currently closed for winter but will open in spring, giving the opportunity to get up close and personal with all of the area’s remarkable reptiles, from adders to slow-worms.
Or take them for a little bird watching – Keyhaven Marshes are perfect for watching our feathered friends. And, if the kids don’t see a deer in the wild, pop along to Bolderwood where you can watch the Fallow herd being fed daily, from the comfort of a viewing platform.
With more than 140,000 acres of heathland and forests– not to mention all our rivers, streams and 140-miles of waymarked tracks – there is more than enough space to explore.
Feeling even more adventurous? Check out New Forest Activities where you can learn to kayak or canoe. Or head to Calshot Activity Centre, where you can try out sailing, climbing, or skiing.
Our cycling offer is amazing, too! We have more than 100 miles of cycle routes - around 98 per cent are off-road and range from the simplest of trails suitable for wobbly learners to longer routes for seasoned cyclists.
Or why not resolve to make this year the one where you hike a trail? The Solent Way is 60 miles long but you can do it in sections, so try the start, at Milford on Sea, or the section from Beaulieu to Buckler’s Hard.
And don’t worry about where to stay. From the 5* Chewton Glen, to Rhinefield House Hotel (whose glamorous outdoor swimming pool stood in for Balmoral in Series 3 of Netflix’s The Crown) to beautiful self-catering cottages, lively holiday parks and cosy inns and B&Bs, there’s a wealth of places to choose from to suit every budget and requirement, including people with accessibility needs.