With the spring flowers beginning to adorn the gardens and verges and the arrival of newly born New Forest Pony foals, March makes an excellent time for a trip to the New Forest.

Many of our attractions open their doors for the season and you’ll find plenty to do throughout the month, whether you are looking for a tasty meal out for Mother’s Day, some Easter weekend fun or just simply, a spring getaway.

Here are some of the top things to do this March in the New Forest:

See Exbury Gardens awash with colour

The ever-beautiful Exbury Gardens will re-open from 9 March. Expect stunning displays of daffodils and other spring flowers. Amble along the pathways and discover all kinds of nooks and crannies and be sure to hop aboard the miniature steam railway for a whistlestop tour of some of the gardens.

ExburyImage - Exbury Gardens 

Mother’s Day

This year, Mother’s Day falls on Sunday 10 March. Treat your mum to a meal out at a New Forest pub or restaurant, a New Forest spa break or perhaps a special Mother’s Day paddle to the pub with New Forest Activities. We’ll be exploring further ideas for Mother’s Day in our upcoming blog so do watch this space!

Make the most of those longer days

With the days getting longer and longer and the weather hopefully providing us with some much-needed sunshine, March makes a great time for some outdoor adventures. Whether you are travelling as adults or with a family group, there are lots of ways you can enjoy the great outdoors here in the New Forest.

Why not explore the New Forest by bike this March? On Tuesday 12 March and Saturday 23 March, New Forest Cycling Tours will be running guided rides along the Old Railway Line. Join them on this 3-4 hour tour (with a coffee stop along the way) and hire bikes from Cyclexperience or one of our other bike hire centres.

New Forest Cycling ToursImage - New Forest Cycling Tours

Make the most of the many walking routes that there are across the National Park. Take your pick from our interactive walking routes; including accessible walks, family-friendly walks and longer distance ones. Or, opt to join Wild New Forest for one of their guided walks such as their Discovery and Explorer Walks. If your kid is aged 10-16 and loves nature, book them onto Wild New Forest’s Young Explorers Wildlife Club Walk on Saturday 2 March for free. For those with limited mobility, book onto a guided walk with Wild New Forest on Tuesday 19 March and get out on a forest adventure with brilliant experts – these walks are also free.

Or, if you fancy something with a little more adrenalin, check out the various activities you can do at our outdoor centres – from high ropes to archery, you’ll be sure to find something of interest.

Wild New Forest
Image - Wild New Forest

Wet weather activities

Now, we know that the weather doesn’t always behave in March but don’t let that put you off a visit! There’s still plenty to see and do in the New Forest on those rainy days.

Why not make the most of our museums and explore the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu, Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum or the St Barbe Museum & Art Gallery in Lymington. Added to this, be sure to pop into the New Forest Heritage Centre in Lyndhurst for their excellent displays about New Forest life and their changing exhibitions.

New Forest Heritage Centre
Image - New Forest Heritage Centre

Enjoy some Easter fun

Easter weekend falls at the end of March, bringing with it loads of exiting things to do.

From 23 March-12 April, New Forest Activities will be running a special canoe Easter egg hunt for families. Spend time taking in the stunning scenery of the Beaulieu River before disembarking for an Easter egg hunt with a twist! Or, why not test your aim with their Easter Archery Tournament?

On Easter Sunday, Avon Tyrrell Outdoor Centre will be running an activity trail with 2 hours of egg-citing Easter adventures for just £10 per child. Take part in climbing, archery, self-guided activities, raffle, face painting and more!

More Easter events are sure to be added to our website, so keep an eye on our blog and our events listings for more information.

Avon Tyrrell Climbing in the New Forest - Activities FeatureImage - Avon Tyrrell Outdoor Centre

Book a spring break to the New Forest

Make the most of your time in the New Forest by booking a break here. Look out for cosy cottages, boutique hotels and coastal retreats. Many of our campsites also open from March onwards as well. Browse our accommodation pages and book your spring break today.

Don’t forget to share you spring adventures with us on social – simply tag @thenewforestuk / ‘Visit the New Forest’ on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok or X!