Attractions in the New Forest

The New Forest is home to many attractions, all offering fantastic days out for all the family to enjoy. From historic houses and castles, theme parks and animal attractions, there is plenty to choose from come rain or shine.

Family attractions and days out
 

Whether you have young family, older children, or simply want the entire family to spend a day together then you will find the perfect option in The New Forest with all of our amazing family friendly attractions.

If you are here on a family holiday then there are some fantastic family attractions on offer, including the theme park at Paulton’s Park (home to the ever-popular Peppa Pig World). Here you can get the pulse racing with rollercoaster rides, flumes, play areas and themed Peppa Pig characters.  

Another theme park that’s well worth a visit is Adventure Wonderland, located on the outskirts of Bournemouth.

For anyone who enjoys learning about wildlife then the New Forest Wildlife Park and Marwell Zoo make great places to visit. At both sites you can discover some of the species of animal from across the globe. Find out about farmyard animals at Longdown Activity Farm, near Ashurst and at the Dorset Heavy Horse Centre.

Bring the dog too, we have a great choice of dog friendly attractions that your four-legged friend will enjoy just as much as you!

If you're looking for some evening entertainment, we are home to loads of local cinemas, theatres and live music venues. Find out more about all of this great entertainment for the whole family here.

History, heritage and cultural attractions in The New Forest
 

Take yourself on a journey back in time to discover the history and heritage of The New Forest. Discover the unique history of the area by starting at the New Forest Heritage Centre in Lyndhurst. Some of our fantastic museums and historic houses include the ship building village at Buckler’s Hard (which is also home to the maritime museum), Hurst Castle - built as a defence castle by Henry VIII and of course, the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu. At Beaulieu, you can also explore the site’s history as a monastery, until its demise during the Dissolution of the Monasteries by King Henry VIII and the Victorian ways of life that were enjoyed at Palace House.

Lovers of historic motorcycles should add the Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum to their itinerary as well as stopping in at Beaulieu’s for the World of Top Gear and other motoring related exhibitions.

Head to the Eling Tide Mill Experience to see the 900 year old mill in action! Go and check out how the power of the tide turns the watermill and powers the millstones to grind wheat into flour - learn all about the mill at their new interactive exhibition.

If you enjoy the arts, then be sure to explore our local crafts and art galleries as well as the theatre and performances at Forest Arts Centre and temporary art exhibitions at both the New Forest Centre (mentioned above) and the St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery in Lymington.

Some of our attractions are also based around our amazing local food & drink too! Go on a tour around the famous Ringwood Brewery, learning about and seeing with your own eyes how some of the best New Forest ales are made, you will even get to try some yourself during the Tour!

It's all about Gin at the moment, and lucky for us just up the road from the New Forest is the wonderful Bombay Sapphire Distillery, based at Laverstoke Mill. Learn all about the amazing history of Bombay Sapphire and watch the production behind the scenes.

Parks, gardens and nature
 

Take a stroll through our local parks and gardens and take in the sights and fragrances of the different seasons.

The famous Exbury Gardens, encompasses a large bit of land in the south of the New Forest National Park. A popular time to visit is during spring for the colourful display of rhododendrons and azaleas. Visitors of all ages usually enjoy the miniature steam railway which circulates part of the garden as well.

Slightly more informal are the Furzey Gardens at Minstead. Established in 1922, these gardens offer a spot of tranquillity with woodland walks, a lake and a children’s play area.

Visit Fairweather's Garden Centre where you can find a huge array of beautiful flora and fauna, have a wander around their shop and enjoy something to eat at Steff's Kitchen.

Near to Ringwood and Fordingbridge is also the lovely Hockey's Farm, where you can meet loads of new friends including, ponies, sheep, pigs, donkeys and even alpacas! Head to their wonderful local produce shop and enjoy some delicious food and a refreshing drink while you're there too. 

Discover more about the area’s flora and fauna on a trip to the New Forest Reptile Centre, near Lyndhurst or by stopping by at the Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary. There are several nature reserves including Blashford Lakes, Landford Bog and the Keyhaven Marshes where bird watchers and nature enthusiasts can enjoy exploring.

Or why not simply embark on a nature walk in our beautiful national park before or after visiting some of our attractions? There are a wealth of different walk available, not matter what your ability.

Discover more about the attractions in The New Forest
 

Use these pages to help you to explore just how much there is to see and do in the area. If you get stuck, the search box on this page will help you to find the perfect things to do or take a look for one of our local information points across the forest.

Keep an eye on our blog, where we feature top ideas for what to do over bank holiday weekends, school holidays and more. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as well where we share tips on days out and what you can see and do at the time of your visit to the New Forest.

We would also highly recommend that you purchase the £10 Go New Forest Card before you visit. This will help give you nearly 400 money-saving offers on days out, activities, places to eat and drink and even places to stay.

Top tips on how to become a Forest-friendly visitor
 

The New Forest National Park is a wonderful place to visit and you can help it stay that way by being a Forest-friendly visitor.

The ponies and other animals have no road sense and frequently stand or walk on the unfenced roads, so give them (and walkers, cyclists and horse-riders) a wide berth and be especially careful when driving at night.