Windsor Great Park

Roam one of England's most spectacular royal landscapes without spending a penny on admission. Windsor Great Park spans an incredible 4,800 acres of ancient deer park, woodland, lakes and sweeping grassland, all free to explore. Whether you follow the iconic Long Walk with its views straight to Windsor Castle, spot red deer in the Deer Park or let the kids loose in the open space, you get a genuinely grand day out without the price tag. Parking costs apply, but the park itself? Yours for nothing.

Tucked into the woodland next to the Savill Garden, Adventure Play is one of those rare finds that genuinely delights kids of all ages. This hand-crafted adventure playground is a world of walkways, treehouses, slides and sculptures, all set within the trees rather than plopped on a flat tarmac square. It feels like a proper adventure rather than a standard play area, and children tend to disappear into it for hours. Note that Adventure Play has a separate admission charge.

Windsor Great Park is not just pretty countryside. It is home to around 500 red deer, some of the largest populations of ancient oak trees in northern Europe, and over 1,000 years of royal history. The 2-mile Virginia Water lake, the Copper Horse statue and the Valley Gardens all give families something to discover beyond a simple walk. It is the kind of place where children ask questions, spot wildlife and come home having actually learned something, without it feeling like a school trip.