9 Center Parcs Activities Worth the Money

One of the best things about Center Parcs is the number of on-site activities available. Most Center Parcs villages have over 100 different activities available, which sounds great until you actually have to choose what to do during your visit.

I have been going to Center Parcs for over ten years and spent a lot of money working out what activities are and are not worth it. Here are the nine activities we keep coming back to.

1. Aerial Adventure

🧍Suitable for: Minimum height 1.22m.
💷 Price: From £28 per person

Aerial Adventure is the best activity at Center Parcs in my opinion. Qualified instructors fasten you into a safety harness and then it is over to you.

The course takes you up through the trees, reaching heights of up to 12 metres, and finishes with a descent on a zip wire. At Sherwood Forest the zip wire goes over the lake, which makes it even more thrilling.

If you have concerns about heights, this is going to be a challenge. We did this activity as a group once and one person had to turn back after a few minutes as they could not do it. Everyone is weighed before the session starts and there is a maximum weight of 17.9 stone for this activity.

2. Subtropical Swimming Paradise

🧍 Suitable for: All ages
💷 Price: Free.

Entry into the Subtropical Swimming Paradise is included in the price of your break. You do not need to book entry and you can go as many times as you like.

Integrating free activities like this is one of our favourite ways to save money at Center Parcs now we have kids.

The pool is open from 9am until 8pm daily. There is also a quiet hour at 9am on Wednesdays and Sundays with no waves, slides or music. The water is heated to 29.5°C year round, so it is just as good in January as it is in August.

3. Aqua Sana

🧍 Suitable for: Ages 14 and over
💷 Price: Varies by treatment.

Aqua Sana is the on-site spa at Center Parcs and one of our favourite things to do on a visit. I have had a back massage, my mum regularly books a manicure, and my wife even had a pregnancy massage on one of our trips.

Since having children, we tend to book individual treatment sessions rather than the full spa experience. There is only really time for one of us to visit at a time.

That said, if you are visiting as a couple without children, the full spa experience is worth looking at. It gives you access to the pools, saunas, steam rooms and relaxation areas for a set session, and it is a very different kind of afternoon to anything else on offer at Center Parcs.

4. Adventure Golf

🧍 Suitable for: All ages
💷 Price: From £10 per person

Adventure Golf is one of the best value activities at Center Parcs. You can book either nine holes which takes about 30 minutes or 18 holes which takes about an hour.

We enjoyed Adventure Golf a lot when visiting with extended family or as a couple. However, we have not done it for the past few years since our children have been too young to participate. That said, our eldest is just about to turn five so we will be looking to do a round of nine holes on our next visit.

5. Pedalo Hire

🧍 Suitable for: All ages. Minimum age 4 months.
💷 Price: From around £15 per pedalo (up to 4 people)

Pedalo hire is a low effort activity that offers fantastic value for money, particularly in the summer when you can make the most of being out on the lake.

It is also an activity that works really well for all ages and abilities, which makes it a great option for families with young children, elderly family members or couples.

6. Interactive Squash

🧍 Suitable for: All ages
💷 Price: From around £15 per room (up to 4 people)

Badminton is a good Center Parcs activity, but interactive squash is better. Take your typical game of squash and add in a wall with a screen projector that responds to where the ball lands allowing you to play a variety of different games.

For interactive squash you pay for the room rather than per person, which makes it great value for a group. However, only a couple of rooms are available so unlike tennis or badminton which typically have a lot of availability you will want to book interactive squash in advance before it sells out during your stay.

7. Bike Hire

🧍 Suitable for: All ages. Various bike types available for all sizes.
💷 Price: From around £14 per bike per day.

Center Parcs villages typically span around 400 acres, and so the best way to get around is on a bike. If you can bring your own, we would recommend doing that. But if not, we would suggest hiring bikes.

Since Center Parcs villages are car-free, cycling around the village in the middle of the forest is genuinely one of the best and most unique experiences of any visit.

8. Chestnuts Picnic

🧍 Suitable for: Ages 18 months to 5 years. One adult per child.
💷 Price: From around £12 per child

If you have a toddler, you need to book Chestnuts Picnic. When we visited with our son when he was 22 months old, this was our favourite activity. It is simple, and expensive for what it is, but honestly, it is so sweet.

You bring your child’s favourite soft toy and join Chestnut the squirrel for songs, stories and party games before settling down for a picnic lunch. Every child then gets a mini Chestnut to take home at the end.

9. Indoor Climbing Adventure

🧍 Suitable for: Ages 4 and over
💷 Price: From around £28 per person

I have done the indoor climbing adventure on several visits to Center Parcs. I have also taken my niece aged five and nephew aged eight so it is an activity that works really well for kids too.

Each session lasts 55 minutes. During this time an instructor will clip you in, explain each wall before you start and assist where needed throughout, making this perfect for those who have never done any climbing before.