8 Best Center Parcs Activities

Center Parcs is not just known for its cosy lodges, friendly wildlife and amazing woodland but also for its amazing range of activities. With so much to do it can almost be paralysing to pick and choose what activities you want to do and also what is worth the money.

During our first trip to Center Parcs, we were left wondering what activities would be worth doing and what we could do. After our first initial visit for our honeymoon, we have since been back 3 times and taken part in more activities that are on offer.

Below is a list of activities we found were perfect for both adults and children that are definitely worth trying on your next visit.

1. Pottery Painting

Pottery Painting is definitely one of the more underrated activities at Center Parcs yet it is one of our favourite ones to do. Pottery painting can be as cheap as you make it or as expensive as you want it to be and that is one of my favourite things about the activity.

We also always enjoy Pottery Painting as it is quite a relaxing activity, you can take all the time you need (within reason) and you can be as creative as you want to be.

We actually introduced the activity to our nieces as they both enjoy crafting, creating and painting and thought it would be the ultimate activity for them to take part in.

We found lots of people over our visits enjoying pottery painting from older people to young children and families.

Pottery Painting is a perfect activity for anyone who prefers relaxing activities, isn’t into shooting or climbing amongst the trees or even wants to try something different.

Once you have booked you will pay a small fee for each person, this is to simply secure a table and booking for your chosen day and time.

Once you arrive you can ‘check in’ with a team member, they will talk you through the process if you haven’t been before.

You can then go on to choose your pottery piece from a large wall. There is a wide range of pieces from money banks, statues, bowls and plates etc.

We have found that each time we visit they had added more to the collection which makes going back more fun as you can try something new each time.

You will purchase your piece of pottery and then be shown a table, along with what to do and given all the equipment you need to paint.

There are aprons available for children to wear so clothes don’t get completely covered in paint, though helpful tips are that the paint does wash out of most fabrics so no need to panic if your little one does get a little carried away. There are also apron options for adults too.

Once you have finished your piece it will be taken to the back and put in the kiln, you will then be told to come back the next day to collect.

We also try to have our pottery painting session at the start or middle of our trip as it makes collecting the piece the day after a little easier.

2. Adventure Golf

Adventure Golf can be booked as 9 holes or 18 hole games depending on how much time you wish to spend on the game, who is playing and the price.

The Adventure Golf course is popular with both families and couples and is a perfect activity to do no matter the time of day or time of year.

We personally love Adventure Golf as it is something we can both physically take part in, it doesn’t have to be too serious or strenuous and it is perfect for everyone in the family.

Adventure Golf can be booked in advance or once you arrive at your Center Parcs location. Though with the high popularity we suggest booking in advance especially if you are visiting within peak season.

One of the advantages of Adventure Golf is that it doesn’t have a major time restraint, if you are a little slow on the game or just want to take your time you can make the experience much more pleasant.

3. Pedalo Hire

In our opinion, pedalo’s are one of the best value for money activities at Center Parcs. However, we’d highly recommend booking them in advance as during the summer months especially slots go fast.

Each pedalo is suitable for up to 4 people, and children under 8 will be required to wear a life vest. They are a great family activity and something even just the adults can enjoy at Center Parcs.

You can have full access to a pedalo for 30 minutes and you can roam the full area of the lake. Hiring a pedalo is one of the more cost-effective activities at Center Parcs and can be a great way of getting up close and personal to the ducks sitting on the water.

4. Twilight Session At Aqua Sana

Aqua Sana is the on-site spa and treatment area for adults and older teens to enjoy. The spa offers up a range of treatments, experiences and packages for all to enjoy.

On our 3rd and 4th trip to Center Parcs, I was 6 months 8 Things To Do At Center Parcs While Pregnantpregnant and so only certain activities were suitable for me to take part in. Instead, I found the spa a haven for sitting back, relaxing and enjoying some pampering time.

Parents, even if you have children with you and family around to help out, ask someone to babysit for the evening while you go off and enjoy some peace and relaxation.

Aqua Sana is a great place to go have a treatment whether it is just your nails doing, a facial or a full body massage. Look at booking in for some well-earned downtime before hitting the hardcore activities or head to the spa for a full day retreat before you head home.

If you are looking for something truly relaxing and special during your trip to Center Parcs look at booking one of the Twilight Treats. These are special sessions that take place in the evening for yourself, yourself and your partner or friend.

Below are the packages available, what is included and the price (prices correct at the time of 2021). This is definitely an activity I would look at booking especially if you are looking to relax, unwind and reset your batteries for more adventures.

Twilight Taster For 2

The session price is £49 per person

• Access to our Spa from 4pm – 9pm
• A glass of bubbly each on arrival
• Complimentary towel and robe hire
• Free spa discovery sessions

Twilight Treat For 2

The session price is £55 per person. This is for 18’s and above.

• Access to our Spa from 4pm – 9pm
• A delicious platter of antipasti to share
• A glass of bubbly each
• Complimentary towel and robe hire
• Free spa discovery sessions

Twilight Escape For 2

The session price is £75 per person

• Access to our Spa from 4pm – 9pm
• Tranquillity Scalp Massage (25 minutes)
• Complimentary towel and robe hire
• Free spa discovery sessions

5. Interactive Squash

It is easy to see that the sports and adventure activities are the most popular at Center Parcs but not all activities under those umbrellas are as popular as the rest. For example, an activity we discovered was interactive squash, it was highly amusing, fun and helped us still get to the level of fitness we wanted to achieve.

Interactive Squash is basically a game of squash but with an interactive wall that you can play a magnitude of games on that are both fun, family-friendly and can easily spark you to forget what you are doing and just enjoy the game.

All these games are generally 2 – 4 people games, they can be played as a family or just 2 people.

You can book in advance for the activity (along with the other sports such as tennis, badminton and normal squash along with many more!) or alternatively you can book once you arrive at any of the guest service areas.

Interactive squash is a must-try activity and something everyone can be involved with no matter the age or sporting ability.

6. Swimming At The Subtropical Swimming Paradise

Swimming is one of few free activities at Center Parcs and therefore the pool can get very busy at times. However, that’s not enough of a reason to skip this activity altogether, far from it.

With indoor and outdoor pools, jacuzzis and waterslides there’s something for everyone inside this tropical paradise.

Swimming is one of the best activities at Center Parcs as it is free, you can have a large amount of time and there is something for everyone, even the babies have an area to paddle and enjoy.

If you’re looking to avoid the crowds then we suggest going in the early evening (after 6pm) when most other guests are back at their lodges having dinner or putting children to bed.

Pro Tip: Make a Center Parcs packing list to avoid forgetting swimming costumes, towels, goggles etc. While these can be purchased at a small store on site there’s a limited availability and it’s very expensive.

7. Wildlife Walk

This is an activity you can book or you can create your own free version, there are 2 wildlife walks which take place in the early morning and later on in the evening.

If you choose to book on the one at Dawn or Dusk then you will be lead by one of the Center Parcs team members, showing all the best places and even do some wildlife spotting.

This is perfect if you enjoy the wildlife or like to do something different as a family.

The activity is well priced and so doesn’t have to break the bank especially if you are looking at ways to save money on your trip to Center Parcs.

We didn’t get a chance to join any of the paid walks yet but always enjoy taking a walk around the forest areas.

These are great to do if you are looking for something a little different, as we headed to the nature centre for our Willow Weaving we noticed that the area was so quiet due to many people heading to the Village area instead.

You can go on a walk to watch the wildlife around the woods and learn some interesting facts about the local birds, small creatures and more.

8. Indoor Climbing Adventure

The indoor climbing adventure is perfect for anyone who wants an adventure that is both fun and thrilling but something that can be done with a parent or indoors.

The climbing walls are super colourful and bright and are perfect for anyone looking to enjoy an afternoon of climbing and testing their limits. We found this activity was highly popular with all the children on our 4th visit to Center Parcs along with many adults also taking on the challenge.

Each session is 55 minutes long which is plenty of time to explore the walls, challenge yourself and have plenty of fun.

While this is one of the more expensive activities on our list it definitely is worth trying. We found that once we saw Cora and Frankie doing the activity we all wanted to have a go.

The climbing walls are a great activity to take part in especially if you are visiting within the colder months and prefer to be inside.

There are benches surrounding the indoor adventure wall perfect for family members to sit and watch and supervise children or other family members while doing the activity.