New Forest Days Out — 12 Ideas for Families, Walkers and Wildlife Lovers

The New Forest is one of the few places in England where you can watch wild ponies wander across the road, cycle for miles on car-free gravel tracks, and still be back at a proper pub for lunch. It's a genuinely great family destination — here are 12 ways to spend a day.

The wildlife

The New Forest Wildlife Park, Ashurst

Native and European species — otters, wolves, lynx, wild boar, deer — set in ancient woodland with boardwalk trails. Ethical, unflashy, and a proper couple of hours out.

Check New Forest Wildlife Park tickets →

The New Forest Reptile Centre, near Lyndhurst

Free to visit, run by the Forestry Commission — a chance to see native adders, grass snakes, sand lizards and toads in outdoor enclosures. Small but well done, and a good stop on a walk.

The ponies (everywhere, free)

The half-wild ponies are the symbol of the Forest and roam freely across the heath and villages. Please don't feed or touch them — but watching them graze by the roadside is a highlight for every child. Drive slowly; they have right of way.

The big attraction

Beaulieu

Three attractions in one ticket: the National Motor Museum (over 250 vehicles, including Bond cars), the stately Palace House and gardens, and a monorail that loops the grounds. A full, weatherproof-ish day and the Forest's premier paid day out.

Get active

Cycle the gravel tracks

The Forest has miles of traffic-free gravel "gravel rides" perfect for families. Hire bikes at Brockenhurst or Burley and follow a waymarked loop — flat, safe, and the best way to see the heath.

Go Ape, Moors Valley

High ropes and zip wires on the eastern edge of the Forest, with a Junior course for younger kids and a great country park (steam railway, play trails) around it.

Villages and gentle days

• Lyndhurst — the "capital" of the Forest, with the New Forest Heritage Centre (free) to get your bearings.
• Burley — a witchy, characterful village with cream teas and a cider farm.
• Beaulieu village & Buckler's Hard — a preserved 18th-century shipbuilding hamlet on the river.
• Bolderwood & the Tall Trees Trail — an easy woodland walk among towering Douglas firs, often with deer.

The rest of the twelve

• Exbury Gardens — 200 acres of azaleas and rhododendrons with a steam railway (spectacular in May).
• Lepe Beach — a shingle beach with Solent views and a good café.

Practical notes

The Forest is a working landscape — stick to tracks, close gates, and never feed the animals (it's genuinely harmful and can be illegal). Ponies and cattle roam onto roads, so drive at the 40mph limit and watch for them at dusk. Parking is in Forestry Commission car parks (small charge or free with a season permit). Most attractions are cheaper booked online, and Beaulieu tickets stay valid as an annual pass if you Gift Aid.