Carly Hurd visited Sherwood Forest Center Parcs with her husband and three children.
If you are looking for a family trip away, packed with activities to suit even the tiniest of tots, then Center Parcs Sherwood Forest is sure to put a beaming smile on everyone’s face.
Set within 400 acres of beautiful forest, you will be surrounded by wildlife and nature to alight all of the families' imaginations, no matter what their age.
Accommodation
Lodges are nestled into the woodland, with different styles available to meet your every need and family size.
They span a large area of the park, all set on quite roads due to the restriction of cars to arrival days only.
This makes for a lovely peaceful and safe location, no matter where your lodge is based. The further out the lodges are, the more beneficial you will find the bike hire. There are lovely cycle and walk routes through the forest, all immersing you into the beautiful nature of your surroundings.
The lodges are all equipped with everything you will need for a self-catering holiday. The smallest of details have been thought about and provided for, from washing up liquid to shampoo.
The lodges are spacious and modern, whilst providing a homely atmosphere that the whole family can enjoy.
Wildlife will visit you at your door, we even had an unexpected squirrel try to join us for dinner! The children were absolutely delighted when a rabbit hopped past the window or a duck came wandering!
Dining
Should you wish to treat yourselves to a family meal out there is a wide variety of restaurants to choose from that will suit all tastes and desires.
The entire park is thought about with young families in mind, so wherever you choose to eat, you are thoroughly welcomed.
We chose to have an evening meal at the Foresters Inn, as the menu looked great for my children’s tastes and incredibly good value.
With the children’s 3 course meal for only £7.95, I was thoroughly impressed. The portion sizes were great, and everything was cooked to perfection.
The food, service, together with the setting was exceptional.
Bike Hire
My husband and I have three children, the youngest being 3, so we opted to hire bikes with a bike seat for our toddler.
This was possibly one of my favourite aspects of our holiday. Just being able to jump on the bikes at our lodge and be at the centre within minutes was great.
It was also a lovely way to explore easily, and spend more quality family time on a shared activity.
Bike locks are included and there are also bike helmets available, so you literally have everything you need on location.
Activities
The list of activities is endless. With so much choice your children will be grinning from ear to ear from the start of your holiday until the end!
What I really liked about the activities on offer is how Center Parcs have thought about how to organise events that the whole family can take part in, such as pottery painting or joining in at a pizza making party.
My children took part in laser combat, which my 7-year-old absolutely loved. He declared this as being the best part of the entire holiday!
My daughter and toddler went on a pony trek, and I can honestly say I have never seen a smile so big on my little girls face.
That look of pure joy is possibly one of my favourite memories of the holiday.
The staff at these activities were also fantastic, meeting all the children’s needs and ensuring everyone was well looked after.
I couldn’t possibly tell you about Center Parcs and not mention the sub-tropical swimming paradise. It is exactly that, a paradise for all water lovers, whatever your age.
This, in my opinion really is the icing on the cake for this fantastic holiday destination. It is also free to use as much as you like during your stay, making it easy to keep your holiday spends down to a minimum.
The newly refurbished Venture Bay and harbour will provide hour after hour of entertainment for babies, toddlers, as well as your older children!
The water is lovely and warm, shallow enough for you not to worry about safety, and slides that are easily accessible for even the smallest of toddlers.
With splash areas, gentle water jets and slides all set into this dedicated area for children you literally have everything you need for your children’s water fun.
There are even quite areas with dedicated sleep areas for those small tots in need of a recharge!
For those of you adults who love a thrill, the newly opened Tropical Cyclone is fantastic fun.
This exhilarating water ride will literally keep you on the edge of your seat, I highly recommend you give it a go, but not one for your smaller children!
I was fortunate enough to have a few hours of much needed pamper time.
The Aqua Sana spa is a beautiful place to unwind, with a huge selection of saunas, steam rooms and chill out areas.
The treetop sauna is beautifully located, accessed via some steps up into the trees, overlooking the forest. The ultimate in peace and tranquillity.
The treatments on offer at the spa are the ultimate in luxury, and with highly trained therapists you are expertly cared for and pampered.
I made this spa time the last event of our holiday, as it was a perfect opportunity to reflect on our holiday, and relish all the wonderful memories we have made together as a family.
We can't wait to go back!
Have you been to Centre Parcs? Would you recommend this for families for their next holiday? Let us know on Facebook orTwitter!
Make sure you're following Mother & Baby on Instagramfor relatable memes, inspiring stories and parenting hacks!
Subscribe to Mother&Baby magazine for expert tips, must-have products and invaluable advice for mums, delivered straight to your door.
Whether you’re planning your new baby essentials shopping list, giving friends and family gift ideas, or planning for your baby shower, the Amazon Baby Wish List allows you to keep track of all your shopping ideas in one place.Click here to start yours today!