Where to stay for adventure-packed fun for the whole family

Our pubs are famously family-friendly, and we love to see young ones enjoying the feel-good vibes as much as the adults. When you book a room with us, little ones under two can stay for free. And it’s just an extra £15 a night for kids aged 2–16 (and we’ll provide all the cots and additional beds you need). When it comes to food, our Young’sters menus are no afterthought; our chefs take great care creating tempting and nutritious meals they’ll love. And very importantly, we’ll have a long list of ideas on how to keep kids entertained when you’re here.

Oodles-to-do family destinations

When we pick our pubs, we always go for locations with bags to do beyond our base, whether it’s enjoying the buzz of the big city or the calm of the countryside. To give you a taste, we’ve chosen four pubs with great sights and activities that kids will get a kick out of, from high-thrill-factor theme parks to imagination-igniting historic castles and wellies-at-the-ready outdoorsy activities.

Knee-wobbling rides and wild times

We have two pubs in the picturesque town of Chertsey, The Bridge and The Crown, and they’re just a hop, skip and jump from each other. It really is an amazing place to stay. Okay, that might not sound enough to drag kids away from their screens, but there’s more to tell (we promise). Chertsey is also super-close to three of the biggest, most popular and awesome theme parks in the whole country (told you).

Hop in the car for a 4-minute drive (you’ll not find any closer places to stay) and you’ll get to Thorpe Park. It’s all about the adrenaline and is best suited to older kids and teens (the rides have pleasingly terrifying names like The Detonator, The Swarm and Nemesis Inferno).

Heading slightly further afield (but still just 25-minutes by car), you’ve got  Legoland Windsor, a mega day out for families with youngsters, where your minds will be blown in a Lego-themed wonderland of attractions and experiences.  25-minutes in the other direction and you’ve got Chessington World of Adventures, Britain’s biggest wildlife theme park, with a zoo, aquarium and safaris where you can say “how do you do” to rhinos and giraffes.

And when you’re worn out, it’s a dream to know you can head back to one of the two pubs for a sustaining meal and a delicious night’s sleep (ready for even more adventures). But which pub will you choose?

The Bridge has a pretty riverbank setting, and the kids will dig the burgers and buns at the Burger Shack. And there’s also The Crown, which boasts the best beer garden in Surrey.

It’s a tricky decision we’ll leave up to you.

Leaving the rides to one side, the British countryside has plenty to offer families looking for adventure of the natural variety.

Another rural gem is The Lamb, which sits pretty in the village of Hindon. Recently refurbished (and looking pretty spiffing), this pub boasts an idyllic location deep in the Wiltshire Downs. Just a 15-minute car trip in one direction will take you to the you-might-have-heard-of-it Stonehenge, a true wonder of the world where you can tread in the footsteps of your Neolithic ancestors. 15-minutes slightly south and you’re in for a history-making day out at another English Heritage site, Old Wardour Castle. Or point the car the other way, and you’ll come across Longleat, the UK’s first-ever drive-through safari park (watch out for those famous cheeky monkeys). And for those cosy in-room days or it’s-the-holidays late nights, family rooms come complete with some fun-for-all games like giant Jenga and Connect 4.

Or if you stay at the Wheatsheaf Inn in the quaint Cotswold town of Northleach, you can embrace the great outdoors and stumble upon some magic attractions to boot. You’ll find the seriously fun Far Peak Climbing Centre just 5-minutes away with climbing and bouldering activities for kids (and adults-but-kids-at-heart, too) of all ages and abilities.  There’s Birdland Park & Gardens (don’t miss penguin feeding time), Cotswold Motoring and Toy Museum, and the Cotswold Clubhouse children’s activity centre in nearby Bourton-on-the-Water. And nearby Blenheim Palace boasts an adventure playground for kids, a cute miniature train, and the mystifying Marlborough Maze.