Kids love Jersey because there's so much to do!

Quite simply, Jersey is one of the world's best family holiday destinations.

For an island of just 150 sq. km, it's incredible that there's so much for kids to enjoy. Of course, there are the lovely golden beaches, many of which are safe for supervised children, including Long Beach in Grouville and St Brelade's Bay in the south west.

As well as the beaches, Jersey boasts plenty of wide open inland spaces. From the wilds of Les Landes in the north west and wooded wonderlands like St Catherine's Woods, to parks such as Coronation Park in St Lawrence or the Howard Davis and Millennium parks in St Helier, some of Jersey's best attractions are completely free!

However, if you're looking for something a bit more involved than a space to play, Jersey won't let you down. Here, we take a look at a three of the best places to visit with children - but don't think this is a definitive list. There's so much to do, we had to select just a few!

Jersey Zoo

Jersey Zoo is much, much more than a place to see animals. It is an internationally renowned beacon for wildlife conservation and education that every year attracts visitors from all around the world.

Established by world famous naturalist Gerald Durrell, Jersey Zoo is great for all family members, and there's so much to learn about the species being cared for by the Zoo.

Whether you're fascinated by great apes like the lowland gorillas and Sumatran orangutans or prefer to learn about endangered birds and reptiles like the Mauritian pink pigeon or the critically endangered mountain chicken (it's not a bird!), Jersey Zoo offers a mix of the cute and cuddly alongside species fighting for survival.

Beyond the animals, the zoo's location in the grounds of Augrès Manor in Trinity is superb. There are gorgeous lawns on which you can picnic or simply let off some steam by running around. There's an amazing playground adjacent to the orangutan enclosure, where your children get to imitate the animals that fascinate them!

Equipped with excellent cafés and restaurants, as well as an impressive education centre and shop, there are many great reasons why Jersey Zoo attracts more visitors than anywhere else in the island.

Mont Orgeuil Castle

Few castles in the world are as 'castle-like' as Mont Orgeuil (French for Mount Pride).

Rising above the beautiful harbour of Gorey, the castle has clung precariously to the cliff for over 800 years, during which time it has been modified and adapted by generations of Jersey's rulers, including under German occupation during the second world war.

Today, Mont Orgeuil has moved on from its military past and serves as a stunning place in which children and parents can learn about Jersey's incredibly rich history. From the era of the Magna Carta and King John, via Elizabethan Sir Walter Raleigh (once governor of the island) to the present day, Jersey Heritage has adapted the castle to be a great source of learning about history whilst also having fun.

Kids love putting on costumes from the castle's dressing up box before running around as lords and ladies, exploring the dark, foreboding dungeons and soaring towers.

Mont Orgeuil is a place for exploring, playing and learning. There's the story of the castle as told through specially commissioned artwork, the medieval ‘wheel of urine’ (!) in the castle's towers, and a trip to the cellar to study the 'witchcraft' exhibit, which will test even the strongest of nerves.

aMaizin! Adventure Park

Learning can be fun but sometimes it's nice to leave the lessons behind in favour of simply running around and trying something new.

In Jersey, there's no better place to do this than the aMaizin! Adventure Park in St Peter.

A simple one-off entrance fee gives your whole family the freedom to explore the park all day - and wow, there's a lot to explore!

The park has both indoor and outdoor activities, so there's still plenty to do when the weather's not great. The toboggan, gold-mine, go-karts, jumping pillow and tractor rides are great for all the family, and risk-takers will love the scary dropslide and aerial runway.

The aMaizin! Adventure Park is a great place for an enormously fun day out, but perhaps the best thing is knowing that kids and adults alike will return to the Merton Hotel ready to drop and looking forward to a fantastic night's sleep after a day of activities and adventure.

Find out more

When you stay at the Merton Hotel, we'll be delighted to give you ideas to help choose the best days out for your family. Just ask at the front desk for information about Jersey's many fantastic family attractions.

If you're planning your trip before arriving in the island, then please take a look at Visit Jersey's website, where you'll find details of almost every attraction in the island.

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