Surrey and Hampshire are great places to live with children and dogs, but many child-friendly activities and places to visit are not always dog-friendly too, often meaning your four-legged friend ends up having to stay at home.
We want to change this, so we have put together a list below of the best dog and kid friendly places to visit in West Surrey and East Hampshire where all the family can spend time together and everyone can have fun. These attractions have things to do for both children and dogs, but there are many other great places to go in West Surrey and East Hampshire where you can walk your dog and enjoy the great outdoors. There might not be any specific kid friendly activities, but perhaps they could use sticks to tackle pretend trolls, scavenge for items to make a nature picture with, look for bugs or build a den. You can get your dog involved too, or let them sniff and explore while your kids are enjoying themselves.
West Surrey & East Hampshire
Alice Holt Forest, Café and Play Trail.
Bucks Horn Oak, Farnham, Surrey GU10 4LS
Alice Holt is a massive forest on the edge of the Surrey/Hampshire border which offers miles of great dog walking and child friendly fun in the outdoors. If your kid isn’t into long walks, that’s no problem at Alice Holt as they have a large playground next to the café (dogs would need to wait outside), plus an exciting and challenging natural play trail to take on. From hollow trees to giant owls, this trail is great for toddlers to teenagers. As well as the equipment to climb on, there is a theme to the trail which includes signs to find and items to spot as well as rubbings you can make. Visiting the forest is free, but parking can be up to £13.50 for the whole day.
Hartland Country Park
Bramshot Lane, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU51 3LF
As far as country park’s go, this one is quite small and doesn’t have loads of facilities, there is no café and the play area is quite small. The reason it made the list however is for its pump track. If you take the main path straight into the park, you come across an area with a bike track which winds its way around and has small humps on it, great for toddlers and small children to practice on their bikes. Older children might find it a bit boring here, although there are still lots of places to make dens or climb trees which might keep them entertained. The play area is a natural one with a few balance poles and a climbing frame. Parking is free but a bit limited, you can park on the road though if there are no spaces free.
South West Surrey and East Hampshire
Hogmoor Inclosure walking area, café, music sculpture and play area
Hogmoor Road, Bordon, Hampshire, GU35 9HL
This enclosure has been created as a SANG – an area dedicated to recreation created as part of a commitment that nearby housing developments have made. The enclosure has some great walks in it and also a large pond in the middle which is great if your dog loves to swim or fancies cooling off on a hot day (For other walks where your dog can go swimming, take a look at our blog here). At the entrance is a dog friendly café and shortly after this there is a large play area which spreads across a wide open area. There is a sand pit with climbing frame in the middle, a large slide, a toddler area, bouncing ring type things, a tower to climb and a high tower, tunnel and slide for the very brave. The play area isn’t fenced so your dog can join you as you follow your children around, but of course make sure to pick up any poo and don’t let your dog wee in the sand pit. Opposite the café near the car park there is a small area where there are two music sculptures as well as a couple of other bits kids can play around with. Parking and entry is free.
Witley Common and Natural Play Trail
Haslemere Rd, Godalming, Surrey, GU8 5QA
Again another lovely walking area although you do get some noise from the nearby A3. However, its worth a visit for the extensive natural play trail that goes through the woods. To find it you will need to park or walk to the car park on Webb Road and then head on to the path which leads south/southwest from here (the path on the left hand side as you enter from the main road). You will first come to lots of bridges made by trees, then a little house, then a tree trunk stack and slide, and the final one has a couple of tunnels, a couple of triangle houses, a tree trunk stack, a balance plank and some monkey bars. Great if your children are little monkeys and love to climb, and also nice for your dog to wander through with you. By the end of the trail, you can continue on to do a loop back to the car, or turn around and do it all again. There isn’t a café here unfortunately, and it’s a national trust site so you will need to pay for parking at the Webb road car park (free for National Trust members). There are some other car parks further along that are free to park at and you could use these to make a longer walk to the play area. If you are looking for refreshments before or after your visit, the Refectory pub up the road allows dogs in the bar area, does lovely food and has a couple of swings in a hidden corner of its garden.
Rural Life Centre Museum
The Reeds Rd, Tilford, Farnham, Surrey, GU10 2DL
This museum of country life has an unique collection of historic buildings which tells the story of the countryside. Each one you can go and explore inside, and there is also a light kiln railway which runs trains on certain days. Dogs are welcome to come along but must be kept on a lead. The café is dog-friendly and offers a range of children’s meals, snacks and treats as well as free wifi. There are a lot of events held here throughout the year so you could mix your visit with the Tractor Rally or Weyfest, and they sometimes have visits from characters such as Paddington Bear, an animal sanctuary and fire engines. They are next to an RSPB reserve which has extensive trails across the Surrey hills, so you could also give your pooch a good run once you are all museum’d out.
Devils Punchbowl
London Road, Hindhead, Surrey, GU26 6AB
This site has great views across the Surrey Hills as well as lots of lovely walks you can go on with your dog. The café is fully dog friendly and serves lots of lunch options. The natural play trail is new and includes balance poles and tree trunk stacks. They also have a lot of often free events throughout the year one of which includes the outdoor theatre which is highly recommended and dogs are welcome to attend. Entry here is free but you need to pay for parking unless you are a National Trust member.
Central Surrey
National Trust Parks
There are a number of National Trust sites in Surrey which are both dog and child friendly. Dogs usually have to be kept on lead for much of the visit and are not allowed in the houses, but these sites have great play areas and cafés with child options so I have added them to this list too. Many also have events throughout the year which are well thought out and usually included in the entry price so these might be good occasions to visit.
Hatchlands Park
East Clandon, Guildford GU4 7RT
It’s a little walk to the play area from the car park which will give your dog a chance to stretch its legs. They are also allowed off lead as long as they are under close control, and there is an area at the start of the play area where you can sit with your dog or tie them up. They have a really detailed part of their website explaining where dogs can and can’t go which might be worth taking a look at before you arrive. They are allowed in the Coach House Café but not the main café. The Coach House Café isn’t always open so if this is important for your visit make sure you check ahead. They do sometimes have livestock on site, and they do have donkeys as well. The play area has a large treehouse they can visit, plus balance poles and a wooden house. There is an entry fee but you do not have to pay for parking. To find out more about visiting Hatchlands Park in Surrey with dogs and children, check out our blog. If you would like to visit their website, you can find it here.
Winkworth Arboretum
Hascombe Road, Godalming, Surrey, GU8 4AD
Dogs are welcome to visit but must be kept on a short lead, however they can go everywhere on site. The tea room there only has outdoor seating but serves hot and cold drinks, sweet treats and light lunches. The play frame has a climbing wall, firefighter’s pole, rope tunnel and ladders. It’s a bit limited for most under 3’s especially when its busy, but older kids should have fun here. There is an entry fee but you do not have to pay for parking. Their website can be found here.
Polesdon Lacey
Polesden Rd, Great Bookham RH5 6BD (Satnav use KT23 4PZ)
Dogs on short leads are welcome in most of the grounds at Polesdon Lacey as well as the gift shop, but they are not allowed in the café, in the formal gardens or in the mansion. They are allowed off lead on the wider estate as long as they are under control, but please note there may be livestock including sheep and lambs around. The play area has swings, tunnels and climbing frames including a rabbit’s warren, a giant bird’s nest and a buried fox den. Its been designed for all ages and abilities with a sensory area suitable for wheelchairs on the lower level of the birds nest and multiple types of swing. There is an entry fee and you also have to pay for parking at this site. Their website can be found here.
Other great centrally located park options that have activities for kids as well include Claremont Landscape Garden and Painshill Park.
East Surrey
Silvermere Softplay
Mill Lane, Dorking, Surrey, RH4 1DX
This soft play is the only one we have heard of in Surrey that also allows dogs – they aren’t allowed in the soft play area itself, but they are allowed in the café. We haven’t yet been, so can’t comment on how this would work in practice, but it sounds like a great place to visit where kids can have lots of fun and get tired out in the soft play and your dog doesn’t have to be left at home. To find out more, visit their website here.
South Surrey
Knowle Park Country Park
Knowle Ln, Cranleigh GU6 8JL
This new park has a large natural playground great for all ages which contains. There are some rules for dogs, such as keeping them on leads on the paths in the centre of the park and as expected, they are not allowed inside the adventure playground, in the lake, river, ancient woodland or wetland corner. There are kiosks for coffee and ice cream, and also toilets available. Knowle Parks website can be found here.
Do you know of other great places to visit with children and dogs in Surrey and East Hampshire? Drop a note in the comments and let us know!