Photo: Alan Hunt, CC BY-SA 2.0Things to do in Surrey for adults
For two adults in Surrey, Greyfriars Vineyard in Puttenham, Hogs Back Brewery in Tongham and Silent Pool Distillers in Albury offer guided tours with tastings, while Watts Gallery in Compton and Denbies Wine Estate near Dorking suit a slower day. The self-guided vineyard walk at Greyfriars and Guildford Cathedral are free to visit.
Surrey is well placed for a day out without children, with vineyards and a brewery near the Hog's Back, and a distillery beside the Silent Pool. The tours and tastings are paid, and several are for over 18s only. Greyfriars' guided tour and tasting costs £25 per person.
For a quieter afternoon, Watts Gallery Artists' Village in Compton has galleries, a chapel and gardens, and Guildford Cathedral is free to visit. Farnham Maltings has a café, craft shops and a monthly market, and Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford stages drama, musicals and comedy.
Plan the tours ahead. Hogs Back Brewery's tours hold about 20 people and are for over 18s only, with Challenge 25 ID checks, and Silent Pool Distillers' tours are for over 18s too. Denbies Wine Estate is free to visit the estate, shop and footpaths. Greyfriars' self-guided walk through the vines needs no booking, and the brewery shop opens seven days a week.
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Tours and tastings
Paid tours and tastings for adults. Book ahead, as the brewery tours hold about 20 people.
Photo: Alan Hunt, CC BY-SA 2.0Greyfriars Vineyard
A family-run vineyard on the south-facing chalk slopes of the Hog's Back, first planted in 1989 and now about 40 acres, making traditional-method sparkling wines and still wines. Visitors can walk the vines on a self-guided trail or book a tutored tour and tasting.
Why it's here: A family-run vineyard on the Hog's Back, with a free self-guided walk through the vines and a guided tour and tasting for £25 per person.
Photo: Mertbiol, CC0Hogs Back Brewery
An independent brewery in Tongham, below the Hog's Back, which grows its own hops. Guided tours take in its brew house and the solar-powered One Planet Brewing Co next door, and there is a brewery shop and a Tap serving pizza and fresh beer.
Why it's here: A tour of two breweries with tastings, for over 18s only, with about four samples included. The brewery shop and Brewery Tap are free to visit.
Image: Silent Pool GinSilent Pool Distillers
A craft gin distillery beside the spring-fed Silent Pool, a small lake below the North Downs known for its clear blue water and its legend involving King John. You can taste and buy in the shop, take a guided tour or sit on the terrace overlooking the water.
Why it's here: A guided tour of the copper stills with tastings, for over 18s only. The Terrace Bar overlooks the Silent Pool, and the shop is free to visit.
Photo: Cjc13, CC BY-SA 3.0Denbies Wine Estate
A large single-estate vineyard on the slopes of the North Downs outside Dorking, with a visitor centre, wine shop, restaurants and an art gallery. Visitors can take a guided cellar tasting or a vineyard train tour, or walk the 7 miles of public footpaths through the vines.
Why it's here: Guided cellar tastings and vineyard train tours, plus seven miles of public footpaths through the vines. The estate, shop and footpaths are free to visit.
Culture and the arts
Galleries, a cathedral and theatre for a quiet afternoon or an evening out.
Photo: Artistsvillage, CC BY-SA 4.0Watts Gallery Artists' Village
The village built around the Victorian painter G F Watts and the designer Mary Watts in Compton, with the purpose-built gallery of his work, their home and studios at Limnerslease, and Mary's extraordinary Arts and Crafts cemetery chapel. There are 18 acres of grounds, gardens and woodland to explore between them.
Why it's here: Galleries of G F Watts's work and the De Morgan collection, with the Watts Cemetery Chapel and the grounds free to visit. Pet dogs are welcome outdoors.
Image: Guildford CathedralGuildford Cathedral
The Anglican cathedral on Stag Hill looks out over Guildford and is open to visitors every day, between daily services that include Choral Evensong. Guided tours, tower tours and a café are offered.
Why it's here: Free to visit, with guided and tower tours and a café for tea and cake. Daily Choral Evensong is held, and donations are welcomed.
Photo: David Hillas, CC BY-SA 2.0Hatchlands Park
A Georgian country house built in the 1750s for Admiral Edward Boscawen, with Robert Adam ceilings and the Cobbe Collection of more than 40 keyboard instruments linked to composers such as JC Bach, Chopin and Elgar. Around it are more than 400 acres of parkland and woodland, partly landscaped by Humphry Repton.
Why it's here: A Georgian house with Robert Adam ceilings and the Cobbe Collection of more than 40 keyboard instruments, linked to composers such as Chopin and Elgar.
Photo: Colin Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
Guildford's main producing theatre, on the bank of the River Wey about seven minutes' walk from the station, staging drama, musicals, comedy and dance. Its family pantomime is one of the biggest Christmas outings in the town.
Why it's here: Guildford's main producing theatre on the bank of the River Wey, staging drama, musicals, comedy and dance.
Photo: BabelStone, CC BY-SA 3.0Farnham Maltings
A riverside arts centre in a former maltings in central Farnham, with shows, exhibitions, a café and craft shops. Its monthly market, held inside and out, is one of the oldest and largest in Surrey.
Why it's here: A riverside arts centre with shows, exhibitions and a café, plus a monthly market that is one of the oldest and largest in Surrey.
Racing and days out
Race days and a hilltop estate for a relaxed afternoon.
Photo: Hugh Venables, CC BY-SA 2.0Sandown Park Racecourse
A Jockey Club racecourse in Esher hosting jump racing through the winter and flat racing from spring, including the Tingle Creek Festival in December. Racedays draw families as well as racing fans.
Why it's here: A Jockey Club racecourse in Esher, with jump racing through the winter and flat racing from spring.
Photo: James Emmans, CC BY-SA 2.0Kempton Park Racecourse
A Jockey Club racecourse at Sunbury with floodlit racing through the autumn and winter. It also hosts non-racing events such as a fireworks night, antiques markets and a model railway show.
Why it's here: Floodlit evening racing at Sunbury, with a Panoramic restaurant overlooking the track.
Photo: Tom Walsingham, CC BY-SA 2.0Lingfield Park Racecourse
A racecourse set among Surrey woodland, opened in 1890 by the Prince of Wales and one of only a few British courses with both turf and all-weather racing. It also hosts live music nights, fireworks and fairs.
Why it's here: A racecourse set among Surrey woodland, with flat, all-weather and jump racing through the year. General admission does not include a reserved seat.
Walks and views
Walks, views and a river trip for two.
Photo: Victor Ochieng, CC BY-SA 2.0Box Hill
A chalk hill on the North Downs with wide views over the Mole Valley and the Weald, ancient box woodland and chalk grassland. It is a popular start for waymarked walks, the North Downs Way and the Zig Zag Road cycle climb used in the 2012 Olympic road race.
Why it's here: A summit viewpoint over Dorking and the Weald, with a café, servery and second-hand bookshop at the top.
Photo: Michael Garlick, CC BY-SA 2.0River Wey Navigations and Dapdune Wharf
The visitor centre for the River Wey and Godalming Navigations, one of the earliest canalised rivers in England, on a wharf behind Surrey County Cricket Ground in Guildford. Displays tell the story of the waterway and its boatmen, and electric boat trips leave from here.
Why it's here: Electric boat trips along the Wey in Guildford, with a tea room by the water and a second-hand bookshop.
Photo: Anthony Whitworth, CC BY-SA 3.0Titsey Place and Gardens
A historic estate under the North Downs near Oxted, dating back to the mid-16th century, with a manor house shown by guided tour, a Victorian walled kitchen garden, a rose garden and lakes. Around 500 acres of estate woodland have trails open to walkers outside the summer season too.
Why it's here: An historic estate under the North Downs with a Victorian walled kitchen garden, and woodland trails that are free to walk.
Questions people ask
What can two adults do in Surrey without children?
Greyfriars Vineyard in Puttenham, Hogs Back Brewery in Tongham and Silent Pool Distillers in Albury all run guided tours with tastings. Watts Gallery in Compton and Denbies Wine Estate near Dorking suit a slower visit.
Are there age limits on Surrey tours for adults?
Yes. Hogs Back Brewery's tours are for over 18s only, with Challenge 25 ID checks, and Silent Pool Distillers' tours are also for over 18s only.
What is free to do in Surrey for adults?
Guildford Cathedral is free to visit, with donations welcomed. The self-guided vineyard walk at Greyfriars Vineyard needs no booking and is free, and the estate, shop and footpaths at Denbies Wine Estate are free to visit.