Photo: Stacey Harris, CC BY-SA 2.0Walton-on-Thames is a riverside town on the Thames Path, with Painshill in Cobham and Brooklands Museum in Weybridge a short drive away.
Photo of Walton-on-Thames: Stacey Harris, CC BY-SA 2.0An easy, level stretch of the Thames Path national trail heading upstream from Walton Bridge towards the Shepperton ferry, with river views and reservoirs nearby. Surrey County Council lists it as one of its easy walks.
Photo: David Howard, CC BY-SA 2.0A restored two-acre 18th-century walled garden in Sunbury Park, run by Spelthorne Council and holder of Green Flag status. Knot gardens, parterres and Victorian and modern rose gardens surround the Lendy Memorial, and the gallery displays the Sunbury Millennium Embroidery.
Photo: Mark Percy, CC BY-SA 2.0A small passenger ferry across the Thames between Shepperton and Weybridge, continuing a crossing that has run from here for around 500 years. It carries Thames Path walkers and cyclists past Shepperton Lock without a detour round the River Wey.
Photo of Esher: David Howard, CC BY-SA 2.0A farm in West End, Esher, with a garden centre, farm shop and restaurant, and a 150-acre pick your own farm growing fruit, vegetables and flowers in season. Autumn brings a ticketed pumpkin event in the fields.
Photo: James Emmans, CC BY-SA 2.0A 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.
Photo: Hugh Venables, CC BY-SA 2.0A 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.
Photo: nick macneill, CC BY-SA 2.0An 18th-century garden shaped by Vanbrugh, Bridgeman, William Kent and Capability Brown, once a royal retreat for Princess Charlotte and later bought by Queen Victoria. Paths lead round a serpentine lake to a grass amphitheatre, a grotto and the Belvedere Tower.
Photo: David Howard, CC BY-SA 2.0A 360-hectare patchwork of woodland, heathland and wetland stretching from Esher to Cobham and from Oxshott to West End, managed by Elmbridge Council. The commons are a Site of Special Scientific Interest for their rare butterflies, beetles and reptiles.
About 180 acres of council-run meadow, wetland and woodland bordered by the Thames and the River Bourne. It is popular with families and dog walkers, with a play area built around a boat called the Maid of the Meads.
Photo: MartynDavies, CC BY-SA 3.0A museum of motoring and aviation on the site of the world's first purpose-built race track, spread over 32 acres in Weybridge. You can look round racing cars, motorcycles and an aircraft park, go inside Concorde on a guided tour, and visit the London Bus Museum on the same ticket.
Photo: Supermac1961 from CHAFFORD HUNDRED, England, CC BY 2.0A Mercedes-Benz visitor centre on part of the old Brooklands circuit, with three floors of cars, classic models, simulators and driving displays, and free entry. It sits beside Brooklands Museum, so the two make an easy day together.
Photo: Alan Hunt, CC BY-SA 2.0A large riverside park beside the Thames at Laleham, run by Spelthorne Council, with a playground, open grass and the Thames Path along its edge. It also has a campsite and space for horse riding.
Photo of Weybridge: David Howard, CC BY-SA 2.0An Elmbridge Council park on Sopwith Drive in Weybridge, with traditional and natural play areas, a skate park, BMX tracks and a multi-use court. It is in the same Brooklands area as Brooklands Museum and Mercedes-Benz World.
Photo: Amandajm, CC BY-SA 3.0A 160-acre 18th-century landscape garden in Cobham, laid out as a series of views around a serpentine lake with follies placed along the way. It is run by an independent charity, Painshill Park Trust, and the old house is private and not part of the visit.
Photo of Walton-on-Thames: Stacey Harris, CC BY-SA 2.0Love Walton's annual start to Christmas brings a full lantern parade, a Christmas market and live entertainment to Walton-on-Thames town centre.
Photo of Weybridge: David Howard, CC BY-SA 2.0Cleves School PTA's annual fireworks night in Weybridge, with a funfair and food and drink alongside the display. All proceeds go to the school.
Photo of Walton-on-Thames: Stacey Harris, CC BY-SA 2.0Esher Rugby Club's annual fireworks night combines a display with a funfair, street food and live entertainment at its Molesey Road ground.
Photo of Esher: David Howard, CC BY-SA 2.0Garson Farm's pick-your-own pumpkin event has a circus theme for 2026, with carnival-style games and decorated photo scenes among thousands of pumpkins of every shape and size.
Photo of Esher: David Howard, CC BY-SA 2.0Children find out whether they have what it takes to be an official Christmas elf on a trail around Claremont's lake. They get an elf name, track down Father Christmas's reindeer and do some elf fitness training.
Photo of Weybridge: David Howard, CC BY-SA 2.0Brooklands marks the centenary of Britain's first Grand Prix with a new detective trail for half-term, The Grand Prix Mystery, performed in two scenes round the museum. Families can also take a short Concorde tour, ride a vintage bus and see the new Grand Prix exhibition.
Photo of Weybridge: David Howard, CC BY-SA 2.0Mercedes-Benz World at Brooklands adds Halloween activities to its usual displays over half-term. Children can hunt for hidden pumpkins round the building, paint a spooky ceramic tea light holder and try face painting.
Crockford Bridge Farm's half-term festival is a two-hour theatrical adventure through Wonderland, with actors and circus performers leading families to a Mad Hatter's Tea Party. Pumpkin hunts, croquet and vintage fairground games fill the route.
The not-for-profit health club in Thames Ditton holds an early-evening fireworks night with a Halloween feel, a funfair and stalls. The 6.30pm display suits families with younger children.
Photo: David Howard, CC BY-SA 2.0A restored two-acre 18th-century walled garden in Sunbury Park, run by Spelthorne Council and holder of Green Flag status. Knot gardens, parterres and Victorian and modern rose gardens surround the Lendy Memorial, and the gallery displays the Sunbury Millennium Embroidery.
Photo of Esher: David Howard, CC BY-SA 2.0A farm in West End, Esher, with a garden centre, farm shop and restaurant, and a 150-acre pick your own farm growing fruit, vegetables and flowers in season. Autumn brings a ticketed pumpkin event in the fields.
Photo: James Emmans, CC BY-SA 2.0A 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.
Photo: Hugh Venables, CC BY-SA 2.0A 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.
Photo: MartynDavies, CC BY-SA 3.0A museum of motoring and aviation on the site of the world's first purpose-built race track, spread over 32 acres in Weybridge. You can look round racing cars, motorcycles and an aircraft park, go inside Concorde on a guided tour, and visit the London Bus Museum on the same ticket.
Photo: Supermac1961 from CHAFFORD HUNDRED, England, CC BY 2.0A Mercedes-Benz visitor centre on part of the old Brooklands circuit, with three floors of cars, classic models, simulators and driving displays, and free entry. It sits beside Brooklands Museum, so the two make an easy day together.
Photo of Walton-on-Thames: Stacey Harris, CC BY-SA 2.0An easy, level stretch of the Thames Path national trail heading upstream from Walton Bridge towards the Shepperton ferry, with river views and reservoirs nearby. Surrey County Council lists it as one of its easy walks.
Photo: David Howard, CC BY-SA 2.0A restored two-acre 18th-century walled garden in Sunbury Park, run by Spelthorne Council and holder of Green Flag status. Knot gardens, parterres and Victorian and modern rose gardens surround the Lendy Memorial, and the gallery displays the Sunbury Millennium Embroidery.
Photo: David Howard, CC BY-SA 2.0A 360-hectare patchwork of woodland, heathland and wetland stretching from Esher to Cobham and from Oxshott to West End, managed by Elmbridge Council. The commons are a Site of Special Scientific Interest for their rare butterflies, beetles and reptiles.
About 180 acres of council-run meadow, wetland and woodland bordered by the Thames and the River Bourne. It is popular with families and dog walkers, with a play area built around a boat called the Maid of the Meads.
Photo: Supermac1961 from CHAFFORD HUNDRED, England, CC BY 2.0A Mercedes-Benz visitor centre on part of the old Brooklands circuit, with three floors of cars, classic models, simulators and driving displays, and free entry. It sits beside Brooklands Museum, so the two make an easy day together.
Photo: Alan Hunt, CC BY-SA 2.0A large riverside park beside the Thames at Laleham, run by Spelthorne Council, with a playground, open grass and the Thames Path along its edge. It also has a campsite and space for horse riding.
