We spent May half term on Hayling Island and found it to be such a great place to visit with children. The weather was amazing – which really helped – but it was so refreshing to visit a seaside town that was fun and friendly yet affordable too.
So here are just some ideas of fun things to do in Hayling Island with kids:
Go to the Beach
Although Hayling Island only has pebble beaches, we loved spending time there. Beach shoes are a must but it’s cheap to park on Hayling Island beach and whichever stretch you visit has toilets and refreshments nearby – and maybe an arcade too!
Hayling Island Beach can get very busy, as it’s the main beach where Funland and other amusements are located. But, we spent time there are on the quieter Eastoke Beach and the children loved them both.
Funland
The Funland amusement park is one of the main attractions at Hayling Island. It has so many rides and operates on a tokens or wristbands system – so you can enter without paying and only pay for the rides you go on. This makes it really affordable, especially if just the kids are going on the rides. It can’t compare with the UK’s big theme parks but it’s great fun for a day at the seaside.
Pirates Adventure Golf
Funland is also home to Pirates Adventure Golf. They have 18 or 36 hole options and it’s a great activity to do on a sunny day that the whole family can enjoy.
Hayling Seaside Railway
The Hayling Railway is a great way to get from Hayling Beach to Eastoke Beach – as well as being great fun too. The Hayling Light Railway has been running for 20 years and only costs £12 for a family return trip – great value too!
Hayling Island Donkey Sanctuary
Another well loved attraction at Hayling Island is the Hayling Island Donkey Sanctuary. It’s free to enter with donations welcome and although not a full day out, as it’s a pretty compact site, it’s lovely to see and has a refreshments truck onsite too.
Station Theatre
The Station Theatre is something the Hayling Island locals love. Putting on amateur shows, there’s always something new to see and they show a few films too.
If you’re happy to venture just outside of Hayling Island, you could enjoy the facilities at Havant Leisure Centre, Portsmouth Watersports Centre or Cobnor Activities Centre.
You could also have great family days out to Staunton Country Park, Stansted Park, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard or even Blue Reef Aquarium in Portsmouth on a rainy day.
For more inspiration on days out in Hampshire, take a look at these posts:
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