The British vineyards that welcome families for fun activities beyond the wine
Wine isn’t thought of as something for the whole family, but these British vineyard are inviting the whole brood
As much as I adore spending time with my son, I take umbrage that I am expected to relegate myself to child-focused establishments over the holidays. No shade thrown at Pizza Express, those dough balls have stoppered many a tantrum and kudos for all the colouring, but I want to go somewhere I can actually enjoy my food and a glass of wine. And I want children to grow up knowing how to appreciate these things too.
Thankfully, for the wine lovers among you, there are some terrific options that will entertain the young ones as much as your tastebuds.
The best British vineyards for families
Denbies have done Dorking proud once more with a plethora of family activities each day running alongside their usual tours and tastings (denbies.co.uk From £16.95). Monday 27 to Friday 31 October they have a Spooky Halloween Train around the vineyard (Child £10.95 Adult £7.50) with the added bonus of 10% off any purchases at the winery afterwards. On the 28th is the Brick People LEGO Build with an hour of building, play and mosaic areas (£4.50). On 29 October there is a Creepy Critters Halloween workshop where your little darlings can meet snakes and spiders before you hit the Sauvignon (£8) and on Halloween itself there are multiple day-time fancy dress discos for 90 minutes (£8). With walks and accommodation on site, make the most of your stay at less than an hour from London.
Leonardslee House Lakes and Gardens is a sprawlingly beautiful estate where the colours of autumn flourish. Wander the 70-acre deer park and keep an eye out for their adorable wild wallabies, spot the 150 sculptures dotted through the grounds, and let children burn off energy in their expansive new playground. If the weather turns chilly or wet there is a dolls house exhibition which treads the line of nostalgia and unintentional Halloween creepiness ideal for the season. Leonardslee also grows the UK’s first Pinotage grapes, thanks to its links to South Africa, and produces some excellent sparkling wines which can be enjoyed at a tutored tasting or by the glass at the cafés and restaurants on site.
I was particularly touched by a recent work event at Hambledon Estate, an hour outside London near Petersfield. I had let the organisers know I was not able to make it as I had my six-year-old with me. It turns out my son was welcome as this estate is perfectly set up for kids with a children’s menu in their newly refurbished flagship restaurant and a pizza oven in their interior courtyard. They even laid on childcare for us journos – how wonderful if this became the norm for working parents on daytrips!
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This historic British vineyard has gone through extensive renovations to create beautiful spaces inside and out that can be enjoyed with their tours and tastings. If you have older children who need entertaining, on the 30 October there is a Hampton Wick candle-making workshop with a glass of sparkling. Choose your scent and create a luxury candle to take away and you also get £25 to spend at the cellar door and 10% off your restaurant bill (11am-1.30pm £96).
For those of you sticking in London, branch out from Giraffe and take advantage of some of our finer fare. Kricket, one of this city’s most popular Indian restaurant chains in Shoreditch, Canary Wharf and Soho, is offering free meals over the holidays to kids under 10 years old. Gordon Ramsay’s Heddon Street Kitchen, Pizza East and the various Bread Street Kitchens also offer a free kid’s main course for children under 10 for any adult ordering two courses a la carte.
The Dreamery in De Beauvoir Town is an ice cream parlour and wine bar, a fun concept which means the kids can tuck into their artisan banana split as you sip a Barolo. Anyone on TikTok probably saw the summer craze for adding wine to ice cream. Personally, unless this is a PX (Pedro Ximénez) sherry I think this is close to blasphemy but if you do want to give it a go then here is the place.
Half-term is a wonderful opportunity to make beautiful family-friendly memories – and thankfully you can do it with a glass of some of the very good stuff in hand.
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