After having a really enjoyable time on our first family trip to Center Parcs at Sherwood Forest in November 2024, we decided to give another Center Parcs a go for our Easter trip in April 2025.

We’d usually go away during the summer half term, but with our eldest sitting his GCSEs, it wasn’t really an option. Instead, we arranged a four day trip to Center Parcs Elveden Forest, combining it with a day in Cambridge before and staying with the in-laws in Kent after.

Staying in Cambridge the day before, meant we could make the most of the trip to Center Parcs, as you can go on site from 10am, which is much earlier than when you can check into your lodge.

Not wanting to stay at a Center Parcs we’d been to before, we looked at the other locations. Out of the potential options, we chose Elveden Forest, mainly as it was roughly on the route to Kent, where we were heading next, but also because it was an area of the country we’re not too familiar with.

After a rainy day in Cambridge, and a short ride on a Voi hire bike to the country’s first Dutch-style roundabout (I’ll post about this at some point), we set off in the morning, from our hotel to Center Parcs, hoping that the weather would improve.

Back at Center Parcs

Arriving around 11am, we took the bikes off the car and headed onto the site. With a few hours to spare before we could get into the lodge, we headed to the pool at the Subtropical Swimming Paradise, to check out what was there.

The facilities in the Subtropical Swimming Paradise at Elveden Forest are very similar to Sherwood Forest. There’s the indoor wave pool, outdoor pool and the Wild Water Rapids. In terms of slides, there’s the Flumes, Tropical Cyclone and Water Piste.

Overall, while looking a little different initially, there isn’t much between Elveden Forest and Sherwood Forest. I’d probably say the outdoor pool was a bit nicer at Sherwood Forest, but we preferred the rapids at Elveden Forest.

After we were done at the Subtropical Swimming Paradise, we headed to the Sports Café for a late lunch. We hadn’t eaten at the Sports Café when we stayed at Sherwood Forest and we were reasonably impressed with the food. This was reflected by how busy it was in the Sports Café.

After lunch, it was time to head to our lodge to unload our car, before returning the car to the car park. After getting everything sort, we headed to the Leisure Bowl for a few beers and games of pool, before returning to Huck’s for tea.

Food and drink

Having stayed at Center Parcs in 2024, we knew what to expect from the various food and drink options there. It also meant we came a bit better prepared, so we could cook a few meals in our lodge.

As I’ve already mentioned, we went back to Huck’s as this was a safe, if not particularly inspiring bet. We also returned to The Pancake House a couple of times, making sure we booked in advance.

Our first visit there was on the day after we arrived, going for a late breakfast. Then we returned on our final day, when we made the most of the warmer weather, by enjoying our pancakes on the outdoor terrace, overlooking the lake.

We also returned to the Leisure Bowl multiple times, to play pool and have a drink. Typically, it was easier getting a pool table here, than it was Sports Café and generally a bit quieter, which suited us.

Out of all the food options, our favourites were definitely the Sports Café and the Pancake House, where it didn’t feel so much like you were in a generic chain. But in reality, you are nethertheless.

Activities

With more time and being a bit more organised, we arranged to do some activities on this trip to Center Parcs. As I mentioned previously on our trip to Sherwood Forest, if you don’t book activities in advanced, it’s possible the popular ones will already be booked up by the time you arrive.

Having done target archery, when I stayed at Whinfell Forest with work, we decided to give field archery. This involved us moving around a field (no surprise) taking aim at pretend animals in the distance, with the aid of an instructor.

While it was a little odd shooting at the pretend animals, it more varied than standing still, shooting at targets. Overall, it was an experience that we all enjoyed and it was something we could do outdoors in the forest, sheltered from the rain.

My partner with our youngest wanted to do the Aerial Adventure, which is a rope course taking you up into the trees and finishes off with a zip wire over the lake. I’m not crazy about heights and didn’t fancy it, so went for a ride round instead.

After getting decked out with harnesses, they made their was slowly upwards, moving from tree the tree, before climbing the tower and launching themselves off over the take. They both really it, though it was pretty slow going when it’s busy.

Outside of archery and Aerial Adventure, our main activities were swimming and riding the slides at the Subtropical Swimming Paradise, playing pool and riding around on our bikes.

While bikes are an essential way of getting about on site, it’s also pleasant to go riding around the site itself, where you can choose to stick to the asphalt paths, or enjoy some off-road sections through the trees.

As I talked about with our trip to Sherwood Forest, the lack of cars on site at Center Parcs is by far one of the main USPs, giving many people their only experience of riding in a safe, traffic-free environment. So if anything, cycling is the best activity at Center Parcs and potentially free (if you have your own bikes).

Bury St Edmunds

On our previous trip to Sherwood Forest, we didn’t get far from Center Parcs for the whole weekend, only making it to the nearby forest. As the trip to Elveden Forest was a little longer, everyone to get off site.

While not quite the closest town to Center Parcs, Bury St Edmunds was somewhere we fancied visiting, being a place we’d not been to before. Bury (no, not that one), is a market town of around 40,000 people, with a history going back to King Sigebert founding a monastery in around 633.

With Bury St Edmunds Abbey and St Edmundsbury Cathedral in the town, plus the ruins in the Abbey Gardens and many other old buildings, there’s a lot to see for town of this size. Unfortunately, like many towns in the UK, it’s also plagued with huge numbers of cars everywhere.

Indeed, after arriving and walking into town, we were greeted with what should lovely square at Angel Hill, outside the Abbey Gate. But is just a horrible surface car park, looking like a what should be a before shot for a traffic removal scheme.

Just imagine what could be done with this space, if they prioritised people over cars, and what it would do for tourism and local economy, on top of making a lovely space for locals and tourists to enjoy. But instead, they’ve just filled it with SUVs.

Things got better as we went for a wander round the town, with the streets largely quiet as we wandered round the market, browsed the shops and got lunch. I remember a particularly good skate shop where I picked up some t-shirts!

We ended our visit with a wander round the Abbey Gardens which borders the River Lark and St Edmundsbury Cathedral, stopping for an ice cream on the way. This is a lovely space on a sunny day, even if you do have to keep off the grass!

Mountain biking at High Lodge

Like with Center Parcs Sherwood Forest and the nearby Sherwood Pines, there’s High Lodge, Thetford Forest near to the Elveden Forest site, where you’ll find various activities, including mountain biking.

As with our last trip, I’d brought along my mountain bike, specifically to try out the trails at High Lodge. Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite as straightforward to get to as Sherwood Pines was at Sherwood Forest.

Unlike Sherwood Pines, there’s no easy traffic-free walking and cycling route between Center Parcs and the visitor centre and the road between the two is the narrow and busy B1106, with a national speed limit. Not somewhere I’d want to be cycling with the family.

I did see about riding through the forest, but it’s a 5 mile ride on muddy tracks, starting on that awful B1106, as none of the gates at Center Parcs that lead into the forest are open, meaning you have to go via the main entrance.

With that in mind, we ended up doing what I hate doing, loading the bike on the car and driving there. This really shouldn’t be necessary, but as no effort has been made to provide an alternative, it’s what we had to do.

High Lodge is another typical Forestry England site, with lots of activities in addition to mountain biking, such as various Go Ape activities, adventure golf, disc golf and play areas for kids.

Being a sunny day during the Easter holidays, it got pretty busy at High Lodge, particularly around the main visitor centre, where many of the activities were. There were lots of families out enjoying themselves in the sun, eating and taking part in activities.

As last time, our eldest was joining me on the ride on the mountain bike trails, hiring a mountain bike from the bike hire there. With it being so busy there, all they had left were electric mountain bikes, which ended up being a treat for him.

With the bikes sorted, we started off on the Beater Trail blue route, to get a taste of what it was like. This was easy going and we got round pretty quickly, even doing the longer route. Being on the border of Norfolk and Suffolk, in the largest lowland pine forest in Britain, there weren’t many hills to speak of.

With plenty of time left before we needed to return the hire bike, we set off on the Lime Burner Trail red route, which was more challenging and much more fun. Though it took us longer than we expected to get round, meaning we ended up rushing to get the bike back in time.

Despite the fine weather and large numbers of people at High Lodge, the trails didn’t feel particularly busy, and probably quieter than the ones at Sherwood Pines, which was surprising.

While we were riding round, the other two were enjoying themselves on the nearby adventure golf, stopping for lunch at the same time we completed the blue route. We all met up after we’d returned the bike and enjoyed an ice cream in the sun, before heading back to Center Parcs.

Like our trip to Sherwood Forest, we really enjoyed our stay at Center Parcs in Elveden Forest. While initially there isn’t a massive difference between sites, once you’ve been there a bit, you do notice the things that make each site a little differences that make each site unique.

Out of the two sites, I have to say I preferred Sherwood Forest purely for the traffic-free route to the nearby Sherwood Pines. This made such a difference to our trip, meaning we were able to go beyond the confines of Center Parcs, without resorting to driving.

It’s a shame Center Parcs or the local authorities they’re located in, don’t see the benefit of providing safe cycle routes beyond the gates, so families can experience the pleasure of cycling in the world outside.

Though I guess it’s not in Center Parcs’ best interest, when they want to keep you on-site, spending money, which is what it’s all about, if you’re being particularly cynical!