What a brilliant day out for the whole family! We spent 7 hours here! There really is so much to do, so many animals to see. A few lovely little parks also. Plenty of toilets around. A few different places to stop for food or drinks.

A great day, we all preferred the second half of the zoo where the bigger animals were kept as it was a lot more open, less cramped and less slopes. Overall there was a great selection of animals to see and things to do for all ages. Took us all day to soak it all up without really stopping to eat. Feeding the giraffes was definitely the highlight for me and the Komodo dragons talk was the highlight for my daughter

Even though it's 3+ hours drive, it's a lovely zoo to visit. Few new things since we last visited. Great exhibits, and they're all built with the animals' welfare as first thought. Not good for people who are motility impaired due to the hilly nature, but most of it's still accessible. Definitely worth visiting.

Went there on a Friday! Loved it so much, it was relaxing and very interesting!! Great zoo to go to with family and friends, the gift shop had a wide range of products and some items were unreasonably expensive but other prices were great! My favourite area was the one with the Koi fish, they were so gorgeous!!

An absolutely wonderful zoo. We visited on a cold March day, yet the welcome was very warm. Lovely the way you wander round. The animals have plenty of privacy but you also get great views. The tiger enclosure seemed so natural. The edge of Africa was so well laid out. Highly recommended

An enormous zoo just 40 min outside of London! A great place to spend a day! It’s kid-friendly. Buy tickets in advance. We also tried one of the experiences available - feeding the elephants. It was definitely worth it. You should try one too! There are plenty of restaurants and cafes. The gift shop is big and full of interesting things to buy as a souvenir. The parking lot is enormous and it’s part of your ticket so no worry. There are also free tours available in different section throughout the day - look at the map at the beginning of your journey. Dive in the interactive activities that are free of charge!

My daughter bought me a Zookeeper for the Day experience. We came yesterday. Loved every minute of it. Keeper's are so friendly and knowledgeable and great to see how proud and caring they are for their animals. Would recommend this for anyone who loves animals, and wants to work with animals. Thank you all so much for a very memorable day.

This zoo provides a great family fun day out! We all enjoyed our experience. There are various different types of animals and so much to see. You definitely need the whole day to explore. There are also lots of fun play areas for little ones which is fantastic! The zoo itself is huge and takes a while to get around. They also have a free train service incorporated within the zoo that allows anyone to get on and go on a short tour with the guide. The toilets are well maintained and clean. The feeding facilities for babies are also amazing. There are plenty of shops around and lots of sitting areas, perfect to bring your own food and enjoy too!

Tickets for 2 adults and 1 child about £80 so if you can use your Tesco points. The big zoo , can see a lot of different animals. The place has cafes , a playing area, an activity area for kids or you can bring your own food, gift shops , ice- cream cafe, toilets). Better to start exploring from the left side ( less people so you can enjoy a nice walk+ not long to wait for the train, usually later there will be a long queue). Kids can feed goats -goat food costs £1 but it's really fun. Usually it takes all day to walk around the zoo so make sure you have comfy shoes.

I visited for the newly added Pygmy Hippo experience and this was a great experience. As well as being informative, I was able to get really close to Venus, feed her fruit and help prepare her enclosure. My keeper was great, deeply cared about all the animals on his section (Giraffe) and spoke about how Venus will be enriched by this new experience as she has recently lost her partner, Freddy. The zoo is fantastic, so much for adults and children to do. I went during the week, which was really quiet, but would I really loved is that all the animal talks proceeded even though I was the only one there. Each staff member waited at the meeting point and happily invited questions. Ate in the food outlets and prices were very reasonable. Breakfast roll was under £4 and cooked freshly for you. Great range of vegan treats and loads for the children to do. Will definitely be returning!

Had a great day out at the zoo. Plenty to keep all ages entertained for hours. Special mention for Paul who was one of the guides on the train. How he can keep telling the guests about all the animals and telling jokes whilst having to hurd us off on and off the train and through the enclosure without having a melt down is amazing. Keep up the good work. Overall I can't fault anything about my visit. Highly recommend and I will be visiting with the kids again soon.

Even with a wet and rainy day the Zoo was still very good. The staff are all nice and polite. A gold pass holder has a lot of good benefits. Kids love the soft play area which is free but need to book a place in advance as it gets fully booked quickly.

Lovely family day out. Plenty of toilet facilities. Zoo well maintained and staff friendly. Please note the Zoo has lots of steep inclines but is wheelchair friendly. I would recommend advanced booking a mobility scooter as it is worth the money to make your day as enjoyable as possible

Fantastic day out, even my 16yo & 18 yo daughters enjoyed it. Booked tickets online which was easy . We also booked the giraffe 🦒 & elephant 🐘 feeding experiences, which was definitely money well spent. We went 19/04/22 . Spacious zoo, one of the best that I’ve ever visited. Arrived 9:45 stayed until 5pm . All the animals seemed happy in their environment which was kept clean. Download the App onto your phone as a map etc . Can’t fault this place, even the toilets 🚽 were clean. The staff were helpful that worked there

We had a lovely day out. We got there early and did need the full day (10:30-17:45) We had two children under four and a baby, the toddlers loved it! They are both good happy walkers, so if your child doesn't like walking too much you will need a push chair. Lots of hills, but lots of benches everywhere. All the animals were easy to see and all looked happy and healthy. The train ride was fantastic, a queue to get on however they had two trains running. Well worth it as you then walk through the lemur enclosure. Indoor play area was fantastic, they had timed slots, so book ahead. As it's at the start of the park, either do it first thing or last. If you go in the middle of the day you'll be going backwards and forwards. We didn't know the birds that you can feed stop being fed at 16:00. So make sure you do that before then. Also we found there weren't many toilets, there was a wait each time. All in all a very good day.

Excellent zoo with lots to see, Not the cheapest and often deals on tickets via Groupon/Kids pass (saved over £5 with this one), etc. Includes some farm animals, goats, pigs. Worth checking the times for various talks/feeding times as well. We were lucky enough to see the Otter feeding.

We absolutely love, Colchester Zoo. Lots of talks and interaction. The parakeet feeding part, was new to us and we thoroughly enjoyed it 🙂. It is a shame though, as years ago, you could queue and feed the Giraffes and Elephants. But you now have to pay extra for that. But I appreciate that it can't be cheap to keep a zoo going, especially in this economy and they do a lot to help support wild animals, so it's all worth it 😊.

A brilliant day out with the family on my return visit after quite a few years. Very busy bankholiday Monday, which added to the atmosphere. Plenty of parking with entry being managed very well and efficiently without queues. Place was very clean, well designed, and easy to get around. Plenty of cafes, food outlets and ice cream Stores to keep family happy. Most importantly the big 5 were out and not hiding🦁🐯🦒🐘🦏

The best zoo I have been too. Lots of animals, lots of play parks scattered around the zoo, a train ride around some of the park into an up close visit into the ring-tailed lemur exhibit. Food seems a little pricey but that's no different to any other place.

We have the yearly pass great value for money. Great Zoo all animals look like they are kept very well. Had the chicken pieces and chips great value for money large portions and free sauces as much as you want. Land train is great fun close up and personal with the ring tailed lemas. A must visit well done to all involved. Great day out.

We visited Colchester zoo today(15/01/24) for the extraordinary experience full day for my son’s Christmas present and it went far beyond expectation. From start to finish you are met with a wealth of knowledge of the animals and zoos history while having special encounters with the animals. You are well catered for the day during your experience making the day care free. Our host Amanda was so knowledgeable and went above and beyond to make the day amazing as was all the keepers we met through out the day. The care and passion the team have here for the animals is very evident. Experience was true value for money while the memories you keep from it especially for my son!

The staff are always so happy and friendly. The Billy-Joe walk is very emotional. This is a zoo that truly loves their animals and you can feel the love for their animals - especially the ones they’ve had to say goodbye to. The enclosures are always clean, happy animals, very social! We love going here and will continue to support the zoo due to their caring nature. The orangutan was my favourite. She was swinging around, playing with cardboard, coming up and inspecting people. Thank you for always being fantastic and putting animals first!

This is a fantastic zoo. The animals and enclosure are really well kept. Safe are friendly and helpful. Talks are good although unless you are interested in animal knowledge then you should give them a miss. It is a big place and takes a good full day to get round everything properly. The play parks and great and plentiful and the food and drinks are actually reasonably priced but there is plenty indoor and outdoor picnic areas if you want to take your own. Really enjoyed the day out and for anyone with kids it's a must!

Wonderful zoo with an amazing collection of animals, some of which we've not seen anywhere else. Slightly convoluted layout so it is easy to miss exhibits if you're not following a map, but there are lots of friendly staff around to help. The train was an excellent idea too. Food and drinks are readily available, varied and reasonably priced and there were many great talks throughout the day too. All in all, a fab day out, and we will definitely be going back.

My wife and I visited here for the fourth time and our experiences have only got better. We were welcomed by the staff attending the entrance, and easily located maps of the park. We visited at half nine and therefore weren't surprised when we couldn't see a lot of the external animals. We had a nice stroll through the park looking at the animals we could see and we had intentions on going round the park again. We got some awesome photos and we were extremely lucky with some of them. We had an amazing day and loved seeing how far the park has come from the first time we visited it 7 years ago. While there were refurbishments currently in progress it only makes our next visit even more exciting. I would recommend everyone to see this place at least once and I would also recommend you book online, although you save some money I would also urge you to make a donation while in the park as well. Colchester Zoo always delivers!!!! (Haven't included all the photos but just a few favorites)

The best zoo in the UK, book your tickets now if your not sure, you'll not be disappointed. Loads of free parking, free soft play (45mins sessions) amazing range of animals in enormous enclosures, so nice to see happy animals

Absolutely brilliant, staff answer your question. Food to feed the goats, and birds (for one pound). Lovely animals there there's one (maybe two) train there but you have to wait an hour for it (well we did). And at the end of the zoo there are Lego dinosaurs! Will definitely be coming again.

There are a lot of animals here and some really wonderful exhibits. I'd give it 5 stars but the layout of the zoo is a bit odd and we got turned around a few times. That being said, it is certainly worth a visit! Easy parking as well.

I liked this zoo when I came the 1st time ten years ago, it was even better this time round with my kids. The things we liked; The lion roaring at the visitors. Sleeping all day crocodile. The hungry otter sisters. Sensible soft play. Bargain new year tickets. Underwater Anaconda. All the little bush dogs by the train station. Plenty of play parks for a sit down.

Lovey castle park with some interesting features, but as a while not really massive or diverse. Great for a walk, jog or picnic. There are some large empty spaces to enjoy.

A well maintained park with plenty of facilities for the family. There is ample space to run around however the selling point of the space is the layout and design of the gardens. The reason I give 3 stars is that this park does not allow dogs - therefore restricting the beauty of the walk to those without a 4 legged friend.

Had a little walk around this castle grounds, the park around the site is very well maintained with loads of flower beds most in bloom with seasonal flowers. Would recommend this place

This is a great park and pretty much right in the centre of the city. There's plenty of walkways, garden areas, a cafe with a band stand and a small pond with boat hire. I love it here, its quiet, peaceful with loads of seating benches placed around to take stock and take in the numerous views. With areas for kids young and old to run around and enjoy themselves, plus plenty of bins for rubbish disposal and of course a castle at one of the entrances. Fantastic, a real gem, and truly Recommended.

Lovely sunny day in April. We parked in the car park at ten pin bowl Colchester and walked through the park and took some pictures along the way. It’s a beautiful place to visit for a usual walk into the town.

What an amazing park, filled with activities for your active children, lots to do and explore. The park has a river running through it and there are bridges a boating lake, lovely flower gardens too.

Lovely park free to visit right in the town center. Great kids play park with a big sand pit. There is an ice cream hut next to the kids park and toilets nearby. Beautiful old fashioned flower bedding in the summer, with nice walks and benches to sit and enjoy them there is a little tea room.

Great and peaceful day. I love to come here in spring and summer time. So many beautiful flowers.

Excellent Park👍You can see lots of things here including Roman Wall, Museum and Colchester Castle to understand the history of this very first city in Roman Britain. It is also an excellent place for children👍Really nice playground with some exciting slides as well. definitely recommended this place👍

Beautiful park, Great place for families, or anyone who likes getting outdoors but can't get to the countryside.

Even on a frosty winter's day it was worth a stroll. Will come back later in the year to see the flowers.

Had a nice tour of the castle which I wish was a bit more visual than informational but it was lovely and I learned a lot. The castle is worth a visit and there's a lot of dress up and interaction So definitely a place for kids :). The park is also a nice area for a walk and down time.

A very important site site for all history lovers. Set between a beautiful park and the ancient town. This castle built on Roman temple remains holds some beautiful artefacts from Colchester's rich past. These items are blended with interactive experiences for youngsters too.

An ample town centre park featuring a castle and museum, a cafe, and plenty of benches to relax on. The garden areas are beautifully maintained and the museum is worth a visit if you like Roman artefacts. Dogs aren't allowed in some parts of the park, which helps create a calmer atmosphere. I've only visited the park in daylight so can't comment on what it's like in the evenings.

Really lovely park, relaxing to walk through with places sit and just an overall nice place to hang out. Beautiful, too.

Was ok, nice gardens and had wanted to visit for a few years. Was there less than 90 mins including a stop in the cafe for a drink. Didn't think it was worth the £12.50 admission fee, a bit pricey. I did enjoy looking round but after 45 minutes I was done. Free parking and you can stay as long as you like

I have been here for a visit in November 2021. Stunning gardens, lovely walk and lots to explore and look around. They also have a nursery if you want to get some of the beautiful plants found in the gardens. I would love to come back to try the café.

Late August quiet and still plenty to see. Interesting to view beds without the mass of green foliage and flowers. Evergreens, grasses and daisy family etc really stand out. Beautiful seed heads stand proud in the sunshine. Lots of plants to purchase, gift shop and cafe but remember to bring a credit card not cash.

It is a lovely garden with lots of interesting and different plants. It's got a very relaxing and quiet feel here. The maintenance was lacking in some areas where there were quite a few weeds. Having said that, they were working hard to get back on top of it. The cafe has some amazing looking cakes with plenty of seating inside and out. All the staff were really friendly and welcoming.

Lovely gardens. Probably better when more plants bloom in May. Plenty of seats around the garden to rest up. Lovely tea room & reasonable price for food & drinks. Yummy scones. Friendly, helpful staff.

Beautiful gardens with connecting ponds. Staff were very helpful and knowledgeable well stocked nursery and lovely cafe with an outside area too.

We both loved it very popular. I have wanted to go for year's didn't disappoint. She was a GREAT gardener.

What an amazing place, even in winter it looks amazing, can't wait to visit in the spring and summer. Toilets are clean and lots of spaces to sit and eat inside and outside. Staff using cutting to make animal homes, excellent

Beautiful gardens, even on a cold spring day. Lots of benches to admire the views, which I much appreciated. The plant nursery is laid out so helpfully in sections of which plants will grow best in what area - sunny, shady, damp, etc. I wish everywhere did that, it's genius. We had lunch at the café and it was excellent - wholeheartedly recommend the cheese and bacon scones, the chicken and ham Caesar salad, and the sausage rolls! The Devon apple cake was divine too, and it was all very reasonably priced. If I was local I'd definitely make this a regular spot for a treat lunch out.

Stunning, beautiful day wandering amidst these beautiful gardens, truly inspiring! Lots of lovely shaded spaces to sit & enjoy the spaces. There was a lovely selection to purchase afterwards, way too tempting! Staff really helpful - I would highly recommend a visit to these gardens!

Always love coming here. It's one of our favourite places. The spring flowers were stunning. Children were enjoying themselves looking for wooden Easter egg markers. Had lunch in the cafe.

Great place to visit on a sunny day. Beautiful gardens that are paid entry, but the on site café and plants nursery is free to enter and shop from. It's highly recommended to visit, as other visitors and staff are highly knowledgeable on plants and can guide you in the right direction. Also great to visit for garden inspiration, as there's an impressive variety of plants grown for different conditions.

Lovely relaxing gardens, very attractive, well worth a visit

I took the kids here today for some fun, the castle is amazing to look at and the artifacts inside are very impressive. We took the mythical creatures spotting tour which I thought would be fun for the kids and allow them to explore the castle whilst we learn about history through osmosis. Unfortunately this was not the case. Instead we had an employee (who to be fair to him looked like he was given the task at the last minute) who took us on a tour of the castle to find the mythical creatures.. I was expecting them to be buried within the historical images of the castle but instead... They were photocopied pictures stuck in different windows around the building, some were outside and some were in.. we were taken up to the roof to see absolutely nothing except the view (genuinely great view of Colchester but not what we were looking for at the time) and then taken down a different set of stairs to find a plastic dragon shoved into a corner, half in darkness and told that it's asleep to save any interaction. Very disappointed in that. Unfortunately we didn't get to go on the actual tour as by then my youngest daughter had a melt-down just as we were about to start so that's another £15 wasted as the tour guide wasn't willing to wait at all and locked the doors in front of us! My elder daughter was very upset that we were locked out and couldn't catch up. All in all it's been a mixed bag of a visit. I will try and go again when the kids are a little older.. or maybe just by myself for a better look at it all. Unless the kids ask.. I'd avoid any mythical tours.

Fantastic place. Lots to see, lots to touch, lots to hear. There is also great opportunity for entrance a 2000 years old roman temple foundations! There is lunch room where you can buy a hot drink and enjoy lunch if you bring one with you. Kids going to love this place as there is lots to do for them including games and interactive exhibitions.

Excellent historical castle to visit, especially to learn all about Roman history. Family concession tickets available with a quirky gift shop at the end. Very helpful staff and lots of pieces to touch. Get the interactive token for £1 it gives access to so many hidden interactive features.

Very nice museum with the park to walk around and enjoy the day. However, I recommend getting the full tour with the guide as it contains a lot of historical information, and best is to know the full story of the castle.

Lots to see and do fantastic prices and definitely worth the extra £3/£2 on top for the 45 guided tour to the vaults in the foundations and up on the roof itself these areas are only accessible to the public on the tour stranded tickets just have access to castle ground and 1st floor exhibits. And the kids seem to love the virtual roman chariot race and firing the virtual ballister. And castle grounds parkland boat lake are fantastic for yjr kids to run around and play and access to castle park and grounds is free

An incredible example of how to curate a museum. Very nice and enriching experience. Even on my own I felt like I did not miss on any important histories as the entire layout of the museum is incredibly comprehensive. I loved the interactive bits and they definitely engage an interesting approach to learning history, accessible to all ages! A small museum in a small town but an incredible history translated into an amazing visiting experience, well worth a visit! I also absolutely adored the miniature of the castle as it would’ve been in the medieval times, it’s one of the better examples of such miniatures I’ve seen ever!

Fantastic place. Modern, informative and interactive range of displays, the best I've seen in any castle. Great place to bring the family. Every corner of the building is crammed with things to see and do. Also lovely gardens outside.

I had a wonderful time at Colchester Castle. The tickets were reasonably priced and so was the Guide Book. I spent a good 2 hours looking round the castle and soaking in the atmosphere. It had more exhibits than they had the last time I visited, and they also had the additional Thunderbirds exhibition. They had a lovely shop and I treated myself to a necklace and some tea towels. I had a really lovely day and the staff made sure I didn't miss anything.

A lovely castle with 3 floors of interesting information and artifacts. I thought that the entrance price was very reasonable and the staff are lovely. Great for kids too!

Really interesting day out. Definitely go on the vault and roof tour if you can, luckily the man on the welcome desk told us about it as I could not see any signs with the tour times on them. The tour guide was lovely and the vaults very interesting, the roof tour could have been a bit longer with more time for photos and maybe a bit of info about the surrounding area but I suppose what your are told depends upon the guide. The museum is over 2 floors with lots of space for wheelchairs and pushchairs and lifts between the floors. Obviously there are lots of Roman exhibts that are amazing and we loved the model of the museum. There is no cafe only plastic bottles of water available at the welcome desk. So make sure you have already eaten and take a drink with you. I think there is a cafe in the park and lots of restaurants nearby. The welcome desk staff were a little lacking in info and welcome apart from the tour offer. Wasn't asked if I wanted a guide book, once in lots of children had tablets not sure if these were only for children or there was an adult version as well (if not maybe there should be). As with lots of museums I wish there was more printed information about exhibits that you could sit and read, as there is so much stuff here but you don't really get to know a lot about it and I want to know more! (this would also encourage me to come again)

A great place to visit. Lots of interactive bits for children. Recommend the tour where you go right under the castle as well as the roof. At the moment, it's only an extra £3 on the ticket price and you can you as many times as you like in a year. Definitely value for money

Very interesting place and you really must do the tour which covers the cellar and Roman foundations. Loads of stuff to see and not too expensive. Not really so good for very young children, as you would probably expect, but they do have a few things to keep the kids amused.

Not your "usual" castle type experience, large rooms, huge battlements, endless doorways, ramparts etc but it's still something to get your head around for the period. Great informative tour and worth while. Plenty of information as you walk round, friendly staff, clean toilets, nice place to spend 2-3 hours max I'd say.

A wonderful place to visit if you're interested in the history of Colchester. There is a wealth of archaeological artefacts. I recommend paying the extra £3.85 to do the tour of the vaults, which are the original foundations of the Roman temple. The roof gives excellent views over Colchester City centre

Really nicely laid out museum insided the çastle with a big range of artifacts covering many ages of British history. It is set in a lovely park with areas for a picnic.

Really enjoyed our visit here - some amazing Roman relics on show but the hilight for me was the temporThunderbirds exhibition!!

Colchester castle was a lot of fun with a 3 and an 8 year old! We explored the whole museum which we found to be very hands on and enjoyable. We also did the vault tour which was excellent! The castle is wheelchair/pushchair accessible, however the vaults and roof tour require steps and lots of crouching through small tunnels. There are toilets on site but no cafe, however there is a picnic room where you can eat your own food comfortably. We would definitely visit again, and in the nicer weather the surrounding park would be fun to explore further!

Don't leave reviews that often but really felt the need too, given how impressed I was. There is a fantastic amount of interesting historical pieces and facts to look at and also a lot of interactive activities for the children to get involved with. I was fully expecting my children 12 and 5 not to be that interested but of all the places we have been to like this, Colchester Castle was definitely their favourite place. I would say, I think they would benefit financially, if they had somewhere to get a little snack. A lot of people were asking, us included and they did have a perfect little room with tables for it.

Took us a couple of hours to complete. 2 floors (there is a lift). Well set out, interesting displays, some are interactive. £12.50 each for adults to enter. Rest rooms on site. Small shop. No cafe. Paid parking nearby in Greyfriars.

Excellent museum and castle, well worth the entry fee, very well informed and interesting staff, Colchester has a fascinating history. Took us a couple of hours to walk round, Only down side is no dogs are allowed in the grounds at all which was a shame.

It's a nice theatre to visit with plenty of seating available and watch shows. On the other hand it's quite expensive buying drinks and snacks. I rather not mention the menu. Staff are okay on meeting and greeting.

Had lunch in the cafe with my mum. Both the grilled chicken salad and ham, egg and chips were lovely. Generous portions and quick, courteous service. The furniture is pleasant on the eye, it's bright and spacious (handy when you're in a wheelchair).

A great night at the theatre. Lovely, efficient staff. Great seats and a really funny show. Go and see 'Friend' if you can get tickets.

Love going to the Mercury since its revamp, its a great place to hang out and have a coffee or a glass of wine as well as seeing a show or accessing one of the many community groups. If you haven't been since their make-over I would highly recommend.

We Went to see Alice in Wonderland and it was brilliant and very cleverly written and performed! The talent on the stage was fantastic the actors/actress were amazing! Would highly recommend, the staff at the Mercury were polite and welcoming too.

Have been a couple of times now but Great Expectations has been my favourite show. Only lost a star as food and drink prices could be cheaper but nonetheless great theatre and worth checking out.

My first visit today to the Mercury Theatre in Colchester which was to see Derren Brown's "Unbelievable". An incredible show. A modern & very clean theatre. The staff were welcoming and very helpful. It's located right in the town centre opposite St Mary's multi story car park. There was an offer to buy all day parking for £2.75 with your ticket. I would most definitely recommend it.

Very spacious, good view of the stage, good sound system and loads of leg room ! I'm 6ft and was sat cramped up sideways like normal theatres !

Excellent show in a nice auditorium with unobstructed views. Nice bar and restaurant

took grandies to "beauty" this weekend.great theatre.modern well laid out very comfy seats and open spaced. row G was excellent position.having never been before either, so I guess we got what we paid for. not disappointed. the show was excellent . very talented group brilliant ad libbing from Bon Bon parking not wonderful, blame the council! I'm disabled too, luckily we managed to find parking near the police Station ten minutes away. all in all, a really magnificent afternoon at the Pantomime .

Just been here to see Stewart Lee. He was amazing and if you get the chance and enjoy real comedy with some thought behind it I'd highly recommend going to see him. The theatre itself was lovely. Seats were comfortable, plenty of room, relatively small so not over crowded. All seats are a good distance from the stage. Toilets were clean and modern. Ushers were friendly and helpful.

"Unbelievable" is absolutely amazing, a must see show

Really loved this theatre! Drinks were reasonably priced and it's a small intimate venue where you get a good view anywhere you sit, would recommend and would love to see a show here again. I went to see the show written by Derren Brown called "unbelievable" and thought this was a fantastic show and a bit different to the usual magic show, with some really talented musicians. Would recommend going to see this show!

Nice size theatre. Lots of nice comfortable seats in the bar area. Loved the hot veggie sausage roll as we hadn't eaten before the show and it was very yummy.

Another great pantomime, Thanks to Anthony and all the cast and crew. Every year you deliver a family filled performance which is funny and entertaining no matter if you're young or old. Roll on next year.

Had a great time at the Do you believe in ghosts show .. it was our first time at the Mercury theatre and will definitely be going back. Atmosphere was nice all the staff we came in contact with were polite and nice . The theatre was comfortable as plenty of leg room where we were sitting just a really nice theatre ...

We watched Sleeping Beauty on Christmas Eve with our two children (age 7 and 10). The evening was on a par, if not better, than the past years we have been. We laughed so hard and were smiling the whole way through. My kids still rememeber the lines from previous years! We've seen a few other local Pantos over the years but nothing compares to The Mercury Theatre! Absolutely outstanding !!! Thank you to all the staff for making our Christmas and we look forward to booking our next Panto tickets once they're released. The Durrant Family

Went to the panto with a large group of family and had a great time. The set design was phenomenal, and the cast did a fantastic job. Hilarious as always and a great time had by old and young. The story wasn't quite there this year, but it was made up for with plenty of great sketches and some top-class crowd work for the ever so talented Dame. The theatre itself has had a lot of investment, and the amenities here are very good. There are plenty of food and drink options and places to sit while waiting for the show, and it adds to the whole experience of a night out at the theatre

Really well-managed Theatre where all the staff are working together to make your experience special. Comfortable seats with good legroom in the theatre, good bar/café, clean and well-maintained facilities. A pleasure to visit. (Great show too!)

Went to see Sleeping Beauty. This is the second time I've been here and the show did not disappoint! Hilarious from start to finish. We had a great view of the stage too even from near the back. My only gripe is that a lemonade and chocolate buttons cost over £6!

You can spend a while looking around this place.. staff are very friendly, your opinion matters. Today we had sausage rolls, homemade, with small salad accompanied by a homemade sauce. Every crumb was delicious. There are numerous choices available and all worth trying. I foresee many more visits when I come over from Ireland. The Crafts are delightful. If they are your thing, you might find you can't leave without buying something.

This is for the cafe. It was awful. Tea for two was literally just enough for two small cups. Fruit scone was flat, dry and certainly not fresh. Jam was cheap and nasty. Not friendly or welcoming. And the older woman on the till!!! So miserable. Gone down hill since changed hands. Would definitely not go back

We have just had a lovely afternoon tea with our family today. Beautiful food as always and so well presented and lovely staff. Nothing was too much trouble. We couldn't quite eat it all so they boxed it up for us to bring home. 10 out 10 thank you 😊

Crafts on ground floor are a bit bland and not really artisan, or by local artists - which is a shame. It put me off wanting to explore any further and I didn’t go to the other floors. We mainly came for the cafe anyway, and it was on a day when they were short staffed (the more senior lady was in charge of the kitchen AND taking payment for the orders, which seemed crazy as they had good junior staff who weren’t being made the most of). Food was disappointing - average quality (salad made me a bit nervous) but the prices were not at all average! A shame, as the space is fantastic has the potential to be a lot better.

What a lovely place to visit. Good parking nearby, at very reasonable rate. Enjoyed a lovely lunch also.

The Art and Craft centre in the old chapel in Dedham is a 'temple' to the skill and originality of the local crafts people. High quality items beautifully displayed over three floors offers something for everyone and every pocket. Not to be missed when in Dedham. 👍😊

Awesome place. So much character and space .spent several hours roaming around the eclectic arts and crafts on sale definitely 👌 a must visit. Hot chocolate was amazing.

Lovely building in a beautiful village but disappointingly mainly filled with mass produced stuff. What was handmade locally was ok but not the highest quality British crafts. It did have a good range of cards though.

Very friendly staff and great selection of teas, coffee and cakes. Well worth a stop!

Lovely cup of coffee, would of loved to have looked around the shop. Unfortunately whilst I was queuing up to pay my bill the lady serving shouted at the top of her voice at another member of staff shes leaving without paying. He then shouted at my wife you haven't paid. How rude and embarrassing unacceptable and unnecessary. Lessons in customer services needed as does discretion.

Creatively repurposed former Dedham Congregational Church, now art gallery, crafts shop, & cafe (with outside tables in the summertime). It's worth a visit just to admire the ornate ecclesiastical architecture in which the traders are spaced. Dedham Art & Craft Centre has 3 floors full of all sorts of hand-crafted curiosities to buy, some of them truly unique examples of local artists & crafter's...

Had a lovely simple meal in the cafe at the Art & Craft Centre. Good food at good prices. Nice and friendly staff too . Wide selection of craft goods in the shop as well.

Stumbled upon this gem tucked away on the outskirts of Colchester. Visited in mid April so plenty of colour on show and was lucky with the weather which always helps. The gardens are part of someone’s private home and this isn’t your typical commercial tourist trap which is always a massive + to us. Beautiful ponds which are well set out, well though out plant beds with the added bonus of wildlife. The on-site nursery had a range of plants which are sensible priced and the owners were knowledgable (as expected) and helpful with assisting us find the plants we were after. I can see why other reviews have said about the entrance sign and if you weren’t paying attention it could easily be missed. Look forward to coming back in a few months to see how the gardens/flowers/colours have changed

We had a lovely walk in the Green Islands Gardens at the end of April, it was an oasis of peace and we enjoyed the floral splendour. Compliments to Fiona and her team for maintaining the Gardens in this way. T.M. Nijmegen Nederland

We have recently moved to the area and my wife found your website. Today, we visited for the first time and cannot believe we have such a fantastic place on our doorstep. A great place to unwind and relax and it was great to meet Fiona and the dogs and cats too. So impressed, we signed up for a season ticket and look forward to returning soon.

I really enjoyed the Christmas Wreath-making course I attended in December. There was an excellent choice of foliage which had been picked from the surrounding gardens. I was lucky enough to be in a very small group so I had plenty of space to spread out (which might not have been the case if the course had been full). The wreath is still looking as good as it did a month ago!

I visited Green Island Gardens this November and despite the time of year there were some lovely surprises in the Woodland walk and around the gardens. The garden is a treat for those of us interested in plants, it was so refreshing to not be assaulted by a shop and Christmas decorations! We had a delicious bowl of home made soup for lunch served piping hot with fresh rolls. Will definitely be back.

Such a beautiful place to visit. The owner of this place is very friendly and approachable. This is the perfect place for you if you are looking for a place where you just want to relax and enjoy beautiful gardens. This is probably one of the very few places where I have seen many different plants. It's fascinating. Everything seems to be done with so much love and care. There's a tearoom where you can sit for a cuppa and then just go for a walk and see the gardens. The toilets are well maintained and very clean. There's also a car park with plenty of car parking spaces.

Inspirational and much loved gardens, Fiona the owner provided a wonderful informative tour as went with a group, what an incredible amazing job. We will be returning again soon thank you you for everything.

On Monday March 27th I attended the 'planting for all year round colour'. It was a brilliant day from beginning to end. Most of the day is inside with Fiona explaining how to choose plants that will suit your garden soil, and as the title says give colour all year. Most of us who attended were enthusiastic beginners, and I have to say I learnt such a lot , with pad and pencil at the ready to take all the notes and ideas Fiona provides during the day. Most enjoyable and really worth every penny. Thank you Fiona

Visited here on a lovely sunny day which was perfect for exploring these glorious gardens. Such beautiful colours and very tranquil. We also had afternoon tea here which although nothing fancy, was a good price and very enjoyable.

Beautiful gardens. Perfect mix of cultivated beds complemented by natural wooded areas. We went when the azaleas were in full bloom. The colours and scent were spectacular. Enjoyed delicious cake from the tearoom. The family pets were an added bonus.

Had a great visit to Markshall Estate. Lovely walks and a well set out walled garden. Had a prebooked afternoon tea for two. Which was beautifully presented and ample, mixture of sweet and savoury. All the staff, both in the restaurant and in the entrance, were exceptional. Would thoroughly recommend a visit and certainly encourage you to have an afternoon tea. Will visit again when in the area.

Great place! Another visit and again something new. We love feeding the fish in the pond, always fascinated with how big they are. We saw ducklings - so, so cute. Lovely place to take a deep breath and slow down.

Absolutely beautiful, and well worth the £8 adult entry fee. Stunning space with a variety of settings (woodland, a walled garden and more), as well as flowing water with a range of different types of bridges to cross. Plenty to keep kids entertained: feeding the ducks and geese, seeing the peacocks, wandering through the woodland, playing games like giant Jenga and hoopla, wooden animal carvings to see...there's an adventure around every corner! Good to see a sensibly priced cafe on site too: a kids' lunch bag (half a sandwich, crisps, fruit, a full sized tube of Smarties, a Babybel and a carton of drink, plus a free toy), two cheese scones, a pot of tea and a coffee came to around £14 in total.

We had a lovely day on Markshall Estate - it was a nice sunny day which was an added bonus for us. Arrived around 10am and bought tickets at the gate. They are £8 per adult. There were no queues so we just walked right in. Grounds were well kept, and the sculpture trail was a nice addition for this summer. There were a lot of nice picnic spots / benches dotted around the estate. We found Volunteers at different points on our walk, they were all nice friendly amd happy to have a chat. We had lunch at the on site cafe, they had a wide range of hot and cold food with fairly decent prices. Cakes looked amazing. Would definitely recommend a visit.

Lovely gardens, dogs are banned from the walled gardens though. Not sure why. Staff in the shop were quite abrupt, as we didn't realise we had to pay to use a public footpath! Never used too. So we paid the money as they were shouting across the whole shop, to be honest it was out of embarrassment I paid! However it was a lovely walk just not sure it was £12 of lovely walk.

Fabulous day out with my friend and our dogs. There is outside tables for eating at and waterbowls available for the dogs. All dog have to be on a leads for which I am very grateful. The baked potatoes for lunch were delicious well filled with lots side salad and coleslaw. Very pleasant and helpful staff throughout our visit.

A visit to Marks Hall Estate is a refreshing experience for nature lovers. The gardens are meticulously maintained, and the woodlands provide a tranquil backdrop for a leisurely walk. Don't miss the opportunity to feed the fish in the pond. I highly recommend grabbing some fish food from the on-site shop - it adds a delightful touch to the visit. Overall, it's a great way to spend a day and reconnect with nature. Lots of parking onsite, there is a cafe selling food, cakes, snacks and drinks. Once you are on the garden side there is a little playground for children with benches around if you wanted to stop for a picnic. There are also picnic benches by the cafe at the entrance. There is a small onsite shop too where you buy your entrance tickets. There are a few toys and cuddly animals and an outdoor plant centre selling plants. You can pick up a map of walking routes and rough times from the shop and there is normally an activity sheet for children with things to tick off and look out for on their walk.

Came here for the first time on Sunday and little did we know it was your anniversary! Had a lovely mooch amongst the leaves, spotting peacocks, animal tracks, new plants and best of all, my new favourite tree. Autumn is the best time to go for the colours, nip in the air and foot crunch! Had a warming and tasty cream tea in the pretty café barn to top it off, prices were very reasonable, although the service was a little complicated and slow(I think some staff were new) but we got there in the end.

Nice re visit but decided to take the path that said woodland walks just past the entrance which only leads to a perimeter road around the estate and closed and locked entrances to get back into the gardens and arboretum. Also there are no toilets bar those at the entrance and for such a big estate this is not good enough really.

What a super place. Beautiful trees and plants.. Fish , ducks, geese and a beautiful peacock.. Friendly staff and very tasty food.... AND you can take your dog.....

Lovely place to walk around, very well maintained. Lovely walk through the woods on a hot day.

Been going here for years and even though live far away always make a day of the place. Place is so well kept what ever the season we always find new walks around the place. The Eucalyptus trees smell amazing and shame no koalas around (haha). Place to go and just get lost and find a place of peace and to relax. Can’t fault this place for being well maintained. Staff always friendly and helpful.

Markshall Estate is a stunning place to visit at any time of year. If you are an RHS member, you can take a guest in for free Tuesday to Sunday, throughout May, June, September or January. Winter highlights are the large drifts of snowdrops at the far end of the estate. The fish in the lake still fascinate and the arboretum is an incredible map of world trees. There is a brief history of the estate in the visitor centre which shows how the estate has been a part of the local community for many years in different guises. Most parts are easily navigated why wheelchair or pushchair. Teas, coffees and light lunches are served in the orchard café and the remodelled entrance is welcoming. There are options to picnic, benches dotted around and, in the spring and summer, the walled garden is a beautifully fragrant and relaxing place to wander. You can now take your dog inside the estate which makes it even more family friendly.

Very small field for the high rates. Wet, muddy and slippy for the dogs. Very disappointing, would not recommend or visit again. When I contacted the company, they advised it was checked regularly, I would say it was not fit for purpose 😕.

Really lovely place with a great cafe and grounds to explore. I like that there are different areas with various trees and plants to explore. Was not quite expecting the number of Koi and was great to see Geese and peacocks!

My first visit to Markshall to see the amazing snowdrop display. Will certainly be back next month to see what spring starts to bring!

lovely gardens and forest, great for dogs (have to be kept on lead) - highly recommend, will be back

We enjoyed a festive afternoon tea with our daughter and her boyfriend, then a walk around the gardens/estate. The weather wasn't that kind, and the walled garden was closed for winter maintenance until April 23, but it was still a glorious walk with several different areas to explore. I'm looking forward to seeing what it looks like in spring summer and autumn. The food was also very good, plentiful and tasty.

Firstsite Colchester is a fantastic art space. I highly recommend a visit if you are in the area. Lots to see and an amazing building to wander. There is also a film/cinema. We didn't try the cafe, will next time, but seating looks great, lots of views out of building to green space.

A beautiful building and art. Free to visit but recommends a donation. Great activities for children ( and older ones too 😂). Interesting to walk around and see local artist work. Such a great place to visit while in Colchester.

What a great space. Visited from London to see the Big Women exhibit. Well worth the trip. Fantastic. Really nice vibe. Relaxed feel to the place - without pretension. Friendly helpful welcoming staff. Loved the reception art works. Brilliant to see the centre owning its Essex ness. What a brilliant community resource.

This is a great place if you're visiting Colchester and like exhibitions or like me, have a child or two and need to keep them busy in summer when the weather is rubbish. There are free children's activities every day from 10am to 2.30 pm and interesting exhibitions for people of all ages. At the back of the venue, you'll find a café. Entry is free but you can make a donation (suggested £5) at donation points using your debit or credit card. Very nice and helpful staff and volunteers around. Pop in, you won't be disappointed.

Such a fantastic gallery with the most friendly staff. We came and watched a film at Firstsite today and looked around the Big Women exhibition. It is so good that you show films, have such varied and brilliant exhibitions, wonderful activities for children and families, workshops and a fab shop and cafe. The staff are so lovely and go out of their way to make you feel welcome. We had the best time and can't recommend Firstsite enough, Colchester is very lucky to have it.

What a wonderful creative space and such friendly staff. Lovely looking building. Vibrant space and we went for the Singh Twins exhibition - brilliantly curated and the gentleman with dark nails we spoke to was SO informative and enthusiastic. The Essex Way by Michael Landy too was SO interesting and informative and who knew the beauty queen from Africa who made a splash in Essex! Friendly cafe staff and inexpensive items

A great space for the community that showcases a variety of arts and events. Looks to have become a centre of importance. Especially great for children and young adults to express themselves.

My first time visiting and will be back. Engaging exhibition, welcoming staff and delicious food in the Cafe.

Great place to visit and see art and other displays. Always changing and shoeing new and different styles of art. Has a good cafe and small cinema. If in Colchester worth a visit.

If your in the area this gallery is worth a short visit of up to an hour. The building itself is a fascinating design worth a look on its own. The exhibitions are dependant on your own artistic tastes and interests, but worth trip if your new to the area and looking around Colchester itself.

Amazing place! Great for little ones. Lots of interaction and activities. Fantastic collection of art work on view and currently your art can be displayed along side some famous names! Good little cafe inside, bit pricey but tasty food and good coffee. Friendly staff, happy to chat and very welcoming. I could buy everything from the gift shop, fab array of arty gifts. It was only our first visit but will certainly make an effort to return when back in the area! A little gem of place. Lucky Colchester!

Went here with my girlfriend and had a really great time! We saw 3 free exhibitions, all of local artists, with lots of information about each one. We got a really nice iced mocha at the café and our server was lovely too!! The café had a lot of vegan milk options as well which was great.

Free and it held some pretty unique exhibits. It also seemed like a very community centred gallery (with LOTS of events going on), which I admired a lot, so it’s probably a great place to bring your kids.

After catching the Brightlingsea foot ferry, we set out down the southern coast line of Mersea island. Had no idea this areas was a country park. Such a stunning coast with the wartime relics, trees hanging from the top of the small cliffs, fossils and pebbles to discover in the sand. Well worth a visit if venturing across onto the island.

Stunning, great for birding too. Wonderful to find such a quiet and unspoilt beach. Good place to feel the wind in your hair and get away from the busy world. Walk all the way to the end point where the Colne estuary begins for amazing 360 views. One downside: parking. I've no problem paying but the hours are mean. I paid for 2 hours, then was so taken with the place I would have spent longer soaking it up, but had to rush back to avoid overrunning. Why not same price for 4 hours?

Half a mile walk to the sea, but a very pleasant one (the nearby sea can't be accessed thanks to a cliff, but some naughty people have gone that route and damaged the fence). High quality disabled loos, labelled ladies and gents but which are actually both unisex. Superb children's playground and small drinks/ice cream shop. Plenty of parking (pay & display). Overall, superb.

Very nice country park, on East Mersea. Large car park; parking fees apply. Impressive play area for children. Nice walking routes in grasslands, woodlands and along the coast. Several WW2 structures, with walk route linking them.

Absolutely beautiful place! Lovely park area for the kids or adults if you want a go (I did) Toilets on site. Easy to pay for parking (card payment)

Excellent park right next to mersea beach with loads of walks and a play area for kids. Excellent shop for ice cream and drinks. Highly recommend A+++

Beautiful place to walk and kids to play, sometimes they have a shop open with ice creams and drinks etc, nice clean toilets and plenty of parking. The beach /fields and view of the island across are so lovely , it's a perfect day out. It has 3 seperate play areas for kids and plenty of space to have picnics. One of mine and my childrens favorite places to play and walk, the nature walk around the island is so nice specially in summer.

This park was way better than we could have expected. The play areas were nothing like we see in London. The kids had a great time and didn't want to leave. We could have honestly spent all day here quite easily. The little WWII bunker was really cool too. Defo worth the drive just to go to the park for the day and with the water being so close it's like a double day out. No graffiti ruining anything. It was beautiful.

Visited on a bleak day most recently, but I do think it has a lot to offer for a country park; large natural playground, historic sights, ominous ruins from the recent past on the coastline and the usual walking trails. There are some great areas for bird watching if you're willing to explore further, just make sure you don't end up stuck in Mersea due to the high tide.

I didn't venture into the Park, took the Coastal walk along the shore with a spot of fishing, great walk not so good fishing

A great spot with the kids and we had a lovely bike ride from the west.

Love coming here with the kids, parking prices - you'll need to remortgage before paying but otherwise good! Can and does get busy so parking becomes a little hard but will often open the addition parking to allow for such. Park for the kids, kite flying a must! Toilets and small shop on site serving drinks sweet treats and tea/coffee. Lady working wasn't pleasant but honestly not surprised when working it on ones own.

Amazing place to visit! I was a bit put off because of the parking costs at first but didn't mind once out of the car. There is an amazing play park there that caters to kids of all ages, even I wanted to have a play. And if you walk the trail there are some breathtaking views. Definitely a place to visit.

A really nice place to go for a walk. Very scenic and some nice places to have a picnic. There's also a great play area for younger children. Plenty of interesting things to find on the beach, with lots of different types of shells. If you're walking your dog bring water for them on hot days as there isn't much shading in certain areas. Make sure you check tide times. Reasonably priced car park.

A great walk from the parking area towards the sea and towards the sand towards the Colne estuary.

Fantastic open space with great walks. Great for dogs.

Really nice walks. Lovely big area for children to tire themselves out in. Saw deer, woodpeckers, squirrels and lots of little birds. Unfortunately some areas are a bit run down, namely the lake which was full of rubbish with rats and the children's play areas.

This is a beautiful walkway through trees. Plenty of people walking about pets, families etc. Great atmosphere and stunning for a walk/run. Parts are hilly by all in all a lovely walk, we went on a Saturday afternoon and it was very cute as a little couple quality time ♡

Nice place to visit for a stroll on a Sunday. Plenty of friendly people around and lots of lovely dogs to see. There is a lack of bins, though. Plenty at the entrance, but around the trails there aren’t any at all. I found a piece of glass at the beginning of my walk and still had it at the end due to not finding a bin… God only knows what the dog walkers do when they pick up deposits.

We had a great morning at the new playpark. Plenty of equipment for older kids and a separate section for little ones. I didn't take pics of the little equipment - sorry! It's all gated and there's plenty of picnic benches. The entrance to it is just off turner road. Only downside is you have to pay to park. I think it was £1 for 2 hours. We also had coffees in the visitor centre and there were huge sausage rolls too. It's a great place to go and get some fresh air!

It's always really nice to walk in a large area. This place is mostly quiet and covers both green grass, woody forest, a lake, skate park, and playground! I enjoy different routes and being able to enjoy the scenery and seeing dog owners with their dogs.

Highwoods is a great country park with meadows, forest areas, a lake and play park. Highly recommend visiting for walks and great with kids / dog.

Parking was easy. Surprised that toilets are locked at 4.30 in the summer. Nice walks, fishing lake. Really disappointed that with the school summer holidays starting the play areas are still closed and not expected to reopen until the end of the year.

Best country park you can ever visit, I can walk/run for 5 hrs and still more to do. Highly recommended 👌

This is a family fun place. It's also good for regular exercise in the form of walks and running for keeping fit. The cafe will provide refreshments. With places to sit and admire the views. Children can have a whale of a time. Might need the wellies!!

Absolutely stunning nature forest park! Autumn is just beautiful here. Our first visit, definitely not the last. The lady in the visitor centre was so lovely, friendly. Great place for kids. Can't wait for the new playground to open soon.

Highwoods country Park is a vast area covered with woods including large variety of trees & plants, and birds & animals like squirrels, deers, cows. There is a paid parking facility and toilets near to the visitor centre near to the entrance. Lots of people interested in angling spend time catching fishes from the pond. Nice & calm place, suitable for long walks with pets. Thoroughly enjoyed the visit.

Great place to walk dogs or to walk with the family. Plenty of parking and open spaces. Lots of different trails to follow. Highly recommend

Nice walks. Different routes to choose. Can easily spend a couple of hours walking. River and lake, benches to sit down. Make sure you have the right shoes as even if it wasn't raining, it was pretty muddy at places. Parking was £1 for 2h and right by it coffee shop with some snacks and toilets.

Best picnic area. Complete nature.. you can have fishing and enjoy natural park.. muddy just to feel the nature

There are open areas and wooded areas. We didn't see a playground area but we weren't looking for one. Our children looked for birds, bugs and fungus, and vegetation around the stream. The lake area is interesting we can find ducks, door mice, fish jumping out the water, people fishing and things I forgot about. Dogs are expected to be on a lead around the lake to avoid them swimming in the lake. They're is a restroom in the visitors center but it's only open between 8:30 & 16:30. We visited the be park twice, the first time was on a really warm day, the wooded area gave us respite from the heat. The seconds time, the wooded area sheltered us from the rain. The children loved it and be we had a pleasant walk. Well with it.

We love Abberton, everyone is so very friendly, the coffee shop is fabulous lovely ladies, great hot chocolate or Tea, with a lovely ambience. Great for disabled children as easy access my son used to love the star gazing evenings, Halloween scar night. Wonderful to watch the birds or just meet friends for coffee or lunch. We are so lucky to have it.

I visited for the first time but will definitely return. I was hoping for a longer walk around the reserve but it's not very big, although it is pleasant to wander around. Any birdwatchers will be delighted at the number of species that they might spot.

Lovely morning spent following the Brambly Hedge trail. My daughter was so excited to find all the characters. We also took the longer route round & enjoyed spending some time in the hides watching the birds. We finished off with a play in the park & a some refreshments in the cafe. Will definitely be returning as the seasons change.

Lovely views of nearby feeders and the water from the visitor centre. Not a great choice of hot drinks if you need anything other than cows milk, but staff were helpful and friendly. Hides are well looked after and easy to access.

So peaceful this morning. Really interested to see the work that has been carried out over the past few years. Great selection of habitats that are usefully signposted and explained. Very educational. Looked like a good play area for little ones too. Free parking and a lovely shop.

Lovely spot, free to enter but is reccomended to provide a small donation. Plenty of trails to follow and experience a lovely part of the Essex countryside. A children's play area, bird watching huts and also a cafe for a lovely little pit stop. Highly reccomended for families or elderly couples for a weekend retreat away from hustle and bustle

Nice little cafe tea room with a variety of hot and cold refreshments. Quiche, toasties and some very moreish cakes to choose from. I had just tea and cake this time around, visited for Mother's Day. The shop is also worth a look. Very nice views from the Hill benches of the surrounding countryside and reservoir.

Only popped over as had half hour to spare and always wanted to visit. A lovely place for nature lovers and bird spotters, along with very friendly and helpful staff. Definately planning a few more visits in the near future.

Lovely setting for a hot drink and a chat, with or without binoculars, with or without rain. Friendly staff, enticing gift shop, freshly baked cakes and a guarantee I'll be back with my binoculars in better weather.

Lovely place to visit, especially for the birdwatching. Cafe food was slightly disappointing but reasonably priced. Loos were exceptionally clean. Friendly staff.

Used to live near there and it used to be just a brown shed. WoW!! What an amazing change! Excellent cafe, lovely choice of gifts and many books. And the tables on the balcony on the water are fantastic!! Helpful staff will guide you through all they can offer for you and your young ones. THANK YOU FOR A SPLENDID DAY!! ♥

Lovely clean wildlife center. Great little tearoom with superb views across the reservoir.

A beautiful place, ideal for bird watching. Comfortable cafe and shop with friendly staff. As of this writing, July 2023, the kids play area is closed so worth giving them a call to find out if it has been reopened.

Nice place for a walk. It's a shame that the small road by the lake around the reservoir is closed. Would be a perfect bike ride. There are footpaths around,but overgrown. Park inside is very looked after, and have some nice walks, kids playground around. Cafe is also very nice inside. But for cream tea didn't get clotted cream, just some whipped cream. You can take dogs in a cafe if you walking past, but not into reservoir.

A small but very lovely museum house. It is located in a lovely park, right next to Colchester Castle.

Brilliant, just brilliant! I spent the last day of my holiday there. Everyone was so lovely and I loved looking round the incredibly beautiful house. It was great! Go and visit, you will love it!

A very enjoyable experience with lovely staff who were very friendly. Three floors of fantastic old clocks, toys, household items accompanied with photos and write ups which really tell the story about the house. Spent a very good hour here with the kids.

A compact, family-friendly museum that gives a good amount of insight into the social history of Britain.

Small but ideal for school trips Would benefit from more lighting to fully appreciate some of the displays

Nice free museum about the local history of Colchester, with a shop and a small tourist information area.

Really nice family friendly free museum. Lots of top quality items from the past to marvel at. Many of them are domestic appliances, but there are toys. The house was once a grand house owned by the MP for Colchester , Charles Grey (not the Prime Minister) in the 1700's. There is information about demostic Servants and the History of the House. Very interesting 👌

This is a lovely place, free of charge. You can get to see some amazing flowers.if you walk further down you will see the play area for kids. The play area is suitable for kids who are between 2-9 yrs old.

A compact social history museum featuring everything from vintage vacuum cleaners to dolls houses, art, and royal memorabilia. Should you be in the postbox spotting game, Hollytrees boasts a particularly fine early Victorian example. There's also a wide selection of clocks and a small gift shop with the usual souvenirs, along with some Roman themed items.

Nice museum very educational. The staff are friendly. It's free and also has a gift shop. Would definitely go again.

Hollytrees Museum is a small lovely museum located in Colchester and situated within Castle Park, off Colchester High Street. The museum is a beautiful Georgian townhouse surrounded by beautiful gardens. It is worth a quick visit if you happen to be in Colchester town and even strolling around the gardens can be very relaxing.

One of my favourite venues of all time, being that they have such a variety of acts from Folk to Acid Jazz, Live Art , Comedy , Theatre - you name it. And probably the best veggie chilli you experience.

Lots of varied performances. Lovely vibrant arts space that should championed and supported by more people from the local area. Keep doing what you are doing it's great.

Visited in the evening for a concert. Overall fantastic venue, great view of the stage, good stage lighting, nice toilets, plus barstaff were lovely and drink prices were reasonable. Would visit again!

Nice church converted to a music venue. Colchester is a cool place. At the Arts Centre you are close to the action as there are no stage barriers. Small capacity & easy to get a drink at any of the 3 bars present. Friendly staff & worth a visit.

Great looking, great sounding venue, bar closed a bit too early in my opinion but staff were all nice. Toilets are pretty cool too, although I'd have look a bit weird taking a picture of a urinal!

What a fantastic intimate venue, with a great atmosphere to watch live music, super friendly and helpful staff, well stocked bars with drinks at sensible prices. Big stage and excellent lighting facilities, this was a surprising find and I very much look forward to a return visit.

Just a really great venue. Lovely old church which has found a new purpose in life. With easy access to the bar and toilets (which are worth a visit in their own right!) you are guaranteed a very civilzed evening. Have seen 3 brilliant acts there recently... The Smyths, Steemy Dan and From The Jam... Highly recommended...

Amazing venue, great crowd and staff! On behalf of the Guns N’ Roses Experience I wanna thank you for the sold-out gig!! Seeya next time!

Colchester Arts Centre is based in a former church (the Church of Saint Mary-at-the-Walls, so named because it was close to the old Roman town walls). It opened as an arts centre in 1980, and hosts a range of live events such as concerts, comedy nights and DJ sets. It's a really good venue for gigs: I was there for The Wedding Present. It's intimate and impressive. The front-of-house staff, bar staff and security team are professional and friendly. The venue is easy enough to find, on a side street just next to the Mercury Theatre. For anyone driving, St Mary's multi-storey car park is just across the main road via a footbridge.

Really nice venue with the best public toilets in Britain (aparently) which are very clean and impressive. The venue is a nice size and staff are very friendly. Good security and easy to travel to.

Amazing Fozymop and Faux Fighters gig at this venue. Not only were the bands excellent but the staff at the venue were awesome! The venue itself is pretty cool with a top lighting rig and fab sound man. Thanks to all those staff for making the evening fabulous 👏🏻 On a final note, the disabled toilet was pretty amazing with a massive mirror that was decorated beautifully and even the toilet bowl was decorated with blue flowers. And it was all clean! 10/10 Colchester Art Centre. We will definitely visit you again. Thank you. 🤜🏻🤛🏻👏🏻👍🏻

Saw British Lion perform and they were brilliant. The staff at the arts centre were welcoming and very helpful 😀 a big thank you to them. With regards to the venue itself I could have a little whinge about the stage - it needs to be raised. When you have a lot of tall men who are fans of British Lion and Iron Maiden and you are a short slim woman there is absolutely no chance of actually seeing the band but hearing them live was a cerebral experience 😉

I have been to a wide variety of events here. The choice is always interesting from comedians, gigs and other shows.

Wonderfully atmospheric church to experience a concert, Martha Tilston was superb!

We had an amazing evening watching local bands Ghosts of Atlantis, Draugrheim and Existentialist. An amazing venue.

Brilliant venue. Great acoustics

Went to the Garden cafe in the grounds. Very peaceful setting and had a nice ploughman's and vegetarian platter each followed by a very nice cake. Lovely place to pit stop if you are walking around the Dedham countryside too.

I love this Museum, amazingly interesting. Lots of fabulous art. Very friendly and helpful staff. Great cafe too. A must if you're an artist.

October visit. Interesting paintings and different styles. Pleasant people working there. But I would like to point out a few problems for those with mobility issues. The main car park has thick large gravel and mobility scooter / walker would not cope with it. There are a few spaces near the house entrance. The paths to the disabled toilet and cafe are rough slabs with 1inch gaps so also not good - use the grass instead. Hardly any chose of food in cafe ie sandwich or cake because the museum shuts in October. The cafe is separate to the house and in the grounds. I enjoyed the visit but had a fit man with me or would have been a wasted 1 hour journey to get there

Beautiful casual setting. Delicious lunch. Coffee good. Friendly and helpful staff. Really enjoyed it. Will do art gallery next time. Opens at 1.30 pm

Very peacefull and interesting place. Love coffee in the cafe.

Good collection of his work within his house and studio. Prompted to visit after seeing some of his paintings in the Norwich museum. Museum is not open after early autumn until spring so check dates.

Wonderful museum, great art collection, limited opening times. Garden cafe has great selection to eat and drink in wonderful setting.

Very wild and windy but it was 31st December! Imagine it's much nicer for families in Summer. As a dog friendly beach we found it really good to wander along the seafront allowing our labrador freedom to run around when appropriate.

A lovely walk along this beach in early spring time. I'm sure this place is great in the summer months.

Although the weather wasn't perfect we had a great time. The beach was not busy at all and the people we did see and interact with were very nice. The ground was not too wet so it was nice walking along the waters edge

Great beach, especially for dog walks. You can spend the morning walking the dog at the beach and getting some beach air in your lungs. Then pop into the victory, white hart or coast inn for some lunch. It is a lovely place to visit regardless of the season.

Big carpark and public toilets. Beach is sand and stones. Very little shade so bring an umbrella if you need that. Recommend hoing

Take a pack lunch the sea is muddy and lots of pebbles which my boys end up cutting their feet. Got a bad place but could we do with more things there?

A week back I visited this place with friends. This is the first beach I have visited is muddy and not suitable for swimming. However we dipped ourself inside the water and played with beach ball. It was lovely experience seeing the water resting on the sand beach. Went for long walk along the water and collected lot of shells. I don't recommend to visit this one if you are visiting with families as water is muddy. We spotted Jelly fishes there. Overall it's the nature, water and long walks you enjoy there. Thanks 👍

Great beach but lots of sharp oyster shells on beach so can easily get lots of cuts without beach shoes. Ample parking most days and there is a cafe there open 10 till 5 toilets on other side of access road and a small play area. A very high tide will restrict access to the island so check tides before you leave. Not seen any lifeguard when I have been there. Campsite next door as well.

Not the best beach to find if I’m honest. Sandy and stoney and when the tide is out bit of a mud Pitt. Good for the kids crabbing maybe or she’ll collecting. Didn’t want to stay long lots of little jumping bugs etc. not for me but it was empty and did have good toilet facilities and a shop to get water and food.