Most visitors to Chessington come in search of an adrenaline-pumping day out, but there’s more to this pleasant Surrey suburb than the whoosh and thrill of a rollercoaster. Farms, zoos and even a gourmet garden centre café are enough to make visitors stick around for a few days making Chessington one of London’s premier locations for a family holiday.
If you are tempted by a trip to Chessington, you’ll find staying in the area puts you within easy reach of the centre of London. It takes just 30 minutes to reach London Waterloo by train from Chessington South, which makes it easy to recommend accommodation in the region.
Thankfully, London is jam-packed with great accommodation options. There is a great selection affordable hotels in the London borough of Chessington, meaning that you’re never more than a 20 minute walk to the local tube station making it a very popular location. Staying in the area also means that you will be within easy reach of the best attractions Chessington has to offer, so let’s take a look at some of the very best of them.
Chessington is situated in the royal borough of Kingston Upon Thames, so it’s fitting that HRH Prince Edward was on hand to open Chessington World of Adventures in 1987 – it’s been a right royal hit ever since.
However, once you’ve had your fair share of the 40-plus rides, you’ll find there is a lot more to hold your attraction. First off, pay a visit to Sea Lion Bay, part of the onsite zoo. Here you’ll find brothers Harley and Dante and sisters Ariel and Carla (all Californian sea lions). They are tremendous characters and you’ll find them splashing about and playing in the water throughout the day, with special shows taking place at 12pm and 3pm.
Continuing the animal theme, head to nearby Epsom, where you’ll find Hobbledown. The farm is home to plenty of animals including meerkats and cute piglets. What’s more, Hobbledown has an aerial walkway, adventure park and indoor play barn – enough to amuse kids of all ages!
As for food and drink, if you fancy a bite to eat in unusual surroundings grab a table at Chessington Garden Centre’s Sedum restaurant, where cakes are baked in-house beneath a living green roof.
For something even more exotic, head for Cabana Indian Tapas on Ewel Road where you can enjoy sampling the tasty food of the Indian sub-continent. The inventive menu offers you a great range of options which are far removed from traditional curry houses.
To round off your day with a couple of drinks head to the Chessington Oak on Moore Lane. This traditional pub offers a wide selection of drinks, including a good selection of real ales, and is great for relaxing after a day filled with adrenaline pumping excitement. (Images courtesy of Flickr)
Have you been to Chessington Theme Park? Tell us about your experience in the comment section below.
