Activities in Woking

If it’s fun you’re looking for, look no further than the Guildford Spectrum. A huge sports complex comprising an Olympic-sized ice rink, soft play, running track, four swimming pools, 32-lanes of tenpin bowling and squash courts, there’s something for everyone. Around 10-minutes drive from our Woking West hotel, the sports centre also offers a wide range of fitness classes and a huge gym with pay-as-you-train sessions. There’s a wide range of ice skating sessions on offer, including lessons, ice discos and themed shows while the swimming pool complex includes a wave machine, splash pads, water wheels, a tyre ride and their three-lane slide. There’s also three cafés and restaurants on site, serving up coffee, breakfast, snacks, Mexican food and American diner classics.

Spread over three floors and with historic exotic cars at every turn, Mercedes-Benz World is a paradise for all petrol-heads. Test yourself on the handling circuit or on the 10-acre off-road course, or take a walk back through time and see how cars, engines and technology have evolved over the decades, including sitting down in a state-of-the-art F1 simulator experience. While it’s more geared towards adults, anyone over 1.5 metres tall can take part in the driving experiences, while you can also witness the Silver Arrows driving precision team strut their nail-biting stuff on the famous Brooklands motor racing circuit. And handily, Mercedes-Benz World is just a short 10-minute drive east of our Woking Town Centre hotel, with guided tours each weekend.

Once you’ve finished tearing up the track at Mercedes-Benz World, head next door to Brooklands Museum, a fascinating motorsport venue that celebrates aviation and motoring history with some amazing exhibits and displays. The track has an impressive history and legacy: built in 1907, it was the main racing track in the UK during the 20s and 30s, while it was used for aircraft development during the Second World War and by British Aerospace during the 80s. True to its history, the museum has a vast array of attractions including a classic Concorde, a Wellington bomber and dozens of ultra-rare racing cars, motorbikes and classic cars.

On the banks of the Saturn Trail bike path overlooking the Basingstoke Canal in the centre of Woking is The Lightbox, a fascinating blend of art gallery, event space and museum with an excellent café and gift shop. There are several large galleries at the Lightbox hosting an array of exhibitions that are updated weekly, plus you’ll find Woking’s Story, an interactive re-telling of the town’s history from the 19th century onwards. With regular events, including film screenings, comedy and family events, plus the excellent canal-side Seasons Cafe & Kitchen, The Lightbox is a great place to explore.

The numbers tell a story, but they don’t do RHS Garden Wisley real justice. With over one million guests, it’s the UK’s most visited gardens, staffed by over 200 volunteers and gardeners spread over 240 acres including a glasshouse with three climatic zones, a growing lab and a learning space. Dating back to 1878, the vast gardens have a huge array of attractions and sights including model gardens, a canal with water lilies in season, 25 unique garden spaces, huge arboretums, vegetable and fruit fields and a huge plant information centre where you can discover the science behind a lot of the plants. The gardens are open all year and make sure to stop in one of their six cafés and restaurants for a restorative coffee and slice of cake.

Once one of the largest cemeteries in the world, Brookwood Cemetery is a wonderfully serene park with gardens that are free to visit and explore. With over 250,000 graves spread over 400 acres of woodland, shrubs and greenery, it’s the UK’s largest cemetery and has a fascinating history dating back to 1849 when it was first built. As well as exploring the site yourself, there’s a series of guided tours where you can find out more about its construction, the Necropolis railway line and the famous names buried here.

On the far side of the Basingstoke Canal from The Lightbox is The Living Planet Centre, the UK headquarters of the WWF and one of the greenest buildings in the country. A working office, it also doubles up as an education and visitor centre, with twice-monthly tours, activities, workshops, treasure hunt and WWF experience which highlights the work done by the charity around the world.