Ely Country Park

If you’re local to Ely, this place is honestly one of those spots you end up at more weekends than you plan to. The play area keeps kids genuinely occupied — there’s a zipline that the older ones will queue for repeatedly, plus slides and swings for the littler ones who aren’t quite ready for that. It backs onto woodland trails and sits close enough to the River Ouse that you get those proper open water views without much effort. Pack a lunch because the picnic tables get snapped up on sunny days, and there’s parking, loos with baby changing, and enough shade trees that you’re not roasting if the weather turns warm. Toddlers through to primary age are well catered for, and honestly the walking paths mean the adults get something out of it too.