The Perfect Family Day Out in Cornwall
Heligan’s 200 acres of adventure are curated to let little legs and old minds run free. Explore dappled woodland trails in the Giant's Head Play Area, adventure across our iconic Jungle Rope Bridge, and discover Heligan Play Meadow (the South West's largest outdoor play area) - where children and the young-at-heart alike can stay and play all day in nature.
Please note that both the Heligan Play Meadow and Giant's Adventure Trail are now closed for winter to allow the ground time to recover.
We look forward to welcoming you back to these areas in the February Half Term
Heligan for Families
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Jumping Pillow
The only Jumping Pillow in the South West, and latest addition to the Heligan Play Meadow. Bounce, boing and bop your way across our outdoor inflatable cushion. There is no additional charge or booking requirements. All participants must remove their shoes and avoid collision. No age restriction (under 5s should be accompanied by parent or carer).
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Heligan Play Meadow
Climb, slide and scramble your way around Cornwall's largest outdoor playground. Over 14,500m² of adventure awaits - that's the size of two football fields.
From turrets to towers, slides to swings, all set beside Bugginghum Palace (the UK's largest bug hotel) this natural play area brings families together in the heart of nature and the Heligan Estate.
We also have coffee, ice-creams and picnic benches because this is play, designed with parents in mind!
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The Jungle
Acres of raised boardwalks, giant exotic plants, pools, wildlife and one of the longest Burmese Rope Bridges in Britain! Perfect for any budding Indiana Jones or Dora the Explorer. This sub-tropical garden is not only brimming with exotic plants from around the world, it’s also home to some of the earliest dinosaur food – Tree Ferns. Although the dinosaurs have long since gone, the plants that they used to eat are still with us today! Can you spot them?
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Giant's Head Adventure Play
Can you spot our friendly Heligan Giant amidst the trees? Created in the heart of our Woodland Walk by Heligan's Team, our adventure play area is perfect to practice balancing skills, log-hopping and jumping in and out of bamboo tunnels. Keep an eye out for our sleeping Mud Maid at the end of the trail.
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Heligan Farm Animals
Throughout the Estate, you will discover a friendly collection of heritage and rare livestock in the form of our ‘Tamworth’ & 'Gloucester Old Spot', ‘Devon and Cornwall Longwool’, ‘Kerry Hill’, ‘Jacob’, & ‘Ryland’ sheep and our ‘Ruby Red’ & ‘White Park’ Cows, along with a variety of rare poultry.
All the Heligan animals have their own appeal but our adorable piglets usually steal the show! Check with staff on arrival for their current location.
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Bugginghum Palace - UK's Largest Bug Hotel
Welcome to the UK's largest bug hotel. Located beside Heligan Play Meadow, with views across to the sea, this is the Ritz of Insect Hotels, providing a wide range of nesting space for a host of insect and invertebrate life.
(Please note Buggingham Palace is accessible only to bugs, butterflies and mini beasts.)
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Diggory
Our resident scarecrow stands guard over the abundance of crops in the Vegetable Garden and is always pleased when visitors stop to pose for a photo with him.
Weekly pass - free upgrade for all Garden Admission Tickets
With over 200 acres to explore and enjoy, you might find you run out of time to see the whole of Heligan on your visit.
Each general admission garden entry ticket can be upgraded, free of charge, to a weekly pass to enable you to come back and explore the gardens at your own pace.
If you'd like to visit more than once in a week, please ask a member of our ticketing team to upgrade your day admission tickets to a weekly pass for no extra charge.
Please note, access to the Heligan Shop and Heligan Kitchen is free of charge.