Aqua Parcs Stevenage

Water slides and wave pools aren't what you'd necessarily expect to find between Hitchin and Stevenage, but Aqua Parcs has been a proper fixture here for years. It's an indoor water park - the kind of place that works brilliantly if you're stuck with restless kids during a rainy spell, or if you simply fancy a few hours splashing about without the grey English sky ruining the vibe.

The setup is fairly standard: multiple slides of varying intensity, a lazy river if you want to drift about aimlessly, and pools for different age groups. There's nothing particularly Instagram-worthy about it, but that's not really the point. It delivers what it promises - decent slides, warm water, and enough going on to occupy a family for three or four hours without them clawing at your eyeballs.

It suits families with younger kids particularly well. Teenagers might find it a bit tame unless they're still at that age where slides still feel thrilling. If you're staying at one of the nearby glamping spots like Almshoe or the caravans at Jacks Hill, it's a handy fallback plan rather than a day's main event.

Bring a towel, pack some change for the lockers, and don't expect anything fancy - no gourmet cafes or premium experiences here. Just honest, functional water-based fun. Worth knowing your way around if you're in the area with young ones in tow.