Free Things to Do in Surrey with Children This Weekend
If you have opened this page on a Friday night, you are probably looking for two things: something the children will actually enjoy on Saturday morning, and somewhere that does not cost £40 for a family of four before you have even bought a coffee. Surrey has plenty of both. The trick is knowing which options are genuinely free at the point of use, which are free to enter but charge for parking, and which weekend events run reliably enough to plan around.
This guide is for Surrey parents and carers who need a plan for this weekend, not next summer. It covers country parks and commons, town parks with playgrounds, free museums, riverside walks, and the weekend clubs and storytimes that quietly keep the county going. Where a venue is technically free but stings you on parking, we say so.
Quick answer
Surrey's most reliably free weekend options for children are the county's town parks and country parks with public playgrounds, its handful of free local museums, and its weekly parkrun and junior parkrun events. Stoke Park in Guildford (GU1 1EP), Priory Park in Reigate (RH2 7RL), Farnham Park (GU9 0AU) and Nonsuch Park (SM3 8AB) all have playgrounds, open grass and free entry. Guildford Museum (GU1 3SX) and Bourne Hall Museum in Ewell (KT17 1UF) are free with no booking. Junior parkrun runs at Nonsuch Park, Frimley Lodge, Roundshaw Downs and several other Surrey sites on Sunday mornings for children aged 4 to 14.
The quick-look list
Twelve places you can go tomorrow with children in Surrey. No booking, no ticket, honest parking notes.
| Venue | Best for | Town/postcode | Free? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stoke Park | Playground, paddling pool, mini golf | Guildford GU1 1EP | Yes, free parking on Nightingale Road |
| Priory Park | Playground, skate park, lake, cafe | Reigate RH2 7RL | Yes, on-street free within limits |
| Farnham Park | Big open park, playground, golf | Farnham GU9 0AU | Yes, free car park |
| Nonsuch Park | Grass, playground, junior parkrun | Cheam/Epsom SM3 8AB | Yes, free car park |
| Guildford Museum | Rainy-day heritage, hands-on | Guildford GU1 3SX | Yes, free entry |
| Bourne Hall Museum | Local history, indoor free | Ewell KT17 1UF | Yes, free entry, free parking |
| Chobham Common | Heathland walks, dog-friendly | Woking GU24 8TH | Yes, free parking at Longcross |
| Frensham Great Pond | Sandy beach, walks, wildlife | Farnham GU10 3BT | Yes to visit, £6 parking |
| Newlands Corner | Downland walk, viewpoint | Guildford GU4 8SE | Yes to visit, paid parking |
| Runnymede Pleasure Ground | Riverside play, funfair area | Egham TW20 0AE | Yes to visit, paid parking |
| Virginia Water Lake | Long lake walk, totem pole | Egham/Windsor GU25 4QF | Yes to visit, £13 parking (steep) |
| Junior parkrun | Free timed 2km, 4-14 years | Various, see parkrun.org.uk | Yes, no booking |
The venues in this guide are included based on parent recommendations, Google ratings and publicly available information. KidzRGoGo has no commercial relationship with any provider listed and does not approve, inspect or endorse them. Always check directly with the venue before travelling, particularly for parking prices, opening hours and event schedules, all of which can change without notice.
What "free" really means in Surrey
Surrey country parks have a habit of charging for parking even when the park itself is free. National Trust sites are the worst offender for non-members: Box Hill and Runnymede both charge, and Frensham Great Pond has a pay-and-display machine at the main car park. Windsor Great Park's Virginia Water car parks now run to around £13 for four hours.
The alternatives are the parks maintained by borough councils and by Surrey Wildlife Trust. Stoke Park in Guildford, Priory Park in Reigate, Farnham Park, Nonsuch Park in Cheam, Chobham Common at Longcross, Wisley Common at Ockham and Newlands Corner all have free parking or free on-street options within a short walk.
The other honest note: "free" and "cheap" are not the same. A free park with a cafe on site is not free if you buy two hot chocolates and a slice of cake. Bring a flask and a packet of biscuits if you want the day to actually cost nothing.
Free town parks with playgrounds
Town parks are the workhorses of a Surrey weekend. They are free, they have playgrounds, they have loos, and most of them have somewhere to sit and drink a coffee while children get on with running around.
Stoke Park in Guildford is the county town's best-loved public park. It has a large playground for younger children, a paddling pool that opens in warmer weather, outdoor table tennis with free bat hire from the pavilion in season, and a mini golf course which is not free but is one of the cheapest in Surrey. Parking is free along Nightingale Road (GU1 1ER) if you arrive before 10am on a Saturday.
Priory Park in Reigate covers 60 acres on the edge of town with a big lake, a playground for pushchair-age up to school age, a well-used skate park and a cafe by the pond. The playground is one of the better-equipped in east Surrey, with a proper zipwire, a decent climbing frame and enough space that it does not feel packed on a Saturday morning. Free on-street parking on Bell Street and around the church.
Farnham Park is 320 acres of open parkland on the Georgian side of Farnham with two playgrounds (the main one and the smaller St James' Avenue play area), a golf course you can walk across when you are not playing, and a signposted circular walk that takes about an hour with a four-year-old. Free car park off Folly Hill (GU9 0AU) with plenty of space.
Nonsuch Park straddles the Sutton/Epsom border and is the closest thing north-east Surrey has to a country park. Wide grass, veteran oak trees, a good playground and the free Nonsuch junior parkrun on Sunday mornings for children aged 4 to 14. Free car parks at Cheam Gate (SM3 8AL) and Ewell Gate (SM3 8AB), which fill up by 10.30am on a sunny Saturday.
Bourne Hall gardens in Ewell wrap around the pond in the middle of the village. The attached museum is genuinely free with a small hands-on area for children under seven, and the pond has ducks, moorhens and often a pair of Egyptian geese to feed with a bag of pellets from the front desk. Free car park at KT17 1UF.
Free country parks and commons
If your children need to run further than a town park allows, the country parks and heathland commons are the answer. Some charge for parking, so check the notes.
Lightwater Country Park at GU18 5RG has heathland, a lake, a good adventure playground, a small visitor centre and a decent cafe (which is not free). Parking is pay-and-display run by Surrey Heath Borough Council, around £2.20 for two hours at last check. That is still cheap for a full morning out.
Chobham Common at Woking GU24 8TU is one of the largest lowland heaths in southern England and is completely free to walk, including free parking at the Staple Hill car park (Longcross, GU24 8TU). It is fenced from the road and the paths are wide enough for a running four-year-old. Good for children who like to spot lizards on sunny days.
Newlands Corner at GU4 8SE sits high on the North Downs above Guildford and is one of the best short walks in the county. The Silent Pool trail loops through beech woodland to a spring-fed pond and back in about 90 minutes. Parking is paid (Surrey County Council), around £4 for the day. Free before the barrier goes up (varies seasonally, often around 10am at weekends).
Wisley Common at Woking GU23 6QS is the free public heathland next door to RHS Wisley. Boardwalks over the boggy bits, a small pond, and a two-mile signposted family walk. Free lay-by parking off the A3 exit, but check the notices for length of stay.
Norbury Park between Leatherhead and Mickleham is a hidden pocket of woodland and downland with the Norbury Park viewpoint as the reward at the top. Free parking at Bocketts Farm Way car park (KT22 9BW).
Horsell Common at Woking GU21 4HQ is the H.G. Wells "War of the Worlds" landing site. Sand pits, a small lake, easy paths for a scooter or a balance bike. Free parking in the Sand Pit car park off Chertsey Road.
Epsom Common is 400 acres of ancient common land on the edge of Epsom with a network of paths, a large pond ("Great Pond") and clear waymarking. Free on-street parking around Christ Church Road.
Free lakes, rivers and outdoor water
Water is a good weekend draw. Under-fives are usually happy to watch ducks for 20 minutes; over-eights are usually up for a longer walk if there is a lake at the end.
Frensham Great Pond near Farnham (GU10 3BT) is a proper sandy beach in the middle of Surrey. The National Trust car park charges around £6 for the day (free for members). There is a paddling area, a snack kiosk, loos and a lifeguard in summer. Frensham Little Pond three miles up the road is smaller, quieter and often has fewer people.
Runnymede Pleasure Ground at Egham (TW20 0AE) sits on the Thames next to the meadow where Magna Carta was sealed. There is a free public playground, plenty of grass, and the river to skim stones into. National Trust car park charges apply next door, but there is a smaller council car park a short walk away.
Virginia Water Lake is a two-mile circuit walk with a totem pole, a cascade waterfall and a ruined Roman colonnade at various points along the way. Family-friendly on tarmac paths. Parking is now £13 for four hours at the Windsor Great Park car parks. The honest advice is to park in Virginia Water village (GU25 4EY) and walk in through the Blacknest gate to save money.
Goldsworth Park Lake in Woking (GU21 3RT) has a two-mile perimeter path, a pump track for bikes and scooters at the north end, and a good playground. Free parking at the shopping precinct if you use it as a hop-off.
Wey Navigation towpath from Godalming Wharf up to Guildford is a flat six-mile stretch of the National Trust's canal that you can do in bits, with a pushchair, or on bikes with a stabiliser-age child. The Farncombe Boat House hires rowing boats if you want to add a small paid element.
Free museums and rainy-day free options
Surrey has fewer free museums than London, but the ones it does have are properly free, and most run family activities on Saturdays.
Guildford Museum at Quarry Street (GU1 3SX) is free, run by the borough council, and has hands-on drawers, dressing-up costumes and a Lewis Carroll room (Guildford was his home in his later years). It is small, one hour is enough with under-tens, and it sits directly opposite Guildford Castle grounds which are also free.
Bourne Hall Museum in Ewell is free entry with parking outside, has an activity trail sheet available at the front desk and a small children's section on Ewell's history. Combine with a walk around the Bourne Hall pond.
Elmbridge Museum at Church Street, Esher (KT10 9SD) is free but small, worth 30 to 45 minutes if you are in Esher anyway. It is not a dedicated children's museum but the staff will happily point out the Bronze Age hoard drawer.
Haslemere Educational Museum at GU27 2LA is a Victorian natural history museum that has kept its cabinets and its charm. Free entry (donations welcomed), stuffed animals galore, a good weekend children's activity leaflet at the front desk, and it is on the high street so you can combine it with a bakery stop.
Surrey libraries (Guildford, Woking, Farnham, Leatherhead, Redhill, Epsom, Camberley, Staines and Weybridge) all run free Rhymetime sessions for babies and toddlers on Saturday mornings, and most have free craft or reading events on the second Saturday of the month. Check the Surrey Libraries website for your local branch. No booking, no cost, and useful when the weather is against you.
Free weekend events and clubs
Two things run every weekend in Surrey and cost nothing.
Junior parkrun is a free timed 2km run for children aged 4 to 14, every Sunday morning at 9am. Surrey venues include Nonsuch Park (Cheam), Frimley Lodge (Camberley), Bushy Park (Teddington) and Roundshaw Downs (Wallington). You register once for a free barcode and can use it forever, at any junior parkrun in the UK. Ideal for children who have run out of steam by 10am and need a purpose.
Adult parkrun is the same idea but 5km for age 4 and up, every Saturday at 9am. Surrey courses include Guildford (Stoke Park), Frimley Lodge, Bushy Park, Riddlesdown, Old Deer Park and Nonsuch. Buggies are welcome on most Surrey courses and there is no cut-off time.
Surrey Wildlife Trust runs occasional free family events at its nature reserves, mostly guided walks, mini-beast hunts and pond-dipping days. Check the Surrey Wildlife Trust events page for what is on this weekend at Tice's Meadow Nature Reserve in Aldershot or Farncombe Wood in Godalming.
Local farmers markets and community events are the other steady weekend draw. Farnham Farmers Market runs on the fourth Sunday of the month at the Central Car Park. Guildford Farmers Market is the first Tuesday, and Woking Market is Fridays and Saturdays. All are free to browse and cheap to eat.
How to pick where to go
The right free day out depends less on the venue and more on what your child needs to burn off. A pre-schooler needs a playground with a fence and a bench next to it. A nine-year-old with a scooter needs a paved path at least a mile long. A teenager needs a proper walk with a view at the end.
For under-fives with a pushchair, town parks with tarmac paths win: Stoke Park, Priory Park, Farnham Park, Bourne Hall. For scooter-age (4 to 7), commons with wide, flat paths: Chobham Common, Wisley Common, the Wey towpath at Godalming, Runnymede Pleasure Ground. For eight-plus who want a proper outing, hills with a payoff: Newlands Corner (Silent Pool loop), Norbury Park viewpoint, Frensham Great Pond circuit. For rainy Sundays, free museums or library Rhymetime.
Practical tips
Arrive before 10.30. Free car parks at Nonsuch, Farnham Park, Priory Park and Stoke Park fill up on sunny Saturdays.
Bring a flask. The single biggest way to keep a free day free is your own drinks and snacks. Every venue above has a cafe that will separate you from £15 in ten minutes.
Layer up. Surrey heathland (Chobham, Frensham, Wisley) is exposed and windy. Wellies are usually a better call than trainers.
Loos. Stoke Park, Priory Park, Farnham Park, Nonsuch and Runnymede all have public toilets year-round. Chobham Common, Newlands Corner and Wisley Common do not, so plan the stop before the walk starts.
Accessibility. Priory Park, Stoke Park and Farnham Park have step-free paths throughout. Nonsuch has step-free tarmac loops. Newlands Corner has a level accessible trail from the car park to the viewpoint. Frensham Great Pond has firm paths to the beach but the beach itself is sand and difficult with a wheelchair.
Frequently asked questions
What can I do in Surrey with children this weekend for free?
The most reliably free options are town parks (Stoke Park GU1 1EP, Priory Park RH2 7RL, Farnham Park GU9 0AU, Nonsuch Park SM3 8AB), free museums (Guildford Museum GU1 3SX, Bourne Hall Museum KT17 1UF, Haslemere Educational Museum GU27 2LA), Chobham Common at Longcross, and junior parkrun on Sunday mornings at 9am. All are genuinely free of charge and open on weekends without booking.
Which Surrey country parks have free parking?
Free parking is available at Chobham Common (Staple Hill car park, Longcross), Wisley Common (A3 lay-by), Farnham Park (Folly Hill car park), Nonsuch Park (Cheam Gate and Ewell Gate), Priory Park (on-street around Bell Street) and Stoke Park (Nightingale Road on-street). National Trust sites (Box Hill, Runnymede, Frensham Great Pond) charge non-members. Windsor Great Park charges up to £13 for four hours.
Where can I take a toddler on Saturday morning in Surrey for free?
For a Saturday morning with a toddler, the best free options are Rhymetime at your nearest Surrey library (Guildford, Farnham, Leatherhead, Redhill and Woking libraries all run sessions), Stoke Park playground in Guildford, Priory Park playground in Reigate, and Bourne Hall gardens in Ewell for feeding ducks. All are free, buggy-friendly and have loos on site.
Are there any free museums in Surrey suitable for children?
Yes. Guildford Museum (GU1 3SX), Bourne Hall Museum in Ewell (KT17 1UF), Elmbridge Museum in Esher (KT10 9SD) and Haslemere Educational Museum (GU27 2LA) are all free entry with hands-on elements or activity sheets for children. Rural Life Living Museum in Tilford is not free (adult tickets around £11 at last check) despite the name.
Where can I go for a free walk with children in Surrey?
The best free walks with children are Chobham Common (heathland, easy paths, free parking), Wisley Common (boardwalks, two-mile family loop), the Wey Navigation towpath from Godalming to Guildford (flat, buggy-friendly), Norbury Park (short walk to the viewpoint) and Newlands Corner (the Silent Pool loop, paid parking). All are suitable for children from about age 3 upwards.
Is junior parkrun really free and how do I sign my child up?
Junior parkrun is completely free. Register once at parkrun.org.uk for a free barcode which arrives by email as a printable PDF. Bring the printed barcode to any junior parkrun on Sunday morning at 9am (age 4 to 14, 2km course). Surrey venues include Nonsuch Park in Cheam, Frimley Lodge in Camberley, Bushy Park in Teddington and Roundshaw Downs in Wallington. No booking each week, no cost, ever.
Which Surrey playgrounds are free and best for under-fives?
The best free under-five playgrounds in Surrey are Stoke Park in Guildford (fenced, small-scale equipment, paddling pool in summer), Priory Park in Reigate (buggy-friendly gates, sandpit area), Farnham Park St James' Avenue play area (small and enclosed), and Nonsuch Park playground at Cheam Gate (fenced, close to the car park). All have benches and are near loos.
What can we do this weekend if it rains and we do not want to spend money?
Free rainy-day options in Surrey are the free museums (Guildford, Bourne Hall in Ewell, Haslemere Educational Museum), library Rhymetime and craft sessions (all Surrey borough libraries), the covered market at Guildford (Fridays and Saturdays), and the free indoor gallery at Watts Contemporary Gallery in Compton (donations welcomed). Wet-weather playgrounds are hard to come by for free (most soft play is paid), so a museum plus a library visit is usually the plan.
Where can we feed ducks in Surrey for free?
The best free duck-feeding spots in Surrey are Bourne Hall pond in Ewell (KT17 1UF, plenty of birds, front-desk pellets), Priory Park pond in Reigate (RH2 7RL, ducks and moorhens), Frensham Little Pond (GU10 3BS, quieter than the Great Pond), Stoke Park stream in Guildford and Goldsworth Park Lake in Woking. Use plain oats or duck pellets, not bread.
Is Virginia Water Lake still worth visiting given the parking cost?
Virginia Water is one of the most beautiful walks in the county but the £13 four-hour car park charge at Windsor Great Park is genuinely off-putting. The workaround most local parents use is to park in Virginia Water village (GU25 4EY) on residential streets and walk in through the Blacknest gate off Blacknest Road, which saves the parking fee entirely. The walk itself is completely free.
More from the outdoor days in Surrey guide
Find more activities in Surrey
For the full county-wide picture, browse the outdoor and country parks category on KidzRGoGo. If you are looking specifically in a town, the Guildford, Woking, Farnham, Reigate and Epsom pages list every current listing in that area, free and paid.