CW Aquariums

CW Aquariums sits just outside Christchurch in Hampshire, and it's the sort of place that works best on a drizzly afternoon when you need the kids occupied for a couple of hours. You're looking at freshwater tanks mostly - tropical fish, aquatic plants, that sort of thing. It's modest compared to the big branded aquariums, but there's something honest about that. The tanks are well-maintained and you can actually see the fish rather than squinting through crowds.

Families with younger children will get more from it than teenagers, frankly. If your kids are into fish at all, they'll spend a reasonable amount of time here. Allow 90 minutes maximum - you can rush through in 45 if you're not interested. There's educational value in the labelling, so it works if you're trying to teach them something about freshwater ecosystems.

The real advantage is proximity to your caravan park. Hoburne Park is practically next door at half a mile away, and both Sandhills and Hoburne Naish are within a mile. If you're based at any of these parks and the weather turns, it's an easy jaunt without much driving. Worth checking their current opening hours and admission fees before you go - details weren't readily available - but as a backup rainy-day activity rather than a main event, it serves a purpose. The New Forest is only a few miles north if you fancy combining it with woodland walks.