Center Parcs For Adults – The Ultimate Couples Holiday

Center Parcs is marketed as the perfect family holiday. Their tagline on search engines is ‘family and short breaks in the UK’. Click on their website and you’re greeted with images of families having fun and an invitation to ‘discover family togetherness’. So is Center Parcs just for families? Well the short answer is no, absolutely not! Here’s why Center Parcs is just as good for couples.

We’ve been to Center Parcs for a holiday for the last two years now and we’ve loved it. We don’t have children and don’t plan on having them so I think that puts us in a good position for explaining why Center Parcs isn’t just for people with kids. When we returned from our last holiday it really struck me that Center Parcs are missing a trick when it comes to attracting more couples to stay at their parks.

Couples holidays are big news. From honeymoons, minimoons, babymoons and romantic weekend getaways. More and more people are choosing to either not have children at all or having children a little later on in life. That means holidays for couples are very popular. There are a lot of people looking for that perfect, relaxing and romantic getaway where they can spend quality time with their partner. While Center Parcs do advertise romantic weekend getaways their main demographic is families so it’s clear to see why all their advertising is geared towards that particular group. But if you’re a couple looking for a relaxing holiday, don’t let that put you off. Here’s why Center Parcs is good for adults.

Can you go to Center Parcs without kids?

You absolutely can get to Center Parcs without kids and you definitely should! As I’ve mentioned my husband and I have been on a Center Parcs holiday for the last two years and we absolutely love it. There’s an abundance of reasons why Center Parcs is a great choice for a couples holiday so let’s take a look at a few.

Activities

Center Parcs offers a huge range of activities for all ages. It’s worth keeping in mind throughout all of this though that Center Parcs is a popular family destination, if you’re a couple looking to avoid kids altogether then this is not the place to go. With that in mind you will probably find children at most of the activities and while there are some things that are just for children there are other things that adults can enjoy or are a little bit more adult orientated. Here are the best adult activities at Center Parcs:

• Adventure golf
• Aerial adventure
• Aerial tree trekking
• American pool
• Archery (crossbows, field, target practice and adventure options all available)
• Badminton
• Bollywood dancing
• Boogie bounce
• Cupcake decorating
• Double kayak hire
• Electric boats
• Fencing
• Geocache
• Laser clay shoot out
• Laser combat
• Line dancing
• Paintball
• Pedalo hire
• Pilates
• Pool
• Pottery painting
• Quad bike safari
• Racketball
• Rowing boat hire
• Segway experience
• Snooker
• Squash
• Paddleboard tuition
• Table tennis
• Ten pin bowling (45 minutes and 60 minutes)
• Tennis
• The Big Family Quiz (speed quizzing)
• Yoga
• Zumba

So as you can see there really isn’t a shortage of activities for adults! These are just the ones that are available at all Center Parcs locations too (there are currently five locations in the UK). There are some other adult activities that I haven’t included that are exclusive to just one or two of the locations so it’s always worth checking out what is on offer at the park you’re planning on visiting.

Aqua Sana Spa

Perhaps the best adult activity on offer at Center Parcs is a trip to the Aqua Sana spa. It is worth pointing out the children aged fourteen and above can visit the spa if accompanied by an adult but it’s unlikely that you’re going to see any children on your visit. A visit to the spa is definitely a more adult activity! Aqua Sana offers a range of treatments but you can also just book a three hour spa access slot which always you into the pool and all the experience rooms.

I cannot recommend a visit to Aqua Sana enough. Three whole hours of relaxation! What more could you want? The experience rooms are really nice and the outdoor hot tubs are great. We visited in January and it was really nice to be in the warm hot tubs looking up at the stars. Perfection.

In my experience the spa tends to get a little quieter as evening approaches. Our spa slot was 3pm-6pm and we definitely noticed a drop off in the number of people around 4.30-5. It’s definitely something to consider if you’re looking at adding Aqua Sana to your break.

It’s around £60 for three hours spa access and treatments each have their own separate price and are around average for spa. While it’s certainly not the cheapest activity, it’s one I highly recommend and would do again. I am of the firm opinion that a trip to the spa is the absolute perfect activity for a romantic couples holiday.

Nature Walks

Being located in the middle of a forest means there’s plenty of opportunity for walking. Given that cars have to stay in the car park too means you can fully immerse yourself in nature. Each Center Parcs location has wonderful walks and an abundance of nature to spot. For example, Whinfell Forest is the only location where you’ll find endangered red squirrels, Sherwood Forest has over 400 acres of forest to explore, Longleat Forest has Giant Redwoods (some of the tallest trees in Europe), at Elveden Forest there’s a chance to spot Muntjac deer, and at Woburn Forest you’ll be greeted by hedgehogs and even lizards!

It really is worth taking some time to explore the forest you’re in and appreciate all the natural beauty around you. If walking isn’t for you then you can hire bikes or even take your own to Center Parcs and explore that way.

Time in the Lodge

There are various types of accommodation available to all Center Parcs locations but lodges (of various sizes) are by far the most popular type of accommodation so just for ease we’ll go with lodges when referring to accommodation.

Now normally I am very much a “as long as it’s clean it’s just a place to sleep and shower” type of person when it comes to holidays and mini breaks. More often than not when travelling around the UK, my husband and I will just stay in a Travelodge or Premier Inn. It’s just a room and I like to be out and about doing things when I’m on holiday. However for me, it’s a little bit different at Center Parcs. Now I’m not suggesting you spend all your holiday sat in your lodge because there’s so much to see and do at Center Parcs it would just be a complete waste. With that being said though, a little bit of downtime in the lodge is absolutely wonderful.

The lodges are really cosy and the perfect place to come back to after a busy day. They’re all completely self catering so you can take your own food and drink if you want to (as a side note I do recommend taking some food and drink as it can get a little pricey eating and drinking out all the time). We’ve only ever visited in winter but it’s honestly the best coming back to the lodge and lighting the fire, opening a bottle of wine and watching a movie or series with your PJ’s on (you can plug in Firesticks, Now TV sticks, and laptops into the TV so I highly recommend taking one of these).

If you’re wanting a bit more of a chilled evening in your lodge then you can collect food from most of the restaurants on site or there is a takeaway service (this only serves Chinese food and pizzas). I recommend taking your own drinks with you if you’re planning on having a night like this to avoid the mark-up at the supermarket on site. We did this one evening though it was one of my favourite evenings. We went swimming for a couple of hours and then came back, lit the fire, pjs on and ordered a takeaway while watching a movie. It was honestly perfect.

Rest, Relaxation and Quality Time Together

There are three important things to consider when booking a couples holiday. Rest, relaxation and quality time together. Getting away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and just enjoying each others company is what it’s all about. Center Parcs is the absolute perfect place for that. From cosy evenings in your lodge, to dinner dates, romantic walks in nature and supporting each other in new activities. I honestly think Center Parcs is one of the best places for a romantic getaway. We always finish the holiday feeling super relaxed, fully rested and like we’ve made some great memories together.

There are very few places where you can truly switch off but Center Parcs is one of those rare, magical places. There’s just something about waking up surrounded by trees and nature that’s good for the soul. That peace and relaxation is what’s going to help you to spend lots of time together, when there’s no other distractions.

Is Center Parcs Just For Families?

I think it’s pretty clear by now that Center Parcs isn’t just for families. However, as I’ve briefly mentioned it is a popular family destination so if you’re a couple looking to avoid kids altogether then this is not the place to go. Obviously there will be times when there are more children there, the school holidays for example, but this isn’t a place where you’re going to avoid kids altogether.

I did think it was worth giving a little bit of background information on our thoughts and feelings being on a couples holiday while there are families and plenty of children around. As I’ve mentioned my husband and I don’t have children, we have no plans for children in the future so naturally we’re not big on being surrounded by kids on holiday. Both times we’ve been to Center Parcs though have been busy times for children (due to my job I’m tied to the school holidays) and it really hasn’t been an issue for us at all.

As long as you go with an understanding that it is a family destination and there will be children there, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy Center Parcs as a couple. I think I made that clear with all the positive points above!

Subtropical Swimming Paradise

One of the busiest activities at Center Parcs will always be swimming. However it’s our absolute favourite thing to do and we can easily spend most of the day there dipping in at out of the pool and sat around reading. It does get busy though and if you’re looking to get yourself set up for the day there then you really need to be there for opening. Check-in and check-out days (so typically Monday and Friday) are always the busiest as new arrivals can enter the parks from 10am while those checking out don’t have to leave until midnight so there’s always a big cross-over of guests.

If you’re looking for a quieter time and one with less children then evening swimming is your best bet. You tend to see a drop off in people around 6pm when families will be leaving to have food or settle in their lodges for the evening. The biggest drop off comes at around 7pm though as the slides close at that time so more people filter out. The pool doesn’t shut until 9pm though so you still have a good few hours to relax and enjoy an evening swim. Which I do highly recommend you do as there’s something even better about the Subtropical Swimming Paradise at night.

Restaurants

There are plenty of places to eat at Center Parcs with big names like Bella Italia and Café Rouge, an Indian, an American bar, the Sports Café and much more. Again though, throughout the day you will find families and children there. If you’re looking for a slightly quieter meal you better off booking later in the evening as there won’t be as many children eating.

It is well worth booking a few meals out if you can though and I highly recommend the Indian restaurant (one of the best Indian meals I’ve eaten). Also no trip to Center Parcs is complete without a visit to the Pancake House so this should be at the top of your list of things to do! The Sports Cafe is a great place for a more relaxed vibe and the cocktails are seriously good!

Is There An Adults Only Center Parcs?

Unfortunately there isn’t an adults only Center Parcs as of yet. Given the huge family appeal and the fact that Center Parcs focuses heavily on families when it comes to their marketing I highly doubt there’ll ever be an adults only park either.

Another question that pops up regularly is the idea of an adults only area. Again there’s isn’t an adults only area at Center Parcs but as I hope I’ve shown you throughout this post there are lots of activities for adults to enjoy and activities that have fewer children present.

Next time you’re looking for a couples holiday I highly recommend checking out Center Parcs for a fun, relaxing break that can be romantic too.

Have you ever been to Center Parcs? Would you consider going there for a couples holiday? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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