15 best activities to do this summer

Long days and warmer water make summer the best time to try something new outdoors. Here are 15 of our favourite summer activities for families and friends, with places to book all over the UK.

1. Slip and slide

Nothing says summer holidays like a giant slip and slide. Giant Slip & Slide Cornwall, between Newquay and Wadebridge, has seven lanes plus a water pistol battle park, and non-sliders can come and watch. In Dorset, Mega Slip and Slide near Wimborne has a 426.5ft slide with single and double rings.

For more places to slide, see our round-ups of the best slip and slides in Cornwall and in Devon, Dorset and Somerset.

2. Stand-up paddleboarding

Paddleboarding is easy to learn and brilliant on a warm day. Paddle Richmond runs small-group two-hour lessons on the Thames in south-west London, for complete beginners and improvers alike. On the Llŷn Peninsula, Discover Llyn hires paddleboards by the day for family fun in the shallows, a sunrise paddle or a spot of dolphin watching.

3. Kayaking

A kayak gets you into quiet bays and creeks that are hard to reach on foot. Ullswater Paddleboarding leads tutored trips in two-person sea kayaks or canoes around the lake's hidden bays and islands, where you might spot herons, buzzards or even a kingfisher. On the Essex coast, Mersea Island Watersports runs two-hour guided kayak adventures through the island's creeks and coves.

4. Surfing

Warmer seas make summer a great time for your first surf lesson. Big Green Adventures at Crantock in Cornwall teaches small groups of up to six, for ages 8 and up, with wetsuits and boards included. In North Yorkshire, Saltburn Surf School starts with dryland coaching before a full 90 minutes in the sea, with all equipment provided.

Photo: Big Green Adventures

5. Coasteering

Coasteering is made for summer seas: you swim, scramble and jump your way along the coast with a guide. Anglesey Adventures runs its most popular coasteering trips for ages 8 and up. In Northumberland, Fearless Adventure heads out along the rugged coast at Howick, with trips for all ability levels.

6. White water rafting and tubing

Cardiff International White Water lets you steer your own mini raft down its Olympic-standard rapids, for ages 14 and up. On certain days the pumps are turned down for family white water tubing, so children from 10 can join in too.

7. Sailing

A summer sailing course gives you a skill for life. HYDRO Abersoch runs the two-day RYA Start Sailing Level 1 course for adults and children, mostly out on the water. In Liverpool, Liverpool Watersports Centre offers a one-hour sailing taster at Queens Dock, or the longer RYA Start Sailing Adults course.

8. Windsurfing

Windsurfing combines sailing and surfing, and flat water is the best place to start. Roadford Lake Activity Centre in Devon runs RYA Windsurfing Stage 1 courses and hires beginner windsurf kit with a large, stable board. In south-west Scotland, Stranraer Water Sports Association offers family windsurfing tasters for ages 8 and up, with wetsuits, buoyancy aids and helmets provided.

9. Powerboating

If you'd rather have an engine than a sail, an RYA powerboat course is fun and genuinely useful. HYDRO Abersoch runs the two-day Powerboat Level 2 course along the Abersoch coast, plus a Level 1 course for children aged 8 and up. In Kent, Oyster Coast Watersports teaches Powerboat Level 2 in Whitstable.

10. High ropes

Wimbleball Lake Activity Centre in Somerset runs Have a Go High Ropes sessions with an aerial course, an obstacle ladder and a leap of faith, for ages 8 and up. It's a great challenge for families and groups of friends.

11. Woodland laser tag

Laser tag gives you the thrill of paintball without the pain. The Outdoor Ed School runs 90-minute woodland games at Alice Holt in Hampshire and at Wendover Woods in Buckinghamshire, for ages 8 and up. In Newquay, Cornwall Laser Tag has one-hour sessions that work well for birthday parties.

12. Boat trips and wildlife watching

Forth Sea Safaris runs two-hour wildlife watching trips from Burntisland on a 12-metre catamaran, with a chance of seeing whales, plus a Three Bridges and Three Islands trip out to the Forth bridges. On the Isle of Arran, the COAST Discovery Centre runs Seabed Explorer trips into the South Arran Marine Protected Area, using technology to show you the seabed without getting wet.

13. Lake and sea swimming

Summer is the kindest time for a wild swim. Llandegfedd Activity Centre near Pontypool has fully lifeguarded open water swims on its lake, a good place for a first go. In Plymouth, Ace Swimming runs guided sea swim groups for people with some sea or cold-water swimming experience.

Photo: Ace Swimming

14. SUP yoga

Yoga on a paddleboard is a calm way to spend a summer evening and a good test of balance. SUP Stratford hosts SUP yoga on the River Avon in Stratford-upon-Avon. Paddleboard Maidenhead runs SUP Yoga at Sunset on the Thames, finishing with a relaxation as you float back downstream; you'll need to have paddleboarded at least once.

15. Cycling and e-bikes

Explore reservoirs, valleys and trails by bike. Elan Valley Visitor Centre in mid Wales hires adult bikes for the Elan Valley Trail and mountain bike routes, plus e-bikes for over-18s. Llyn Brenig in north Wales hires bikes and e-bikes for the trails around Brenig and Alwen.

Tips for summer days out

• Plan ahead for school holidays, when popular weekend sessions can book up.
• Watch the weather and tides. Sea activities depend on conditions, and providers may move a session if it isn't safe.
• Pack sun cream, water, a towel and a warm layer. UK seas can feel chilly even in August.
• Check age limits. Many water activities start at 8 or 10, so read the product page before booking for children.

Looking for more? Find activities near you on eola. You might also like the best family activities in Cornwall, 10 awesome outdoor activities to try this year and the best spots for white water rafting in the UK.

-

Run outdoor activities? eola's booking system helps instructors and activity centres share their passion with more people and spend less time on admin. Find out more about eola for business or request a demo.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn for more ideas and new places to try.

Find your next adventure on eola

Browse hundreds of activities across the UK, from paddleboarding and surf lessons to dry slope skiing, and book online in minutes on the eola marketplace.