Jersey Zoo, Castles and Beaches for Families

October 31, 2026

Families visiting St Helier can mix sand, sea and a few good indoor sights. Everything below is priced in Jersey pounds, matching sterling, and most of the heritage venues let under-6s in free. The tide on this coast is among the largest anywhere, and it floods rock pools, caves and some beaches quickly, so look at tide times first and keep children within reach.

Beaches and the seawater pool

Havre des Pas pool. This Victorian seawater pool is sheltered from the open sea. Entry has been free, and it is worth checking the terms, since a new operator took over on 1 April 2026. Lifeguards are there in season only, so a grown-up has to watch the children. The beach and rock pools next to it are tidal.

St Brelade’s Bay. The sand is soft and the slope is gentle. Lifeguards patrol from late May to September, and you can hire pedalos, paddleboards and kayaks.

Plemont Bay. On the north-west coast, with rock pools, a waterfall that runs over the beach and big sea caves at low tide. At high tide the bay disappears under the sea, so arrive on a falling tide.

Indoors in town

Maritime Museum. On New North Quay, with displays children can touch and operate: ropes to pull, wave tanks, small boats to steer, and a wind and storm chamber. Tickets are £10.25 for children and students, £15.45 for adults and £46.45 for a family, and under-6s are free. Opening hours are 10:00 to 17:00 until 31 October and 10:00 to 16:00 from 1 November. The Jersey Heritage site has more.

Further out

Jersey Zoo. Gerald Durrell’s conservation zoo in Trinity has more than 130 species in its 32 acres. Families look for the gorillas, orangutans, Andean bears, the fruit bat tunnel, the Jewel of the Forest aviary and the meerkats in Discovery Desert. Take LibertyBus route 3, 13 or 23. On-the-day prices are £21.00 for adults, £18.90 for concessions, £10.50 for ages 3 to 10 and £16.80 for ages 11 to 16, and children under 3 are free. Booking ahead online saves around 10%. Check durrell.org before you go.

Elizabeth Castle by amphibious ferry. The vehicle rolls down the slipway at Westpark Slip into the water and crosses St Aubin’s Bay, a highlight for young children. It runs at any tide, while the walking causeway opens only at low tide. The 2026 season ends on 1 November. With the return ferry, tickets are £16.45 for children and students, £24.50 for adults and £75.95 for a family. Without the ferry they are £11.45, £19.50 and £55.95. Under-6s are free. For causeway times, use the access calculator on ports.je .

A sensitive wartime site

The Jersey War Tunnels in St Lawrence are a serious historical site, excavated by slave labour under German occupation. Sirens, dark passages and distressing accounts mean parents need to decide whether it suits their children. It is not an attraction in the playful sense. Under-7s are free, and all children must be with an adult. See jerseywartunnels.com .

For more ideas, search Viator family activities in St Helier .