Essex


<p>Here&#8217;s the best Essex experiences for Father&#8217;s Day, from planes, boats and monster trucks to beer-brewing, axe throwing and gun shooting.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nuclear-wild-forest-sun-21-jun"><a href="https://nuclearessex.com/offer/dads-goes-free-on-fathers-day/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nuclear Wild Forest</a>, Sun 21 Jun</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2026/06/wild-forest-copy.jpg" alt="Nuclear Wild Forest" class="wp-image-28807" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2026/06/wild-forest-copy.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2026/06/wild-forest-copy-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2026/06/wild-forest-copy-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Dads get to go free this Father&#8217;s Day is Brentwood&#8217;s <a href="https://nuclearessex.com/nuclear-wild-forest/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nuclear Wild Forest</a>, an outdoor obstacle and activity centre for all ages and abilities. But it&#8217;s more than an obstacle course: axe and knife throwing can be thrown in, too. As long as dads are accompanied by a full paying adult or child they don&#8217;t have to pay a penny, before he does his very best to show off his strength (because they&#8217;re all competitive, no matter what they say). </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bishop-nick-brew-day-experience-dates-vary"><a href="https://bishopnick.com/pages/brew-day-experience-gift-voucher" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bishop Nick Brew Day Experience</a>, dates vary</h2>



<p>Braintree brewery <a href="https://bishopnick.com/pages/brew-day-experience-gift-voucher" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bishop Nick has this experience</a> on offer for £100pp (7am-2.30pm). For that you get mashing in (grains, not spuds), breakfast and all the other digging, boiling, adding and separating that comes with making a brew (beer, not tea). Lunch and samples are included, and he&#8217;ll also take home a branded t-shirt and pint glass plus 5 litre mini-cask of their very own beer. How long that 5 litre&#8217;ll last is anyone&#8217;s guess. Burp.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crouch-ridge-estate-grand-tour-amp-tasting-sun-21-jun"><a href="https://crouchridge.com/tours/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Crouch Ridge Estate Grand Tour &amp; Tasting</a>, Sun 21 Jun</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/05/Untitled-design-6-1000x667.jpg" alt="Crouch Ridge Estate Grand Tour &amp; Tasting" class="wp-image-22483" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/05/Untitled-design-6-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/05/Untitled-design-6-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/05/Untitled-design-6-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2025/05/Untitled-design-6.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Wine more of dad&#8217;s thing? Kicking off with a guided walk around the Althorne-based vineyard you&#8217;ll learn about the growing season of vines and wine making process. It then continues with, you guessed it, sampling that oh-so-fine wine. Enjoy a tutored wine tasting session of three Crouch Ridge varieties in the Wine Barn or Terrace, and you can also enjoy a cheese board or afternoon tea for an additional charge. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-simply-curries-ann-s-smart-school-of-cookery-sun-21-jun"><a href="https://smartschool.angelfishbooking.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Simply Curries</a>, Ann&#8217;s Smart School of Cookery, Sun 21 Jun</h2>



<p>If dad&#8217;s a budding chef (or needs some encouragement in the kitchen) he might enjoy learning how to cook the perfect curry at <a href="https://www.annsmartschool.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ann&#8217;s Smart School of Cookery </a>in Chelmsford. He&#8217;ll be able to perfect a Thai green curry, Japanese chicken katsu curry, Sri Lankan Chickpea curry, and get the basmati and sticky rices spot on. Spanish Tapas is also on later the same day. Or <a href="https://annsmartschool.giftpro.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vouchers </a>are available if the date doesn&#8217;t work –&nbsp;maybe he&#8217;ll prefer artisan bread making or a Caribbean feast (we wouldn&#8217;t say no to Chicken Jerk and spiced pineapple!).</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-visit-the-vulcan-sun-21-jun"><a href="https://avrovulcan.com/visit/visit-the-vulcan-days" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Visit the Vulcan</a>, Sun 21 Jun</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2026/06/Vulcan.jpg" alt="Vulcan XL426 at Southend Airport" class="wp-image-28810" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2026/06/Vulcan.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2026/06/Vulcan-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2026/06/Vulcan-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>We said there&#8217;d be planes – just this one&#8217;s firmly on Southend Airport&#8217;s ground. Another of our Essex experiences for Father&#8217;s Day is a close-up look at <a href="https://avrovulcan.com/visit/visit-the-vulcan-days" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vulcan XL426 in its hangar</a>. And, for an additional fee, he can even climb inside for a guided tour (you know he&#8217;ll want to). There&#8217;s also examples of the weapons carried by the Vulcan during its time with the RAF, including the type of 1,000lb bomb it dropped during the 1982 Falklands Conflict. There&#8217;s even plenty of refreshments and lots of souvenirs to buy.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cliffs-pavilion-gift-vouchers"><a href="https://trafalgartickets.com/cliffs-pavilion-southend/en-GB/gift-vouchers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cliffs Pavilion Gift Vouchers</a></h2>



<p>Next on our Essex experiences for Father&#8217;s Day are <a href="https://trafalgartickets.com/cliffs-pavilion-southend/en-GB/gift-vouchers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vouchers for Southend&#8217;s Cliffs</a> so dad can choose exactly what he wants. It&#8217;s a cracker of a theatre with top comedians regularly performing (Jimmy Carr and Richard Ayoade are coming up). There&#8217;s also dance, music, family shows and plays – you name it, they&#8217;ve got it. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-essex-outdoors-sailing-experience-day-dates-vary"><a href="https://www.essexoutdoors.com/experience-days-on-the-water" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Essex Outdoors Sailing Experience Day</a>, dates vary</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2026/06/sailing-powerboats5.jpg" alt="Sailing day at Essex OUtdoors" class="wp-image-28813" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2026/06/sailing-powerboats5.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2026/06/sailing-powerboats5-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2026/06/sailing-powerboats5-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p><a href="https://www.essexoutdoors.com/experience-days-on-the-water" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Essex Outdoors</a> on the River Blackwater&#8217;s another experience he&#8217;ll remember. Sailing days could see him giving it a whirl himself, or simply kick back and enjoy those panoramic estuary views. Depart from either the Marina at Bradwell Waterside, or the Waterfront at West Mersea. You can discuss options to cruise into either West Mersea Waterfront or Maldon Quay to explore, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, or moor up and devour a picnic. They can provide crabbing lines and bait, or you may be able to explore secret beaches in the afternoon, tides permitting. For groups of up to 7 people, minimum age of 7 years.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-essex-amp-herts-shooting-school-dates-vary"><a href="https://essexandhertsshootingschool.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Essex &amp; Herts Shooting School</a>, dates vary</h2>



<p>Don&#8217;t panic: it&#8217;s only clays. Bishops Stortford&#8217;s <a href="https://essexandhertsshootingschool.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Essex &amp; Herts Shooting School </a>is suitable for all abilities, so there&#8217;s no need to sweat if he&#8217;s never given it a go before. They&#8217;ll even provide everything he needs, from shotguns, cartridges and clays, to an instructor, safety equipment and insurance. Or if he reckons he&#8217;s already a dab hand remind him there&#8217;s always room for improvement, booking a <a href="https://essexandhertsshootingschool.co.uk/shooting-lessons/master-class/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sporting, Skeet or Trap Shooting Master Class</a> to up his game.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-festival-of-wheels-sat-1-sun-2-aug"><a href="https://www.motorshowevents.com/motor-fest-car-show-essex/https://www.motorshowevents.com/festival-of-wheels-car-show-ipswich-suffolk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Festival of Wheels</a>, Sat 1 &#8211; Sun 2 Aug</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2026/06/fow-bigpete-768x480-1.jpg" alt="Monster Truck show at Festival of Wheels" class="wp-image-28806" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2026/06/fow-bigpete-768x480-1.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2026/06/fow-bigpete-768x480-1-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/essex/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2026/06/fow-bigpete-768x480-1-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>If Chelmsford&#8217;s <a href="https://www.motorshowevents.com/motor-fest-car-show-essex/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Father&#8217;s Day Motorfest</a> was a tradition for your family, tickets to <a href="https://www.motorshowevents.com/festival-of-wheels-car-show-ipswich-suffolk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Festival of Wheels</a> might be the gift to buy this year. The bad news; Motorfest is no longer on Father&#8217;s Day weekend, or at its Essex location. The good news? It has teamed up with Festival of Wheels for an even bigger, bolder experience in one massive weekend at Trinity Park, Ipswich (and well worth the drive). There&#8217;s camping available, from Fri &#8211; Mon, monster truck experiences and performances, stunt teams, dancing cars, show vehicles, plus wrestling and a big top circus. For the kids – an inflatable village, circus skills, and some very life like dinos (there&#8217;s actually too much to list here!).</p>



<p></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-the-mood-for-more">In the mood for more?</h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://essex.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat-out/pubs-inns/best-pub-gardens-essex/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The best Essex beer gardens near you</a></li>



<li><a href="https://essex.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/walks-near-me/best-winter-walks-in-essex/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Off you stroll! Walks in Essex with pub-lunch pitstops</a></li>



<li><a href="https://essex.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/this-month/joyful-june-20-essex-things-to-see-and-do/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">It’s hotting up! What’s on in Essex this June?</a></li>
</ul>


Daddy cool! 9 Essex experiences for Father’s Day

You may also like