Family days out in Essex
Old MacDonald's Farm - the perfect family day out in Essex!
Finding a family day out in Essex that will keep the kids entertained for hours isn’t easy! But if that’s what you’re looking for, then you’ve come to the right place. At Old MacDonald's farm we have something for the whole family. From events throughout the year, to rides that are included in the cost of admission, to animals that you don’t see everyday like highlands cows and alpacas.
We’re a Trip Advisor Travellers’ Choice Award winner for 2026 and we’ve been voted the #1 thing to do in Brentwood and we’re open seven days a week, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Book your family day out at our Essex farm online
You can book your tickets online before visiting our farm.
Here’s what you can find at Old MacDonald's Farm
Rides & attractions
Every one of our amazing rides is free to ride as many times as your kids can handle! As they’re included in the price of your day tickets, there’s no hidden costs when you visit our farm. We have 16 fantastic rides, including:
The thrilling crazy barn ride
Happy horses adventure ride
Doggy dog roller coaster
Merry-go-round
Gigantic snake slide
Farm themed train ride
And more!
A full list of rides available at Old MacDonald's Farm can be found here.
Kids’ birthday parties
Celebrate your child’s birthday in style and book our Essex birthday party venue! For only £26.99 per child you can hire our farm themed party room with a party meal, ice cream and access to all of our rides, soft play, and adventure areas included! You can bring one free adult for each child joining.
Bookings for kid’s parties at our Essex birthday party venue can be made here.
Indoor soft play
Take the enjoyment up a notch in our indoor soft play area. Included within the price of your day ticket and the perfect place for the little ones to run around and tucker themselves out! Our soft play area is free of charge and is included in the cost of your admission.
Come and meet our animals!
The most fun you can have here at Old MacDonald's Farm is meeting the many animals we have living with us! Alongside the classic farm animals, you can also experience amazing animals that we bet you don’t see often! Here are just some of the animals you can meet:
Shetland ponies
Meerkats
Highland cows
Alpacas
Llamas
Cows
Donkeys
Goats
Chickens
And so much more!
See the full list of animals at our farm here.
Join us for our popular events!
Alongside spending time with our animals and enjoying the rides at our farm, you can also join us for our family friendly (and fun!) events. With plenty of choice throughout the year, including events at Easter, during school holidays, Halloween and Christmas - you’ll have a hard time finding a more fun family day out in Essex.
Upcoming events at Old MacDonald's farm in Essex:
Gabby & Cakey visit Old MacDonald's Farm on the 5th September 2026.
Celebrate nan & grandad at our Essex farm on the 5th October 2026. Grandparents get a free cup of tea included in the entry ticket!
Come and see Bluey & Bingo during storytime sessions in our events area at intervals throughout the day on the 10th October 2026.
Enjoy the spooky season at our farm between 24th October and 1st November 2026. Pumpkin picking, magic shows and plenty of spooky fun to be had at our Essex Halloween festival!
A Christmas Journey at Old MacDonald's Farm
Celebrate the most magical time of the year at our very own Christmas event in Essex! We have a roaming Santa at our farm every day, massive polar bears, singing princesses and as much fun as the family can handle.
Farm Cafe
Having tons of fun sure can work up an appetite! So treat yourself and your family to lunch at our Farm cafe. With everything you need to refuel and continue enjoying your family day out at our Essex farm, including hot dogs, burgers, chicken nuggets and more. We always have vegetarian and halal options available and all food is prepared fresh on-site.
How to get to our farm
By Road
From the A12 AND M25 JUNCTION 28. Take the A1023 to Brentwood. Turn left at the first set of traffic lights into Wigley Bush Lane. Travel for half a mile until you reach the T-junction. Turn left into Weald Road and continue for 2 miles. Old MacDonald's Farm is situated on the left before you reach the junction with Chequers Road.
By Rail
The train service runs from Liverpool Street to Brentwood and Harold Wood.
By Bus
Please take the 294 to Bear Pub in Noak Hill. Please be aware that it is a 20 minute walk, partly without a pavement, to reach the farm. We do not recommend walking to the Farm, as some of the surrounding roads do not have pedestrian footpaths, making the route unsafe.
Parking
We have a large FREE car parking area which has ample parking even during the busiest of times.
Taxi
Licensed taxis are available from Brentwood and Harold Wood Stations.
For cheaper rates on taxi service please call MiniCab 4U on 01708 348 008 or 01708 377 975