Top 10 Things to do Good for Big Groups in Colchester, England

Colchester Arts Centre - the little church with the big attitude deep in the heart of Essex. Well that's how we describe it anyway. It sort of works, it at least gives a flavour of what we're about. Because just how do you describe a venue that can put children's entertainer Palfi the Clown on, on the same day as Cradle of Filth? Where a Farmer's Market in the morning becomes a comedy club in the evening, where folk enthusiasts can sit happily knitting (and they do!) in the exact same spot a ferocious mosh pit of teenage dancing takes place the following night? And where the beautiful historic architecture of St Mary's Church dating back over a thousand years, plays host to some of the newest comics, most modern choreographers, some of the coolest DJ's and some of the freshest talent in Britain. Over the years we've promoted Coldplay, Eddie Izzard, Graham Norton, Harry Hill, Catherine Tate, Jo Brand, The Libertines, Ash, The Killers, The Strokes, Phill Jupitus, Mick Jones, Bill Bailey, Jack Dee, Count Arthur Strong - all before anyone had ever heard of them of course - plus the likes of jazz legend Ronnie Scott and even the late lamented and much loved Brian Johnston the cricket commentator. Our passion to present new work, bring great bands and comics to Colchester burns more brightly than ever. Our business is all about fresh ideas, new acts, new art forms and vibrant new ways of working. We can't stand still. We embrace the new, the quirky the original and yes, the surreal.

Splatkidz offers low impact Paintball and LaserTag games and Birthday parties. We offer Paintball for kids of 8+ and Lasertag for kids of 6+ in the Colchester and Brentwood areas. We use special equipment, designed specifically for children. This enables us to provide a fun, safe, low impact version of the popular sport of Paintball, and a new exciting and immersive version of Lasertag especially for kids that lets them experience all their favourite video games but for real! Parents, older friends and siblings also love it too, and are also welcome to join in!

Here at Mersea Island Watersports we are Mersea Islands's first and only dedicated windsurfing and paddleboard centre. We are based right next to the water with a launch ramp a stones throw from our door. This gives us access to the water at all times. Being based around the side of the island we are fairly sheltered making it the perfect place to learn windsurfing or paddleboarding.

Welcome to the end of the world. Doomsday Games is an immersive interactive puzzle experience. Think you have what it takes to survive and save the world?

Valhalla Lanes is Essex’s first indoor axe throwing venue. Come and try your hand at the age old Viking sport of axe throwing. You will be transported back in time with our Viking decor. And once you start throwing and hitting the targets, you will find it hard to stop. It’s great fun for guys, girls and older kids. Come and join us at Valhalla Lanes and unleash your inner Viking.

Dice & a Slice is a board game cafe! Choose as many games as you like from a selection of around 700 to play, whilst enjoying great food and drink and a licensed bar. To play our selection of games the price for the whole day per person is £3 on Monday - Friday and £5 at the weekend for adults, £2 Monday - Friday and £3 at the weekend for children. Also you can play for 1 hour at a time (weekends only) for £3 adults and £2 children. No obligation to play however you can just have a food and/or a drink!

Colchester Zoo is constantly developing and has won many awards for its work. With over 270 species to see, set in 60 acres of beautiful parkland and lakes, Colchester Zoo is well worth a visit. As you walk around the zoo there's plenty of play areas to try out including the indoor soft play area Jungle Tumble with a section for under 3s and all new play equipment where the kids can release their wild side! New enclosures include a walk through enclosure with butterflies and another with Rainbow Lorikeets offering visitors a chance to feed them a treat of nectar. Plus there's 'Bears of the Rising Sun', a state of the art enclosure which houses two beautiful sun bears , Jo Jo and Srey Ya. You can also come face to face with Komodo Dragons, see white rhino, giraffes, ostrich and kudu roaming together at Kingdom of the Wild and walk underwater through the 24m tunnel at the Playa Patagonia sealion pool. Learn more about the animals and see them up close by watching one of the 50 daily displays. You even get the fantastic opportunity to feed the elephants and giraffes yourself and take a ride on the 'Lost Madagascar Express' road train! Don't forget to pop into the discovery centre and have a go at handling some unusual bugs or get your face painted and transform yourself into your favourite animal!

Free the fun in you! The Mercury exists to put theatre at the heart of the cultural life of the community it serves and to make work in Colchester that reaches audiences and generates critical attention regionally and nationally.

Colchester Castle is the largest Norman Keep in Europe. Constructed on the foundations of the Temple of Claudius, built when Colchester was the first Roman capital of Britain, the Castle Museum today reveals many fascinating layers of history to visitors. Archaeological collections of international quality covering 2,500 years of history are beautifully showcased, including of the most important Roman finds in Britain