Cornwall with Kids Review: Is the Eden Project worth visiting?

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Whilst we were exploring Cornwall with the kids on our family holiday, we decided that we had to visit the Eden Project which is known for its massive biomes filled with a huge range of plant species from around the world – but is it worth the money? So here’s my review of this unique attraction in Cornwall – including everything that you need to know about what to expect from a trip to the Eden Project, entry costs (and how to get cheaper tickets), photos, the practical info that you’ll want for visiting with kids, the best places to stay nearby and my honest opinion on whether it’s worth the money!

Visit: June 2021 (Updated May 2025)

What is the Eden Project and why was it built?

The idea for the Eden Project was conceived by Tim Smit, who aimed to create a unique educational and environmental experience. The main feature of the Eden Project in Cornwall is its collection of giant transparent domes, known as biomes, which simulate different climates found around the globe – the kids couldn’t wait to get inside. It was constructed in 1998, and as you walk down towards the domes, there’s a real wow factor. The largest biome, the rainforest biome, replicates the humid conditions of a tropical rainforest, while the Mediterranean biome recreates the dry and sunny environment of the Mediterranean region.

Where is the Eden Project located?

The Eden Project is tucked away in the heart of Cornwall, near the town of St Austell – it’s not far from the gorgeous Cornish coast so the area is certainly worth a visit – Cornwall is a fabulous destination for a UK family holiday with the kids. To find it, use the postcode ‘PL24 2SG’ for the SAT NAV if you’re arriving by car. There’s plenty of parking (which is free) and it’s well signposted once you get close. Recently, I’ve seen plans for new Eden Project sites in Morecambe in Lancashire, as well as Dundee in Scotland – so if you’re not local to Cornwall there will be other location options available in the next few years.

What’s the Eden Project like?

The Eden Project was one of the first things that I put onto our Cornwall holiday itinerary – and it was definitely worth the trip for the rainforest dome – the kids really enjoyed exploring and the scale of it is amazing! All of the plants are really well established, there’s tons of information to access on the way round and it almost feels like you’re jungle explorers! The rope bridge through the trees was a real highlight – in my khaki shorts I felt like Dora the Explorer. The waterfall was lovely, and there were even a few colourful birds wandering around.

I loved the environmental protection element too – the educational side of things was really interesting. There are lots of interactive experiences that highlight the importance of environmental conservation and sustainability. Elsewhere on the site, there’s a Mediterranean biome and also lots of garden areas to explore outside. For the kids in particular, the rainforest biome was certainly the star of the show during our visit to the Eden Project (we felt like we’d been transported away from Cornwall!) but if you have a particular interest in plants you may find the other areas worth exploring too. It is a very unique place to visit that’s for sure.

Is there a lot of walking at the Eden Project?

Yes, there’s a fair bit of walking at the Eden Project – it’s quite a trek even from the car park – so you will clock up quite a few steps if you wander the gardens as well as the biomes. But there are benches dotted around if you need a breather and it’s all buggy-friendly too – there are accessible routes if you need them so it’s worth bringing a buggy if you’ve got little ones who might get tired.

Can you visit the Eden Project in the rain?

Absolutely, you can visit the Eden Project in the rain – much of the attraction is housed inside the huge biomes, so you can stay warm and dry while exploring the tropical rainforest and Mediterranean gardens. (Though, if you want to wander outside too, pop your wellies on and embrace the drizzle!) Just pack a waterproof for the walk between domes and you’re all set whatever the weather. There’s also a restaurant on-site if you want to warm up with a cup of tea.

What should I wear to the Eden Project?

You definitely need to wear layers when you visit the Eden Project – the rainforest biome is very warm so you’ll want to be in shorts in there, or at least a short sleeve top if you’re visiting in the winter and shorts aren’t appropriate. Obviously, depending on the time of year that you’re visiting, you may want outer layers for exploring the gardens and walking to and from the car park, so wear clothes that you can easily get on/off and layer up if you’re visiting on a colder day. If you’re visiting in the summer months I would definitely recommend wearing shorts and a t-shirt – it’s very hot inside and it’ll make your visit more comfortable. (Especially with kids in tow!)

Is the Cornwall Eden Project worth visiting with kids?

The rainforest dome at the Eden Project is incredible, but we did feel like the rest of the site was a bit lacking for the kids – though it does look like they’ve made some positive additions to make it more family-friendly since our visit. After we’d been into the rainforest dome, we felt like the rest of the Eden Project site was a bit of an anti-climax – the Mediterranean dome doesn’t have the same wow factor, and the outside grounds are nice for a wander but nothing to write home about. I do think, at the time we visited, the Eden Project had really overlooked its younger visitors – but in 2023 a kids’ playground was added which would definitely make it more appealing to families.

How long do you need for a visit to the Eden Project?

Sadly, when we visited, there wasn’t much to keep the kids’ interest after the rainforest dome, so we didn’t stay long after that. We felt like the Eden Project didn’t really provide a day out – and from our experience you would only need around 2 hours for your visit. However, with the addition of the children’s play area, I think it would now offer more of family-friendly day out if you’re holidaying in Cornwall with the kids. So, in terms of how long you’d need for a visit to the Eden Project, it may well be that you could make more of an afternoon of it with the additional play areas.

How much does it cost to visit the Eden Project – and how can I get cheaper tickets?

For a family of four the entrance cost would have ordinarily been £79, when we visited, which I think is too much money for what was on offer at the time (and it’s since increased to £38 per adult and £12 per child for 2025 (online prices) – making it £100 for a family of four!). Fortunately, we were able to get cheaper tickets as the Eden Project offer a home-educator discount – we only paid £22.40 for the four of us to enter; just £5.60 each. If you’re also a home-educating family, then make sure you contact the Eden Project a few weeks ahead of your visit to benefit from cheaper entrance tickets – it saved us a fortune – the discount for schools and home-educating families is huge.

If you are visiting with kids, you can also make your day at the Eden Project cheaper by only buying tickets for the adults. With a Blue Peter Badge, kids can actually get free entry to the Eden Project – it’s well worth them applying for one because children can gain free entry to over 200 UK attractions. It makes family days out so much more affordable – we’ve saved a fortune using them during our staycation holidays. It’s definitely worth the kids completing a task and sending off for a badge – there are lots of ways to earn one, check out my article on Blue Peter Badges for more info.

For locals based in Cornwall or Devon, the Eden Project does offer some great discounts – all tickets are cheaper but in particular they offer a family pass for around £45. They do also offer a limited amount of discounted tickets for those receiving low income benefits (like Universal Credit or Pension Credit) – with adult tickets priced at £5 and children at £1. I think it’s fantastic that the Eden Project offer these rates, which help those local to Cornwall or on a lower income to visit cheaply, but it’s a shame that they don’t offer a family ticket to make it a more affordable day out for everyone else.

Be sure to pre-book your tickets online too as they’re cheaper pre-booked than they are on the door – and check for discounts on the ‘Love to Visit’ website – they offer discounted tickets for attractions all over the UK, so it’s worth seeing if they’re running any offers for the Eden Project before you book directly.

Where are the best places to stay with kids near the Eden Project?

I think that Cornwall is one of the best destinations for a UK family staycation. And, fortunately, it’s also home to some of the best holiday parks to visit with the kids – with options for luxury cabins, hot tub breaks, or caravan getaways with family-friendly facilities, evening entertainment and swimming pools. For lots of ideas, check out my article: Family holidays in Cornwall – the 15 best places to stay with kids! And, if you’re looking for somewhere to stay in Cornwall that’s near to the Eden Project, here are some excellent options for a holiday park getaway with the kids:

Forest Holidays: Deerpark Holiday Park – secluded hot tub holiday cabins just a 30 minute drive from the Eden Project.
Haven: Riviere Sands Holiday Park – one of the most popular Haven sites with indoor and outdoor swimming pools and waterslides too – around a 50 minute drive from the Eden Project.

Away Resorts: Retallack Resort – a super kid-friendly Away Resorts site, Retallack has its own inflatable obstacle course on the lake and it’s just a 30 minute drive to the Eden Project.
Parkdean Resorts: Looe Bay Holiday Park – a lovely site with loads of kids’ activities just minutes from the pretty town of Looe and a 30 minute drive to the Eden Project.
Parkdean Resorts: Holywell Bay Holiday Park – a great family-friendly holiday park, with an outdoor heated pool and a 300ft waterslide, that’s just a 40 minute drive from the Eden Project.

Parkdean Resorts: Newquay Holiday Park – with three outdoor heated pools, a 200ft waterslide, a splash play zone, high ropes, soft play and loads of kids’ activities – this one is a great option just 30 minutes from the Eden Project.
Haven: Perran Sands Holiday Park – another very popular Haven holiday park with direct access to one of Cornwall’s most popular beaches, swimming pools and waterslides – just a 40 minute drive from the Eden Project.

Visitor and Practical Information

What else should I know before I visit the Eden Project with kids?

I hope my review of the Eden Project in Cornwall has been useful – before you visit with the kids here are a few things that you should know:

Make sure that you pack a picnic – we’d packed food but did venture to the cafe to get some drinks, and they were really expensive. It would be very costly to feed a whole family in their restaurant.
There’s loads of free parking at the Eden Project, but it’s quite a trek from the entrance to the site – so you may want to bring a pushchair if you’re visiting with young children, to help their little legs.
Very small children would probably not engage with this sort of attraction, but under fives can enter for free so you’ve not lost anything if you do still want to visit.
Dogs are permitted in the grounds but they can’t go inside the domes and will need to be on a lead and supervised at all times.

What else is there to do at the Eden Project?

If you’re looking for a bit more excitement during your Eden Project visit then you might want to check out the Hangloose Adventure for an adrenaline rush. This outdoor activity hub offers a range of thrilling experiences including the SkyWire – England’s longest and fastest zipline – where you can soar 660 metres at speeds up to 60mph over the iconic Eden biomes. Other attractions include the Gravity giant swing, SkyTrek aerial trekking course, a giant air bag jump and climbing walls for the kids. You don’t need an Eden Project admission ticket to participate in the Hangloose activities, and prices start from around £15 – click here to find out more.

So, should I visit the Eden Project with kids and is it worth the money?

Cost wise we were really lucky to benefit from the cheaper home-educator tickets, so our visit to the Eden Project was so much more affordable than it would usually have been. Because of that, I definitely feel like the Eden Project was worth a visit – I’m pleased that we went, the rainforest dome really engaged the kids and (for what we paid) it was excellent value for money. However, I have to admit that had we paid the full admission price I would have felt differently – the tickets are expensive and I think that, particularly at their current price point, there are lots of other days out in Cornwall that offer better value for money and a more family-friendly experience if you’re looking to have some fun with the kids.

Having said that, it’s a real shame that it’s so expensive because I do think the Eden Project is worth visiting if you’re on holiday in Cornwall – purely for the magic of the rainforest biome which my kids really loved. But, to make it worthwhile money wise, you’d need to make the most of the whole site, pack a picnic to save on food and use my tips for hunting out cheaper tickets. If you can save a bit on the entrance fees, then it may well be worth the trip, but if you’re exploring Cornwall on a budget with the kids then you might want to look at what other family days out are on offer before you part with your money. I hate writing negative reviews, but I’m honestly on the fence with this one – there’s no denying that it’s an expensive place to visit for a family.

I hope that my review has been helpful – hopefully I haven’t confused you further on whether the Eden Project is worth a visit! 😂 If you’re heading to Cornwall for a family holiday then make sure you check out my other articles too – to help you plan an awesome Cornish adventure with the kids. The 10 best things to do in Cornwall with kids is a great place to start – we had all sorts of fabulous days out to places like Tintagel Castle, St Nectan’s Glen Waterfall and St Michael’s Mount. And, if you haven’t decided where to stay yet my article: Family holidays in Cornwall – the 15 best places to stay with kids should give you some great options. Have a lovely trip! 😊

Useful Information for your visit:

Website: https://www.edenproject.com/
Pets: Dogs allowed in outdoor areas
Parking: Yes
Facilities: Cafe, parking, toilets, picnic areas
Address: Eden Project, Bodelva, Cornwall, PL24 2SG
For up-to-date opening times and prices, please check their website.

If you’re visiting Cornwall with kids check out these articles too…

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2 comments

Heidi says:

7th February 2026 at 10:42 am

Just wanted to say thank you for pointing out the incredible discount on home ed tickets – I was looking at the Eden Project and was about to rule it out when I saw this post. Now I’m in the process of booking home ed tickets to visit!

1. Natalie says:
  
  8th February 2026 at 10:04 am
  
  😍 Ah fab – so pleased! Have a nice time, Nat x