If you are looking for things to do in Wimbledon that will keep both adults and children engaged, the Wimbledon treasure trail is a brilliant option for families. It combines sightseeing, walking, and problem-solving, and is a fun way to explore areas of Wimbledon you might not otherwise discover.
We did the treasure trail in Wimbledon to entertain friends coming to visit in the school holidays. We were a group of three adults and two kids, which was ideal.
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What is the Wimbledon Treasure Trail?
The Wimbledon Treasure Trail is a self-guided themed walk which helps you explore the town using a series of clues and puzzles.
It’s easy to download the pack at home from Treasure Trails (currently £9.99), print it off and then you are ready to go.
Participants follow the map and solve riddles, uncovering Wimbledon landmarks, parks and hidden gems along the way. All the treasure trails follow a different mission and have 20 clues to help you solve them.
The pack gives an outline of the mystery and then directions to follow to solve the clues. It’s ideal for anyone looking for things to do in Wimbledon that are active, entertaining, and family-friendly.
The treasure trails vary from town to town, and in Wimbledon it takes the form of a murder mystery. Our mission was to track down suspects and weapons along the route, to uncover the identity of the crook. This was actually our third treasure trail, as we’d previously done one in Odiham and in Farnham.
The clues are usually based on permanent features, such as plaques or inscriptions on walls. Some were easy to spot, whilst others were quite cryptic. It worked well doing the trail with a mix of adults and kids, as we could help each other solve the puzzles. It’s a good option if you’re looking for fun activities in Wimbledon that work for all ages.
If you have more than one child, print off more than one pack, so they each have a copy to hold.
Places we visited on the Wimbledon Treasure Trail
All Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon
The Wimbledon Village treasure trail started by the Rose and Crown pub, near Wimbledon High Street. This is one of Wimbledon’s oldest pubs, which dates to the 17th Century.
We found our first clue here and then headed towards the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Club, stopping for clues along the way.
It’s a great way to introduce kids to one of the most iconic places to see in Wimbledon. If your family enjoys sport, you could take an optional visit inside the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum. Here they will learn all about the history of tennis, the iconic players and the famous Wimbledon Championships.
The clue was on the gold post box, which had been painted by the Royal Mail in honour of Andy Murray winning a gold medal in the London 2012 Olympics.
Wimbledon Park
After passing the tennis club, we took a small detour to enjoy a picnic in Wimbledon Park. The park is one of the best outdoor places in Wimbledon and a good spot for a rest during the Wimbledon treasure trail.
Wimbledon Park is huge and easy to spend time in. It has playing fields, ornamental gardens, play areas, sports facilities, and a beautiful lake.
Cannizaro Park
After a stroll across the park, we picked up the Wimbledon treasure trail again. Our next stop was at St Mary’s Church, before heading back towards the High Street. Clue 16 is located at the entrance to Cannizaro Park. Although the park is not part of the treasure trail, we couldn’t resist a peep!
Cannizaro Park is more formal than Wimbledon Park, and has Grade II listed status, thanks to its collection of rare plants. Despite this, it’s a public park and free to enter
The park is divided into themed areas, including a pretty Italian garden, a rose garden, and a small pond. It’s also home to one of the best collections of diverse and rare trees in Greater London. It’s well worth adding to your list of places to go in Wimbledon.
Wimbledon's pet cemetery
One of the most exciting things to see in Cannizaro Park is the historic pet cemetery, and the kids really enjoyed exploring this.
Hidden away in a quiet corner of the park, the cemetery is a fascinating spot that’s easy to miss. It commemorates much-loved pets from nearly 100 years ago!
Solving the murder mystery
After our second detour, we completed the Wimbledon treasure trail by heading towards the golf club. We really struggled with this final clue, but there’s a handy “Stuck on a Clue” service you can use if needed.
From the golf club, we skimmed the edge of Wimbledon Common before looping back to our starting point in Wimbledon Village.
With all clues finally solved, we were able to reveal the identity of the murderer – Don’t worry, no spoilers here!
Did we enjoy the Wimbledon Treasure Trail?
So, did we enjoy the Wimbledon Treasure Trail? Absolutely. Following the trail led us through streets and corners of Wimbledon we might not have discovered otherwise. Although we knew we’d see Wimbledon Tennis Club, we were impressed with the elegant houses, interesting statues, and the amount of green spaces along the way, including two lovely parks. I was genuinely impressed by how many open green areas there are to explore in Wimbledon.
The children stayed enthusiastic throughout, and despite covering a long distance, there was very little moaning. The suggested trail time is around three hours, but with our stops, picnics, and detours, we were out walking for closer to five!
One of the nicest things was how everyone worked together to solve the clues. The children happily spent the day with adults they didn’t know particularly well, which shows how engaging it was.
We all really enjoyed our treasure trail in Wimbledon, although we still need to return to track down the Wombles!
Other family-friendly things to do in and around Wimbledon
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