Jersey Attractions

Explore the Channel Islands Best Attractions: What to do in Jersey

Discover What Jersey Has in Store

Jersey is an island bursting with sites, culture, and heritage to be explored. It dates to Neolithic times, which means it has a strong history including its invasion by William the Conqueror in 1066 and the German Occupation during World War II.

Unsurprisingly, the island now is a popular spot for tourists, attracting over 720,000 visits a year. Of course, this is helped by the fact the island is surrounded by crystal-clear waters, golden sands and boasts a gorgeous countryside with over 4 sites of specific scientific interest.

Outdoor explorers will be spoilt for choice with Jersey’s National Park that spans over 30miles of Jersey’s coastline. For those looking for more exotic animals to spot, there’s the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Park that is home to over 50 animal species! There really is so much to do on this vibrant island for all ages.

The Best Attractions in Jersey

Elizabeth Castle

The picturesque fortification that borders Jersey’s capital, Elizabeth Castle contains heaps of history just waiting to be uncovered.

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The Durrell Wildlife Conservation Park

From monkeys to frogs, this charity is the perfect place to learn more about the other inhabitants of this planet.

Maritime Museum & Tapestry Gallery

Discover the island’s fascinating seafaring past and enjoy the tapestry that was created to celebrate the 50-year anniversary since liberation.

Botanic Gardens at Samarès Manor

identify the different flowers that decorate this picture-perfect garden, fully complete with a Japanese garden and tea rooms.

Mont Orgueil

The historic castle in Gorey that acted as Jersey’s forefront of defence before the construction of Elizabeth Castle, this former prison is an excellent place for perfect views and to learn about the island’s exciting past

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The Pallot Steam & Motor Museum

For motor enthusiasts, this museum in Trinity has it all from military vehicles to steam engines.

Booking Your Trip

Expedia: Browse hotels, B&B’s, campsites, flights and ferries to create the ideal holiday for you.

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Easy Jet Holidays: Find yourself an amazing package deal with a flight and a variety of hotels included. Book with confidence with ATOL protection.

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Condor Ferries: Enjoy glorious ocean views and an onboard duty free shop for the ultimate relaxing journey over to the Channel Islands from UK ports in Poole and Portsmouth.

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Fly Jersey: You can find great deals on your air travel with Fly Jersey. From booking hire cars to finding self-catering accommodation, Fly Jersey will make sure your island holiday is hassle-free.

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Jersey Castles

Elizabeth Castle

You might need to travel by shuttle ferry in high tide to visit this historic landmark as the castle lies on a rocky outcrop just off St Helier.

Elizabeth Castle dates to the late 1500’s and remains at the forefront of Jersey’s defences. From the top of the towers, you’ll be able to see fantastic views of the south coast and the cobbled streets of St Helier.

From the castle, you can see the St Helier Hermitage and walk out 1.5miles to the breakwater that protects Jersey’s coast from the force of the waves.

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Mont Orgueil

Mont Orgueil, also referred to as Gorey Castle on the east coast is a fantastic construction. It was originally built in 1212 with the intention of being the forefront of Jersey’s defence, but it was superseded by Elizabeth Castle after its construction in the late 1500’s.

The castle was then used as a prison and housed some famous criminals, including some of the men who signed the death warrant for Charles I in 1649.

After Jersey decided to build its own prison, the castle was used as military troop accommodation before being bought by the Crown in 1907. It is now a museum with its looming towers and fascinating exhibitions displaying its previous life with fantastic views over Gorey harbour.

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Jersey Museums and Heritage

With its fascinating history, Jersey has an abundance of museums and historical buildings lying within its shores.

You could visit the Pallot Steam and Motor Museum in Trinity where you can discover an exciting collection of steam engines, historic military vehicles and more.

In St Helier, you’ll find the Jersey Museum and Gallery. Here, you can watch the ‘Story of Jersey’ short film before cruising the free exhibitions that display interesting facts about Jersey’s past, dating over 250,000 years ago when people first started inhabiting the island. At the museum, you can visit the gas-lit Victorian house to get a real insight into how life was like on the island during the Victorian period.  You can finish off with a nice cuppa and cake from the café there and start planning the rest of your visit!

The Maritime Museum and Tapestry Gallery is based in St Helier and is where you can get a gleaming understanding into the island’s maritime and seafaring history. You will also be able to see the award-winning tapestry created by islanders in celebration of the 50-year anniversary since the liberation.

Jersey Arts and Entertainment

Although only a small island, Jersey has its fair share of artistic talent with a range of different types of entertainment.

St Helier is home to the Jersey Opera House, built by Henry Cromwell in 1865. Here you can watch not only opera, but also amazing touring acts, musicals, comedy and shows. Opt for ‘supper and a show’ to experience a truly mesmerizing evening complete with great entertainment and freshly made food.

There is also Jersey Arts Centre, another venue for artists to perform an array of different shows from dance to music, film and drama. Along with these productions, the centre offers courses for those looking for improve their skills in a range of subjects such as languages and creative writing.

Local artists are able to showcase their work at the free Link Gallery within Jersey Museum and Gallery in St Helier. Every month, a different local artist has their work exhibited, allowing upcoming talents to get their work seen.

Family Tourist Attractions

Jersey is a perfect location for a family holiday with so much to do to keep the whole family entertained.

For the animal-lovers, there is the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Park where you can discover an exciting range of animals, from the golden lion tamarin monkey to the mountain chicken (actually a frog).

To really tire out the youngsters, you can take them to the aMaizin Adventure Park in St Peter. The park offers many activities, both indoor and out, making it the perfect day out for any time of the year.  Tobogganing or canon shooting anyone?

The Botanic Garden at Samarès Manor is a fantastic option for those who love flowers, nature and the great outdoors. You can explore the herb garden, identify the flowers in the Japanese garden and then, once you’ve tired your legs from the walk, you can sit and enjoy some tea and cake in the manor house café.

The Fort Regent Leisure Centre is the perfect place for the kids to burn off some energy. The centre is fully equipped with quad bikes, an indoor play zone area, arts and crafts and free film screenings every Sunday: a great day out for the whole family!