Land Rover Experience Solihull

What it’s like

Kids from 11 can take the wheel of a real Land Rover on off-road tracks, water crossings included, with an adult riding shotgun.

This isn't a soft play version of off-roading. Under the Young Off-Roader Experience, 11 to 17 year olds get behind the wheel of a Range Rover, Defender or Discovery on grass, gravel and gentle rock crawls, with an instructor working the dual controls next to them. There's a water crossing in there too, which is the bit they'll be telling their mates about on Monday.

Younger kids aren't left out entirely. From age six they can ride along on the full driving experiences, though you'll need to fit their own car seat yourself and it's on you to ring the centre ahead of time to check it'll work for your booking. That's a bit of a faff compared to just turning up, but it's the kind of detail you want sorted before the day rather than on it.

Money-wise, this sits well above your average adventure park. The Young Off-Roader slot runs £160, same as the standard one-hour adult experience, and the three-hour version for grown-up drivers is £370. There's no getting round it: this is a treat day out, not a regular Saturday filler.

While one of you is out on the tracks, everyone else waits at the centre, which has a café and toilets, though no baby changing. The waiting area can get tight when it's busy, so if you've got a toddler in tow who isn't driving, don't expect much room to spread out. Dogs are welcome to wait with you too, just not in the vehicle itself.

Facilities

Need to know

Best for

11 to 17, that's the age they can actually drive

• Ring ahead if you're bringing a child under 11 as a passenger, their car seat needs fitting and the centre needs to confirm it'll work
• No baby changing facilities on site
• Waiting area space is limited at busy times, worth factoring in if half your group isn't driving

Plan your visit

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