18 Things to do in Jersey with Teens

With 50 miles of coastline boasting gorgeous beaches, fascinating history and a cool foodie vibe, it’s hard to find a better place than Jersey to holiday with the family. Plus Jersey is just a short ½-hour plane ride from London Gatwick. Perfect for a weekend break with teens.

Jersey isn’t part of Great Britain, the UK or the EU!  It’s the largest of the Channel Islands, and is part of the British Isles. Officially it’s the “Bailiwick of Jersey” and is a Crown Dependency. It has its own financial and judicial system but the UK is constitutionally responsible for the defence of Jersey. Jersey was occupied by the Germans during WWII. That information is enough to fascinate any teenager!

We stayed in St Helier as guests of The Club and Spa Hotel. St Helier is a great place to base yourself, as the capitol it has loads of shops and restaurants, plus nice beaches in walking distance. Most tours start at St Helier, and it’s doesn’t take long to travel by car to most parts of the island (the island is only 9 by 5 miles!)

Jersey is an interesting mix. It reminded me a bit of Cornwall, a bit of Scottish Hebrides, a bit of France with some post thrown in. I highly recommend visiting. And if you have teenagers in tow – here’s a list of things they will enjoy doing!

 

 

1. Take a RIB Boat to look for dolphins

When researching what to do on Jersey, one of the top tips was to take a RIB (Rapid Inflatable Boat) to look for dolphins. We choose Jersey Seafaris leaving from St Catherine Breakwater for a ride out to Les Ecrehous, a set of about 6 miles away. Trips are timed to reach the deserted island at low tide, so we could explore the reef on foot, swim, birdwatch and have a picnic. The sand bar turns the sea a gorgeous aqua colour – you would think you were in the Caribbean. Seafaris provided an extra layer of waterproofs – which proved very useful because it was a bit chilly on the water.  We didn’t see bottlenose dolphins on our trip, but we did see Atlantic Grey Seals and lots of bird life.  Definitely a highlight of our trip.

 

 

2. Go paddle boarding

We didn’t see dolphins on this trip, but our Jersey Seafari tour brought a paddle board on our boat to Ecrehous and we took turns paddling around the quiet inlet waters at Ecrehous. But you don’t have to go to Ecrehous to do this. There are several bays and coves in Jersey to try stand up paddle boarding. Just don’t fall in, because the water is cold!

 

 

3. Indulge in a Double Decker Health Wrecker

While you are on the eastern side of the Island, find the Hungry Man Café in Rozle for a filling quick meal. It’s just a shack, but it’s an island legend with the locals. Vegetarian versions available!

 

 

4.  Explore Mont Orgueil Castle

Next stop: Mont Orgueil Castle, an 800-year-old medieval castle which sit high above the fishing village of Gorey. Climb to the top to get panoramic views of the French coast and then make your way through the maze of staircases, towers and secret rooms. The castle is an important part of Jersey history, and is fun to explore!

 

 

5. Walk out to Elizabeth Castle

Time it right during low tide and you can walk out to Elizabeth Castle, in St. Aubin’s Bay, and explore hidden rooms, passageways and bunkers of this fortress that was build more than 500 years ago. Climb up to the top for views of the south Jersey coast and St Helier, and then stop for a tea break at the cafes. Don’t worry if the tide rises while you are there, you can take the Duck Boat back!

 

 

6. Swim in a Victorian lido

Yes, just like Darrel in Mallory Towers. When the tide is out at St. Aubin’s Bay, a Victorian sea lido appears. If you miss low tide, just take a dip in the water – it’s a bit chilly but invigorating!

 

 

7. Stroll, cycle or run along St Aubin’s waterfront

St Aubin’s waterfront stretches from St. Helier in the east to St. Aubin’s Village in the west. There’s a wide sandy beach and the area is very popular for swimming and watersports including paddle boarding, jet skiing and sailing. You’ll see lots of cyclists, runners and people taking a stroll and enjoying taking in the beachy atmosphere. It’s dotted with beach cafes in case you want to stop for some Jersey ice cream.

 

 

8. Catch a game of volleyball

At the end of cycle path in St Peter is the Gunsite Café, a quirky cafe in a repurposed WWII bunker. The Gunsite serves all day breakfasts and freshly made cakes. And in front of the cafe is a volleyball court. You can watch or play volleyball yourself. 

 

 

9. Hang out on a beach

The great thing about Jersey beaches is that they don’t get as crowded as the south coast of England on a sunny day. With 50 miles of coastline and lots of sandy beaches to choose from you can’t go wrong. St Aubin’s Bay, St Ouen’s Bay, St Brelades, Beauport Bay, Gorey, Green Island, and Portelet are all good choices.

 

 

10. Try Jersey ice cream

Jersey ice cream isn’t just any ice cream, it’s made from the rich cream of Jersey cows! Jersey’s cows are famous for their high quality rich and creamy milk. This means you MUST try it while you are here.

 

 

11. Find a hidden cove

Be Julian, Dick, Ann and George and find a secret cove to explore! Yes, like The Famous Five, hike down hundreds of steps to Beauport Bay. The sheltered cove is close to busy St. Brelade’s, but has a very different vibe. Once you descent down the long staircase, you’ll see families barbecuing, having a picnic, playing cricket and snorkeling.

 

 

12. Eat at El Tico Beach Cantina

This Cantina looks like is was plucked right out of California and settled nicely on Jersey’s best surfing beach, St Ouen. Order Nachos (fully loaded, of course) then a Mexican style pulled pork sandwich, BBQ ribs or shellfish linguine. The wine list looked good too. Yum.

 

 

13. Then go surfing!

Adjacent is the Surfyard Surf School, Shop and Hire. They have both beginning and advanced courses. It’s not quite Santa Cruz, but it’s close!

 

 

14. Go back in time at the Jersey Museum

Once you’ve explored the Island a bit, make sure to visit Start the Jersey Museum in St. Helier for a bit of history and perspective.  The ‘Story of Jersey’ film is a perfect introduction. Then tour a beautifully restored Victorian House that tells the tale of a Victorian family in crisis. The Story of Jersey has won the Visit England ‘Best Told Story’ Accolade. While you are at the museum, have a bite to eat at Tiffins, part of the famous chain.

 

 

15 Play ping-pong and eat ribs!

Follow your nose to JB’s Smokehouse and Ping Pong bar in St Helier. Teens will love playing the most popular indoor sport in the world, and mum and dad will appreciate the great range of craft beers. Order from the American style menu, which features Beef Shorts Ribs, Jersey Beef Brisket and a fabulous pulled pork sandwich, all smoked fresh each day (Genuine Jersey). After dinner, borrow bats and balls and have a family tournament. Great fun!

 

 

 

16. Relax in a Spa!

Many call the Spa at The Club Hotel and Spa the star of the show!  As hotel guests you can use many of the facilities for free, including the indoor salt water pool and thermal suite which features a salt cabin, herbal steam room and experience shower. There are 5 treatment rooms (including one for couples) and a Rasul Mud Treatment room for two (one of their favourite and most popular treatments). They offer a range of treatments, including Darphin, Decleor and the Ayavedic Shankara treatments. 

 

 

 

18. Order room service (while mum and dad have a date night at Bohemia)

We stayed at The Club Hotel and Spa (read our review here). They have a great room service menu, and also the best restaurant in Jersey! Bohemia is THE place to be in St Helier. We got the kids room service and they picked out a Friends Box Set to watch as hubby and I went downstairs on a date night. Bohemia has been voted one of the top 20 most romantic restaurants. How exciting! Executive chef is Steve Smith, who has held a Michelin star for over 15 years since the age of 24. His menu focus heavily on local ingredients, including the famous jersey Royal Potato and fresh scallops and oysters.

 

 

Watch the video: The Modern Family goes to Jersey!

 

 

 

IF YOU GO

The Club & Spa Green Street St Helier JE, JE2 4UH +44 1534 876500 https://www.theclubjersey.com/

Bohemia Restaurant Green Street St Helier JE, JE2 4UH 01534 880588 https://www.bohemiajersey.com/

Jersey Seafaris +44 7829 772222 http://www.jerseyseafaris.com  info@jerseyseafaris.com

Troubadour 7 Caledonia Pl, St Helier, Jersey JE1 4HF, Jersey

JB’s Smokehouse 4 Wharf Street, St. Helier, Jersey +44 (0)1534 888115 https://jbsbrewhouse.com

Mark Jordan at the Beach La Plage, La Route de la Haule, A1, St Peter JE3 7YD http://www.markjordanatthebeach.com

El Tico Beach Cantina Grande Route des Mielles, Jersey JE3 7FN, Jersey +44 1534 482009 http://www.elticojersey.com/home

Surfyard Surf School, Shop and Hire Grande Route des Mielles, St. Ouen, Jersey, JE3 7FN https://thesurfyard.com/surf-school-jersey-surfyard/

Gunsite Café  La Route de la Haule, Jersey JE3 7YD, United Kingdom +44 1534 735806

The Hungry Man  La Brecque du Nord Rozel JE, JE3 5BN, Jersey +44 1534 863227 https://www.facebook.com/thehungrymanjersey/

Visit Jersey, your first port of call when researching what to do! https://www.jersey.com/

 

 

 

Disclosure: We were guests of The Club & Spa. All opinions are my own.