🌳 Outdoor3–58–1212–16Birthday partiesSeasonal opening
What’s there
- Birthday parties
- Dogs welcome
No venue car park. Nearest public car parks: Grafton Centre and Queen Anne Terrace, both approx 10 minutes' walk from the moorings. Street parking in Cambridge centre is limited and time-restricted.
Only facilities we’ve confirmed are listed — anything missing here we simply haven’t checked, rather than know to be absent.
Rutherford's Punting is a family-run punting company on the River Cam in Cambridge, operating from Jesus Green Moorings on the Quayside Boardwalk. Chauffeured punts glide under nine historic bridges past the famous College Backs, with expert guides sharing the history of the university and its riverside colleges.
Families are well catered for: the Family Punting offer gives discounted shared-tour tickets for groups of up to three or up to six people when at least one child under 12 is travelling. Children under 12 can pick up a free Children's College Backs Map from the bookings desk - a creative activity booklet used to run a creature scavenger hunt along the river. Each punt has little tables so children can draw or take notes, and you can bring your own snacks and drinks or order them to be ready when you arrive.
The standard shared tour lasts 50 minutes and departs throughout the day; private punts, raised seating, and special experiences (champagne, cream tea, birthday, proposal and more) are available by booking. Dog-friendly tours are available too.
Open daily 9am until dusk, with extended hours in peak summer. No advance booking is needed for shared tours - just turn up - though booking is recommended for private and experience tours.
Seasonal operation - hours vary through the year (spring to autumn trading; fireworks and special-event tours in season). Booked experiences (private, champagne, romantic, birthday etc.) run by appointment via the online booking system.
Questions parents ask
- Can we bring a buggy, and will it work with a toddler and older child together?
- We haven't confirmed whether buggies are practical on the punts or at the moorings. Contact the venue directly to discuss how to manage young children of different ages on a punting tour.
- Is there somewhere to eat, or should we bring a picnic?
- We haven't confirmed a café at the venue. However, Rutherford's offers a Picnic Punting experience, so you can bring your own food to enjoy on the water.
- How long does a typical visit last?
- Most punting tours last 50 to 60 minutes. Allow extra time for arrival, boarding, and disembarking.
- Will it work if the weather is bad?
- Punting is an outdoor activity on the water, so heavy rain or bad weather will affect your experience. Check conditions on the day and contact the venue if you're unsure whether to go ahead.
Stuff to take with you
The things people wish they’d packed for a day out like this one.
- Swimming costume
Towel
Refillable water bottleMost places will fill it for free.
Snacks that survive a rucksackCheaper than the café, and buys you twenty minutes.
Wet wipes- Children's paracetamol sachetsThe one thing a farm shop never sells.
Bodyboard
Spare batteries
Small bin bagCountry parks often have no bins at all.- Sting relief
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Photos: 維基小霸王, CC BY-SA 4.0 · PAUL (Van de Velde) -Fotografie, CC BY 2.0
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