Great Family Summer Days Out
9:39am 20/07/2017
Great Family Summer Days Out
With the long summer holidays about to start, parents are often wondering what they can do to keep their children entertained. Whether you're on holiday or simply doing a day trip, we'll give you the low-down on great things to do by area.
Northumberland
Northumberlandia - the unique Northumberlandia public art installation is one for the record books: the lady laying atop the landscape is 100m high, a quarter mile long and made from 1.5 million tonnes of clay, rock and soil! You and the kids can walk some of the 4 miles of trails around her enormous body, which was created from nearby land mass and covers the Shotton Surface mine, which is still operating beneath her!
Yorkshire
The Deep - Meet 3,500 fish, including sharks, penguins and rays, at the world’s only submarium in East Yorkshire.
The huge attraction tells the story of the oceans from the dawn of time. Youngsters can get up close with hermit crabs and starfish.
Derbyshire & The Peak District
Poole's Cavern - For centuries, curious visitors to Buxton have explored and marvelled at the natural subterranean world that is Poole's Cavern!
Known as the ‘First Wonder of the Peak' after an early travel guide published in 1630 Poole's Cavern became a popular attraction for wealthy visitors and even royalty.
The Lake District & Cumbria
Lake District Summer Music Festival - Opera, ballet, orchestras and piano concertos - nothing is off limits during this quaint festival, which runs from the 29th July to 11th August.
Book your tickets here.
The Cotswolds
Pick a Pot and Paint in the Cotswolds - offer a range of over 200 different items sure to excite children of all ages. Dinosaurs, fairies, puppies and dragons are just some of the great range of characters available to paint.
Practical items such as mugs, bowls, plates, teapots and money boxes are just some of the many other items available to choose. Relax in our charming studio, let your imagination run wild and create a truly unique piece of art. Leave it with us to glaze and fire in our kiln and your ceramics will be ready to collect in a few days. This activity is not just for the kids! It is suitable for all ages and the grown-ups will find it hard to resist!
Shropshire
The Shropshire Wildlife Trust's aim is to give all children opportunities to enjoy being outside and discovering wildlife, so they operate many activities in the garden, including wildlife and insect trails. Regular children's events and workshops are also run throughout the year.
The Saturday craft fairs at the Visitor Centre in Abbey Foregate are free to enter and include activities for children. They also offer a weekday range of arts and crafts workshops for adults and children, these must be booked in advance.
Wales
Anglesey Sea Zoo - is home to the best of British marine wildlife!
Rather than large sharks, tropical fish or sea turtles take the time to discover fascinating creatures from around the coast in the UK. There’s far more to our waters than you might think including octopus, lobster, seahorses, eels and small cat sharks! Learn all about these animals and much more in the daily talks, feeding displays and interactive sessions.
Big Pit National Mining Museum - Go 300 feet underground with a real miner and see what life was like for the thousands of men who worked at the coal face.
Zip Wire - Children aged five and up can climb, balance jump and zip through the trees in this brand new Tree Hopper adventure launched in North Wales.
Devon
North Devon Falconry - Enjoy a day hunting with their trained Harris' hawks in some of the UK's most beautiful countryside.
You will receive a brief lesson in handling this magnificent bird of prey and will enjoy the reassurance of being under the watchful eye of one of the expert falconers at all times. Interact with your hawk as she puts her wits against an alert quarry of pheasant and rabbit.
Cornwall
The St Ives Cornwall Mystery Treasure Trail - Explorers wanted! The St Ives Mystery Treasure Trail needs everyone and anyone with an eye for adventure and a nose for sniffing out the truth. Are you in?
To solve this case of ‘whodunit’, begin by downloading your PDF. It offers clearly mapped directions as well as a series of dastardly clues to solve. The answers to these could be on statues, monuments and just about anywhere, so make sure you’re constantly on the lookout!
East & West Sussex
Kent & East Sussex Railway - Enjoy an exciting family day out with the Kent & East Sussex Railway come rain or shine.
The all-day family Travelcards allow everyone to have fun exploring the stations and attractions along the scenic 10 ½ mile line between Tenterden and Bodiam. All Travelcards allow everyone to hop on and off the train as many times as they please throughout the day so you and the family can explore at leisure.
Kent
Diggerland Kent - If your child dreams of operating their own digger then Diggerland in Kent offers a world of digger related excitement for kids and adults!
You can both jump in the hot seat of real diggers, dumpers and other full-sized construction machinery, and enjoy 20 different rides including a mini digger that digs for buried treasure! If that’s not enough excitement then you can get hoisted up and tossed around on the well-named Spindizzy, and enjoy a bone-rattling, stomach-churning ride on the Groundshuttle.
Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight Zoo - The Isle of Wight Zoo is a favourite destination for all ages. Situated alongside Yaverland beach, the zoo provides a fun, educational and wholesome day out for all the family.
Norfolk
BeWILDerwood is an adventure park with magical treehouses and intriguing characters in the heart of the Norfolk Broads.
Attractions include the Sky Maze, a puzzle made up of connecting tunnels, walkways and bridges.
Suffolk
Suffolk Ski Centre - there's so much fun to be had with a great confidence building activity that develops the mind as well as the body. It's also a satisfying and developmentally beneficial activity for kids and made accessible to the young ones with kindergarten ski play, race training, ski toboggan and snowboard parties, and a Saturday workshop to build skill levels.
Somerset
Wookey Hole is the UK’s largest cave system, deep in the Mendip Hills in Somerset.
Used by humans for 45,000 years, the caves are noted for the Witch of Wookey Hole, a stalagmite that legend says is a witch turned to stone by a monk.
See a river flow underground in this land of mysteries and explore the unexpected in the Chambers 10 and 20.
Dorset
Dorset Teddy Bear Museum - The Dorset Teddy Bear Museum is Dorchester's frankly unmissable family museum, with Edward Bear and his own family of people sized bears, set around Teddy Bear House in a sequence of adorable settings and poses. Fantastic for kids' photo opportunities!