Days out with DC- how often and where do you go?

[DtPeabodysLoosePants]

Inspired by the holidays thread.

I live in the North West and don't drive so we get the train to wherever we are going. We've done Lake Windermere a couple of times, Buxton, Hathersage, Matlock, Southport. We've also done an overnight to York, Oxford, Warwick, Llandudno, St. Anne's

I'm looking for inspiration for this summer so would love to hear about where you go.

Anyone?

Well I've got so many ideas now I'm booked up for the next two years! Thanks everyone

How old/ how many DC? What do you like to do/see?

Not that often. We took our 4 year old to London about 4 weeks ago and went to the Science Museum. London is about an hours train journey for us, but still wouldn't go more than once or twice a year. Can't remember the last day we had out before that. Our weekends seem to be full of birthday parties, summer fetes, playdates etc

Over the summer we have a week away in Dorset, a weekend camping in Wales and a wedding to go to, so doubt we'll have many day trips as a family as all the weekends are booked up. I will try to take the kids out by myself on my days off though.

Depending on the age of your DC and which rail network you are close too. The Forbidden corner might appeal and be worth looking into but I don’t think you can get the train.
Edinburgh Fringe is great for all ages.
Scarborough Castle, any beach.

Morning, thanks for the replies. My dc are 4,10 and 12 and love most things but not shopping based places. We are just restricted to public transport and I won't go to London. I've heard Glasgow is fantastic and I'd love to go to Edinburgh so might head up there in the holidays at some point. However they aren't day trips. I'd travel 3 hours away in a day. We are 30 mins from Manchester by train.

Liverpool for the World Museum?

Oh and Manchester for the football museum, MOSI or Manchester Museum?

Liverpool looks good and it's only £20 on the train so might give that a go, thanks.
I avoid Manchester too

Have you got national trust membership or English heritage, they make good days out.

Can you tackle why you can't drive, apologies if this is due to disability etc.

It's just it does obviously curtail your options somewhat...

Op if your going for Liverpool I'm going to strongly suggest you base yourself in beautiful Chester.
Small, easy to walk round, the gorgeous rows that dc love to run up and down, the river for boat ride, the walls to walk around, roman gardens, gladiators walking around, , roman walking tours, the cathedral, the amphitheatre and go from there to Liverpool as a day trip.

Chester is much nicer... I like Liverpool too but feel day trip from Chester would be better option.

We have 5DC,we have merlin passes and national trust places and they've saved us thousands of pounds over the years.

In the summer holidays we usually go out every other day and we'll go away for between 5-8 days,we usually stay in the UK and go to the coast,were also planning a few days to Birmingham because we have family there,Birmingham is lovely as well though so that helps,they have a huge Sea life center,tons of lovely restaurants and shops and most things there are alot cheaper than where we live.

Our more expensive days out include
Different farms,wildlife parks or zoo's.
Legoland,Thorpe park,Chessington.
Going to the cinema and out for lunch.

The theme parks are almost free on the day(because of the passes)if we take a picnic and lots of drinks with us but we'd still buy ice creams/ice lollies in the summer,but if we buy lunch there then were looking at an extra £100-£150 if all 7 of us go.

Midrange price days out for us include
Going swimming,followed by lunch
A science museum,followed by lunch
Going to the cinema

Very cheap or free days for us if we take a picnic.
Going to different parks
Free museums
National trust places
Visiting family/friends
Different country parks(were really lucky there are lots where we live)2 of them have paddling pools,1 is free and 1 is a couple of pounds,the one that's free has a huge park attached to it and there's 1 that has a huge new park and lots of lovely walks around different lakes where we can take our Dogs as well.

Chester is ok. We'd just go straight to Liverpool from here though as going to Chester would take us out of our way. We much prefer the coast and countryside to cities but the museum looks great and we'd all love that.

We do have National Trust membership. We live close to Lyme Park and go a couple of times a month for a couple of hours.

Why avoid Manchester? There's lots to do there and it's easy to get to on public transport

Terrorism. I know people say not going lets the terrorists win but it's not a risk I'm prepared to take. I grew up with my brothers checking under their cars for bombs and having to code when they'd be home. Manchester has been bombed twice in my lifetime and remains a prime target (I have friends in GMP who recommend avoiding the Trafford Center too).

Anyway, the OP asks where people go for days out with their dc so I'm still hoping to hear ideas

We went to Liverpool today to the World Museum and the Maritime Museum and had a great time so thank you @earlydoors42 for the suggestion. The World Museum was the best one imo. By the time we got to the Maritime it was 2pm and the children were getting restless which made it very difficult to read any of the exhibits. We did the Slavery Museum too (within the Maritime Museum( and that has had a lasting impression on me. I came away feeling something I have no words for.
The children loved the city centre and have asked to go again at some point.
The Egyptian exhibits were fab at the World Museum and they had an astronomy photography competition exhibition which was simply stunning.
We had a great day!

I live on the south coast, we have tons of country parks nearby which we go to a lot with the dog. Even if its just a couple of hours for a walk, play and an ice cream. We have passes for Paultons Park so go there a lot. Used to have NT membership but only one place close enough to go to regularly that we liked so didn't renew. We go out on our kayak on the river, bike rides in to the new forest and day trips to the beach. My kids are 6 and 10.

It’s a pity you won’t go to London, we’ve been three times so far this year and Ds absolutely loves it. Speedy train down to Euston, hop on the tube to any numerous destinations.

Another option if you go to Liverpool again is once at Liverpool Lime St station you can get the train to Formby to see the red squirrels and then you can go to the beach. I haven’t been yet but my dm took Ds a few wks ago and he loved it!
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/formby/trails/formby-red-squirrel-walk

To answer your question, when mine were little, we'd "go out of the house" every day in the holidays, but "go on an expensive trip" - eg zoo or something usually only once a year (+ a week's holiday)

However, if you live outside Manchester and travel by train, have a read of this thread.

Dt, I live in the North West too and prefer to travel by train if I can (even though I drive) and I’m impressed that you’ve gone on lots of different adventures by train. I’ve been to London (with dp though) and Manchester & Liverpool with just Ds, loved the ease of train travel. Would love to explore more areas going by train so could you tell me a bit more about the places you’ve gone to which you mentioned in your opening thread. Easy to get to by train/station close to etc I’d love to take Ds to different places and I’m
Not a confident driver so train travel is my next best option.

It's a shame about Manchester, but I understand your reasons.
The squirrel sanctuary at Formby is a good day out with the beach there, although you did say you have covered Southport.
What about Wigan? There is a roller rink which is great fun / very painful on the arse, bowling, cinema, swimming baths, lovely places to eat, you could make a day of it. Not necessarily to do all of those things, yikes :D

Do you like walking and exploring? There are lots of areas in the north west that are really scenic and perfect for a picnic and a walk, and some decent parks, you could pick a station nearby? Where I live (north west village), there's a woodland-ish walk from the train station to the centre that is about a mile or so.