Another aborted day out

[HearMeSnore]

Feeling really fed up. Last week we had to abandon a day out at a theme park for DD's birthday because it was so hot and crowded we were all having a miserable time. After only three rides, when faced with 80 minute queues to get on anything at all, DD was quite despondent and just wanted to go home. We left, took her to a quiet country park with a decent play area on the way home and promised to make it up to her with another day out soon.

Bank Holiday arrives. Nice and sunny - I have the bright idea to take her to a local-ish wildlife attraction. It was bound to be busy, but it has lots of shade and is very spread out. We've been before in the summer holidays and it was fine. So we gave it a go. Parked in the "overflow car park" (a field 15 mins walk away, which didn't bode well), then queued for 20 mins to get in. DH wanted to give up and find somewhere else to go at this point, but in my wisdom I said no, it'll be fine once we get in.

It wasn't fine. It was bedlam. The first thing we saw was a row of stinking portaloos with a queue of about 20 people. Clearly the proper toilets in the cafe were not up to the job. Then we saw the throng of people in the cafe courtyard and picnic area and my heart sank. Our plan was to have our picnic first, then ditch the bags and stroll round the wildlife bit. We found a small patch of shade on the floor in the middle of the crowd to eat our picnic, were plagued by wasps, and watched with a sense of doom as more and more people poured into the entrance gate. There were huge queues for the toilets, cafe and ice cream kiosk. There was even a long queue to get through the gate to the wildlife enclosure.

After lunch, we gave DD the option to stand and wait for a turn to get through the gate, or go home. She was hot, fed up and generally peeved by the whole experience so chose to go home. She's now sprawled in the nice, cool, living room with the windows open, playing on her console. DH is sprawled on the bed with a fan on, reading his book. I'm in the garden under the shade with a G&T, wishing we'd just done this in the first place. We'd all have been happier.

I know, I'm a mug. Never again. Sunny bank holidays in future will be spent in the back garden. If pressed, I will stretch to somebody else's back garden.

Any Bank holidays we stay at home just not worth it

We went to Legoland yesterday it was awful - took an hour to travel 2.2 km to the park entrance and then park!

The queues for food were awful

Today we did the London Aquarium (merlin pass holders) and that was much better. Chessington we live near and has animals so a 2/3 hour trip is fine

You can celebrate a child's birthday a little bit after the event.

We went to M&S foodhall, really enjoyed it.

We went to a county fair today - we planned to get there when the gates opened at 10am but DH realised he couldn’t find his wallet, cue half an hour of us all frantically running around getting hot searching for it. Managed to find it, arrived at about 10.45 and left at about midday. Most of it wasn’t so crowded but it was so hot! No shade, nowhere to sit and the craft tents were heaving and sweltering. DS constantly wanted to be carried and DH and I both got headaches. We’ve spent the afternoon in the garden with the sprinkler on.

The rest of the weekend we spent at home, baking or building Lego. Sounds nice but I was stir crazy by this morning! Then when we were out, I was wishing we’d saved our money and stayed home. Can’t win in this weather!

That sounds grim and disappointing.

It’s hot here and with the BH as well, we’ve had an afternoon of board games and listening to the football on the radio.

We walked to the next town along the seafront today and I have never seen it so busy!

We live in a small town and the beach was busy more akin to Brighton!

We did manage to find a fairly quiet pub garden for a nice lunch before walking back. Parking was shocking, people had parked on double yellow lines, the wide bits of pavement, any bits of grass they could find.

I was relieved to be walking and nice to get back and have an afternoon nap.

August bank holiday is always the last hurrah of the masses. It's up there with the first hurrah of Easter Monday for sheer awfulness

This is one to remember.

Last bank holiday we got to our chosen seaside town at 9.30/10am (figured a lot of people arrive in time for fish and chips) and we found a car park easily and went with the flow.We also left around 3pm instead of 5/6 and didn't get stuck in traffic.A lot of it is learning from experience and trying not to get too stressed around queues etc.

Our children are adults now but we learnt the hard way too OP. I have a few examples but the bank holiday that did it for us was August bank holiday about 12 years ago. We arranged to meet friends in the park opposite the RSC theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon (about 40 mins drive but took 70 mins due to traffic) for a picnic. It was a really hot day, traffic was awful, couldn't park anywhere, eventually parked in not an official space (DH was adamant it would be ok as others were parked there). Park was heaving, kids miserable, my friend unwittingly pushed her buggy through some dog poo and rolled it across our picnic rug. A few noisy families playing ball games, and throwing those torpedo things that make a screeching noise (it was packed, there was no space to play ball games). I thought my friend's DH was going to punch someone the umpteenth time the torpedo landed in our picnic. Stuck it for 2 hours, back to the car, a whole row of us had parking tickets. Had to queue for ages to get out of the car park. We invited our friends to come to ours, we had a lovely garden - orchard, duck pond - why the hell we felt it necessary to join the mayhem in the outside world beats me. It was the last time however, never again!

DH and I have stayed home and made blackberry jam. I’ve also caught up on some paperwork - yes, all very rock’n’roll round our way!

I think I recognise that wildlife park from your description! It's much better in autumn or early spring.

Why would anyone go to one of those places on a bank holiday Monday when tomorrow will still be school holidays, the places wil still be open but will be far less crowded?

It staggers me how many people get to these sorts of places on a BH at say 1100 and wonder why it’s crowded! Same with Saturday shopping. Westfields in West London. I aim to arrive at 0930. Can always park. When I leave about 1300 the queue to get in is huge EVERY SINGLE TIME! Surely peak times are not difficult to work out..

When we take the teens to the beach we aim to leave home at 0800. Not the crack of dawn. We arrive at 0900. Easy to park but again the queue to get into the car park is massive. Just why!!

OP, so sorry you've had two dud days out in a row. But thank you for posting this. DH always absolutely refuses to go anywhere at bank holiday because he claims it will be hell. I always feel really miffed and that he's a killjoy. You've just convinced me he's been right for the last twenty years!

FWIW we only ever go to theme parks on inset days form school as any school holiday is bound to be spent just queuing.

Just to add, I now volunteer at a heritage property and have been on duty today as a house steward. It's been a fabulous day, not too busy but loads going on for families - falconry display, kids activities, lots of garden games available, house tours, picnic areas, great café (Hartlebury Castle in Worcestershire if you're within striking distance). We get fab reviews on trip advisor but we are a hidden gem as we're owned by a preservation trust.

Yes, bank holidays are hellish! If you do decide to go somewhere like that you have to get there early. But a simple picnic by a river under a tree or walk in the woods is often better and less crowded. Playing at home is also good - zero crowds, paddling pool, buy "picnic stuff" to make it fun... job done.

Sadly viques, DH and I are back at work tomorrow and DD is in holiday club. We hadn't planned to do anything at all over the Bank Holiday- it was only a last minute idea that I thought might make up for the awful day we had for DD's birthday. We took two weeks off together at the start of August for our family holiday, and now we don't have any more weekdays off before DD goes back to school. Next weekend and the weekend after we will be busy, so it was kind of our last chance to do something before she goes back to school. You're quite right, though. It would have been better not to bother.

If you plan a day out on a bank holiday then it’s imperative to arrive early so that you can enjoy the attraction before it gets too crowded. Madness to arrive somewhere on a sunny bank holiday at lunchtime.

In fairness OP, you were part of the hell for other families too. They were only there because they had the same idea as you, so you can't really blame them.
A day at home or get to where you're going at the crack of sparrowfart is the only way to do it.

We braved IKEA this morning. Surprisingly calm and enjoyable all round. Arrived half an hour after opening. Super organized car park full of attendants. Got the kids booked onto the next creche session, which was only fifteen minutes after we got in. Stuck the kids in to play and went to the cafe for a mini date. We managed to arrive as they were stopping breakfast and starting lunch, which meant we barely queued.

Had a lovely early lunch, some grown up conversation and peace till we picked up the kids. Wondered round, bought some ice cream. Left by just gone 12 and made the kids lunch at home. Then we lazed about, caught up on jobs and had a great afternoon.

10/10 bank holiday for us! I thought we were mad heading in there, but it paid off.

@MidCenturyVintageWoman great name!

DD has been away with her Dad this long weekend. Camping in a completely packed out field with (according to her) v basic toilets/showers etc and they've struggled to cool down, went to a tourist attraction which was packed. I have missed her terribly but I would not want to be there! I have been on my tod for most of the weekend apart from today, but I have enjoyed the peace and quiet and my fan!

Jealous of those who have nice gardens though. Soon [fingers crossed]

We walked to a riverside pub and loads of people had brought their DC for lunch (there's a children's play area) and seemed to be having a whale of a time in the sunshine.

We've been very lucky today,we braved our local town(that is very large and very popular)to pick up the rest of DD11's uniform for school and I had to get some bits for our other 4DC as well and it was really quiet which ment it didn't take us long to get what we wanted and we managed to stop off and have some lovely cake and a nice cold drink without having to queue for ages to be served which was a nice change.

Living in a tourist area in North Wales (welcome btw) we avoid these places on bank holidays and at weekends. They open early in the year and close late season so we visit them when the visitors are not around in large numbers. This weekend we got up early went fishing, or played in the garden. Our local parks are fine as are some beaches. Friends in Cornwall say the same.

We wave the visitors goodbye this evening the traffic pics. on FB are bad. I feel for the families cooped up in their cars.