Ideas to take my 9yo boy for 2 days

[mammainlove]

Hi, Im wanting to have (very rare) 1:1 time with my 9 year old for 2 days, staying somewhere overnight. I live in Leeds so preferably in the Midlands/North England. I don't drive so we be going by train or bus, and it can't be too pricey. Any ideas?He likes science, and animals. Thanks xx

How about Eureka in Halifax?

Newcastle?

Plenty of budget hotels, try holiday inn express as you get breakfast.

Life Science Centre

Manchester Science Museum is good.

York is lovely for a couple of days, some nice shops and cafes especially if he’s a Harry Potter fan. We enjoyed the museums and the views from the tower.

Wherever you decide to go, I'd recommend a browse on the YHA website. Some of them have 2 bed rooms or glamping options. You can stay in historic houses, castles, converted mills, barns in cities or stunning countryside. Most offer breakfast or an evening meal or you can self-cater. There will be lots of other families around to people-watchchat to,.
Plus board games, maybe a pool table or table tennis etc and lots of outdoor space and activities/nature trails.

From memory, lots in the North of England. In the Midlands, Coalbrookdale is good for science/history as lots of museums nearby. Boggle Hole in Yorkshire is right on the beach next to Robin Hood's Bay, so great for fossil hunting or rock pooling. If he's into space as well as science there's the National Forest one near Leicester Space Museum and Conkers (outdoor/nature centre).

I was also going to say Manchester! We stop there once or twice a year. Good rail links and plenty to see. (Also free buses when you get there).

Sadly, Shropshire (so Ironbridge) has pitiful public transport. (I live there).

Museum of science and industry in Manchester.
Railway museum in York.

The National Space Centre in Leicester or the ThinkTank in Birmingham. Both are accessible from the city centres by public transport. Birmingham has a good aquarium too.