Top 5 'must see' places for kids

[MyCatIsCalledPotato]

I need to get organised and get booking some days/weekends out for this year for the kids. It would be nice to have things to look forward to.

Where have your kids loved? What is a 'must see/do' for your kids?

Mine are aged 9+, we're happy to give anything a go and I we don't mind travelling anywhere in the Uk.

Any ideas/tips for the journey would be great!

Our Gdcs (5 and 6) were dying to go on the London Eye recently, after friends had been and raved about it.

I was a bit dubious - very expensive for something they might not enjoy - but they really did.

We also did the Natural History Museum - a must IMO, esp. for any child into dinosaurs.

However what they also really loved was riding on top of a red bus (front seats!) followed by the train, and later the underground most of the way home. A great novelty - back at home it’s only ever Shanks’ Pony, bike or car.

Things I have enjoyed with my kids

London in South Ken museums, Tower of London, boat to Greenwich, Kew Gardens, Covent Garden, British museum
Giants causeway and carrick a rede bridge
Stonehenge and longleat
North York moors inc Whitby Abbey, boggle Hole, Robin hoods bay
Edinburgh- Royal Mile during fringe , zoo, camera obscure, RBG

Lakes
Highlands inc fort William to mallaig train ride, wildlife watching on Mull/Skye
Lindesfarne and Northumberland coast
Dorset-Jurassic coast
Cornwall- surfing, Eden project
Yorkshire dales inc forbidden corner

At that age ish we went to vinlandia (probably spelt it wrong) near Hexham on Hadrians wall and they took part in the dig, they loved it. Also York is a good place to visit. They loved the outdoor activities at aviemore. London's museums are must do's but also good is duxford, go on a flying day, Portsmouth dockyards and many cities have good museums.

Personally I would almost pick a place every 2-3 months, book a cheap hotel then work out what to see, everywhere has something and the best aren't where you think they are. The holiday inn to the north of Newcastle was nice when we went a few years ago, kids stayed and ate free and room slept 4

Further afield but I highly recommend Normandy at that age- we did the museums, saw Pegasus bridge and stayed in this b&b that was full of bikers who were so friendly and let the kids have rides (slowly on private land)

Were in the North West. Things DD has enjoyed (she's nearly 10) include :-

Chester zoo
Blackpool pleasure beach
Magna science adventure museum in Rotherham
British Music Experience in Liverpool
Museum of Liverpool

Were waiting for a decent day when we can go to Yorkshire sculpture park and also when she's old enough to do the CBBC tour at media city

Honestly, I think the best thing kids can do is play in the street with their friends.

The one place in the U.K. DD particularly requested a return visit in her teens wasn't a weekend trip, it was Mull, May half term, for the wildlife. But we'd done a lot of visiting WWT/RSPB places near us while she was growing up.

As you mentioned the big cat sanctuary, DD loves Port Lympne animal place in Kent. We stay one or two nights in a pod. Love being there early morning with the monkeys waking up and no one around. We've been three times now, every other year, and she still wants to go again.

Jodrell Bank telescope, spent the whole day there. We made a weekend of that by going to Alderley Edge where some of Alan Garner's books are set, and a random NT place nearby.

Whitby, Staithes, and moors.
Other than this, any castle.

National coal mining museum
Yorkshire sculpture park
The Hepworth
Whitby just in general
Mother Shipton’s Cave
Lotherton Hall
Chester zoo
Tropical world in Leeds
Leeds industrial museum
Natural history museum

The historic dockyard in Portsmouth

A proper castle - try Mont Orgueil and Elizabeth castles in Jersey (and Durrell Zoo whilst you're on the island) or Norwich

Bucket and spade day at an old fashioned seaside town, try Cromer and take in a Seaside Special show at the theatre on the pier

A huge sporting event in one of the big stadiums, or a race meeting like The Derby or the Grand National

The National Showcaves in Wales

Also, going over the requested number here - a festival, not just mustic, try Edinburgh or Hay, a holiday on a boat (canals or Norfolk Broads), something prehistoric (Avebury?), plus the main sites in London

All within driving/walking distance of each

otherwww.ncm.org.uk
ysp.org.uk/ great workshops for kids
www.cannonhallfarm.co.uk

I agree about an event.
We were able to go to a couple of Commonwealth Games events and it was great. We get athletics emails for the north-east so maybe that's an option? We are not that sporty but really enjoyed being part of the events.
Gymnastics was amazing too an we said we'd go watch a competition again if we had the chance.
And my kids really liked York.

OP, if Yorkshire Wildlife Park near Doncaster is still as good as when I took my DC (- about 10 years ago, so do check recent reviews!) I think your DC would really like it. It had interesting animals like giraffes, tigers and meerkats, and also talks about the various animals there. There was also a good playground and some big indoor slides.

Some good ideas so far, thank you

Does anyone know of any child friendly festivals? Or experience days that were particularly good?

Mine loved the DLR randomly enough. Legoland, zoos/wildlife parks and aquariums are always a big hit too. They didn't like the London Museums as they were always very busy. But loved the Roman Museum in Cirencester.
And Go Ape or other tree top experience, that was always a winner.

@MyCatIsCalledPotato for family friendly festivals i can thoroughly recommend Kendal Calling. I took DD on my own when she was 5 (long story) and we went again when she was 6 mwith DH that time. She's almost ten and has nagged each summer since if we are going back. (Covid and having DD2 has called a halt to it.) DD2 is 4 next year so I'm seriously considering getting tickets. You see family's there with babies upwards,, not my cup of tea but there's so much going on, it's not too big a site, they have some decent bands on and it's not ridiculously expensive

Great idea for a thread. Thanks for starting this, op. I'm taking notes

The boxes I'd try to tick for pre-teen holidays are:
A castle
A mountain
A safari park
A beach
A rock pool
A cathedral
Tower Bridge/Tower of London
A steam train ride
Lindisfarne over the causeway (or Burgh Island if you're in the South)
A boat trip to see seals/dolphins
London in general: the Underground, the Thames, the Eye, a big theatre show
A Roman ruin (Vindolanda would be obvious for you)
A canal with locks
An industrial museum (Beamish for you I guess)
A trip overseas

Festivals: our loved End Of The Road, it had a ferris wheel, a family camping field, a cinema tent playing Wallace and Gromit, food trucks, good bands...

They also loved the attractions when we carried on to Dorset, Swanage beach, Corfe Castle, steam railway, miniature village...top fun!