Chessington and Legoland binned - any recommendations for days out?

[CrispieCake]

We've recently had shit days out at both Chessington and Legoland. Just dreadful from start to finish. I have a fairly hyperactive 7yo and the expectation that young children will queue quietly for hours for rides that last a couple of minutes max is just unbelievable. DC is a bit of a wuss too so a couple of times we waited in line and then he decided when we got to the front that he didn't want to do the ride. So we paid a fortune to... queue. I would rather have a wisdom tooth extracted than spend another minute in places like this.

We're not badly off, but like many other families feeling the pinch a bit. We're not doing an abroad holiday this year, just a few days seaside break and day trips. I can't afford to spend £150+ for my DC to have a shit time and to come home feeling stressed and mugged.

Any recommendations for days out? Any places that you'd blacklist/put in the bin? Useful to know the ages of your DC too.

Based south-east but happy to travel/camp.

I'll start.

Bin
Legoland
Chessington
Thorpe Park

Recommend
Hobbledown
Bocketts Farm
Roarr! (Norfolk)

British Wildlife Centre
Rural Life Living Museum (try to go on the day they have the steam train - think it's Wednesdays)

If you fancy a day out at the seaside you could try Adventure Island at Southend. There are plenty of rides for smaller children and you get a wristband so you can come and go as you want so can go and get lunch at a cafe or walk along the pier and get the little train back. We've always had a good day out there.

I always recommend Adventure Island (Southend) over the better known theme parks. Much cheaper, you rarely queue for more than 10 minutes, everything is well kept, lovely enthusiastic young staff and plenty to fill a day. Or if you want to make a weekend of it there's a premier inn on the seafront and there's a good sealife centre, crazy golf, a beach playground, a lovely beach at Chalkwell and restaurants and cockle sheds at the old fishing village of Leigh on Sea.

Hopefield Animal Sanctuary in Brentwood is brilliant (look out for their exotic animal weekends) - you only need a couple of hours there but the nearby Thorndon Woods, King Georges Playing Field and Weald Country Park are all lovely.

Shepreth Wildlife Park (Royston) is fab and inexpensive.

In North Yorks-

Thorp Perrow Arboretum- cheap, animals, birds of prey

In London-

Kew Gardens- has playgrounds etc

Black Park Country Park- has playground, cafe and free apart from parking costs

Crocodiles of the World, mentioned upthread, Carterton, Oxon - really interesting and decent value. Took DH's nephews (8 and 11) last year and they loved it. Not far from the Cotswold Wildlife Park, which has also been mentioned.

Go Ape is always good,
If you are looking at staying in the New Forest, the wildlife park is good, so is the Aqua Park and Beaulieu is fun if your child is interested in cars.
If interested in animals, Monkey World is really good and Marwell Zoo

Agree with Bewilderwood. There is one in Norfolk and one in Cheshire and they're both great (although the Norfolk one is better.) We have been all over with our DCs and I think it is one of my favourite places.

I second Adventure Island, shorter queues.

Knock hatch
butlins Bognor day pass (swimming is amazing)
washbrooks

it looks like you are similarity in area to us OP, based on your initial alternative suggestions. We also enjoy:

• Drussillas
• knockhatch
• fishers' Farm
• whipsnade (we bought ZSL membership last year, and did it a couple of time, plus London Zoo)
• Worburn Safari Park
• Port Lympne
• Brighton - I360, crazy golf and pier
• london - Wonderlab @ Science Museum, Horrible Histories boat tour, Young V&A

in other parts of the country, we have loved:

• bewilderwood in Norfolk
• The monkey forest at Trentham
• heights of Abraham in Derbyshire

A really big treat which we did instead of a theme park trip was a sleepover at the Natural History Museum. Kids said it was the best trip ever!

Buy a EH membership, one visit to Dover Castle will nearly cover the price.

Membership Historical Royal Palaces, covers Hampton Court, the Tower and you can go several times if you don't want to spend a whole day.

Most London museums are free

Have a look at the National Art Pass. Our neighbours got one last year, their DSs are 7 and 5, and it covers a lot more than just galleries.

The Forbidden Corner is awesome. It's in Yorkshire @CrispieCake

We went to Bewilderwood a few years ago and the kids absolutely loved it. We wanted to go again but they put their prices up even more so we went to Thetford Forest instead (only have to pay for parking) and they have lots of similar activities. Definitely worth a visit.

Hertfordshire Zoo (used to be Paradise Wildlife Park) has a brilliant dinosaur attraction (animatronics).

You can't go wrong with a trip to the seaside a lot of the time, a tacky one with arcades, fair ground etc, kids are more than happy.

Paultons Park is definitely my favourite theme park in the UK, so so clean and nowhere near as much queuing as Legoland etc.

You are not a million miles from me I think. We like:

Penshurst
Groombridge (although it is currently closed)
Local national trust - chartwell, emmets, polesdon lacey
Godstone farm
Priory farm
Bocketts
Hobbledown
British Wildlife Centre
Plus various attractions in London - science museum, nhm, Greenwich, Tower of London, etc.

We’ve had some very successful days out at Knole near Sevenoaks (National Trust) despite a total lack of “child-friendly” facilities. A great place for hitting each other with sticks and watching the deer up close. 😂

In London, the Transport Museum
can be a good option and the entry is valid for a year. We’ve also done Battersea Power Station and Lift 109, which is a fairly unique way to get a good view of London. Though for a more central view there are better options for free, I think (Sky Garden?).

Another vote for Adventure Island in Southend if you have DC that like rides. You can buy wristbands that let you on any rides all day. It works well for families like mine where I don't like rides as I don't pay anything. It's a bit tedious standing around holding the bags but would be equally tedious standing around a theme park knowing I'd paid an arm and a leg to get in.

If you have any English Heritage places near you then there are always discounts on family memberships. I think we paid £90 for the year but we often go along to our nearest one for a walk and pop in the cafe. They usually have kids events on in the holidays.

Adventure Island is a great alternative to theme parks.
Gullivers was great
Willows adventure farm was a really good day with loads of different activities.

This is a great thread and I’m posting largely to placemark for future reference.

We have had great days at Legoland and Chessington but we ONLY go on random inset days when queues are manageable. And take packed lunches we nibble at in the queues rather than get fleeced.

Not really in the spirit of cheap days out but as an alternative theme park experience, Efteling in the Netherlands is AMAZING, not a rip-off and wholly worth a trip across the channel. Similarly Legohouse in Denmark is all the Lego lovers joy you don’t actually experience in Legoland, and flights to Bilund are often very cheap.

Another s

Butlins for a holiday. Bloody love it. Great swimming pool - free. Big fairground with assortment of rides - free. Great playgrounds and shows - free! Great for kids.

Depending on where you're based, these are places my 2 have loved (they're 7 & 12)
Paultons Park
The Hawk Conservancy is fantastic.
Hampton Court Palace.
Longleat Safari Park (we used clubcard vouchers).
Black Park & Langley Park (near Slough) are both free apart from parking.
Finkley Down Farm
Millers Ark Farm.

Plus, Marwell Zoo
Look Out Centre/ Bracknell Forest
Wellington County Park.

Second Drusillas . So much to look at and see. My children loved it and now my granddaughter does as well. The profits have obviously been reinvested in the attraction so well maintained m animals look very healthy in clean enclosures and so much fun, If it’s a hot day there is a brilliant splash,fountains area as well .
Port Lymnn Zoo is also a fabulous day out.
Penshurst Place, Paultons Park ,Hever Castle all lovely places to go to.

The farm at Chatsworth is brilliant: lots for the DC to do and there's a stream running through the playground with water toys, sand etc. Too late this year but the Easter egg hunt alone is well worth a visit. It works on time slots and the staff just cover a field in eggs. Toddlers run in all directions. Fun chaos!

I've never been but my neighbours really rate Conkers.

Not on the East side but my kids loved Trentham Gardens and the nearby Monkey Forest. We visited on a rainy day and there were still hundreds of monkeys to see.

That’s Portsmouth. Southampton docks are very much working docks - freight and cruise ships - and would be a very disappointing day out. As others have said, Paultons Park is wonderful - immaculate, well spaced out, with a good mix of rides and play areas/water parks. Peppy Pig World in Paultons is really well done and a feast for the eyes. You can also bring a picnic. We used to have season tickets and loved it.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is amazing - the Mary Rose Museum is worth it on its own, and HMS Victory is excellent. There’s also a small ninja warrior/navy style course which will keep a 7 year old entertained for a while.

It was Portsmouth, yes!