Tell me of 10 uk attractions/landmarks that my children shouldn't miss out on.

[coodawoodashooda]

Ill start.

1. Buckingham Palace
2. House of Commons
3. Windsor Castle
4. Hampton Court Palace
5. Llangollan cannal
6. Edinburgh castle
7. Hadrian's wall
8. Culloden battlefield
9. Royal Mile

10. Cairngorms

On that more, the 'right to roam' - you cannot go wandering in farms abroad, but in the UK you can.

No you can’t, you have to stick to footpaths.

Sutton Hoo
Forbidden Corner
Hadrian’s wall…housteads is good.
A jousting event
Chatsworth
Cragside

Alton Towers

We loved giants causeway too!

Some places not yet mentioned:

Hawkston Park Follies, Shropshire
Robin Hoods Bay, Yorkshire
Keilder Forest and water park, Northumberland
Chester Zoo
Winter Wonderland, Hyde Park
Thirlstane Castle, Scottish Borders

Edinburgh castle is the big landmark, yes, but Stirling castle is a better day out. But Edinburgh for the old town and Mary King's Close.

The Falkirk Wheel, for a modern day feat of engineering.

I second Dover Castle. Loads to see and many periods of history represented.

Great thread. My dc would love most of these places.
Skomer island to see the puffins has been their favourite place they’ve been to in the uk.

@CovidCorvid

* On that more, the 'right to roam' - you cannot go wandering in farms abroad, but in the UK you can.

No you can’t, you have to stick to footpaths.

Sutton Hoo
Forbidden Corner
Hadrian’s wall…housteads is good.
A jousting event
Chatsworth
Cragside

Once again, people confusing UK and England.

I'm Scotland, there is a right to roam. In England, you stick to footpaths. Afraid I don't know about Wales and NI.

Oh I apologise, I see the quote specifically mentions farms. Tramping across farmland is slightly different.

The Kelpies
Falkirk Wheel
Glencoe
Lindisfarne
We loved the Giant’s Causeway, but we’re underwhelmed by Stonehenge . Carrick-a-Reed rope bridge we enjoyed.
Carreg Cennen Castle is worth a visit if you are in S/W Wales
A trip to a school island by CalMac ferry
I really want to take mine to Fingal’s Cave when they are bigger
Fossil hunting scarborough/Whitby or Dorset Jurassic Coast
Puffins at Bempton Cliffs/Lundy

Beamish.
Liverpool waterfront, go on the ferry.
Formby pine woods and beach. Look for Neolithic footprints when the tide is out.

Harry Potter potter studio tour Watford
Blists hill Victorian village (living museum with shops, school, fairground, houses and actors - really good)
Alnwick Castle, broomstick training and the poison garden were good
Alton Towers
Cadbury’s world
Snowdonia
The new forest and the ponies
Quarry bank mill - life in the cotton mills
National space centre - Leicester
The Eden project

@coodawoodashooda

Ill start.

1. Buckingham Palace
2. House of Commons
3. Windsor Castle
4. Hampton Court Palace
5. Llangollan cannal
6. Edinburgh castle
7. Hadrian's wall
8. Culloden battlefield
9. Royal Mile

10. Cairngorms

All of these things will still be there when they are adults and they can go see and appreciate more - so I wouldn’t feel too ouch pressure to run around the country with a tick list to see monuments necessarily.

However as PP have said there is often a lot more on your doorstep and in the neighbouring counties that can be day trips and often as engaging. Local history stuff builds a sense of connection, belonging, identity and pride that can be taken into adult life. Local stuff is often cheaper and more accessible so you can do more of it more frequently rather than waiting for a once in childhood big holiday.

We tend to focus on museums, events etc in the winter (indoors) and then landscape (beaches, rivers, countryside - walks, wild swimming, picnics etc ie doing physical stuff doors in the summer.

I also think just wandering around a village, historic part of a small town and just observing, exploring and experiencing / absorbing its differences and energy etc easy. Which region of the country are you in as posters might be able to point you to hidden gems near by? We discovered loads of new experiences on our doorstep during lockdown.

As a destination thing we loved a boat trip out to see the seal colony with their newborns (hundreds up close) on the North Norfolk coast from Blakneys Point.

If you were planning it as a trip to the UK, I wouldn’t personally aim for ticking off landmarks, but then that’s not my kind of holiday.
I mi it helps, I think ideally children growing up here should have the opportunity to at some point visit:
London
A selection of other cities (e.g. a few from: Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Bristol, Portsmouth, York, Liverpool, Manchester, Brighton - preferably visiting at least one of them often enough to feel comfortable visiting alone/with friends once they’re old enough).
A proper hill with rewarding views.
Seaside.
Canals.
A substantial castle (and a ruined one).
A steam train ride.
A stately home or palace.
A big ship that can be explored.
A boat trip.
Somewhere with strong industrial heritage.
A science museum.
A natural history museum.
A Roman site.
A local museum.
An art gallery.
A big sports event and/or concert.
A theme park.

I’m sure I’ve missed out more great options, but I’d focus more on the breadth of the experiences rather than ticking off specific landmarks.

@hamsterchump

Bude Tunnel

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Reading some of these suggestions is making me think of the 'But we took you to Stately Homes' thread!

@DaisyDozyDee

If you were planning it as a trip to the UK, I wouldn’t personally aim for ticking off landmarks, but then that’s not my kind of holiday. I mi it helps, I think ideally children growing up here should have the opportunity to at some point visit: London A selection of other cities (e.g. a few from: Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Bristol, Portsmouth, York, Liverpool, Manchester, Brighton - preferably visiting at least one of them often enough to feel comfortable visiting alone/with friends once they’re old enough). A proper hill with rewarding views. Seaside. Canals. A substantial castle (and a ruined one). A steam train ride. A stately home or palace. A big ship that can be explored. A boat trip. Somewhere with strong industrial heritage. A science museum. A natural history museum. A Roman site. A local museum. An art gallery. A big sports event and/or concert. A theme park.

I’m sure I’ve missed out more great options, but I’d focus more on the breadth of the experiences rather than ticking off specific landmarks.

This is a great list of varied experiences - would maybe also add a theatre trip, festival or county show.

I think with the stately homes thing you need to be careful - lots of my DCs friends moan that their parents drag them around loads - and if the only experience is keep off the grass and don’t touch the dusty old furniture then it can be boring to do this repeatedly.

With NT we’ve had more fun when it’s an activity / event. Ours have loved the light show / Christmas market at the one near us for instance.

Blackpool Tower Eye.

I love this thread, great question OP!

Cheddar Gorge. Loved it as a child and my kids and granddaughter loves it too - not just the drive through the gorge, but scrambling up the rocks.

A big bonus is to see the show caves of stalactites and stalagmites

I think it is more about the experience, rather than looking at something, for children. Mine are a similar age. They have loved:

Harry Potter world
London
Cadbury world
Alton towers enchanted village stay
Warwick castle glamping tents stay
Lindisfarne and Beamish museum.
Boat rides: york, Stratford, lakes, skipton - really doesnt matter where. Although hiring our own at the lakes and them ‘driving’ was a major win.
Tour bus rides
Museums with activities on for children - Natural museum in Dublin was a hit.
The great Orme.
Dumfries and Galloway. So much to do and see there.

Lots of beautiful/interesting places to see.

Maybe not so much for the kids, but I think the scenery in Skye is pretty special.

Here is a photo of mine which I am rather proud of.

Can I suggest Stirling castle - actually far better than Edinburgh especially for dc. You could climb to the Wallace monument while you're at it. The kelpies and Falkirk wheel.

Beamish if that still exists
Ironbridge

.

@liveforsummer

Can I suggest Stirling castle - actually far better than Edinburgh especially for dc. You could climb to the Wallace monument while you're at it. The kelpies and Falkirk wheel.

Good call. My mil used to live near there. Lots to do.