Family & Friends Railcard - ideas for days out and short breaks from London

[Wimbledonwomble]

I recently bought a F&F railcard to buy tickets for a trip to Edinburgh which has actually already paid for itself for that one trip.

However, given that we now have the card for a year, I'm thinking that we should make the most of it!

Can anyone suggest some good day or overnight trips they've done using their card? We live on a tube line so can be at most London mainline stations within the hour.

On the other hand, we don't want to use it for the sake of it or go to places that would actually be easier to drive to or are better with a car, so the station needs to be very close to the town centre/attraction.

So far, I've come up with a day trip to Brighton and a trip to Liverpool, staying overnight somewhere cheap (such as a Premier Inn/Travelodge). Would be grateful for any other ideas. My kids are 12 & 15 and the card is valid until next September.

Tia

What about a day out at Winter Wonderland? I’ve heard good things about it.

I have the time out book of country walks near London - they are all reachable by train (either circular or from one train station to another) and vary from approx 10 - 20k

Oxford

Windsor

Also Bath, Oxford and Cambridge are nice and easy by train. And Whitstable etc on the coast (have a look at trains running from Stratford International if you live east as it gets you to the coast surprisingly quickly).

I've got one of those f and f cards, I love mine, off the top of my head we've done Southend, Brighton, Bournemouth, Milton Keynes, Birmingham Xmas market, I'm also thinking about Stratford upon Avon or York

York for Christmas Market
Birmingham, again Xmas market, my sister went and said it was brilliant
Brighton for Laines, pier, throwing pebbles at sea, and mooching
Manchester -taking DS6 to Legoland Discovery Centre next month
Margate - Turner Contemporary, vintage theme park, lovely long coastal walk to Broadstairs with swim at the sea at Botany Bay, ice cream parlour at Broadstairs
Windsor Castle and Great Walk

Portsmouth is good if you like a day shopping or at the historical dockyards as station right next to them both

If you are in Surrey we have Chessington World of Adventures. I’ve also heard good things about Tulleys Farm. An escape room is a good idea for a day out provided you love lateral thinking etc. Or you could always go to a local museum or art gallery for the day out. What about Dickens World or Harry Potter Studios? Both are good for families and children too. I’m planning on taking my son and daughter to a book festival this week for the first time ever. Next month we’re going by train to London to see a Christmas market. And then we hope to visit a few child friendly attractions on a whim early next year too.

Winter Wonderland is the best option for me. It is a very nice place.

Oh great thread, I had been wondering the same after buying ours.