Ideas for all-weather day out around Warwick/Stratford?

[mrsdarcy]

We are meeting up with some friends tomorrow - driving from opposite ends of the country and meeting somewhere roughly in the middle which means around Warwick/Stratford direction.

There will be 4 adults and 7 children (age range 2 - 12). I don't mind bringing a picnic for everyone but we could do with planning somewhere where the children can run around if the weather is wet (like NT gardens, perhaps) but there is somewhere to go if it is wet.

Any ideas?

Thanks

You could always try Warwick Castle I used to love this place as a kid and you can take a picnic

Just come back from a few days in that area - it is fab!

Warwick castle is good although not so great in the rain - in fact had a MN meet-up there yesterday with some ladies from my post-natal thread which was fab.

Loads to do in Stratford too - loads of green spaces round the river which the kids can play on, a butterfly farm which is good in the rain, loads of Shakespeare museums but that is not to everyone's taste!

Warwick Castle looks lovely but blimey it's expensive! We don't see these friends very often so we'll want to spend the day chatting rather than viewing, iyswim. So I guess the place we go to will serve the role of background rather than leading player

The Butterfly Farm looks great. Maybe we could meet there and have our picnic - is there a good picnic area, Ceebee? - and then wander down by the river afterwards. Is there somewhere indoors at the Butterfly Farm where we could eat our picnic?

No - there is nowhere indoors at the butterfly farm unfortunately - but if the weather is nice, it is literally on the riverfront so loads of picnicking places there.

Not sure where you could eat if it is raining - there was a bandstand

hope you have a fantastic time - it really is a lovely area.

yes there is a park right next to the Butterfly farm. If the weather is good, the park has an artificial sandpit which is great.
Stratford is expensive to park though

If it is raining all day tomorrow, there is a place in Bidford (5 miles from Stratford) called Bungos Barn - that is fab! Play area with good food & coffee.

Thanks for the recommendations

We had a great day. Went to the butterfly farm and the children loved having the butterflies land on them. We had a picnic by the river and a big run round - great for all of us.

Thanks again.