Newcastle to London drive with children!! Help

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We are driving to London next week and looking for a halfway point to stop. Not a service station but more like a place where we can spend a couple of hours doing something. Does anyone know of any museums, indoor adventure type places, waterslide swimming pools etc. that would be suitable for two children 9 and 6? I think we will be travelling down the A1. Thank you

Doncaster dome have slides etc, little bit off the A1. If you were going the other way I'd suggest Magma at Rotherham. Do you have national trust membership?

We did a very similar trip OP and someone recommended Ferry Meadows. Just off thr motorway so you don't add extra time to your journey

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/4845251-cambridgeshire-just-off-the-motorway

Sounds awful, but the best run we've done is to leave at 5am (yes, I know), put sleepy kids in the car who will drift back off. They woke up at a services 1.5 hours from our destinstion and we had a Pret breakfast at the services. It was entirely civilised.

We have done that drive before - not quite half way, but Doncaster Lakeside is a good stop off point. The Dome leisure centre has water slides, splash pool etc and a soft play.

There are various restaurants (Brewer's Fayre with a soft play, Pizza Express, Nandos etc). The small lakes is good for a stretch of legs with ducks.

Not exactly what you’re looking for but if it’s dry, Belton House in Lincolnshire has a great playground (and indoor options inside the house if not dry) and is just 10 minutes or so from Gonerby Moor services. Further north, Clumber Park is a good option for a dry day and a run around. Both National Trust.

It's more like 1/3 of the way down - so maybe one for the return, but yorkshire sculpture park if it's dry.

These are great ideas! Thank you so much. We don't have a NT membership but are happy to pay if things are worth it.

If Belton House is at a good point for your journey to break it is a good option. Almost too good, we stopped going after a bit as dragging the kids out of the playground was hard work and it did add about 20 mins to the journey. Peterborough Services are (traffic willing) 2 hours out from London and have a small playground. Or Nene Park is near there and just off the A1 and a good alternative stop.

Duxford aeroplane museum
Torworth Grange (farm shop/cafe with good play area)
York railway museum

National space centre in Leicester? It’s fascinating and not much of a detour if you are coming down the M1 rather than A1 (have done that drive a couple of times!)