went Hampton Court today... loed loved loved it!!

[juicychops]

its one of my most favourite places ever

i love everythin about it!!!

We took the boys a year or so ago. I wasn't expecting to particularly enjoy it and we had a fantastic day. Twas half term and it was heaving, and it was still wonderful.

why?

genuine question.... we've never been there but think about it when the flower show comes up each year .

Used to live a few miles from HC. Visited throughout my childhood - got really really bored with it! We always liked the maze but half the time it was closed

DD was very excited when staying with MIL and sFIL last summer because they were going to take her, but when they got there sFIL said it was far too expensive and they left. I was as all they had done was nice long walks the whole week she was there.

If she stays with them this year I'm sending him an envelope with £60 so he doesn't have to fork out from his own well-stuffed pockets.

If you go before British Summer Time, it's free to go in formal gardens. Nice on a warm spring day. Otherwise they cost £4.60, which is a rip off. Maze is £3.50 and is frankly a bit crap but I guess as it's famous you might as well do it once.

Not been in the house, but if you stump up the rip-off £14 to get in, you can visit the house and gardens at no additional charge.

My advice:

visit on a nice March day, park in Bushy Park (free currently but they want to start charging), see the deer, visit the nice playground there (again, nice day needed, as there's a sandpit), then walk across have a stroll in the gardens.

If you've got stamina, from the formal gardens, you can head out on the right side of the Long Water, over Home Park (lots of parakeets and a very old oak) to the Thames, along to Kingston, then back through Bushy Park. I think it's about 4 1/2 or 5 miles.

Otherwise just walk straight back to Bushy Park from Hampton Court

£14!!!!!!

I've wanted to go to HC for ages. Not sure I'd pay £14 though, wow.

ive got a membership which cost £39 for a year and you can go Hampton court, tower of london, kensington palace, kew palace and the banqueting house as much as you want in a year. i love HC just cos im so into the history of it and i just love it as a place so il make use of the membership. Went on my own yesterday for the day and it was just so relaxing. ds loved tower of london too so will be going back there soon.

We went a couple of years ago, and the house was great! DS loved the reconstructions in the rooms - such as the kitchens, and you see Henry's throne etc. I guess it depends whether you are interested on the history.

The maze was fun, too, and the gardens are lovely f running around. And the lake. And the deer across the road.

We took our two DCs last summer and they loved it too Juicy. We only did abit of the inside as at 6 and 4 they were abit young for the fulltour, but followed the kiddies trail and really enjoyed. It was a lovely day and there were lots of actors dressed up talking to the children. They playied Elizabethan music and we could join in a dancing class. They also let the children do some jousting training and play skittles. The children loved the gardens and the Maze too. We went on the train so didn't have to worry about parking.

We live about a mile away and haven't been for years! Keep meaning to, it is lovely though pricey. That annual membership sound s a good deal, juicy, might try that. Do they do any special family membership rates?

A nice way to arrive is take a river boat trip from Westminster or Richmond.

There are some special events planned for 500th anniversary of HenryV111 accession this summer - worth watching out for.

yorkshirerose - yeah there are a few different membership family packages. here is the link...

www.hrp.org.uk/supportus/membership/default.aspx

Thanks for that juicy - will definitely follow that up.

thanks for the link juicy - very tempting!!