Need to entertain a child-free couple and a toddler in or around Glasgow

[geordieminx]

We have friends coming to stay next weekend from Aberdeen, they have grown-up children.

Am desperately trying to think of something fabulous for us all to do, that looks like I have made an effort, and is fun.

Will also need to keep 3 1/2 year old ds occupied.

We've been in Glasgow for years, but cannot for the life of be think of anything.

Am gutted food show is following week.

Dont mind travelling a wee bit.

Science Centre?
Pollock Park/Burrell collection?

Burrell is good.

Are they indoorsy/outdoorsy?

Queen Elizabeth Forest Park in Aberfoyle is brilliant at this time of year - lovely walks if the weather is good and great cafe, adn at the weekend often toddler friendly activities (we went this time last year and made loads of bird feeders etc.

Good suggestions.

We are season ticket holders at the science centre, so thats a safe bet if when the weather is shitty.

Had thought about Burrell - we have done Pollock park and the cafe but not anything else?

If driving from Aberdeen they may not want to do a road trip while they are in Glasgow.

You can do Pollok House, gardens (they are looking lovely and the veg garden very interesting for DS). Then go see the Highland Cattle and have a play in Burrell playpark and then the Burrell itself.

Cafe at the Burrell good - they have a self serve and have reintroduced a table service too. Wouldn't recommend the Pollok House restaurant - I find it a bit pretensious and they aren't very kid friendly.

I wouldn't dismiss Kelivengrove - bit of culture for the grownup and DS should be happy - my lot actually prefer the fist floor to the ground and it is so much more civilised! We like Firebird across the road for eats and beer...

Kelvingrove!!

Princes Square? Have some lovely lunch and let the toddler run riot through the middle bit as they all do ;)

firebird and k'grove. book the table by the fishtank to keep ds occupied.

Oooh haven't beec to firebird before....

You know it's funny, I say "toddler" he's not really...he's 31/2.....

i recommend the steak sandwich...

actually, kids food excellent there. cheese on toast, pasta with nice red sauce, small proper pizza, all costing £3. it is not unknown for me to order all three for the three of us for a quick, cheap lunch.

Oh the pizzas at Firebird are the business. The Hunterian Museum at the university is good too, but not sure if it's open at weekends (when most people might want to visit ). Mother India Cafe is also fab, if your DS likes Indian food?

true, midnight, but don't you find them a bit unwelcoming of children? (i am thinking of the female manager in particular)

Why not all go sledging at X-scape at Braehead?

It can be pricy but is great fun.

tbh Aitch, I haven't been there with the DC, who would no sooner eat Indian food than stick pins in their eyes.

i love it, but they really aren't into kids ime. they LOATHE buggies, humph about child seats and stick you next to the bogs out of their way. (whereas any fule kno that the thing to do with children is window seat them).

Yes, have pencilled in sledging then food at xscape as a rainy day option, kelvingrove/pollock or peoples palace if the weather is good.

Thanks ladies.

Whilst I'm on - has anyone been in Noah's Ark in Perth?

christ, eating at excape, though, it's so miserably NOISY. although we went to tony roma's there fairly recently and while Not My Sort Of Place (pardon me for liking natural light [snoot]) the nachos were delicious and the chips great. burgers okay and friend reported the ribs excellent. and we were all fed and watered, four adults, two kids, for under 60 exc tip.

Yes, was thinking Tony Roma's or Pizza Express..

Just easy when we come out of sledging.

Thinking about heading into blind Pig on Sat night - was it you that recommended it Aitch?

Went back in May and it was fab. :-)

we had terrible service in that PE when i was last there, so have banned self. they put black pepper on dd's pizza, and she simply cannot eat spikey food, the poor thing, so i said 'er, pepper on a kid's pizza' and the woman just flat out denied it. which was odd, because there were big black specks all over it that tasted, to me at least, exactly like pepper. she pretty much took it away, blew on it and brought it back.

Awh thats rubbish.

The service was fab when we went, infact I had the 5pm menu, dh picked from the A 'la Carte, and she only charged us for the 5pm menus - saving about £20?

Luck of the draw though isnt it?

We were in Loft last weekend - they have changed menu, and instead of kids menu you can order 1/2 portions.... great... unless the menu is full of "goats cheese tart" "seafood paella" etc... although to be fair they did have fish and chips, but not much else child fussy toddler friendly.

really? surely to god they're still doing pizzas? they were pretty good at two for one, we used to all go there after nursery on a friday and let our million kids wind the staff up.

What, they've banned you Aitch, or you have self-banned yerself?

My advice is don't get the lunchbox from kelvingrove cafe. It costs about 25 quid (only a slight exaggeration) and has half a teeny-weeny sandwich, a manky apple and a fruit shoot. Mebbe a packet of crisps. We did a fearsomely complex off-menu sandwich order (this, but without that, plus a bit of this, oh, and no that)last time we were there, which, to give them credit, they accepted in good grace, even though I saw the waiter's head explode as she walked off.

We are a waiting staff's worst nightmare. Unless Aitch is in the queue behind us, by the sounds of things.

lol. no, self-banned. i was a bit more polite than 'er pepper on kid's pizza'.

although i noticed this complaint was quite a feature on the PE feedback thread.

Oooo yes I remember making a mistake and ordering C a lunch box at Kelvingrove - it was rubbish!

BTW aitch did you know that the spa angst has moved to the 'off the beaten track' area? ' I think it is called atm 'Second room of requirements'. I am fiendishly busy (as you can see...) so haven't been on for a while.