I just got National Trust and English Heritage membership for my birthday.

[CruCru]

I'm very excited. Where should I go? I live in north London but spend a lot of weekends in the Isle of Wight.

Osborne House in IoW should keep you amused for a few visits, it's one of those places where there is far too much to see in one day.

Thanks! I went there this weekend.

Lots of cool places in London for your NT pass, I don't know about the EH one though as we have mostly NT places around us so bought that pass!

How exciting though, I love my NT pass, £21.60 last year and £27 this year. We went to Lydford Gorge and Finch Foundry in Devon last week whilst we were on holiday and both were lovely, Nymans is just down the round from me (may be accessible to you too given you're in London?) and that's nice, we go there often.

Do you have a car? A few days trips to Kent and Surrey wouldn't be too far for you I think and they have tonnes of properties, in Surrey they have 7 or so just south of junctions 5-6 of the M25, you can do two in one day at some of them. Loads around the A3 apparently too

Nymans off m23 has great kids activities on their special events but even on an ordinary day they have spotter sheets binoculars and usually some sort of collecting craft. Also wild play areas dotted around the garden.

Its my 3yr old dd's fave

Cliveden is easy from N London and has lovely grounds.

IOW is great for EH. We got ours when we visited Osborne House and Carisbrooke and it paid for itself. NT we've used less in recent years so let it lapse but thinking of restarting.

One of our favourite staples is Polesden Lacey in surrey. Lovely gardens, tea room, garden shop, big lawns, lovely views and stunning walls through the park and beyond into one of my favourite bits of the surrey hills. You can easily extend and link up to a bit of the north downs way for even more gorgeous views. Lovely little hidden rolling valleys, woods and fields.