Midlands? Cotswolds? Oxford?

[RosesShouldBeInTins]

In a few weeks time, we will be visiting family in Reading. We are in the NW and we're able to travel down a day early so we are thinking of stopping off somewhere en route (preferably closer to Reading to leave less travel on that day). Any suggestions? I've considered Oxford, Stratford, Cotswolds....but I'm not feeling that anything is going to enthuse our 12 and 15 year olds!

I'd recommend staying at the Bell Hotel in Woburn just outside Milton Keynes. You could do the safari park at Woburn Abbey on one day and look round the house and gardens on the other. If your DC don't want to do the House, then they could do Go Ape instead perhaps.
The hotel is charming, reasonable, comfortable and has a family feel.

Heard the safari is very good there's. The animals are actually about not behind fences.

Yes the animal exhibits are a good size with plenty for the animals to do... lots of things for them to climb and explore, which provides great interest for those watching sometimes! At peak times there are so many different keeper talks that it's impossible to do them all.

Oxford has lots to do - some of these will be a bit young but this has lots of ideas:

www.dayoutwiththekids.co.uk/things-to-do/south-east-and-london/oxfordshire/oxford?page=1&sort=-recommended

What sort of things do your kids like?

We've stayed at the Marriott in Swindon a couple of times. They do good deals on family rooms for four with breakfast included. Nice hotel - with a big pool which kept ours entertained.

Thanks for the replies! I hadn't considered Woburn - but I think it is a bit far off our route as we'll be coming down the M6 / M40.

The pool at the Marriott would appeal to the dcs, so I will look a that thanks, and maybe I should re-consider Oxford. As long as we take them out for lunch / dinner, they should be able to manage a bit of history.