Weekend away with kids - on the cheap!

[Itscurtainsforyou]

We would like to go away for the weekend in June with our 2&7 year olds to mark an important date for our family.

We're short of cash this year (big holiday last year, cash flow issues at least until September now) so the possibilities I've looked at (Alton towers - ~£300, butlins ~£400, Center Parcs ~£500) are just not affordable for us.

We'd either go for Friday and Saturday nights, or Saturday night only, need somewhere with lots of kids activities (just to make it different and special). We're currently in the NW and wouldn't want to travel more than 2-3 hours max.

Any suggestions??

If you are on a very low income or have any special circumstances, the Youth Hostel Association can provide free family accommodation. If not, they are extremely cheap and rooms are clean and the hostels are in lovely locations. Might be worth a look on the website!

Premier inn in Matlock.

In Matlock Bath, there is Gullivers Kingdom, which would be better for the age of your kids than Alton Towers.

Next day, head to Chatsworth and go around the farm and adventure playground, possibly the gardens too.

How about Gulliver's (world/kingdom/whatever the Warrington one is called) we did a stay and play their for my 7 year olds birthday. We stayed in a Nerf themed room (other themes available) and had tickets the the theme park I think it was about £190 for 4 people. You can take a picnic into the theme park (there is an Asda nearby) to keep costs down. Perfect sized rides for your little ones.

Legoland if you can use Clubcard vouchers towards the ticket price? You can drive it in a few hours and if you book ahead the nearby Premier Inns are cheap. I've booked a family room for £35 before now.

Best thing to do is have a look at some attractions within your budget and decide from there where you want to go.

Look into Air BNB too. For £40 a night me and DH stayed in our own private wing of a farmhouse with breakfast and dinner provided if we wanted in East Mids last weekend. It was one bed but there was a pull out bed so could of accommodated two children as well

Thanks all - good ideas there

I think we'd quite like to do something different. We went to legoland last year and found it hard work, long queues and not much to do for the 2yo.

It's tricky getting something suitable for both the 2yo and the 7yo.

Youth hosteling is not what it used to be! It's now completely and utterly family friendly. Read this review of a family staying at Whitby if you're snot convinced! www.kiddieholidays.co.uk/the-yha-with-a-toddler/
We stayed at the YHA Boggle Hole. Children were in their element here. Inside, there are several play areas with dressing-up clothes and old-fashioned toys such as hobby horses (under a “Donkey rides” sign). Outside, there were treasure trails and ball games.
YHA Hartington Hall has cute farm animals and an adventure playground.
livemore.yha.org.uk/entertainment/take-family-short-break-yha

There's a place in north Nottinghamshire called sundown which is for younger ones and never had loads of queues whenever I've been

If you don’t mind driving as far as Leicester this is great value, I’ve done it a couple of times for a cheap weekend break.

stay and play

Would camping be an option? My kids love it. The lake district has some great sites. Check out the Fisherground campsite.

Look up real family holidays. Accommodation, kids activities and all food for £25 pppn and you can stay as little or as many nights as you like. They are all over the uk

what about glamping ? we went to a yurt next to Gibside national trust it was brilliant 2 nights for 139. and you got free entry to Inside it had low rope challenge, huge play area, wooden sculpture part and loads of nice walks, den building area so pretty good for all ages i think. on the actual site the yurt had pull of settee beds, cool box and you got fresh cool packs, a little gas cooker and a fire pit and a wood burning stove inside. it also had toilets, showers, washing up facilities and a small play area. it was really really good and we will be going again I think loads of places do similar but obviously with this one you got entry to the national trust site for free. it's called west wood yurts if you wanted to have a look.

How about North Wales?

Mine love Llandudno ( beach, pier, tobogganing and tubing for the 7year old, cable car up great orme etc).

That also love Conwy (castle, crabbing, worlds smallest house) and the Welsh mountain zoo a short drive away in Colwyn bay.

The YHA in Conwy is lovely and has private family rooms with a restaurant onsite. There's loads of well priced hotels, glamping pods and B&Bs in that part of the world.