Where to holiday with a 6yo but NOT by the coast?

[poshbosh]

Where can DH, DS5 and I go on holiday that's not on the coast?

Needs to be stuff to entertain 6yo but be somewhere pretty! I'm not a fan of Center Parcs.

I just feel like a change from the usual seaside.

Shropshire. The Ironbridge museums really entertained my hard to entertain son when he was 5. He loved it.

DH just got back from a week in Wales with DSs ages 4 and 6 - they loved the mountains in Snowdonia, farms, Ffestiniog railway and a place called Machinations that they went back to again and again

Isle of Wight has amazing walks Tennyson Down is our favourite also cycle tracks, history Osborne House & Carrisbrooke Castle to name just two, children fun stuff like Robin Hill and Blackgang Chine (free returns within the week) and absolutely loads more

Also crazy golf on Shanklin seafront probably in other towns too

You could stay anywhere is is only a smallish island so easy to get around

I realise you said not on coast but IOW has loads of stuff inland to do that is not the beach

West Bay Club, IOW is a great place to stay with young children. Indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts, games room, mini market, spa

here is the national trust info on all the walks on IOW There are so many different walks

You don't need to go on the beach at all during the holiday cos there is so much to see inland

We have been to Isle of Wight, most main towns are by the coast to be honest! What about new forest? We camped at sandy balls which has lots of activities for kids, you could hire bikes and go into the forest, geocaching we also did on the ground which was good fun and there is paultons park nearby as well which has a good dinosaur themed part for that age! You didn't have to camp they had lodges etc to hire, and it was only an hour or so from us in Surrey!

Seconding Ironbridge valley. Beautiful countryside and generally cheaper accommodation than the coast, so you’d have enough budget left over to pay for Ironbridge museums pass.

Derbyshire is lovely and about as far inland as you can go

Aviemore. Landmark forest theme park is great for 6 year olds.

We stayed here when the DC were 6 and 8 ish. Not the cheapest option but there seem to be some cheaper late rates and the DC were thrilled to be sleeping in a train.

Some great suggestions thank you!

Crief Hydro looks amazing, just trying to plot how to get there as it's a long way.

Also I'm drawn to IoW for best of both. How Much cost does the ferry add I wonder.

Northumberland is beautiful and you can always have a day in Newcastle for a city stop. Alnwick Castle is great especially the gardens and if any of you like Harry Potter

Derbyshire has lots of walking and cycling. There is also gullivers kingdom in Matlock which your ds should be the right age for all the rides, or not far from alton towers
Carsington Reservoir has water sports or you can cycle around it.chatsworth has a good adventure playground although the house is £££ and there is a tramway museum not far.
Friends stayed here with a hot tub but there are load sof holiday cottages, b and bs, camping etc
www.sandybrook.co.uk/

If you are walkers then look for HF holidays. They have country house hotels in lots of lovely places. Children go Free! It's full board and pick a family week and there organised walks of different lengths and an activity leader to keep the children entertained and the hotel will only be available to families. Your DC would have company.
Happy to explain more if you are tempted, we love them!

We loved Sandybrook in Derbyshire- it’s a Hoseasons Go Active site so lots to do in a lovely setting.

What about The River Dart country park? I literally loved this place as a child (we camped) and I can't wait to take DD!

I've never heard of HF Holidays. Quick google and looks amazing!

Too much choice on here, all amazing thanks

When you book accommodation they do deals to get cheaper ferry prices

Or if you want to do it alone then choose a ferry time early in morning going over then spend day exploring before time to check into accommodation then come back later in evening, giving you extra day on island for cheaper prices

Or travel different day from Friday or Saturday if possible

There are Wight link ferry and Red funnel ferry for car transport

Or hovercraft for foot passenger or obviously the other two

Tennyson down is lovely and easy for 6 year old to walk then you can get bus back to collect car. There are so many different walks and cycle tracks all over the island

Or just get ROVER tickets so you can walk from A to B and get bus back to collect car or just use rover tickets all week for unlimited rides on buses including open top buses. Look up southern vectis buses

Also loving Sandybrook.

All of these could keep me busy for years!

We stayed near York a couple of years ago. Beautiful city, lots to do and lots of geocaches - I think that’s what you said! We were on a farm near a theme park called Flamingoland. Lovely park with lots of rides etc and a zoo. Really nice place. Pickering was nice to visit, nice castle and Goathland, you can catch the steam train there. It goes all the way to Whitby but you don’t have to go that far. The drive down to Goathland is absolutely stunning. It’s park of the Yorkshire Moors. Our cottage backed onto the Vale of Pickering. Lovely views.

The year before that we went to the Isle of Wight. It’s fab there for kids, Carisbrooke Castle, the Dinosaur museum, Sandown Zoo, Osborne House is lovely. The best spot of all is Blackgang Chine, fab theme park that a six year old will definitely love! If you take the main road that goes straight across the middle of the island you can get some fantastic views all the way to the coast. I’m sure you could find a cottage to hire somewhere along there.

We went inland to Devon and Dorset on farm stays with DC at that age. They loved collecting eggs, feeding chickens, bottle feeding abandoned lambs, giving pigs a good back scratch with a stick, getting muddy, looking at tractors etc.

Disneyland Paris was a big hit at that age too.

Just get a place packed with nature/wildlife&a few castles thrown in..Scotland?Lake District?New Forest or Pembroke

The dales. Stay near Hawes and spend a day at The Forbidden Corner.