Best UK attractions/places to go with preteen/teen DC?

[MegBusset]

Want to have a short break to look forward to later this year or next year when we can travel again!

DC are 11 and 13 although it may just be the younger one coming with me.

Legoland was our go-to when they were younger but last time we went it was so busy and everything so tired that we said that would be the last time. They don't like big rides so Alton Towers would be wasted on them.

They like quirky, hands-on museums but not big busy ones like NHM etc. Have done Harry Potter studio, Paultons Park, and most central London attractions (but again they're not massive fans of city centre crowds). They really liked Alnwick Gardens and the Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. Older one loved Arcade Club in Bury, DS2 not so much. Mooching around city streets not really their thing sadly!

Where would be nice to go?

Have you done York?
or what about Manchester / Cheshire / Peak District area?
-Manchester - Museum of Science & Industry, People's History Museum, Manchester Museum, Imperial War Museum of the North.
-Stockport air raid shelters and hat museum.
-Styal Mill
-Chatsworth House
-Jodrell Bank
-Tatton Park

• Macclesfield silk museum
• Buxton Micrarium

Some good info here looks like the menu isnt working though?
www.donthibernate.co.uk

Manley Mere adventure trail is excellent
www.manleymere.co.uk

Do they like history and science? If so, Ironbridge. The science museum and Blists Hill Victorian town are really good.

Bletchley Park is fascinating
Yorkshire Dales - lots of outdoorsy things, plus Howarth, David Hockney Gallery, Yorkshire Sculpture Park
V and A Dundee
Mary Rose at Portsmouth
See the Puffins on Farne Island
It depends what part of the U.K. you’d like to go!

Warwick Castle? You can stay overnight there. It looks quite cool.

Thanks all :)

We had a fantastic trip to Manchester a few years ago, really loved exploring the museums and Salford Docks.

Ironbridge looks really interesting, I've not been there. York is a possibility too. A mix of indoors and outdoors is ideal for us.

After a year of being stuck at home I just want to go anywhere

Liverpool is well worth a visit loads of history, great food, good places nearby, if you exhaust the city then lots of good stuff within 30 mins away.
www.donthibernate.co.uk/liverpool/
Some of the hidden gems
williamsontunnels.com
liverpoolwarmuseum.co.uk

Do your own beatles tour
www.donthibernate.co.uk/liverpool-the-beatles/
Call at Lark Lane for food and Sefton park on the tour
www.larklaneguide.com
www.visitliverpool.com/things-to-do/sefton-park-p90321

You can get the Ferry to the Wirral and visit New Brighton
www.visitnewbrighton.com
If you drive through the tunnel
Hilbre Island nature reserve but check the tide times
www.wirral.gov.uk/leisure-parks-and-events/parks-and-open-spaces/hilbre-islands-local-nature-reserve

Safari Park
www.knowsleysafariexperience.co.uk

Iron Bridge has several attractions locally from memory its one ticket to see the lot we had a great time
www.ironbridge.org.uk
Really nice area.

What about a Welsh castle road trip?www.donthibernate.co.uk/24-castles-of-north-wales/
Where are you?

The place at Leyburn....hidden garden? Secret garden?

Space

National Space centre in Leicester. Not a big museum but quite interesting.

Abbey pumping station museum

Abbey pumping station museum is next to it, and is a science and technology museum.

Warwick Castle is a really good and full day out, especially in the summer when they put on their jousting shows. Kenilworth Castle is also nearby if you like exploring a ruin. Then you could also head over to Stratford upon Avon. In Stratford, the MAD museum is definitely quirky and hands on, and you can also do a boat trip on the river, or hire bikes and cycle along the greenway.

The place at Leyburnnis Forbidden Corner. Amazing! You can also visit the Cheese Factory at Wensleydale and the Uks highest waterfall that's through a pub near Hawes. There is Brinham Rocks and an owl and bird centre near Bedale too. You could have a nice day trip to York from this area too

Ours are the same age and sounds like quite similar in their interests. The biggest surprise hit was Gladstone Pottery Museum in Staffordshire. It's amazing to explore and you can throw your own pot, make pottery flowers and paint pots and they fire them for you. We spent all day there and had to drag them out.
It also has a toilet museum on site. What more could you want!

Ours also like animal experience kind of things a lot eg owl sanctuary, a good aquarium or safari park.