Lincolnshire - things to do

[Cheetahmum]

We're off to Lincolnshire on Friday for a week. We're staying in an Airbnb near Grantham. 'We' consists of me, DH and two boys aged 10 and 13.

Anyone have fun suggestions of things to do?

So far we've booked Ancaster Go Karting and the Lincoln Aqua Park. Any other suggestions gratefully received.

Lincoln with the castle & cathedral is beautiful ,climbing up Steep Hill is an experience . You could take a boat trip on the river or join the ghost walk (Friday & Saturday evenings) .
Woodhall Spa is a lovely local town with an open air swimming pool in the park and its old fashioned Kinema in the Woods ( cinema) & tea rooms .
Tattershall Castle & Woolsthorpe Manor ( Isaac Newton’s birth place ) are not far - both National Trust properties and well worth a visit ( as is Belton House).

Cleethorpes beach is great. There are some nice lakes around the city of Lincoln as well.

Mablethorpe and Sutton beaches are lovely.A great Ice cream place in Mablethorpe too, Skeggy is okay for a day out. Loads to do for kids.There's a seal sanctuary in Mablethorpe that's worth a visit.

It is a brilliant park, and huge because the animals have loads of space. The focus is on conservation and quite a few animals have been rescued from less than ideal conditions in other zoos in Europe. The latest being from war torn Ukraine.

https://www.yorkshirewildlifepark.com/explore/conservation/wildlife-foundation/our-campaigns/lion-rescue-3/

Another vote for Sutton On Sea over Skegness/Mablethorpe! As others have said Lincoln is at least one day in itself. Also, if your kids are interested in aviation, Easy Kirkby has a Heritage Aviation Centre which is family owned, WW2 themed and has a Lancaster that they taxi through summer (although no permanent flying aircraft that I'm aware of). Old Bolingbroke castle is near there too - very ruined but quiet, free and in a lovely little village. Depends what you want!

Not sure if anyone has said Bomber command

I love that area

Lots of traffic free flat cycle routes

Travel a bit out and Burleigh House is gorgeous as is Stamford

Grantham is a long way from the coast still (90 minutes to Skeggy if you don't get stuck behind a tractor). Yorkshire wildlife Park is also a fair old trek.

There's plenty in reach, but most of it will involve spending a bit of time in the car.

twinlakes at melton Mowbray is a good day out and has a small outside water splash park. Grimsthorpe castle is another hidden gem and close to Grantham. And in Grantham itself is Wymondham park with a small splash area. Visit Watkins in Grantham for the best butties in the area.

Cleethorpes, fish and chips on the pier, Kingsway Kiosk often has live music outside through the summer.
Visit the Signal Box Inn, the smallest pub on the planet. Ride on the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway.
A wander down to the Humberston Fitties.
Hibaldstow sky dive, visit the aviation Centre next door.
A wander around the Lincoln Arboretum if you're in the area.

I think some people are just hearing Lincolnshire, as opposed to near Grantham. As someone who grew up much closer to Cleethorpes there's no way I'd spend nearly 2 hours in the car each way to go there from Grantham. I definitely wouldn't make any sort of special trip to the Hibaldstow aviation centre!

I spend lots of time in the Vale of Belvoir, it's a lovely place for peace and quiet and nice walks and cycling but attractions are more scarce. I don't think Belvoir castle has been mentioned, I've never been so can't say whether it's work then £££ price

Sutton on Sea is very nice or if you want somewhere really quiet go to Anderby Creek beach. No guarantee and the man in the ice cream shop said I was very lucky but a seal popped up about 30 ft in front of my when I was swimming there a couple of weeks ago. We shared a moment then off he went. There is also a free museum called the Museum of Lincolnshire life easy to walk to, go through the castle. Has a WW1 tank and recreated Victorian rooms. It’s a very decent free museum good for a 1.5 hour trip. Had cafe, clean loos, lots of secondhand books for sale, lovely volunteers and think it had play equipment in courtyard but as no kids with us didn’t pay much attention. Had an activity sheet for children as saw two little ones doing it.

Lincoln Zoo

Lincolnshire Wildlife Park

The Deep in Hull - pay once and you can go as many times as you want in a year.

@IckyTecky my suggestion was for Hibaldstow sky dive (if you're brave unlike me), and then a visit to the aviation centre.

Stamford is a very nice town a little further south but maybe not much for the kids.

definitely go to belton
lincoln. Castle, cathedral, Lincoln collection museum
bomber command and whisby nature park could be combined in a day

skegvegas or Sutton for a seaside trip.

go to Rutland water and hire bikes and cycle round the reservoir
woolsthorpe manor

Totally agree. Grantham to north lincs is a hell of a journey. Roads are crap

I take back what I said about skeg now I've been to cleethorpes for the day it's posh compared to cleethorpes. I wanted to leave as soon as we arrived it was really depressing there's nothing there I don't understand why anyone would go there! Avoid it it really wasn't nice!

I wouldn’t drive to Cleethorpes from Grantham, way too far!

Lincoln is lovely, if your lads like water based stuff then as well as the Aqua Park there’s Activities Away where they can do kayaking and paddle boarding, there’s a nice little cafe where you can sit and watch them on the lake.
The Brayford has a few chain eating places but walk up Steep Hill and there’s independents, it is steep and I find it harder walking down than up!

Try east Kirkby aviation centre. They have a Lancaster bomber at the museum that they Amazing sight

https://www.bostonbelle.co.uk/ - Sea trip on Friday 7th August, see the seals basking in the Sun. Boston is a 45 minute car journey from Grantham on the A52 or you can take the train from Grantham to Boston Station, it's a short walk from Boston Station to the Boston Belle. I did this trip on Sunday and found it glorious, we left Boston at 2.45pm and got back at 8pm, may not be enough to keep young children occupied in that time and if you get the train keep an eye on return journey times.

Same direction on the A52 - There's the King Charles III Coastal Walk (free), you can park at Freiston Shore (has WC's no cafe - https://www.rspb.org.uk/days-out/reserves/freiston-shore). Take a picnic. Or Frampton Marsh - https://events.rspb.org.uk/framptonmarsh - they've got family Summer Train events going on (charge for the car park there, but there is a small cafe). Good for quiet walks and clear views.

I'd second the trip to RAF Coningsby, find the car park (postcode LN4 4TE) - again, take a picnic and it's a cheap couple of hours. Binoculars if you have them for all of the above. The Typhoons don't fly on Fridays though, be aware. Woodhall Spa is lovely - I had a lunch at The Teahouse In The Woods a few months ago which was delicious. Lots of RAF history around this area.

If the children like trains you can get a train from Grantham to Heckington (same line runs on to Boston and Skegness); it's a small Village right next to the Station with a Windmill and a little cafe (and a micro brewery with terrific ales). Check times for trains back though! And a train from Grantham to Skegness takes the agony of car parking and adds a fun element for the kids - I can't recommend Skeg really as the couple of times I've been it's been Winter.

If you go in the other direction, towards Nottingham, there are some water parks and cycle trails ....

Also the bubble car museum

https://www.bubblecarmuseum.co.uk/

there’s a parrot zoo nearby too.

OMG I've raced back to add - SPEED LIMIT! I've never known a County like Lincolnshire for differing speed limits. The road from the Bubble Car Museum up to Coningsby has different speed limits all the way along. 50 to 30 to 40 to 30 to 50 ---- please keep an eye on your speed. It's a cash cow for the Police.

https://www.visitlincolnshire.com/events/

The graveyard just up from the Coningsby Spotters Car Park has some interesting Commonwealth War Graves, if your 13 year old has an interest in the RAF or WW1 / WW2.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park is brilliant. We moved to the Lincs/Notts border 6 years ago and was amazed the first time we went there just how big it is. We have been gold members for the last 3 years and visit all the time (sometimes twice a week).

We also love going to Conningsby to watch the jets

It's a cash cow for the Police.

It really isn't @BippidyBoppety
It's a common myth that the police just keep the cash from speeding fines.

The money goes to HM Treasury not to the police.

Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament

Described to me by senior police staff in job interview as the "bread and butter" for my local Police force. Speeding, motoring offences, vehicles seized, etc.

(I got the job and yes it was).