As the May Bank Holiday arrives it is time to start planning those important family trips. Whilst you may want to relax the kids will be on the hunt for entertainment and adventure.
In this blog we will look at some great family friendly places to visit across the UK. You can even take your caravan, motorhome or tent as we suggest a few campsites to pitch up at.
Thrill Seekers
A holiday wouldn’t be complete without a trip to a theme park and with these two suggestions you can stay on site too.
Flamingo Land Resort, North Yorkshire
Flamingo Land offers ride after ride for all ages, from rollercoasters to family rides. You will certainly need more than a day to ride all of them. You can spend time learning about the animals at the Flaming Land Zoo. The have Zebra, Tigers, White Rhino, Parrots and Kangaroos. The award winning zoo has a very long list of great species of animals for you to see.
If you’re hungry after all that adventure then they have no end of food outlets to keep the family fed, from grills to pizza, snacks and full meals. You won’t go hungry.
After all that fun you might want to sit down and enjoy a show whilst you catch your breath. Flamingo Land has daily shows for the family.
An online family ticket, for 2 adults and 2 children, ranges from £75-£110 and separate tickets for adults and children can be purchased.
Flamingo Land offers on-site accommodation and pitches on their camping and caravanning site. Pitches are available for all leisure vehicles and tents and prices range from £196 for two nights for a family of four. There are a number of caravan sites around there are that offer much better value.
Crealy Resort, Devon
Image Credit - Crealy Resort
Crealy Resort is situated in south Devon, near Sidmouth. The theme park offers a variety of mild thrill rides, water rides and indoor play. The great selection of rides are aimed at the younger children.
There is Meerkat Manor if the family like to see small animals and after all that fun you can get something to eat. The resort offers all the family favourites, including pizza and fish and chips.
You can stay at Crealy in their glamping accommodation or their caravan site. Pitches start at £19 for two people or you can book a ticket and camping package from £139 for the family.
Crealy Resort offers a family friendly break in the south west at a reasonable price.
Wet and Wild
Sandcastle, Blackpool
If thrill seeking rides aren’t your thing then maybe a family visit to a waterpark is. Sandcastle in Blackpool offers a fantastic wet water experience for all ages. This is the largest indoor water park in the UK and features over 18 slides and attractions including thrilling white knuckle slides, fun pools, wave machine, great water based play structures for younger guests and much more. Prices range from £12-22 per person and under 3’s are free.
There are a number of caravan sites around Blackpool, including The Caravan and Motorhome Club Site.
Time Capsule Waterpark, Scotland
The Time Capsule in North Lanarkshire has it all. Try the awesome Tornado Tantrum, the only indoor water ride in Scotland where four people can travel together. Don’t miss Splashdown Island with its huge tipping water bucket, powerful water cannons and randomly activated water spouts. Ride the 100m high speed Storm Chasers, Thunder and Lightning with their amazing twisting twin flumes, and then test your strength and endurance in the Tsunami wave pool. After all that, float down Riptide River, a lazy river with a rapid ending. Yes, you will feel worn out just reading about it. For younger children they offer the Coral Cove, a safe and sheltered section for parents with tiny tots. Although Time Capsule hasn’t re-opened as yet, in line with Scottish re-opening, prices for a family ticket start at £18.25.
You can stay nearby at Blairlinn Campsite or Strathclyde Caravan and Motorhome Club Site.
Blue Lagoon, Wales
Image Credit - Blue Lagoon
The main feature of Blue Lagoon is the wave pool, with six different wave patterns breaking on to a gently sloping beach. Eight water geysers bubble away near the beach, while a water cannon and two finger sprays propel arcs of water into the pool.
The lazy river ride takes you on a meandering journey outside Blue Lagoon to the south-facing patio, accessing the outdoor bubble pool – complete with bubble seat – and relaxing outdoor spa pool. Three beach water geysers in the floor of the lazy river create a fun, bubbling effect and two large water cannons give you an extra splash as you drift your way round.
No trip to Blue Lagoon would be complete without a zoom down a flume, and there are four to choose from. The Falls is an open flume which takes two riders outside Blue Lagoon to two large relaxation pools. The flume then re-enters Blue Lagoon and fires the riders out into a plunge pool. Two enclosed flumes, The Cannon and The Cave, snake their way outside Blue Lagoon, twisting, turning and spiralling, then re-entering into a catch area. The fourth flume, The Torpedo, is entirely within Blue Lagoon, but it’s fast, steep and as a more advanced flume, probably isn’t for the faint-hearted! The Blue Lagoon is currently closed to day visitors but check their website for updates. You can book to stay in one of their lodges as part of the Bluestone National Park Resort.
You can stay nearby at various campsites around the area.
Take a Walk on the Wild Side
Longleat Safari Park and House
Image Credit - Longleat
If rides and waterparks aren’t your thing then maybe an animal safari park is.
Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire offers a real safari experience as you drive through the park, surrounded by the roaming animals. You can choose to drive through in your own vehicle or take the tour bus. The tour bus will be re-opening again soon to the public. The parks main draw are the lions, who can be heard roaring from a long way off. There are a variety of animals to see and learn about at Longleat. You can visit the small animal enclosure and lose yourself in the maze.
When Longleat House re-opens to the public it offers an educational experience, as you tour the rooms on a guided tour. This Elizabethan stately home has plenty to see. The grounds offer beautiful gardens and walks through them at your leisure. Tickets are priced at £122 for a family of four.
Longleat Caravan and Motohrome Site is right next door and you can literally walk from your pitch in to Longleat or take your car through the safari. The safari bus can be caught from just outside the campsite too.
Go Ape
From tree-to-tree crossings, bouncy nets and all-terrain Segways, Go Ape have all the adventure boxes ticked. Whether you’re a thrill seeker or after quality family fun, get the wind in your hair and make some memories that will last a lifetime.
Go Ape have locations across the UK and offer tree top climbing fun for children of all ages. If swinging about in the trees isn’t enough, jump aboard a Segway and take a forest off-road trail adventure.
Prices vary from £20-35 pounds per child depending on the activity and location of the Go Ape.
With 34 locations across the UK it won’t be hard to find your local Go Ape. You can find a campsite local to your chosen Go Ape by searching online or using a search such as ukcampsite.co.uk.
Free Family Fun Day
We all know the cost of a family day out can be eye watering. You can still enjoy activities as a family around the country.
If you are near the coast you can try your hand at crab fishing, it is great fun to see who catches the largest crab. Remember to keep them in water and put them back once you have caught them.
Walking might not be exciting but it gets the family out in nature and you can make it fun with tasks for the kids.
If you like cycling then hunt out one of the National Cycle Routes on the ordnance survey maps. You could camp at one of the Camping in the Forest sites across the UK. Most offer great access through the woods on foot and pedal cycle.
Now you have some inspiration for family fun you can find great days out where you live. Enjoy the coming months as attractions re-open and families can get out and enjoy themselves.
