where to go out? 15 February 2015 at 8:55PM in MoneySaving mums 14 replies 2.4K views

Towser

Where do you go out for the day? We are having trouble finding places to go even with the Tripadvisor phone app.

There are Museums, National Trust Properties, Amusement Parks, Theatres and Cinemas, Walks and Days by the beach.

Is there anything else, have I missed something? Most of it seems geared up to summer too so we are feeling flat at this time of year.

I wouldn't mind even spending some money if the kids enjoyed themselves, just need to find somewhere.

Piggywiggy

Farm parks? Swimming? Agree about most of them being summer time things!

Alikay

Lots of National Trust and theme parks places aren't fully open this time of year, but we often pick an interesting town or city and plan a day out there combining a bit of wandering round some shops or a market, walk along the riverside or any historic area (such as city walls, old town etc) and a visit to the church or cathedral. We have lunch out, which (depending on funds and weather) may be a simple as a bag of chips or a Greggs pasty on a park bench (we're dead classy, us!) or a proper lunch in a pub or restaurant. I always go on the town's own tourist info website and see if there are any events going on such as a craft or antiques fair, and we may pop into the local art gallery or museum for a few minutes.

Not sure where you live but we're in the Midlands and have had fab winter days out in Birmingham, Nottingham, Leicester, Chesterfield, Newark, Lincoln......gosh, too many to mention! Even the coldest day can be enjoyable if you wrap up warm and have a hot chocolate when the cold starts to get into your bones!

onlyroz

We still go for walks - as long as it's not raining and we're wrapped up warm with decent shoes/boots then we always have a good time at minimal cost.

Savvy_Sue

I always preferred English Heritage sites to National Trust with my mob.

If you're willing to pay, then Science Centres (eg @Bristol), Aquariums, nature centres (eg The Lookout Discovery Centre in Bracknell) and zoos and wildlife parks are worth looking at.

If you find somewhere you really enjoy, consider a season ticket. We used to live close enough to Legoland to make it worth having a season ticket.

Kaye1

Our library always does activities in half term.

Happytravelling

Bowling

As well as swimming, do you have a 'waterworld' type place with indoor water slides and a wave pool?

Gulliver's are theme parks, which are outdoors, but they have these 'nerf zone' things. Not sure what they are, but I think you have to shoot targets in the dark with foam 'bullets'.

Indoor play areas

onlyroz

Happytravelling wrote: »

Bowling

Last time I went bowling it cost over £30 just for one game :eek:

Savvy_Sue

A lot of places have 'town trails' - you pick up a leaflet from the tourist information office and head off to look for markers and information boards. And during school holidays there may be extra activities, eg Pirate Walks

Actually the TIO for wherever you're near or want to visit will have lots of suggestions!

SmlSave

We go to the library and the coffee shop.
We visit everyone we know who is available!
Swimming and ice skating is fun.
A trip to the pond with a 'picnic'
Westonbirt arboritum (sorry for spelling) is lovely if you can get there.

Towser

A lot of places have 'town trails' - you pick up a leaflet from the tourist information office and head off to look for markers and information boards. And during school holidays there may be extra activities, eg Pirate Walks

Actually the TIO for wherever you're near or want to visit will have lots of suggestions!

I shall have to investigate especially TIO to do list.

Our nearest towns are: Aylesbury, High Wycombe, Hemel Hempstead, Luton, Milton Keynes, or Oxford but mostly we go to London but that is often too busy.

I'd love to know if there is a wave machine places in any of those areas.