When you are on holiday, taking a weekend break or even just a night away, the chances are you might want to do something while you're there or explore what's on in the area.  It could be booking a river trip, a visit to a museum or wildlife park, or it could be something a little more wild like white water rafting, axe throwing or a high wires course.  Whatever you fancy, jazz up your trip with something a bit different and have a look a the wide variety of experiences available near the accommodation.

Experiences

The UK has a huge array of museums and art galleries for you to enjoy. From the big hitters in London, such as the Natural History Museum, V&A, Tate Modern and National Portrait Gallery, to exciting living museums where your family can step back in time (such as the Black Country Museum in the West Midlands or the Highland Folk Museum in the Cairngorms). These Museums let your kids get hands-on with history, attending School and learning about farming, crafts, and much more. Art Galleries are not just for the grown ups! They now have workshops and child-friendly trails to inspire even the youngest artists to start drawing.  So why not try out one of our Museums or Art Galleries on your next holiday?   

Museums and Art Galleries

Spend the day creating your very own handcrafted pot, vase, or bowl. Or if you have less time on your hands why not try painting a premade version?  A relaxing, indoor family activity. Perfect for creatives and on a rainy day visit one of the many ceramic cafes for coffee, tea, cakes, and of course, crafting!   

Pottery Centres and Ceramic Cafes

Climbing is a great way to test your strength, balance and agility. As both an indoor and outdoor sport it can be done whatever the weather! You can try out bouldering, climbing and traversing lower walls (around 3 meters) without the assistance of rope. Bouldering basics can be mastered in a few hours and climbing centers will have graded routes allowing you to start out on the easier paths and work your way up. Rock climbing or high ropes is climbing vertically with the assistance of ropes and using safety harnesses, the walls are around 15 meters tall. You will need a good nerve for heights for this activity! Again, beginner sessions are available as are graded routes.

Climbing

Crazy golf is a great way to spend an afternoon with freinds and family. There are loads of different types of courses, from simple to complex with different kinds of features. It's a great way to get started with golfing, and requires no previous experience to get going. 

Crazy Golf Courses

Whatever your child's age there is always something to enjoy. Get cracking in  a multi-level play area where kids can climb, clamber and slide over all sorts of adventurous obstacles. What’s next? What about a ball pond where your children can dip and dive in a pool full of colourful balls? All of the above would make for serious family fun. Of course parents are not forgotten either as a cafe is never far away. You can relax with a tasty coffee and a slice of cake. What more could you want?

Indoor and Soft Play Areas

Learn to paint or refine your skills... Painting is a completely inclusive activity for the whole family!  Head to a pottery painting class with your friends and take away a keepsake from your holiday! Or let the kids express their creative side with some hand painting!  Maybe you're already proficient and want to polish your brush technique. Whatever the weather, there is something for everyone to enjoy. 

Painting workshops

Weather is too nice to stay indoors? Want to stretch your legs? Children need to run wild?  Then head to one of the UK's fantastic parks and playgrounds on offer and breath in that fresh air!

Parks and Playgrounds

Pottery is an ancient craft and great fun! Sometimes a little messy, anyone can have a go at either hand building a pot, or getting to grips with a throwing wheel. You can create something beautiful and uniquely yours in no time at all. Families can enjoy together and kids as young as 2 can play with clay, or have a go at painting a pre-made pot. It’s the perfect wet weather or winter activity.

Pottery

Ever imagined galloping along a beach?  Maybe you're more of a fantasy fan or just enjoy spending time with animals, either way horse riding might be for you. A great outdoor activity for the whole family with children able to start from as young as 4. It is an amazing way to take in local scenery, connect with nature, have a little adventure or enjoy at a relaxing pace.   

Horse Riding

If you decide to take a holiday in the UK to an area you don't know (or maybe you do but want to know more), an excellent way of seeing around and actually getting to see the "best bits" is by taking a tour with a local guide or someone in the know. Walking tours, cycling tours, boat tours, pogo-stick tours (ok maybe not the last one) - whatever suits your family best, can be booked online or at local visitor information centres and make a real difference to your stay.  You can find out the history of a place, local facts or even go on something weird and wonderful like a ghost walk or follow in the footsteps of Sherlock Holmes or Jack the Ripper.  Eek.  An open top bus journey can take away the hours pounding the pavement to look around a large city. Boat trips and river cruises are also a great way of seeing a lot of things in a small amount of time, giving you a completely different aspect of the town you are visiting.  Join a large boat or charter something smaller yourself and follow the river along to get a better look at all the surround countryside.  

Tours and River Cruises

Art and crafting are wonderful pastimes and something the whole family can be involved in, whatever age and whatever skill!   Both children and adults can enjoy the wide range of things this relaxing (mostly!) hobby offers, from finger painting and clay modelling to sewing, woodcarving or basket making. As families are now looking for new things to do on holiday, many places are offering arty activities, or local artists will run day courses with lovely things to make.  And the bonus with this hobby is, there is always something to take home with you at the end!  Have a look at all the different art and craft activities to do in the area you are staying in and unleash your inner Michaelangelo!   

Arts and Crafts

Feel like royalty and visit one of the UK’s beautiful palaces, castles or stately homes. We are lucky to be surrounded by amazing history and architecture here in the UK, and through several organisations we are able to visit and experience these amazing homes. Learn about the history of the buildings and residents, view the art and walk amongst the gardens. Many of these places also offer plenty of activities and guides for the children too! So why not visit one on your next trip?

Castles and Palaces

Explore the best caves, mines and caverns the UK has to offer! From the calm and the easy-going to the hard-core cave diving and abseiling, there is something for everyone. From Air Raid shelters and coal mining to discovering hidden Ice Age art and cathedrals, there is so much to uncover.

Caves and Mines

Trying to find shelter on a rainy day or enjoy a fun evening filled with laughter and popcorn? Visit one of the 775 cinemas in the UK to catch up on the latest blockbuster film releases!  Or fancy watching some live theatre, a music concert, a ballet, or comedy act? Then head to one of the UK's 1300 theatres!  Whether the West End, London is where you want to enjoy some of the UK's finest productions on offer, or Shakespeare's Globe where you can experience incredible performances and actors. Maybe you want to head to the  Festival Theatre in Edinburgh which stages some of the finest operas and ballets. There is something for everyone and definitely not to be missed!    

Cinemas and theatres

Thinking of delving into the world of karting? We're sure you're raring to go! Well don't think twice and book yourself and friends or all the family on an ultimate go karting experience! Once you're kitted out with the appropriate gear, you'll have your safety talk that tells you everything you need to know about racing, so listen up! When that's over and you're out on the track,  go karts pack a mean punch...  On your mark, get set, GO!  

Go Karting

Discover the trees like never before. Scramble, climb and jump through high rope assault courses, don't forget to bring your courage!  A great outdoor activity for families and adults alike, and dotted throughout the UK. Why not try the adventure for a day out on your next staycation?   

High Ropes Courses

Whether you skate as a sport or just for fun, it's a great way to get your body moving when it's cold outside or to cool down during the summer months. It's also a wonderful activity to enjoy with your family or friends!  Ice skating has been a popular activity for centuries, and the act of gliding across ice on blades has probably been around for even longer! So why not head to the nearest rink today to have a fun filled session! 

Ice Skating

Discover some of the  UK's most beautiful lakes... Some of the most picturesque lakes and lochs can be found in Scotland, Snowdon, North Wales and the Lake District.  The UK's largest lake is Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland and England's largest lake is Windermere. England's deepest lake is Wastwater at a depth of 79 metres!    A vast amount of activities can be enjoyed including walking, sailing, biking, canoeing, kayaking, swimming and not forgetting fishing!  Enjoy a picnic at these ideal locations for family and friends outings! 

Lakes around the UK

Hurrah, it's Autumn! That stunning time of year when the skies are blue, the air is crisp and the trees are turning that beautiful golden orange before-they all-drop-off colour.  Christmas is coming, Bake Off is on the telly and before we all hunker down for the long nights ahead, we have a month or two of wonderful outdoorsy stuff to get out of our system.  And most importantly, it is Pumpkin Season.  Woo Hoo! Who doesn't love those creepily carved orange globes popping up in every window ledge from now until Halloween. This year though, how about this: instead of grabbing a dodgy looking squash from the local supermarket, why not.....pick your own?!  There are hundreds (literally) of places to pick your own Pumpkins all over the UK and it is great fun.  Head off at half term for a rural outing with the kids; there are farms and nurseries everywhere with rows of delicious pumpkins just waiting to be chosen and taken back to their forever home (hmmm, ok, until they are made into a pie or have a spooky face carved into them). So find a farm near you and book in.   Once you've booked and are revved up to go, I've got some tips on how to select your perfect pumpkin: 1. check your pumpkin has a good strong green stem. 2. while we are on about stems, NEVER carry your pumpkin by the stem.  If you drop it, the whole thing will break and worse still, so might toes. 3. make sure it doesn't have any cuts in it or soft patches. 4. get a really lovely orangey one - all over....any green or brown bits might mean it is over or under ripe #carvingnightmare 5. looks aren't everything.  Yes, make sure it is orange but don't go for a perfect globe.  A slightly misshapen one adds way more character to your masterpiece and it won't taste any different. You now have your Squash Diploma Level 1.  Whether you are using your Pumpkin to make delicious wedges and cakes, or you just want to carve out a grotesque toothy face, picking your own is way more fun than buying one.   Check out the Pumpkin Picking farms near you today!       

Pumpkin Picking

The UK is the home of the amazing steam train! This integral part of our lives and history means we are lucky to still have many running steam railways and transport museums and attractions.  Why not experience the romance of a steam train ride in the Welsh mountains or across Bodmin and try out a railway or transport attraction on your next holiday.  

Railway and Transport 

Skateboarding, as we know it, was born sometime in the late 1940s to early 1950s, when surfers in California wanted something to do when the waves were flat. This was called "sidewalk surfing" – a new wave of surfing on the sidewalk as the sport of surfing became highly popular. There is no right or wrong way to skate. Skateboarding has always been about personal discovery...So whether it's your first time or you consider yourself a bit of a pro; there is always something new to learn! So get yourself booked in, and head down to the nearest skate park. Enjoy skating no matter what the weather, at a range of outdoor and indoor skate parks!  Put your best foot forward and get your skateboard rolling! 

Skateboarding

Take you family and friends bowling for an afternoon or evening! Whatever your level or age, ten pin bowling is for the whole family and is the perfect location on a rainy day! The objective is to knock down all ten pins on the first roll of the ball (a strike), or failing that, on the second roll (a spare)... but let's not get bogged down with the rules.  Younger children can join in too, thanks to lighter and smaller bowling balls, bowling ramps and alley railings. Book your spot today so you don't miss out!

Ten Pin Bowling Alleys

Get jumping at one of these trampoline parks! Great exercise, great fun, and a great indoor activity for those rainy days! Burn some energy by leaping and bouncing about these parks, learning new tricks, and having a fun-filled day! Lots of the trampoline parks also have soft-play, or specific areas for smaller guests, which means everyone can get involved!  Why not give trampolining a go! 

Trampoline Parks

There are a huge number of zoos, wildlife and safari parks all over the UK and most are well worth a visit and provide a really exciting and unique day out.  The broad difference between them is that Zoos tend to keep animals with their own species in smaller enclosures for a real up-close encounter, whereas a visit to a Safari Park usually involves driving around much larger enclosures to see groups of animals - maybe rhino, giraffe and gazelle all in one setting.  Some are self-drive (for a monkey snapping off your wing mirror type affair) or in others you are guided round in a truck, spotting lions and elephants from afar - similar to an African safari, just without the plus-size sunset, hot weather and flamboyant tribespeople (although lets not get too picky about this; most UK safari parks are just a couple of hours from home and do not involve remortgaging the house to go). Many zoos and parks now are great conservation pioneers and animal rescue centres, so by visiting, you are often contributing to real global issues, supporting endangered species or deforestation or other genuine threats to wildlife.  The parks usually have lots of information about these causes and it can be a great way to get the kids to learn about the world we live in, the animals from different continents and the dangers they face.

Zoos, Wildlife Parks and Safari Parks

Newcastle upon Tyne in North East England is an exciting place to visit, and you will be made to feel very welcome by the warm-hearted Georgies everywhere you go.  A good place to start is by exploring the several iconic bridges spanning the Tyne, which link it to its twin city - Gateshead.  The three most well known are High Level Bridge - the oldest, built in 1849 and opened by Queen Victoria, the hydraulically operated Swing Bridge, and the most iconic of all, the beautifully arched Tyne Bridge.  The Tyne Bridge was opened in 1928 by King George V and at the time was the largest arch of any bridge in the world, and was considered a symbol of Tyneside's industrial past and new regeneration.  Also worth a mention is the award-winning Gateshead Millennium Bridge, the self-cleaning, tilting marvel, built in 2001.  Walking across is one of the top things for visitors to do when visiting the city.   Away from the bridges and the lively Quayside (plenty of entertainment, shops and cafes here), the city centre of Newcastle boasts a great hub for shopping, from the independent shops in Grainger Town to the well-known names in Eldon Square.  With accomodation to suit all budgets, and not too far from the coast if you want a seaside holiday too, Newcastle is a great city to visit.    

Newcastle upon Tyne

Northumberland is a bold, wild and majestic county in the very North of England with some of the finest attractions and countryside in the UK.   The National Park in Northumberland is the least-inhabited Park in England and is a stunning 400 square miles of remote uplands and historic sites.  Hadrians Wall in the south of the National Park is an extraordinary reminder of Roman times; built in AD122 and snaking 73 miles across Britain, from Wallsend in the east, to Bowness-on-Solway in the west.  It was made a World Heritage Site in 1987, joining world-class heritage such as the Pyramids and the Taj Mahal.  You can walk the Hadrians Wall National trail - anyone who is reasonably fit can have a go - either a small hike or the whole thing if you feel a Forest Gump moment coming on.  Along the stretch of the Wall you can see some wonderful historic sites including the Brocolitia Roman Temple and Housesteads Roman Fort.  You can find out exactly what you are looking at in this neck of the woods with a visit to The Sill, the excellent National Landscape Discovery Centre.   Now I've stopped waffling about the splendours of the National Park (and it IS splendid), this is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of things to see and do on your family holiday to Northumberland.   There are some jaw dropping Castles and none so famous (thanks to the Boy Wizard) than Alnick Castle, a spectacular place and the 2nd largest inhabited castle in Britain (Windsor is number 1).  The grounds and Castle itself are magnificent and all very familiar if you have seen the Harry Potter films; you can even take flying lessons here.   Out on the coast, visit more magical castles - Dunstanburgh, Bamburgh and Lindisfarne - all with stunning sea views. Take a break from the history and stop off in Newcastle up Tyne, a great place to stay if you are exploring Northumberland and want to be in the middle of everything.  It has a huge selection of places to stay and lots to do as well.  Take a trip to the historic Quayside, walk over the Tyne Bridge or go subterranean in the the Victorian Tunnels - a popular tourist attraction.  If you are travelling with younger children, visit the inspirational 'Seven Stories', a museum dedicated to hildren's literature and houses original manuscripts and illustrations from some of the best-loved children's authors in the UK.  Or a trip to the Sea Life centre which has a Planetarium, live theatre and up close / hands on displays. Other notable places to visit (too many to name!) are Berwick up Tweed, just south of the Scottish border, the market town of Hexham, the pretty village of Seahouses, Morpeth and Kielder Water.  There is a huge amount to see and do up here, leave plenty of time to explore the beautiful county of Northumberland.

Things to do in newcastle-upon-tyne