School holidays 2019: the best days out for children around the UK
Explore museums, events, and theme parks with your kids this summer
Schools are out for the summer holidays, which means many parents are searching for interesting new activities to do with their children.
Here is our selection of the best days out for parents and kids to enjoy together across the UK.
Alice in Wonderland, various locations
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Enjoy a production of Alice in Wonderland at these child-friendly matinees. Families can join the event an hour early to enjoy a picnic in the open air.
Chester: until 20 August, from £18.50, under 12 free Grosvenor Open Air Theatre; Brixton, Morden, Streatham, and Isleworth: various dates adults £12.50, children £8.50 Sixteen Feet Productions
Alton Towers, Staffordshire
Alton Towers is home to the UK’s first rollercoaster restaurant. Take the kids to the waterpark or check out the thrill rides, such as Galactica, Oblivion, and Rita. For younger kids, CBeebies Land also opened this year. If you spend the night, there are some brilliant stargazing pods where the family can relax and gaze up at the heavens together.
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Adults from £33, children (3-11) from £27.50, under 3s free. Altontowers.com
The Big Feastival, Oxfordshire
Peppa Pig and Paw Patrol’s Chase and Marshall are set to join this foodie music festival. Run by Blur bassist Alex James on his own farm, the music line-up is good, with Jess Glynne, Jess Bird, and Nina Nesbitt all in attendance this year. With a vintage fair and plenty of good eats, the whole family can enjoy this late August Cotswold event.
Adult weekend tickets from £157.50 without camping, teens from £90, under 13 from £30; carried babies go free, thebigfeastival.com
Boomtown, Hampshire
This is an immersive adventure experience everyone is bound to enjoy. Learn about the great outdoors, experiment with science, dance with gorillas, and sing as loud as you can. The music line-up also includes Carl Cox, Lauryn Hill, and Groove Armada. The perfect August weekender for anyone in or around Hampshire.
Standard four-day adult tickets from £244, teen (13-17) tickets from £189, children (0-12) go free, boomtownfair.co.uk
Camp Bestival, London
This end of July Dorset festival is perfect for the whole family. Little ones can enjoy Wallace and Gromit, Mr Tumble, as well as Big Fish Little Fish. There’s plenty for the parents as well, with sets by Jess Glynne, Annie Mac, and The Wailers.
Weekend adult tickets from £187.50, students £180, 13-17 £119; 10-12 £93.50; 5-9 £33; 2-4 £11; 1 and under go free, campbestival.net
Conway Valley Railway Museum, Betws-y-Coed
Located in the beautiful Betws-y-Coed village, the museum has several great exhibits. As well as the five model railways within the museum there is also a miniature railway that offers an eight-minute ride that is almost a mile long.
Museum: Adult tickets £1.50, children and OAP £1, families £4; Train: Single ticket (2+) £2 each, multi-ride tickets (10 rides) £15; under 2 go free, conwyrailwaymuseum.co.uk
Edinburgh Art Festival, Edinburgh
This art festival includes special events for children as well as art-meets-nature workshops and practical art sessions. Art Early includes a mix of play and storytelling with outdoor painting. This free festival is one for the whole family.
Free, edinburghartfestival.com
Glasgow Riverside Museum, Glasgow
This award-winning transport museum has over 3,000 objects on display. From skateboards and cars to prams and a Stormtrooper, there’s a little bit of everything. Hands-on interactive displays allow for a rich historical view of old modes of public transport as well as shipbuilding and even an exhibit where you can all help to put out a fire.
Free, glasgowlife.org.uk
Knight school at Harlech Castle, Gwynedd
Every Tuesday from 25 July to 22 August, the Welsh Harlech Castle is running a class where budding knights can learn various gallant skills. The event is run by a local re-enactment group, the Ardudwy knights.
£6.50 adults, £4.20 children, cadw.gov.wales
Legoland, Berkshire
Regularly updated, no two visits to Legoland are going to be alike. This park includes an immersive 4D-animated adventure that uses wind, water, and smoke. You can also explore Berkshire in miniature as iconic local landmarks are recreated using lego. Shows and attractions are designed specifically for ages 2 to 12, with everything from roller coasters to hands-on building areas.
From £28, under 3 free, Legoland.co.uk
National Space Centre, Leicestershire
With six interactive galleries, this Leicestershire museum is the UK’s largest planetariums. Featuring the iconic 42m Rocket Tower, this experience is bound to expand both your and your children’s minds. Currently on exhibit is One Giant Leap, which explore the Moon landing.
Adult tickets from £15, children (5-16) £12; concessions £12; under 5 free, spacecentre.co.uk
Polar fun, Edinburgh
Open in Edinburgh until 28 August, the family can cool down this summer with science shows focussing on the Arctic and Antarctic, where kids can make their own penguin, walrus, or polar bear.
Adult £15, children £9.50, dynamicearth.co.uk
Powysland Museum, Welshpool
With free entry, Powysland is a little local history museum in Welshpool. The ground floor display history and development from prehistoric settlers, with a collecton of farming tools and implements. The museum also has World War I artifacts and memorabilia about music, toys and film, so plenty to entertain family members of all ages.
Free, visitwales.com
Titanic Belfast, Belfast
The Titanic was built in this northern Irish town, with the city’s saying “she was all right when she left here”. Find out how the famous ship was built and what led to its end at this young person-friendly, interactive museum.
Adult £19, children (5-16) £8.50; children under 5 free titanicbelfast.com
Thorpe Park, Surrey
Home to more than 30 rides, attractions, and events, this park resort has some of the UK’s most popular roller coasters. Stealth is the UK’s fastest roller coaster, launching riders to 205ft at 80mph in just 2.5 seconds. With so many different roller coasters, including The Swarm and Saw, there’s plenty to do here.
Adults £33, children £23.99, Under 3 free, thorpepark.com