Best days out

SCIENCE MUSEUM, LONDON

(Feb 13) It's difficult finding somewhere different, suitable and not too expensive to take a two year old. Museums don't immediately spring to mind, but we gave it a go one day and were agreeably surprised. Our granddaughter had a thoroughly enjoyable few hours as there are specific areas which are suitable for toddlers.

8/10 (from Eloethan)

YORK wiNTER WONDERLAND

(Dec 11) A complete waste of money. Display in enchanted path not as good as an average garden centre, magical train ride that the 'fairy and elf' told my grandchildren they were going to enjoy turned out to me two rows of plastic chairs in which we had to make train noises and lean from side to side to pretend movement, 4D film lasted about 8 minutes with no dialogue and strange looking characters. Dull Santa with only two phrases used for all the children then unwrapped presents handed out by him and finally the attempt to upsell the photo they had taken for £6 which considering we had paid £10 per child and £5 per adult was a joke! I could go on and on and on....

1/10 (from cmcpne)

WINTER WONDERLAND, HYDE PARK, LONDON

(Nov 13) I was invited to attend the press night for Winter Wonderland, so I took a friend. We walked from Marble Arch tube station, which was only 5-10 minutes away. The huge Ferris wheel lit up the sky and could be seen from Marble Arch.

When we entered the fair, we couldn't believe how big it was! It was quite easy to feel lost, although it does loop around. There were rides on every corner, an ice-rink, the Ice Kingdom, market and food stalls and a range of bars.

It was all the usual rides you find in fairgrounds, Ferris wheel, dodgems, helter skelter, carousel etc. The food stalls were mainly selling bratwursts and burgers for around £4.50-£6 and chips for around £2.50 - which I imagine can add up if you're visiting with children.

We went to the Ice Kingdom, where they were displaying a range of impressive ice sculptures. It was really great to see, however we were absolutely freezing (it was cold enough outside, let alone going somewhere colder!) and had to leave when we could no longer feel our toes. We warmed up in a bar opposite, where they sold mulled cider. My friend ordered a Kopparberg cider, which arrived in a mug. The bar tender said it was £3 something, but £2 was a deposit... if she returned the mug, she'd receive her money back. Interesting sales concept!

We watched the Zippos Christmas Circus, which honesty made me feel uneasy the whole time. One of the acrobats slipped while on a tight rope (not sure whether this was intentional) and had to be pulled up by another acrobat, who didn't have a safety clip! If you like that kind of thing - you would love the show. But throwing knives at a woman tied to a board, and half naked women prancing around with a huge whip isn't really my thing!

Overall we had a good time, there was a huge range for everyone of all ages. I would say it's quite costly for a family; the money adds up for the rides, as well as drinks, food, circus, ice skating etc.

5/10 (from anon)

SEA LIFE LONDON AQUARIUM

(Mar 13) We were invited on a press event to view the Ocean of Stars.

We arrived a bit late (train delayed for two hours!) so we weren't able to try out the sustainably sourced canapés provided by Eco-Cuisine or the free juice bar!

However we did have a lovely walk around the aquarium, which has transformed amazingly since the last time I visited a good few years ago. There's a glass walkway with sharks swimming around and beneath you! And lots of turtles, tropical fish, and even an crocodile. We had the opportunity to touch a starfish - DS was a bit hesitant at first but loved it. Our favourite bit had to be the penguins though, watching them waddle and jump into the water was such an experience.

The one thing I'd say is it would have been great if the noticeboards were more prominent - most of the time I struggled to name specifically what the sea creatures were to DS (maybe I should've swotted up before I left!).

Overall we had a lovely family outing and would definitely go back. Perfect day out when the weather is rubbish outside!

5.5/10 (from KatGransnet)

MADAME TUSSAUD'S

(Dec 12) I have been to Madame Tussaud's and had a really nice time--I was lucky in that there were not loads and loads of people and it was truly amazing.

6/10 (from Cheelu)

DRAYTON MANOR PARK, TAMWORTH

(Jul 13) We were invited on a press trip to Drayton Manor Park and an overnight stay at the Drayton Manor Hotel.

We arrived on a Saturday around 11am, after a 2.5 hour drive from Kent. We left our bags with the hotel with the intention to check in at 3pm, and headed on into the park. First stop was Thomas Land (of course) where 3yo DS was ecstatic to see all his favourite characters, and even the Fat Controller. It was quite busy, and Thomas Land was definitely one of the busier areas of the park, so we didn't mange to go on some of the rides. DS is one metre tall, so he could only go on a handful of rides. He thoroughly enjoyed Diesels Locomotion Mayhem but I think Crazy Bertie Bus (where the bus rotates up into the air forwards, and then backwards) was probably a bit too much for him. We would have liked to go on the Blue Mountain Engines, but the queue was ridiculously long. My 8yo sister went on the Cranky the Crane Drop Tower with DH (a ride where you're taken up into the air and it drops down), and they enjoyed that. We took a break at Knapford Station where there was a cafe, so we bought some ice-creams, which were on average £1.55 each.

Next we visited the onsite zoo. When you first walk in, it doesn't look very big, however it does cover quite a large area. The enclosures appeared to be quite small, although some of the animals weren't too bothered; the monkeys were very animated and entertaining the watch. A pair were chasing each other and one would put a hat on and run around the cage! It wasn't a huge zoo, but big enough to have a reptile centre, monkeys, tigers, parrots and many other animals.

We went on to explore other areas of the park and went on the Vintage Carousel, Wild West Shoot Out and the Splash Canyon. We couldn't go on any of the thrill rides because of the children, but we could see many rollercosters across the park. the Splash Canyon was probably the favourite, and so refreshing to get soaking wet on such a hot summer's day! We had a snack at the Central Plaza, where we bought a sausage roll each for around £2.50.

It was heading towards dinner time and the children were hungry, so we decided to find somewhere to eat. We decided to venture out of the park to find something cheaper and drove five minutes down the road to Longwood pub, where they had reasonably priced meals. After, we picked up our luggage and checked into the Drayton Manor hotel, where we were given a standard family room. There was the option to upgrade to a Thomas themed room for an additional £60 but we decided not to. Our standard room was an average sized room with one double bed and a sofa bed pulled out. They had a TV and a fridge, along with an iron and an ironing board, a hairdryer and a thermostat in the room. We couldn't work out how to turn off the air conditioning so it was a bit chilly in the room. The bathroom was clean, with a shower over the bath. We didn't have any hotel toiletries, only the soap dispenser attached to the wall in the bath. It was a bit odd (or one might even say good hotel management) that the soap couldn't be removed, the iron was stuck to the ironing board and the hair dryer couldn't be used elsewhere in the room.

The next morning we had breakfast at the hotel. It was a buffet, which included your standard fry-up, toast and pastries, cereals, yoghurts and fruits. This was really good start to the day, as the kids had a huge variety. Once they had finished eating, they were able to play on the Thomas tracks whilst we were still eating. Just outside the back of the hotel, they had a small park with a slide, a large swing and climbing frames. Also, just in the hotel lobby, they had Thomas tracks for the kids to play with - however, there weren't any trains. Conveniently, this was placed in front of the Thomas gift shop...

Tickets to Drayton Manor Park costs £25 online (£36 at the gate) for over 12s, and £20 online (£27 at the gate) for 4-11 year olds and over 60's, £5 for 2-3 year olds and under 2's go free. A standard family room at the Drayton Manor Hotel start around £120 a night. Overall we had a great time at Drayton Manor, but we probably would have enjoyed it more if the kids were a bit older and if we had gone mid-week, when it would have been less busy.

7/10 (from KatGransnet)

CHESSINGTON WORLD OF ADVENTURES, SURREY

(Jul 13) Overall it was great, a wide variety of animals and rides. Ticket price a bit high for families, also refreshments and gifts inside are on the expensive side when taking the whole family.

Grandchildren thoroughly enjoyed it, as did the parents - I spent most of the time looking after bags and pushchairs!

7/10 (from lindylooby)

V&A MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD, LONDON

(Dec 12) It's brilliant and the admission is free, it has loads of interactive games. The cafe inside the museum was quite expensive but there are lunch benches outside so you could take a packed lunch with you.

There is a small toy shop inside the museum and prices range from 50p to around £25 they also sell children's books. If you want to know what is on for any particular day, you can check out their website--just go to Google, type in museum of childhood E2.

8/10 (from cheelu)

TWYCROSS ZOO, LEICS

(Apr 13) Excellent

8/10 (from sponge)

SOMERSET HOUSE ICE RINK

(Nov 13) We were invited to Somerset House to try out their ice rink for their family and friends press event.

I took DS, who is nearly four and we arrived early doors at 10am on the Sunday to ensure they would have a penguin available for him. Luckily they had his shoe size (8) - the smallest skating boot they provide is a child’s size 7 (European size 25), which will fit children aged approximately 3 to 4 years.

Dropping off my bag for storage and collecting the skates was quick and easy. After we put the skates on, I asked one of the wardens to help us get over to the children's rink, which was in a designated area attached but separate to the main ice rink. I was a bit unsteady (I haven't been ice skating in years!) and was nervous about dragging DS down with me should I fall, so the warden kindly picked up DS under the arms and skated him over to the area. I managed to get over to the other side eventually, where he was standing there waiting for me. The warden was very attentive and explained to DS how to position his feet and the basic steps to get him going. He held onto one of the plastic penguins to keep him steady, and I guided him forward from behind.

DS is quite a tentative boy, so he wasn't crazy about ice skating, but he did enjoy the experience. It's a small area, so we were about to circulate it easily and he didn't feel overwhelmed. There were lots of children there, but it wasn't overcrowded as there are only a limited amount of penguins available.

After the hour session, another warden helped us get back to the area where we would collect our shoes. I found all the staff keen to help, great with children and were very skilled on the ice.

We headed over to the lounge on the other side of the rink, where it was nice and warm, and we had pastries and coffee. I ordered a soya latte, which took a while and when I received it, didn't taste or look like a soya latte! I asked for a black Americano instead and received a filter coffee... DS had warm milk.

Although you can stand outside and watch the ice skaters, the lounge area was a lovely place to watch in an enclosed area - it's a shame about the coffee. Overall we had a fantastic time, and at the end, DS really enjoyed his first ice skating experience. The penguins are a great idea and means the younger ones can get involved. Somerset House is a beautiful building and easy to get to.

8/10 (from anon)

WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN

(May 15) We were offered complimentary tickets to this fantastic show, starring Tamsin Greig (who, by the way, is absolutely brilliant), Haydn Gwynne, Ricardo Afonso, Anna Skellern and Jerome Pradon.

Set in 1980s Madrid, the musical follows Pepa (Greig) as she watches her personal life descend into chaos when her boyfriend leaves her one morning. Cue an ex-wife, estranged son and a best friend who may or may not be dating a terrorist...

I thoroughly enjoyed this show and would recommend it to anyone who likes a bit of dark humour to go with their tunes.

8/10 (from LucyGransnet)

KEUJKENHOF GARDENS, NETHERLANDS

(June 14) This is where they grow the tulips! Acres and acres of fabulous displays. The guides are very knowledgeable and there are opportunities to buy the bulbs.

Obviously this is a day out while in the Netherlands but is well worth fitting in. We went on a river cruise specifically to see the bulbs but would recommend a visit if you are in the Netherlands.

Wear flat shoes!

8/10 (from kittylester)

ADVENTURE WONDERLAND, BOURNEMOUTH

(Aug 11) This is a perfect day out for pre-schoolers and primary school age children. Family ticket for two adults and two over-threes is £42. All the rides are suitable for little ones, the attendants are very attentive!

Great indoor adventure playground. Went today with grandchildren aged three and five and they had the time of their life! So did I! The gift shop was very pricy, but otherwise, a perfect day. We took a packed lunch so can't comment about on-site catering. Thoroughly recommended and we'll definitely be going again!

8/10 (from notsogrand)

VINOPOLIS, LONDON BRIDGE

(Arp 13) I was invited on a free press trip to Vinopolis, a wine tasting experience in London.

When we arrived, we exchanged our tickets for a plastic card with a chip, which would be our key to the wine! We had 12 tokens each (the Classic package). After handing in our coats, we were ushered to a room and given a glass a of wine (25ml full) and told not to drink it yet. In the room there was a projector and rows of wine fanatics. We watched an introductory video, and after, a member of staff (Shane Jones) came in to give us a lesson on how to taste wine and make the most of our experience.

The whole introduction lasted around 15-20 minutes, and was very interesting. Shane was very good at engaging with the audience, and I felt I actually learnt something! I now know why people swirl and sniff wine, and why I should do it too.

After the talk, Shane led us into the wine tasting arena and showed us around. After the quick tour, he left us to our own devices. We were then free to use our plastic cards, and fill our glasses with 25ml of wine from the machines. The wines were grouped together; spirits, champagnes, reds, whites, reds/whites from hot/cold regions of the world etc. There was also a tapas bar, which looked good but I had already eaten dinner. I did try a sample of cheese and marmalade to accompany a sweeter wine I'd picked, and that was delicious. Opposite the tapas bar, they had a chocolatier to accompany the dessert wines.

The majority of wines cost one token, but there were a handful which went up to four/five tokens. I tried a sparkling white wine for four tokens, and also a champagne for three tokens - both very worth it!

The staff, Shane especially, were very active in approaching us and others to see if everything was okay. Shane tasted some wine with us and gave us his thoughts on the wine, which was very interesting. I was very impressed by his knowledge!

I had a very enjoyable time at Vinopolis and would definitely recommend and possibly purchase for someone as a gift.

9/10 (from KatGransnet)

THE CROCKY TRAIL, CHESTER

(Sep 11) Wonderful day out for families. Lots of fresh air and exercise for little ones. Quite reasonably priced. Take a picnic and hope for good weather as it's all outside. Highly recommended. My grandchildren love it.(Ages two to six). It has a website with details.

9/10 (from ameliaanne)

LEEDS CASTLE, KENT

(Nov 11) I won tickets to go to a wedding show here and added a tour of the castle as an afterthought but i'm glad i did! it's beautiful to look at and is a mishmash of styles and periods inside. outside there's a maze for the kids and beautiful gardens. And if you buy a ticket, you can use it for re-entry for a whole year which is a bonus!

9/10 (from kushlacar)

LONGLEAT SAFARI PARK, WILTSHIRE

(Aug 13) Not cheap (book tickets online for a discount), but you cannot put a price on meerkats around your feet, monkeys above your head and being able to stroke penguins, stingrays, snakes and tarantula.

Beautiful setting, well organised, too much to do so be sure to spend the whole day.

9/10 (from chubbynanny)

LEGOLAND, WINDSOR

(May 13) We were invited on a press trip to the launch of Duplo Valley. When we arrived at the Legoland hotel, we left our luggage at reception so they could send them up to our rooms, which would be ready at 3pm.

We headed straight to Duplo Valley - which a new area with a large water park. The weather was quite cold in the morning so we skipped the Splash Safari and Drench Towers. We went to on to play in the Brickville playground area and took a ride on the Brickville Express train. My three year old son loved it, and my eight year old sister wasn't too old for it either. After that, we went to Fairy Tale Book, which was a short boat ride. It was very creative and the kids enjoyed spotting their favourite characters.

Legoland itself was quite big and it took us all day to go round - we still hadn't finish by the end of the day! My sister's favourite ride was Lazer Raiders, where you went around with lazer guns aiming at targets. There were lots of rides my son could go on, as the hight requirement for most rides were 0.9m. His favourite however was L-Drivers where he obtained his Lego licence. Mine and my husband's favourite ride was the Vikings' River Splash - luckily they gave us ponchos otherwise we would have been soaking! Another favourite of all of ours was the Atlantis Submarine Voyage, where we were taken underwater to see the sharks and fishes.

We had special press wristbands which allowed us to queue jump, they were great as the waiting times for some of the most popular rides went up to 50 minutes. These can't be purchased, however 'Q-bots' can be purchased from £15 per person which allows you to virtually queue rather than physically wait in line – there is also 'Q-Bot Express' and 'Q-Bot Ultimate' which reduces your waiting time by half, or to nothing if you wish, for more expense. The ponchos were £3 each (which is worth the money if you don't want to get wet on a rainy day, the Vikings' River Splash or the Pirate Falls Dynamite Drench!).

We had our dinner at the Brick Restaurant at the hotel. This was an all you can eat buffet with a large variety to choose from. I had the roast lamb and potatoes, which was delicious. There's also a choice of starters and desserts, along with soft drinks, hot drinks and alcohol. A member of staff dressed as a brick greeted the kids, some loved this and gave the brick a hug, however my shy three year old ran away!

There were lots of entertainment after dinner to keep the older kids amused. We didn't attend this as we were all completely shattered after the long day!

We checked into the hotel after dinner, where we were given the 'keys' to an Adventure Premium room. The Premium room for two adults and up to three children, plus breakfast at the Bricks restaurant and two days at the part starts from £247 (off peak), however it can go up to £420. The large room was themed throughout, with a children's section by the door, followed by the bathroom and the double room. The children had a nicely sectioned area of the room with bunk beds, a pull out bed and their own TV. Our double room had a TV and a fridge. The box of lego they provided was an absolute godsend for the kids waking at 6am! The room also had a 'Treasure' map, where the kids had to work out the combination of the safe to get to the hidden toys. Lots of fun and kept them preoccupied for a good half an hour.

In the morning we had breakfast at the Bricks restaurant, which again was an all you can eat buffet. There was a choice of a full English breakfast (clearly what the adults opted for!), fruit and yoghurt or traditional cereals. There were a variety of juices and hot caffeinated drinks available.

I'm not entirely sure what the breakfast or dinner would have cost - but the all you can eat aspect of it definitely softens the blow. If you do book a hotel room, the breakfast is included. To save money, I would plan ahead and take a picnic - they have a lovely picnic area Adventure Land. There are food outlets scattered around the park, but they were costly.

After breakfast we returned to Duplo Valley, as the weather was warming up. We changed the kids into their swimming costumes in the changing rooms provided. They ran through the Splash Safari and headed towards Drench Towers, where there were four different slides varying in length. There was also a huge 'brick' being filled, which would empty all over the the climbing frame and slides. We were only there for ten minutes before changing the kids back into their clothes again as the water was absolutely freezing, and the weather wasn't that warm... I imagine this would be perfect for a hot summer's day, an alternative to the beach.

We had a fabulous time and the kids absolutely loved it. I'd definitely recommend going - obviously the more money you throw at it, the better your experience will be. For those on a budget, I would advise buying tickets online or through Tesco Clubcard points to save money, and plan to go on the popular rides first to avoid the queues. If you have an iPhone, there's a Legoland App where there's an interactive map and you can plan which rides you'd like to go on.

Also a tip for hayfever sufferers; bring antihistamines. Lots of pollen floating around and I could barely see by the next day!

9/10 (from KatGransnet)

RHS GARDEN, WISLEY, SURREY

(Nov 11) great day out. Lovely surroundings and good for children as well as parents and grandparents. Excellent restaurant facilities.

9/10 (from betejaid)

WHEELGATE THEME PARK, MANSFIELD, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE

(Apr 13) We have been to Wheelgate a few times now and it is very good for the children (ages 1,2,3,5 ). It also has indoor play for the wet days and there are cafes or you take your own food. The toilets are clean and the place is not so big that you get lost. You pay on entry then things are 'free'. Our girls did not want to come home. The only thing is the adults pay but there is nothing at all for them unless you go down the slide with the children. Overall it is a good place to go.

10/10 (from karenplusfour)

WARWICK CASTLE

(Feb 12) Fantastic day out for kids and adults of all ages, can be expensive to get in so look out for offers.

10/10 (from karenholder7)

TRENTHAM GARDENS, STAFFORDSHIRE

(March 12) Just off Junction 15 on the M6, this is a wonderful place for adults and children. It is much, much more than gardens. My little ones love a day here. Lots of space in which to run and play. There are reasonably-priced places to eat, a wonderful children's play area with lots of deckchairs on the grass, a barefoot walk and a large garden centre and small shops as well. Visit the website for more details.

10/10 (from ameliaanne)

THINKTANK, BIRMINGHAM

(May 2014) A wonderful interactive experience for all children, involving them in everyday items and activities as well as showing and demonstrating things from the past. Excellent facilities and you're able to take your own food. A full day of fun and activities. A must place to visit.

10/10 (from credlandjohn)

THE MAKING OF HARRY POTTER STUDIO TOUR

(Nov 14) We went to see the Christmas update in November 2014. My 8 year old Harry Potter fan and myself (who read most of the books before he was even born!) I wasn't sure what to expect but I have to say it's very clear that JK Rowling had some control over this because nothing felt cheap or rushed. The main thing was that there was LOADS to see. Videos with the special effects wizards behind the scenes, costumes, sets - the Great Hall was particularly impressive and there's a great kids passport too you can get at the ticket office where kids can follow clues to collect stamps - it's also a very nice (free) souvenir. Food options are not great and are only available at the start (there's a Starbucks) and the middle and there is no-backtracking so eat plenty before going in. The highlight easily was the flying broomsticks element where you can sit in the flying car in front of a blue screen as a family and try out a broomstick too. They lend you robes to wear and there's even a wind machine and a director suggesting moves etc to fit in with the footage they will put on afterwards. yes, to buy the DVD is expensive £25, but really it's a chance of a lifetime to have a video of yourself (or your child) flying over Hogwarts on a broomstick! We loved it and will definitely take our youngest when they are old enough to appreciate it.

We were given complementary tickets to attend, but the cost I think would have been well worth it for the magic we encountered!

10/10 (from GigiGransnet)