[- Paul -]

Hello - I've now got a young baby and a 2 and a half year old and was wondering if you chaps have any suggestions on family friendly things to do in the UK?

We need a holiday or at least a weekend away but don't want to go abroad because of the travel aspect.

[AndyB]

Only one thing for it. Centre parcs.

[typod]

Alton Towers might be good.

[AndyB]

Alton towers for a newborn? I think not

You could also try renting a cottage in cornwall or something. Depends how well the sprogs travel by car.

[skansa]

goodwood, family ticket

[Steve A]

Originally Posted by AndyB

Only one thing for it. Centre parcs.

i completly agree centre parcs has a lot of fun stuff, nice indoor pool even have babysitters so you and the mrs can have a night off.

We are going later in the year

[GSN]

Have just returned from a week with wife & 5 year old twins in Scotland.Log cabin accomodation near Oban was ok but the driving was spectacular.Recommend the road through Glencoe and another one up to Mallaig on the coast.Oh and the motorway between Edinburgh & Glasgow is relatively speaking desserted.You can really enjoy your car up there- but the little un may get more from centre parcs!

[SoYank]

Originally Posted by Steve Ashton

...even have babysitters so you and the mrs can have a night off.

That's how he got the two little nippers.

[bob mushroom]

we went centreparcs with our newborn and it was great everything we needed, though can work out expensive

[matlough]

+1 Center Parcs

http://www.centerparcs.co.uk

[booforty]

The Lake District is great, plenty of nice places to visit

[NFS]

Originally Posted by 1stnewcar

Hello - I've now got a young baby and a 2 and a half year old and was wondering if you chaps have any suggestions on family friendly things to do in the UK?

We need a holiday or at least a weekend away but don't want to go abroad because of the travel aspect.

Do center parcs now whilst you can go outside the school holidays. It's great for little un's but stupidly expensive in the peak season. Do a websearch before you book and try to bag a discounted deal.

The lakes are also brilliant - I was there this week. I'd go with a cottage over a hotel any day because you can put the kids in another room.

This is a great website for cottage rentals, which again are cheap as chips outside the school hols:

http://www.english-country-cottages...._homepage.html

We regularly booked a week away in April and September when my eldest was younger.

[ES-Jet]

I've done Lake District and Center Parcs with my pre-schoolers. Lakes is beautiful but there's not much to do for under threes. Centerparcs is expensive in school holiday times, but not too bad in term times. We've been once or twice a year every year since 2003.

[- Paul -]

Looks like centreparcs or a cottage in the Lakes then! - Thanks for the replies.

[NFS]

Originally Posted by 1stnewcar

Looks like centreparcs or a cottage in the Lakes then! - Thanks for the replies.

If you do go to center parcs, take supplies, the restaurant food is expensive and sometimes a bit iffy (especially the one near the lake district).

Personally I think longleat is easily the nicest park.

[- Paul -]

Originally Posted by NFS

If you do go to center parcs, take supplies, the restaurant food is expensive and sometimes a bit iffy (especially the one near the lake district).

Personally I think longleat is easily the nicest park.

An old thread I know but I'm....

Going to the one near the Lake district (Whinfell)

What should I be packing / looking out for except the "iffy" food!

[matlough]

Alot depends on what type of villa you have gone for.

I can only comment on Longleat, but they all have a small supermarket of some sort - food, wine etc. It can be quite expensive for things like toiletries and wine so take these with you (especially the wine!)

Also, we tend to take basics with us - breakfast cereal, bottles of squash, coffee/tea.

If you have booked one of the villas with games room which includes a PS3 and you have a PS3 at home take some games - the selection they have is small.


If you are planning on doing any of the activities, book online before you go.

We used to take our own bikes but that got to be a real pain in arse, you can hire bikes so I would do that instead.

Take 1 or 2 rucksacks. You always need to take swimming gear with you and drinks etc. for the kids so rucksacks are alot easier to walk/bike around with.

If you are a bit of a foody, and plan on cooking in the villa take your favorite knife, the ones they provide are rubbish!

Also, put the small people into one of the clubs/crèche and have a couple of hours in the Aqua Sana spa, its very good!!

If I think of more I will add later

[- Paul -]

Originally Posted by matlough

Alot depends on what type of villa you have gone for.

I can only comment on Longleat, but they all have a small supermarket of some sort - food, wine etc. It can be quite expensive for things like toiletries and wine so take these with you (especially the wine!)

Also, we tend to take basics with us - breakfast cereal, bottles of squash, coffee/tea.

If you have booked one of the villas with games room which includes a PS3 and you have a PS3 at home take some games - the selection they have is small.


If you are planning on doing any of the activities, book online before you go.

We used to take our own bikes but that got to be a real pain in arse, you can hire bikes so I would do that instead.

Take 1 or 2 rucksacks. You always need to take swimming gear with you and drinks etc. for the kids so rucksacks are alot easier to walk/bike around with.

If you are a bit of a foody, and plan on cooking in the villa take your favorite knife, the ones they provide are rubbish!

Also, put the small people into one of the clubs/crèche and have a couple of hours in the Aqua Sana spa, its very good!!

If I think of more I will add later

Thanks for that - some stuff I hadn't thought of - won't be biking though!!!

[willhollin]

Better add the wife and kids to that list.

[NFS]

Whinfell is a good choice. The food was awful when I went there, but that was 4 years ago now, when my youngest was just 6 months old and hopefully they have sorted it out now.

I've been to Longleat and Sherwood forest as well and the restaurants there were fine. If the foods up to scratch they are very child friendly, especially the cafe sort of place (no idea what it's called).

Depending on your villa type, they are generally well equipped (although the comfort ones look a bit scruffy) with crockery and that sort of bollocks.

As Mat says the knifes are generally shite and you'd best take some cooking foil etc.

We just chuck a load of stuff in the car - tea, coffee, pizzas, salad etc, so that we can get by without needing to eat out all the time of rely on the little shop.

All sound a bit boring, but with young children you have to spend a fair bit of time in the villas.

Might be worth hiring a bike with a trailer if your little one is old enough. Also useful if you have to nip out to the shop for some emergency milk or whatever.

I think you need to bring your own towels for some of the villas.

oh .. and take a torch .. it's dark in the woods at night.

edit: last time I went our villa had a DVD player - worth checking. If not chucking a portable one in and an ipod dock makes it much more pleasant to spend an evening in while the kids are asleep.

[- Paul -]

Originally Posted by NFS

Whinfell is a good choice. The food was awful when I went there, but that was 4 years ago now, when my youngest was just 6 months old and hopefully they have sorted it out now.

I've been to Longleat and Sherwood forest as well and the restaurants there were fine. If the foods up to scratch they are very child friendly, especially the cafe sort of place (no idea what it's called).

Depending on your villa type, they are generally well equipped (although the comfort ones look a bit scruffy) with crockery and that sort of bollocks.

As Mat says the knifes are generally shite and you'd best take some cooking foil etc.

We just chuck a load of stuff in the car - tea, coffee, pizzas, salad etc, so that we can get by without needing to eat out all the time of rely on the little shop.

All sound a bit boring, but with young children you have to spend a fair bit of time in the villas.

Might be worth hiring a bike with a trailer if your little one is old enough. Also useful if you have to nip out to the shop for some emergency milk or whatever.

I think you need to bring your own towels for some of the villas.

oh .. and take a torch .. it's dark in the woods at night.

edit: last time I went our villa had a DVD player - worth checking. If not chucking a portable one in and an ipod dock makes it much more pleasant to spend an evening in while the kids are asleep.

- ipod dock/portable dvd player/ psp to be packed!

Bike with trailer sounds good - presume you just strap the kids in?

[matlough]

Towels are provided in all villas except the very basic Comfort. Also, even if you have a villa that provides towels you will need to take your own towels for the swimming pool.

Also, I think you will need to take cot bed linen if you are using the villas cot.

If you are not eating out and do not fancy cooking, some of the restaurants provide take away service!!