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Looking for places to go in the summer. Kids will be 3 and nearly 6 by then. We like self catering, seaside, farms, castles. Just got back from Cardiff with a trip to Barry for the tacky fun.
Currently looking at further into south Wales or west country.
Boy (nearly 6) is learning to ride so there may be a chance of that sort of thing.
Ideas?
Pembrokeshire - St Davids or Tenby, beaches, Folly Farm etc.
I'd try Harlech area in Wales or Bamburgh in Northumberland.
Anglesey worked for us. Castles, beaches, Pili Palace and Sea Zoo
My first thought was Dumfries and Galloway, then I read it properly
Around Lake Bala (not quite your target area). Some ideas https://visitbala.org.uk/S=0/things-to-do/with-children , fishing, boats and cycling too
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I clearly read what I wanted to see...
Mumbles / Gower is awesome, went there in half term earlier this year
Lovely beaches (we lucked out with the weather)
Arcade in mumbles was great fun too
Water park in Swansea with tubes etc
Some excellent food & coffee in the area too
Kent.
No, really.
Park yourself at Deal or Sandwich and then you have Dover, Deal and Walmer castles to play at. The Hornby/Scalextric/Airfix/Corgi centre at Margate. Half a dozen farm/petting zoos. Margate caves for spooky fun,. Lovely sandy beaches on all 3 coasts. Betteshangar country park for traffic free bike hire and play areas. Medway for the naval history. Day trip to france on a ferry for a real adventure. Can I come too?
West country?
Swanage / Purbeck area would tick those boxes - Corfe Castle, Norden Farm (has accom/camping as well), seaside of course + options in Swanage and area for self-catering. Monkey World / Tank Museum / etc all very close.
Swanage
Actually this is where we are right now! It's great, weather has been a bit pants but otherwise loving it. Corfe castle and steam train the highlight so far.
We did corfe on our honeymoon. Also grew up in Kent and done it to death.
Thanks for all the suggestions. We are spreading our search to south coast west from soton all the way to west Wales. I think that gives us enough options. We are in North Hampshire if that influences anything.
Is there a Haven there? Just booked me and my 6 yr old in at Greenacres near Porthmadog. Plenty to do, pretty cheap, looks like a great spot. Just need the weather! Can't wait for the disco and bingo 😬
Currently sitting on an AirBnB sofa just outside Hunstanton (because it's close enough to abort from). Kids seem to have been very excited just by going to the beach and having Ice cream and fish and chips.
South/west Wales is where I am, and my three kids are older than yours but we've ticked off everywhere in the area over the last 19 years... 😀
Folly Farm is a good day out. There's other stuff down that way as well, Heatherton, etc but for small kids Folly Farm is worth the trip. Animals, rides, play areas and enough to keep parents amused as well.
Manor Farm Zoo near Tenby is also good. As are any number of boat trips from Tenby, and chips afterwards. You can walk through the wallaby enclosure and feed them at Manor Farm.
There are castles everywhere - Carreg Cennen is fun for kids to explore the tunnel. Also, waterfalls everywhere. (near me, anyway. 😀 )
Tredegar House and Dynefwr (National Trust) are decent days out. Dynefwr has deer and cattle, tractor trips, etc.
The Wetlands Centre near Llanelli is nice, if you want to look at birds, also has hides to look at wild birds. In the summer they used to have bikes and kayaks to use. Can't remember if there was a charge.
Gower Beaches - 3 Cliffs to play in the stream under the castle, any of them to bodyboard or just play. Caswell to climb cliffs. Langland so that the parents can enjoy a nice meal in the brasserie while the kids fall off the cliffs.
Cardiff Museum has interesting dinosaur type exhibitions, Techniquest in the bay is good for kids, and the bay itself is good for mooching around.
Mumbles is also good for mooching and window shopping and has plenty of decent places to eat and drink, or play on the beaches, visit the arcades. Plenty to do.
There are so many lovely places to walk or have picnics, but that could be another essay. Enjoy, wherever you go.
West Dorset/East Devon is a favourite of our now 10 year old. Fossil hunting, crabbing on the harbours, lovely places to amble, beaches, Seaton Tramway, Wildwood, heaps of stuff to do.
Paignton area of Devon is great as well. Good beaches, train rides along the cliffs, Haldon Forest, surfing, Paignton Zoo/Living Coasts, arcades etc.
Weymouth. Been a couple of times with the kids.
Reasonable town with a big sandy beach and within a short drive you've got The Tank Museum, Monkey World, Portland, Abbotsbury (play farm, swannary and gardens), Corfe (check out the water park) and loads of other stuff.
How about Sandy Balls? We took my two there and they thoroughly enjoyed it.