In case you share my way of thinking, for me summer means unhurried, spontaneous time spent outdoors – it is about open air, kids going to bed very tired, and those tiniest moments that somehow turn out to be the happiest ones. So, in case you plan to take the challenge of converting your digital hours into outdoor hours, here are some of the best outdoor summer activities for families who love being outside, really.

Beach Days That Feel Like Real Vacations 

You don’t always have to travel overseas to make your children feel a “holiday.” A mere visit to the British coast can be just as enchanting – provided you really get into it. Be sure to pack a windbreak, plenty of snacks and also some change of clothes (one of you likely gets wet).  Let your children build the most disgusting sandcastles, dive into freezing water, and go shell hunting like little treasure hunters. Insider tip: Always carry a big blanket and a cup of tea with you. There is a unique allure of sitting wrapped up as the kids run wildly along the beach.

Nature Walks  

Let’s be real – “family walks” doesn’t sound like a great deal for children. However, if you make it a mini adventure, things will totally change. Instead of making it a concern of measuring the distance, why not make it a discovery:- Find butterflies, birds, or animal tracks- Gathering cool leaves or stones- Organizing a hunt for the items. Hiking in the woods, nature reserves or even your local parks can be like completely different worlds when you slow down and let the children guide you. And yes, you will get home twice as late as expected but that is pretty much the point.

Picnics That Convert To Full-Day Excursions 

A picnic is more than just an outdoor meal – it is happening. Opt for a location that offers a chance for walking or running around a spacious area: a large park, a riverside area, or even the countryside. You can take out a football, a frisbee, and make a kite as in case of leaving a quick lunch will turn into an all-day party. The key? Make the food simple but fun: 

• Sandwiches cut into shapes
• Fresh fruit and easy snacks
• A little treat (because summer rules are different)

Besides, you know what the best part is? A slightly messy picnic tends to be more memorable than a perfect one.

Camping & Caravan Escapes

In fact, it quite possibly points to one that is more responsible for capturing the essence of summer than anything else. And that is packing up your things, loading up your car, and setting off for the great outdoors, exclusively with a tent or a caravan (that is now your new home) as your only companions. Either a full-fledged campsite or a more secluded country pitch, children definitely relish the novelty of it all, sleeping in another place, waking up to the chirping of birds and having the liberty to explore. 

Caravan holidays, that is especially, work wonderfully well for families. You get the excitement of getting out and about without actually giving up on the comforts, which, let’s face it, is something that matters more than we admit. Before you set out, you really should consider the practicalities as well. 

A lot of families just can’t bring themselves to go without first making sure they have the right caravan insurance in place. It’s one of those simple but smart steps that enable you to totally chill and make the most of your trip once you get on the road. After that, it’s simply soaking up the great atmosphere: marshmallow roasting, spinning somewhat ridiculous yarns, and seeing the kids doze off in that kind of deep sleep that happens only after a day filled with fresh air.

Exploring Nature & Mini Safaris for Kids 

Kids have an instinctive interest in animals and summer is an excellent time to nurture that. There’s no need to get anything elaborate. Just go to a green place and let them have freedom to explore: 

• Look out for ducks, swans, or fish in ponds
• Watch bees and butterflies in wildflower areas
• Spot squirrels darting through trees

Why not take a notebook with you or let them click some photos? This way, you turn a simple walk into a real mission. Also, the great thing is that it teaches them patience and observation skills without them even realising it!

Garden Days That Feel Surprisingly Special 

Many fabulous summer gem memories don’t require travel to spots at all. A straightforward garden day, after all, has the potential to change into a reality of enchantment only by unleashing the power of one’s imagination. How about: – 

• Setting up a paddling pool or a water play area 
• Creating a den using blankets and chairs 
• Going for a mini garden campout with snacks and after-story behaviour 

It’s simple, cheap, and most of the time just what everyone is longing for after a hectic week.

Cycling Adventures for Every Member of the Family 

Bike rides are an excellent form of family entertainment that can keep up with your family’s pace of growth really well. Going for a bike ride with little ones might just be taking a very slow – almost idle – round of the park. However, for a mere bigger kiddie, the same thing could mean at least a couple of hours of cycling each day along the exhilarating outdoor tracks, coverage of a considerably longer distance, etc.

Think about an easy path ending with a place, a cafe, a park, a beautiful natural spot, for example and it already becomes more meaningful. Simply keep in mind: tasty treats and breaks are incredibly important. All the time. Also, don’t be shocked if the trip actually turns out to be more important than the place you are going to. Little side-trips, races, and just one more loop usually become the best moments of the day.

Enjoying the Long Summer Evenings 

One of the most delightful aspects of summer in the UK is that the evenings become very long. Rather than getting ready to sleep in the house, make good use of that wonderful light of the late afternoon: There’s something quite magical about finishing the day outside – it makes time feel like it’s going really slowly, but in a very nice way!

Conclusion

Remember your family summer memories and more often than not, those big and expensive days would hardly be the ones that you recall most vividly. That is because it is usually the little, slightly messy and happiness-packed moments that make the biggest impression on us: The beauty of outdoor family living is that it simply doesn’t force you to make everything perfect. It only calls for being real. So grab your snacks, your sunblock and on the way out, don’t forget to shut the door. In many cases, the greatest summer days are the ones when you just relax and hardly plan at all.

Money-saving tip: Before you pay full price, have a quick look for discounts on family attractions and experiences. The Days Out Deals page is a handy place to start

Inexpensive Family Days Out

1. Visit a Museum

Many museums across the UK offer free entry or family discounts, making them a brilliant budget day out. From art and science to local history, there’s something to spark everyone’s curiosity. Look out for interactive exhibits and seasonal kids’ trails.

2. Go to the Library

Your local library is a treasure trove of free fun — borrow books, take part in craft sessions, or join a storytime. Many libraries also run free family activities during school holidays.

3. Get a Family Offer Cinema Ticket

Keep an eye out for weekend and holiday cinema deals. Many chains run discounted screenings for families, so you can enjoy a film together without breaking the bank.

4. Head to the Beach

You can’t beat a classic beach day — build sandcastles, explore rock pools, and enjoy a picnic. If the weather’s warm, bring a ball or frisbee for extra fun.

5. Try a New Playground or Skate Park

Exploring a new playground or visiting a skate park gives kids a chance to burn off energy and meet new friends — and it’s completely free!

6. Do a Self-Guided City Treasure Hunt

Turn a walk around your town into an adventure. Create your own clues or use a free printable map for a DIY treasure hunt that gets everyone exploring. We have lots of Scavenger Hunts.

7. Visit a Pet Shop or Garden Centre to See Animals

If you have little animal lovers, a trip to a local pet shop or garden centre can be surprisingly exciting. Many have aquariums, rabbits, or even small reptile enclosures.

8. Explore a Sculpture Park or Art Trail

Art trails and outdoor sculpture parks combine creativity with fresh air — perfect for families who enjoy exploring and taking photos.

9. Visit a Nature Reserve or Go on a Nature Scavenger Hunt

Grab a notebook and see how many plants, birds, or insects you can spot.

10. Find a Free Community Event

Local councils and community groups often host free fairs, outdoor cinema nights, or seasonal festivals. Keep an eye on noticeboards or Facebook groups for what’s on near you.

11. Go Swimming

Local leisure centres often have reduced-price family swim sessions or special offers during the holidays — a great way to stay active together.

12. Visit a Farm

Many small farms welcome visitors for free or a small donation. Feed animals, learn about food growing, and enjoy the fresh countryside air. Download our Free Farm Scavenger Hunt to keep the kids occupied, too.

13. Visit a Cathedral or Historic Church

Even if you’re not religious, these buildings are full of art, history, and beauty. Many offer free entry or family-friendly discovery trails.

14. Explore a Free Historical Site

There are so many free historical ruins, castles, and heritage trails to explore across the UK — ideal for budding historians or adventurers.

15. Watch Planes Take Off at a Local Airport

Find a viewing area near your local airport and watch the planes come and go. It’s especially exciting for little ones who dream of flying!

16. Go Train Spotting

Bring along a flask of hot chocolate and a notebook and see how many trains you can spot — a great slow-paced outdoor activity.

17. Visit an Art Gallery

Many galleries offer free entry and host creative family sessions where kids can make their own mini masterpieces.

Final Thoughts

Low-cost doesn’t mean low fun! With a little creativity, you can fill your weekends and holidays with memorable experiences that bring the family closer together — all without stretching your budget.

Why not print out our Cheap Days Out for Families infographic and stick it on your fridge? Each time you’re looking for inspiration, pick one and go explore!

Brilliant Water Rides for those over 110cm

We liked that the kids met the minimum height to go on the water rides at Thorpe Park Resort as they LOVE getting wet!

Thorpe Park is pitched as being the place to go in the UK if you are a thrill seeker who likes fast and furious roller coasters. It also has the wettest water rides in the UK with a super-soaking 85ft drop on Tidal Wave, which children over 120cm to ride and a 64ft spiralling descent on Storm Surge (110cm with an adult or over 120cm) over and play splash roulette on the ferocious Rumba Rapids.

The Best Attractions for those under 140cm

Rush is like a massive swing.  Be prepared to leave your stomach behind you.  This is Maxi’s favorite ride and as he was under 140cm he had to ride it with MadDad.

Quantum was Mini’s favorite ride and is right next to rush.  It is a magic carpet ride that speeds you up and over!  Mini loved the fact that he didn’t need an adult to come on this ride with him.

Thorpe Park excels at water rides and Storm Surge is like a helter-skelter with water and inflatables.  What is not to like?

Loggers Leap is a log flume ride that thrills both young and old.  The boys went on this ride three times!

The Rumba Rapids was a firm favourite of the boys too.  They didn’t need to go on with either of us, but decided it would be fun to get Daddy wet again!

Yet another water ride.  This time Tidal Wave.  You do not have to ride to get wet, this ride makes an EPIC splash too.

The Flying Fish was one ride that the boys rode again and again together.  Both at the front and the back.  In fact sometimes they didn’t even get off!

The boys could also go on X, Zodiac, Banana Ride, Rocky Express, Storm in a teacup, The Detonator and  Wet, wet, wet.  We had an amazing couple of days at Thorpe Park and stayed in the Crash Pad, which is kind of like being in a caravan, compact, but has everything you need.

Is There Much for Young Children?

For visitors under 1.2m admission to the park is free just pre-book the free ticket online when purchasing tickets. Thorpe Park has done a great job of keeping kids of all ages occupied, not just teens. Angry Birds Land is fabulous and little ones could spend hours there and they will love Mr Monkeys Banana Ride – the perfect mini rollercoaster.

Top Tips for Making the Most of Your Trip

1. The Thorpe Park app is your ultimate companion for a seamless park experience. You can search for rides based on height and check real-time queue times. You can import tickets and passes into the Thorpe Park App for quick and easy access.
2. Beat the crowds and arrive at the park’s main gate around 9:00 am to secure prime positioning so you can be first in line at the turnstiles and as the gates open at 10:00am
3. The rides don’t close when the park does, the advertised closure times signify when the queue lines close. Make sure you get into the queue before closing time.
4. Escape the mealtime rush by dining early with the kids. Keep an eye on showtimes and integrate eating and entertainment into your itinerary.  

Top tips for getting the best value:

1. Book your tickets at least two days in advance at home to get the best discounts and remember to book your free pass for kids under 1.2m.
2. Pre-book your car park ticket. 
3. 2nd Day from £6.00
4. Consider staying onsite if you live any distance away.

This free Farm Scavenger hunt is the perfect accompaniment to a day at the farm. All you need is a printer. A scavenger hunt is a fun way to encourage children to practice using their observation skills while keeping them busy. 

This printable scavenger hunt is perfect for younger children such as preschoolers as it has images , so they can match up the picture of a sheep with a sheep when they see one. For older kids, the hunt also have the words, so it is great for letter recognition too.

This is a brilliant classroom activity or for youth groups and to increase durability and longevity, laminate the sheet and use a washable marker or dry-erase marker then the check marks can be wiped right off and this can be reused year after year making them a great resource for any field trips to the Farm.

How to Download the Free Farm Scavenger Hunt Printable

These printables are offered for your personal, non-commercial use only. Mass-production of this printable is not permitted, even for non-profit purposes. Please do not upload this Farm Scavenger Hunt to other sites – instead, if you want to let people know about these freebies, post a link to this page. Pinning is okay as long as the pin links back to this page. Thanks!

All you need to do is add click on add to cart and they will be added to your shopping cart. When you are finished click on the orange shopping trolley at the top right of your page and follow the instructions on the screen. You will not be charged and the free pdf file will be available for you to download immediately and will also be emailed to your inbox.

How to Use the Farm Scavenger Hunt

You can do this as an activity for each child to complete in their own time or make it a competition and see who can find each of the items the fastest. You could also make it a group activity.

1. Print enough copies for everyone who wants to play
2. Look around to find the various items
3. Check off the boxes as you find each item with a crayon, pencil, or marker

This post contains affiliate links. If you make any purchases after clicking one of these links, I will make a small commission (hopefully enough to keep me in tea all year) – at no extra cost to you! This allows me to keep creating and sharing free tutorials and content for you. Thank you!

I always print my printables directly onto 160 gsm cardstock using my Epson Ecotank Printer rather than regular paper, this way they are a little more durable and the pens do not bleed through to the other side. However, if you do not have a home printer then just pop to a library and use theirs.

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Going to the theatre with your children can be a truly magical experience for both of you, and this can be even better when you’re watching a captivating musical that will leave all of you singing your heart out.  But with so many great shows out there, what should you and your little ones go and see? 

Well, the good news is there are loads of special shows coming to the stage for 2023 that could be perfect for you and your family. From theatre favourites like The Wizard of Oz to modern classics like Frozen the Musical, there is something to suit every mood and child. 

5 Child-Friendly Musicals

You can check out our list of the top child-friendly musicals this year in the guide below, so you can book your tickets right away. 

1. The Lion King

Showing at: Lyceum Theatre

Duration (approx): 2 hours and 30 minutes, including an intermission

Minimum age: Best for ages 3+

The Lion King has been a firm favourite with families, particularly with children, for decades, be that on stage or in the original Disney animated movie. 

Well, it has once again returned to London’s West end to tell the beautiful coming-of-age story of Simba as he fights to take back the throne. 

The musical is bursting with famous hits, as well as some created just for the stage. And as animals pass through the aisles and stalls, you can marvel at the incredible costumes and get up close with the animals of the Serengeti.  

This is certainly one for the whole family, and your kids are sure to love it, no matter what age they are. 

2. Wicked

Showing at: Apollo Victoria Theatre

Duration (approx): 2 hours and 45 minutes, including a 15-minute interval

Minimum age: Best for age 7+ but under 3s not permitted

You’ve heard of the Wizard of Oz, but do you know what came before that famous tornado? Well, Wicked is the tale of an unlikely but beautiful friendship between two of Oz’s most famous faces, the Wicked Witch of the East and Glinda the Good Witch.

The two find themselves as roommates whilst studying at Shiz University. Despite their clear differences, the pair soon find themselves on the path to Oz, where they discover the wizard is not quite what he seems. 

This stage show is full of magic and wonder, as well as some incredible costumes and fabulous musical numbers, of course. 

So why not let their imaginations fly as they follow this story of true friendship? And hey, you could even book tickets for The Wizard of Oz later in the year to continue the story and strengthen their love for musical theatre. 

3. Matilda

Showing at: Cambridge Theatre

Duration (approx): 2 hours and 40 minutes, including a 15-minute interval

Minimum age: Best for ages 5+ (My boys were 8 and 9 when we saw this and loved it)

Based on Roald Dahl’s classic children’s book, Matilda is a story of mischief and mayhem, but above all else, it’s about a quest for a loving family and a happy home. 

Protagonist Matilda is not like her lazy, TV-loving parents and brother. She’d rather pick up a book and learn than waste her days watching television, but her family take issue with that. And if that wasn’t enough to contend with, the child-hating head teacher, Miss Trunchbull, fills her school days with even more dread by bullying Matilda and her classmates. 

Thankfully, she does receive some encouragement from her gentle teacher and soon learns to use her remarkable, supernatural powers to find the life and love all children deserve. 

This show is the perfect way for you to get your kids engrossed in musical theatre, as it’s packed with catchy songs, special effects, great choreography and an inspiring story of a young school girl with a big heart. 

4. Frozen the Musical 

Showing at: Theatre Royal Drury Lane 

Duration (approx): 2 hours 30 min, including an interval 

Minimum age: Best for age 6+ but under 4s not permitted

You’re probably aware of the heart-warming tale of Elsa and Anna, whose tragic loss of their parents suddenly leaves them in charge of a whole kingdom. But as Elsa has a chilling secret that quickly unleashes chaos, these two sisters find themselves battling for life, love and normality in a story that could thaw any heart. 

The story is brought to life through stunning scenery, dazzling costumes and spectacular puppetry that the whole family is sure to love. And, of course, the show is also packed with all the favourite family hits, including ‘Let It Go’ and ‘Do You Want to Build a Snowman’ so everyone can sing along.

But even if you’ve seen the movie 100 times, you still won’t be prepared for the twists and turns of this beautiful stage adaptation of one of the world’s favourite tales of love and sisterhood. This show is not to be missed this year! 

5. Back to the Future

Showing at: Adelphi Theatre

Duration (approx): 2 hours and 40 minutes, including an interval

Minimum age: Best for age 6+ but under 4s not permitted

Based on the award-winning movie, you and your family will be transported back in time to the 1980s and then once again to the 1950s in one of the most captivating tales of all time. 

You might think this piece of 80s nostalgia is just for you, but your kids are also guaranteed to love the time-bending tale of Marty McFly, who, after being transported back in time and must fight to save his own future. 

The stage show features a whole host of special effects, including state-of-the-art lighting and technical know-how to bring some of the most iconic scenes to the stage. 

The story is also told through an impressive cast, a brand new score and popular tracks like ‘The Power of Love’ and ‘Johnny B. Goode’. It also features the emblematic Delorean because how could it not?

The musical adaptation of the cult classic film Back to the Future has been such a success that it won the Olivier Award for ‘Best New Musical’. So don’t miss out; make sure you get your tickets today! 

If you see a musical that is due to end in London like My Fair lady you might find that it is coming to a city near you soon. Personally I want to go and see Newsies.

Personally, I think a lot of the beaches here in North Yorkshire and East Cleveland are the best in the country. Less populated than Devon and Cornwall and just, if not more beautiful. There certainly is a beach for everyone here. I am going to cover North Yorkshire beaches from Redcar to Scarborough as these are the ones we visit and the extent of our day-tripping! Also, did you know this area is also known for its sea glass.

The Best North Yorkshire Beaches

Coatham, Redcar and Marske Beaches, North Yorkshire

Growing up I lived 3 streets away from the beach at Redcar, well more specifically Coatham, which is a wide sandy beach backed by sand dunes, the links golf course and the remains of the steelworks. You now look out to the Coatham windfarm. It has become is a popular spot for watersports such as windsurfing, kite surfing and surfing.

Not only is the beach beautifully and sandy, there is a Victorian Boating Lake which was revamped in 2017. Parking is widely available adjacent to the beach at Majuba car park.

From Coatham Beach you can walk along to Redcar Beach, which is much more commercial with its amusements, fishing boats and Redcar Beacon with its 360-degree view. It is free to enter and the top floor gives you stunning views of the seafront.

The esplanade runs alongside the beach and is home to the Redcar Lifeboat Station, arcades and ice cream parlours (Pacittos lemon top is a family favourite).   You can also take a visit to the oldest surviving lifeboat in the world at the Zetland Lifeboat Museum.

Keep walking and the esplanade turns into grass and dunes again. The sands become wider and more windswept and interspersed with groynes. It is a beautiful spot, uncommercialised and natural with rock pools and parking on the side of the road. There is also a small cafe and park.

Saltburn by the Sea

Saltburn is a quintessential Victorian Seaside resort and exceptionally popular. It has become THE place to surf in the North of England and the beach is well kept with beach huts to hire.

Saltburn has a pier and also the UK’s oldest water balanced funicular lift which takes you from the beach to the town at the top of the cliff.

Saltburn also has formal Italian Gardens which are served by a miniature railway and has a number of play areas for children including a back that runs into the sea.

The beach is pebbles turning to sand and very popular with families.

Staithes, North Yorkshire

Staithes has become very popular in recent years due to it being where CBBC series Old Jack’s Boat, which starred Bernard Cribbins as Old Jack and his trusty shipmate, Salty the dog was filmed.

Often referred to as The Dinosaur coast due to the number of fossils found, Staithes is where the North York Moors National Park meets the sea and the towering, rugged cliffs are in keeping with this landscape.

However, please take care around the cliff face as falling rocks can be a very real danger.

Runswick Bay

Runswick is my favorite Beach. It lies between Staithes and Whitby in North Yorkshire and is one of the most picturesque beaches in the UK. Nestled in the cliff there is about 90 houses and the car park only holds 80 cars at the most, so Runswick never seems overly crowded and it has become a haven for me during the lockdown. Runswick Bay really is the best day out in North Yorkshire, a true hidden gem often forgotten for its larger neighbours.

The golden sands curve around from the cliff and jetty and there is something for everyone from rock pooling, fossil hunting, sandcastle building, kayaking and walking. Bring your surfboard or watch the boats with icecream from the cafe as the boats sail around the bay. You can also hire gear from Barefoot Kayak too.

Sandsend

Sandsend is a really popular beach for Families with its clean, sandy beach and small rivers running into the sea on either side. In summer a section of the beach is zoned off for swimming. The freshwater inlet means younger children can play in the shallow (slightly warmer) water. The sand is great for castle building and you can find fossils!

At low tide, a large area of the beach is exposed and there are plenty of rockpools for children to explore. Tide times can be found on the side of the shop next door to the Sandsend Café.

There are numerous car parks and pay and display parking along the side of the road. The wide beach is perfect for beach games, sandcastles and ball games.

It can get windy, so a windbreak is a must!

Whitby

Whitby is a a charming seaside town and the setting of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” Whitby is a place of paradox where families and vampire hunters rub shoulders at the beach and among the Gothic ruins of Whitby Abbey. Go crabbing on Whitby harbour or enjoy a boat ride.

Whitby has beaches on both sides of the River Esk. On the east side is the smaller Tate Hill, a sheltered sandy beach that allows dogs all year round.

On the other side of West Pier is West Cliff, a larger sandy beach with colourful beach huts, deckchair and windbreak hire, crazy golf, a children’s paddling pool and donkey rides.

Some of the best fish and chips can be found in Whitby. We prefer Whitby on an evening when everyone is leaving and it is quieter!

Robin Hoods Bay

Robin Hoods Bay is one of the most photographed beaches along the coast – definitely one of the most beautiful bays in the UK.

There are no car parks near the beach so you have to park at the top and take the steep walk down a cobbled street, through a quaint little village containing gift shops and cafes to the beautiful beach.

The beach is perfect for fossil hunting and rock pooling. It is also very dog friendly. At high tide, the beach is largely submerged by water, and the shoreline is rocky so this generally an unsuitable area for swimming.

Boggle Hole

Boggle Hole was one of my families favourite days out when I was growing up. We used to go rock pooling there. The tiny sign off the A171 does little justice to do what is waiting. It’s a steep road down, winding, lovely countryside. You park at the top and have to walk down….onto a jetty with a fantastic view of the coast. The youth hostel peeps out through the trees as you walk down.

If you want unspoilt views with no distractions, this is the place for you. When the tide’s out you can walk to Robin Hood’s Bay. Expect to see lots of kids/adults looking for fossils. You can spend the whole day in the sea – the water is beautiful. Just check the tide times, so you aren’t disappointed when you turn up. The food at the youth hostel is great – 2 courses for £9.95. They do an afternoon tea which is a bargain and the cakes are all homemade. They stop serving food at 4, so bear this in mind.

Scarborough North Bay

Scarborough’s North bay is much wilder and less commercialised than South bay and has always been a family favourite since when I was small. There is masses of sand and bright coloured beach huts to hire.

Immediately adjacent to the beach, a miniature railway, built in 1931 links Peasholm Park with Scalby Mills, where the very bust Sea Life Centre can be found.  Peasholm Park is an oriental-themed parkland with a boating lake where they reenact miniature sea battles.

Alpermere is a water slide park (4 slides) and pool based on the North Bay. It has an outdoor infinity pool, jacuzzi and indoor wave pool. Four hours are including in the price. I wouldn’t eat there as the food isn’t that great and can be pricey.

Have I missed your favourite beach in North Yorkshire? Do let me know. Also perhaps it is North West Beaches you are looking for, if so check out this from Going on an Adventure or this post about the Best South Pembrokeshire beaches.

Best days out in North Yorkshire for families

Living on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors and the beautiful Teesside/Yorkshire coast, I am going to focus on Teesside, Cleveland and North Yorkshire, but if you are looking for places nearer to Newcastle and Durham then take a look at North East Family Fun as they are based further North than us.

I think I might be bias but our part of the world certainly is Gods own country and filled with beautiful places to visit and something for everyone, weather you love castles or beaches.

Visiting during Covid – Things have changed in most places due to Covid-19 and therefore, it is key you check out the locations websites before visiting. Lots of accommodations have been made such as one way systems, booking tickets in advance or restrictions on visitor numbers to ensure everyone’s safety.

Our Top Family Days out in North Yorkshire and the North East.

Explore the best days out in North Yorkshire for Families with our amazing top days out. Make unforgettable memories with your family.

Runswick Bay

Runswick Bay is my favourite local beach. It lies between Staithes and Whitby in North Yorkshire and is one of the most picturesque beaches in the UK. Nestled in the cliff there is about 90 houses and the car park only holds 80 cars at the most, so Runswick never seems overly crowded and it has become a haven for me during the lockdown. Runswick day really is the best day out in North Yorkshire, a true hidden gem often forgotten for its larger neighbours.

The golden sands curve around from the cliff and jetty and there is something for everyone from rock pooling, fossil hunting, sandcastle building, kayaking and walking. Bring your surfboard or watch the boats with icecream from the cafe as the boats sail around the bay. You can also hire gear from Barefoot Kayak too.

Nearby gems include Whitby, which is a lively seaside resort with amusements, Whitby Abbey and its Dracula myth. Remember this is the Northeast coast and North sea so it can be cold. I recommend at least a shorty wet suit otherwise your little ones might have blue lips and still not want to get out of the water!

North Bay Scarborough and Alpermere

Scarborough’s North bay is much wilder and less commercialised than South bay and has always been a family favourite since when I was small. There is masses of sand and bright coloured beach huts to hire.

Immediately adjacent to the beach, a miniature railway, built in 1931 links Peasholm Park with Scalby Mills, where the very bust Sea Life Centre can be found.  Peasholm Park is an oriental-themed parkland with a boating lake where they reenact miniature sea battles.

Alpermere is a water slide park (4 slides) and pool based on the North Bay. It has an outdoor infinity pool, jacuzzi and indoor wave pool. Four hours are including in the price. I wouldn’t eat there as the food isn’t that great and can be pricey.

The Moors National Park Centre – Danby

The North York Moors is a beautiful and unique part of the area and well worth a visit. There really is something for everyone from stately homes to market towns and grand abbeys to beautiful moorlands.

A great place to start a visit, especially if you have children is the Moors Center at Danby with its children’s activity trails and guided walks and other events. There is also a brilliant adventure play area too.

Unfortunately the cafe has become part of a chain and the food has taken a bit of a downward turn recently, but there are plenty of picnic tables and places to eat your own packed lunch.

Flamingoland Park and Zoo

We have been visiting Flamingoland Theme Park and Zoo since the boys were little and it really has something for every age.

When you have preschoolers Flamingoland starts to come into its own with lots of rides for them, daytime shows and a brilliant water splash park and play area, add into that a zoo and there is something to keep them busy from opening to closing time. Just make sure to pack a change of clothes and towel for the splash park.

It you have older kids, well there is plenty of trill rides for them too and the park is compact and easy to navigate.

There is plenty of places to have a picnic if you choose to bring your own food and also a large number of cafes and food stalls. Plus you can leave your picnic in the car and pop back out to get it.

Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden

You can easily spend a whole day at Fountains Abbey (near Rippon) which is a World Heritage Site. The magnificent abbey ruins sweep down to the riverside perfect for picnicking. The dramatic abbey ruins at Fountains are the largest monastic ruins in the country.  You can learn about the history of the abbey, discover its agricultural past and learn about life as a monk.

Studley Royal is full of ponds, statues and follies and paths lead to the deer park. The follies were used throughout the gardens were to show off the garden, have picnics and to entertain guests. Why not see how many you can find.

Oh and you can also bring your dog with you. Making it a super fun day out for all the family. We like to take a packed lunch and flask, although being National Trust and English Heritage there is always a cafe with tea and cake.

Tees Barrage 

The Tees Barrage between Middlesbrough and Stockton is an action-packed place full of adventure including world-class watersports, air trail (the UK’s largest climbing adventure course), nature reserve and walking and cycling routes.

At the Tees Barrage watersports are the name of the game with Bell boating, paddlesports, raft building, powerboat trips, family rafting, white water rafting, and stand-up paddleboarding. You can book for a one-off, group visit or enrol on a course. Plus it is great for a rainy day as you are going to get wet anyway!

Air trail is the UK’s biggest Sky Trail, an outdoor climbing park set over four levels with over 30 obstacles and my Mini thrill-seekers have always loved it. At over  18 metres high above the river Tees Air Trail has an assortment of cargo nets, rope bridges, balancing beams, tight ropes, stepping stones and two full-length zip wires. There is also Air Tykes for over twos, a mini ropes course directly underneath Air Trail.

Lightwater Valley

With over 30 rides and attractions for all ages, Lightwater Valley in Ripon, North Yorkshire, is bursting with fun and adventures for the whole family to enjoy on their day out in Yorkshire.

Lightwater valley is a magic place for all the family with lots of rides and attractions including magic shows and animal attractions.

There is a brilliant outdoor play area for the under 12’s that will keep them busy for hours and hours. make sure you check out our top tips for visiting Lightwater Valley.

Dalby Forest and Go Ape

Dalby Forest is home to an abundance of internationally important wildlife species and is also a designated Dark Sky Discovery Site. It is a wonderful place for a family day out with 13 walking trails (including easy access), 6 cycling trails and 4 running trails.

It has two play areas and is also home to Go Ape and has loads of places for picnics and BBQ’s.

We love it when we can all do things together and Go Ape is brilliant if you have a sporty family. The boys and the husbeast are all about the treetop adventure at Dalby Forrest with its epic Zip Wires totalling a length of 888 meters) with three of them crossing a valley 35m above the ground.  The timescale for this is 2- 3 hours and really does depend on the people in front of you.  We knew that this would work well for our Teen as both of the boys have done the Junior Go Ape at Dalby previously.

I am really all about the Segways even though I am not as fast as the boys.  Again this is something that all the others have done so they had an ace time whizzing about and laughing at me!  We had an hour on the off-road Segways with 2 instructors and it was really great fun and they go up to 12 miles an hour

National Railway Museum – York

The National Railway Museum in York is one of our favourite days out with Children. They often have special events at half term and during holiday time. Entry to the Museum is free and parking is around £10 for the day and you really do not need to spend any more than that if you take a picnic with you.  There are places both indoors and outdoors for you to eat any picnic you might take, which is what we usually do.

The museum is full of trains as you would expect but it is also fun for non-train lovers too. We like to go early and split our trip with a visit to York centre during the middle of the day when the museum is busier. Check out our tips for visiting.

Castle Howard

The Howard Family have really made Castle Howard into a family-friendly place to visit. It is a great place to visit with its magical woodland paths, flowers and wildlife in the Walled Garden and beautiful lake.

Although buggies are not allowed in the house (Hip-seats’ can be borrowed to assist in carrying children (6 months – 3 years old) they have gone to great length to make it engaging for children with Geoffrey the Lion’s illustrated trails including a spotter sheet to help you identify items in the House.

You can take the train through the grounds to the lakeside play area and let off steam on the swings, slides, towers and bridges of the high-energy Adventure Playground or visit Skelf Island with its Ingenious treetop nest structures connected by rope bridges, slides, nets and climbing equipment across the dormant water of the Great Lake.

Beamish Museum

Beamish is a living museum and so completely different to other museums.  Firstly it is huge, so much green space for energetic children to run in and it is far too large to get all the way round in one day, which is why they have the ingenious pay once and get entry for a whole year ticket.  

Beamish is a unique place, it is working museum telling of life in Northern England during the Georgian, Victorian or Edwardian era with a farm, town, allotments, schoolhouse, hall, pit village. the train station and much much more.

Beamish often has lots of hands on activities and here you can see Mini with the Morris Dancers!

Eden Camp

Eden Camp allows you to experience the sights, sounds and smells of life on the Home Front and the Front Line, all set in the buildings and grounds of an original World War 2 Prisoner of War Camp, it is an immersive experience that is great fun for all the family, a fab day out in North Yorkshire.

Housed within the buildings and grounds of a former Prisoner of War camp near Malton, a visit to this unique museum will take you back to wartime Britain. Experience the sights, sounds and even smells of life on both the Home Front and the Front Line

Other fab Days out in North Yorkshire and the North East

• RSPB Saltholme 
• Jorvik Viking Museum
• Benningburh Hall
• Newby Hall
• Big Sheep & Little Cow Farm
• Brimham Rocks
• Roseberry Topping
• Mother Shipton’s Cave
• Preston park
• North Yorkshire Moors Railway
• Forbidden Corner

Visiting the zoo is fun for children of all ages and even as an adult I love it, however, keeping a group of children of different ages and interests engaged can be really challenging. We are big fans of the zoo and spent a night at Whipsnade and we love London Zoo.

That is where our zoo scavenger hunt printables come in. They are brilliant to take with you and to keep the kids engaged. From our simple zoo image scavenger print where children can just mark off the animals, they see (or dinosaurs if at Chester Zoo)!

A colour hunt is such good fun and a zoo is a fab place for one. Animals come in so many shapes and colours and it can be fun to try and find at least one of each on this unique scavenger hunt perfect for younger children.

How about you make the hunt for an animal whose name begins with each better of the alphabet. Is that even possible? I will leave you to answer that and if it isn’t possible, how about adding items that might be found in a zoo!

Find an animal is a fab fun zoo scavenger hunt printable and we have two one easier and one slightly harder.

All you need to do is print out a sheet for each of the children and take a chipboard and pen for them too and then you can have endless hours of fun at the zoo.

Download your Free Printable Zoo Scavenger Hunt

These Zoo Scavenger Hunts are not about turning the zoo into a learning experience instead they are about making it a fun and more relaxing for children of all ages and multi age groups. You can use the scavenger hunt to give you more time to spend with other age children.

My Other Scavenger Hunts

• Rockpool Scavenger Hunt
• Beach Scavenger Hunt
• Zoo Scavenger Hunt
• Nature Photo Scavenger Hunt
• Summer Fun Scavenger Hunt
• Train Scavenger Hunt
• Backyard or Garden Scavenger Hunt

Day Out Ideas for the Family

Grab your bikes

Cycling is one of the easiest ways of not only getting exercise but getting out for the day and seeing some special parts of the country. It might also be worth looking into bikes 3-wheeled brother, the trike. There are some great adult tricycles available for you that would be ideal for use on a day out.

The great thing with cycling is kids love it. You can turn it into a game and get them to race each other. By the end of the day, they’ll be all burned out which is ideal for you! It’s also great exercise and will keep them fit and active.

Head to the beach

There are some amazing beaches spread out across the UK. Up North, one of the favourites is Whitby beach. This gothic town has some amazing history and if you’re lucky and the weather is nice, you can simple Whitby’s famous fish and chips and sit out on the beach.

Further south, there are some incredible beaches in Devon and Cornwall, with a whole range of activities from surfing to beach sports that will keep you and the kids fully entertained!

Of course, we couldn’t mention a seaside trip without mentioning Blackpool. From the arcades to the Pleasure Beach to the multitude of entertainment along the promenade, Blackpool is an ideal family day out.

Explore the countryside

We’re very blessed in the UK with some stunning countryside. Try and discover parts of the country you may never have discovered before. Similarly, to cycling, it’s great for not just as a day out but to get some exercise and keeping our kids active.

If you take a picnic it keeps the costs nice and cheap and who doesn’t love a picnic? You can of course always head to one of the local village pubs to give you something to burn off.

Visit your local museum

If the weather is not outdoor activity-friendly, then you can always head to your local museum. More often than not you learn more about your local history and learn more about something you may know little about.

Kids love museums as they’re often catered towards them. So whether they’re a fan of the Romans, the old mines or medical history, take them to a museum and show them something new.

Hopefully, my guide will help you find some fun activities to do this summer. Do you have any activities you find fun to do with the kids? Comment below, I’d love to hear from you!