Skip ahead to:

Top 10 family destinations and things to do
Find family days out near me
Discounts on attractions  

1. Clacton Pier
   You can't visit Clacton without a stroll down its iconic pier – amusements, mini golf, rides, bowling, and even a seaquarium.
2. Clacton beach
   A lovely stretch of sandy beach, perfect for paddling, sandcastle building, or a pic-nic.
3. Holland Haven country park
   A quieter escape just outside the town – ideal for walking, cycling, and spotting wildlife.
4. West Cliff theatre
   Catch a live show or pantomime depending on the season. This local theatre has a great community feel and hosts everything from comedy to musicals.
5. Hasty's Adventure Farm
   Animal encounters, outdoor play areas, and activities for children aged 1–11.

1. Explore Ayr beach & promenade
   Ayr offers a long sandy beach perfect for walks, paddling, or just soaking up some fresh sea air.
2. Heads of Ayr Farm Park
   Everything from animals and play parks to go-karts and indoor soft play. It’s a full day of fun whatever the weather.
3. Culzean Castle & country park
   This clifftop castle is run by the National Trust for Scotland and offers grand rooms, beautiful grounds, woodland walks, and sea views. Plus, there’s an adventure playground for kids.
4. Walk or cycle the Ayrshire coastal path
   This scenic trail offers views across the Firth of Clyde and even to Arran on a clear day. You can dip in and out of shorter sections, depending on your pace.
5. The Scottish Dark Sky Observatory
   Located on the edge of the Galloway Forest Park, the observatory offers fantastic stargazing opportunities. It’s an exciting and educational experience for families, especially if you’re interested in space and astronomy.

1. Rhyl beach & promenade
   A wide sandy beach perfect for paddling, a game of bat and ball or grabbing some fish and chips on the prom.
2. SC2 (Sun Centre)
   A waterpark with flumes, splash zones, and a Ninja Tag arena. Great fun, especially on those typical 'Welsh weather' days.
3. SeaQuarium Rhyl
   Right on the seafront, this aquarium features sharks, rays, seals, and more.
4. Rhyl Miniature Railway
   Running since 1911, this is the oldest miniature railway in the UK, you can take a charming little ride around Marine Lake.
5. Marine Lake
   A lovely spot for a walk, a bit of crabbing, or renting paddle boats. It’s Rhyl’s only saltwater lake and a peaceful place to wind down.

1. Scarborough beach – South & North Bay
   South Bay is livelier with amusements, donkey rides, and arcades, while North Bay is a bit quieter and great for rockpooling or surfing.
2. Scarborough Castle
   This historic clifftop castle offers views across the bay and plenty of fascinating history to explore.
3. SEA LIFE Scarborough
   Set on the edge of North Bay, the aquarium has everything from penguins and otters to sharks and turtles. There's also a seal hospital and woodland walk.
4. Peasholm Park
   A oriental-themed park with a boating lake, mini waterfalls, and lush gardens.
5. Open Air Theatre
   One of the UK’s largest outdoor music venues, this place draws big names in the summer. If you time it right, you could catch a concert under the stars right by the sea.

1. Hop on the ferry to the Isle of Bute
   A short crossing takes you to Rothesay on Bute – perfect for a day trip. Explore Mount Stuart House, Rothesay Castle, or just enjoy a stroll along the promenade.
2. Wemyss Bay railway station
   It’s famously one of the most beautiful in the UK, with a dramatic glass canopy and sweeping curves.
3. Coastal walks
   Enjoy a gentle strolls with lovely views over the Firth of Clyde. The walk south toward Skelmorlie or north toward Inverkip offers peaceful paths, sea breezes, and plenty of photo ops.
4. Lunderston Bay (near Gourock)
   Just a short drive away, this sandy bay is great for a beach walk, rock pooling, or a family picnic. It's part of Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park, so there's nature all around.
5. Inverkip and Greenock
   Inverkip has a charming marina and waterside pubs, while Greenock offers shopping, museums like the McLean museum & art gallery, and great views from Lyle Hill.

1. Cleethorpes beach
   At low tide, the beach seems to stretch for miles - ideal for a barefoot wander.
2. Cleethorpes Pier & promenade
   A lovely spot for a stroll, a cone of chips, or a pic-nic with a sea view and the prom has that traditional seaside buzz.
3. Cleethorpes Coast Light railway
   One of the oldest seaside miniature railways in the UK –  a charming way to get from the leisure centre area down to the boating lake.
4. Boating Lake & Discovery Centre
   Hire a pedalo, feed the ducks, or just chill by the water. The Discovery Centre has exhibitions, a café, and a rooftop garden with views of the Humber.
5. The Time Trap Museum (Grimsby)
   A quirky little museum just next door in Grimsby, inside the old town hall jail cells! It’s full of fun and slightly eerie history.

1. Great Yarmouth beach & Golden Mile
   A long sandy beach with donkey rides, deckchairs, and candyfloss. Along the seafront you’ll find arcades, fish and chips, funfair rides.
2. Pleasure Beach
   This vintage amusement park has everything from wooden rollercoasters to dodgems and ghost trains.
3. SEA LIFE Great Yarmouth
   Sharks, rays, jellyfish and even penguins – plus interactive zones to get hands-on with rockpool creatures.
4. Merrivale Model Village
   This miniature world is beautifully made and full of fun little details. It also has gardens and a quirky old penny arcade.
5. Time and Tide museum
   This award-winning museum explores Yarmouth’s fishing heritage and seaside life through immersive displays in a converted Victorian herring curing works.

1. Walk the Jurassic coast cliffs
   West Bay is famous for its towering golden cliffs (as seen on Broadchurch). Head east to Burton Bradstock or west toward Eype for a nice long walk.
2. The beach
   There are two beaches: East Beach (by the cliffs) is iconic but pebbly and deep-shelving, while West Beach is sandier and more sheltered – better for kids and paddling.
3. West Bay harbour
   Take a wander around the harbour – watch the boats, grab a 99 from the ice cream van, or try your luck at a bit of crabbing.
4. Bridport (just inland)
   Only a mile or so away, Bridport is a lovely market town with indie shops, art galleries, and a great Saturday street market.
5. West Bat Adventure Playground (near Birdport)
   Designed for all ages, it's an ideal spot for kids to expend energy while parents relax nearby.

Visit Britain Discover attractions and experiences as Visit Britian reveal the top things to do in Britain.

Visit England Discover itineraries and travel information in England.

Visit Scotland Discover things to see and do and travel information in Scotland.

Visit Wales Discover days out in Wales. 

Days Out With The Kids Search by location, age, weather, or budget.

National Trust Discover more than 500 places to visit and lots of events to get involved in.

English Heritage Find out about family-friendly historic sites, trails, and events.

UNESCO Discover the UK’s extraordinary culture, nature and heritage.

Max Card Offers discounts on family days out for for individuals caring for a child with special needs and/or disabilities, or for registered Foster Carers. Available through your local council or support worker, click here to see how to get a card in your area.

English Heritage Those on a low incomes can apply for concessions or reduced memberships. The annual membership for Universal Credit recipients is called the ‘Reduced Price Membership’.

National Trust Carers often go free when accompanying the person they care for. The card is called ‘Essential Companion Card’.

Family Holiday Charity accepts no responsibility for the content of third-party websites and cannot guarantee that all the services we are signposting may be suitable for your family. We offer the information to be helpful and in good faith. Please note that our list of resources is not exhaustive, it includes services that we know about.