If you’re looking for inspiration for family days out in the UK, we’ve got some great recommendations for all ages, from enchanted forests and treehouse adventures, to opera and medieval castles and much more!
If you didn’t know already, Gateshead Mumbler is part of a franchise of Mumblers across the UK. There are 19 of us in total, so we’ve put our heads together to come up with a list of brilliant family days out in some of the areas we cover. As well as our top picks below each website is packed with ideas for days out, special events, family friendly dining and more – to help take the stress out of planning a great family trip!
Details are subject to change, please check the latest updates, opening times & booking requirements directly with individual providers.
The Northern most Mumbler is Gateshead Mumbler, who recommends Adventure Valley – the North East’s biggest Family Adventure Park!
With over 50 activities and attractions, themed events every school holiday, 18,000 sq feet of indoor play, plenty of cute and cuddly friends at the Farm Yard and acres of more, including:
Mini Train RideAdventure GolfIndoor Play TownWild West SaloonCafé ItaliaUndercover farmyard & Creature CornerAviary, wildlife pond, paddocks & goat mountainOutdoor adventure play and Runaway Races Slide3D net climb, jumping pillows, dragon swing, sand pits, under 5’s areaPedal go-kartsTractor and trailer rides
Union Hall Farm, Brasside, Durham, DH1 5SG
Next we head to a popular holiday spot and Scarborough Mumbler, who have chosen Dalby Forest.
Dalby Forest, managed by the Forestry England, offers over 8,000 acres of woodland to explore, enjoy and discover.
There’s a great play area for children and accessible walking and cycling trails for all, plus cafes and bike hire centre as well as Go Ape Treetop Adventure and Forest Segway, and Dalby Activity Centre with laser combat, paintballing and more.
Adderstone Field has the Enchanted Wood and the Gruffalo Trail which are also fantastic for kids. Staindale Lake is great for picnics.
Dalby Forest: YO18 7LT
Ryedale Mumbler have gone for Wolds Way Lavender & Nature Farm
Enjoy the outdoors together at the Beautiful Lavender & Nature Farm, with seasonal activities ensuring lots to keep the family entertained.
Help Woldie Willow with his Butterfly count, bee keeping and bird spotting. Weave through Woldie Willows Living Willow Maze. Plus, miniature railway, football golf, giant games, timber trail, den zone building, giant sandpit and much more!
Serving a delicious selection of sandwiches, cakes & tray bakes, a variety of coffee’s, tea’s & hot chocolates.
Free parking. gift shop & plant sales. Dogs welcome on a lead.
Wintringham, Malton, North Yorkshire, YO17 8HW (just of the A64 between Malton & Scarborough)
Next we’re heading west to Wharfedale and Craven Mumbler next with Skipton Castle
Skipton Castle is a medieval castle in Skipton. It was built in 1090 by Robert de Romille, a Norman baron, and has been preserved for over 900 years.
Visitors can explore every corner of this impressive history-rich castle, which withstood a three-year siege during the Civil War. View the Banqueting Hall, the Kitchen, the Bedchamber and Privy. Climb from the depths of the Dungeon to the top storey of the Watch Tower.
Skipton Castle, Skipton, North Yorkshire BD23 1AW
Harrogate Mumbler has chosen Mother Shipton’s Cave in Knaresborough.
You can read their Mumbler review here.
Within historic woodland along the River Nidd is Mother Shipton’s Cave, the birthplace of Yorkshire’s famous prophetess. It is situated next to the Petrifying Well, England’s oldest visitor attraction. The attraction tells the story of Mother Shipton and the water which turns objects to stone.
The park is a unique, unspoilt remnant of the Royal Forest of Knaresborough. During a visit it is an old tradition to make a wish. The Wishing Well is fed by the same magical waters as the Petrifying Well and has been wished upon for over 300 years. Many visitors have been in touch to tell us their wishes have come true!
Themed events run during school holidays. The park has several scenic picnic areas, a coffee and ice cream kiosk, an adventure playground and museum and gift shop. Dogs are welcome in all areas, apart from the playground.
Prophecy Lodge, High Bridge, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, HG5 8DD
Next is North Leeds Mumbler and one of my absolute favourite summer days out – Stockeld Park!
In the heart of Yorkshire is Stockeld Park, a place where magic is made and adventures begin! Nestled in a woodland within 30 minutes of Leeds, York & Harrogate, Stockeld Park is the home of adventures and original family fun!
Stockeld Park is open every school holiday, and most weekends throughout the warmer months, and offers wonderful family days out across different adventure seasons, with different themes and events throughout the year.
Step into the magical world of the Enchanted Forest where every path leads to a different adventure. The forest contains interactive play that encourages the imaginations of all, as well as five large Adventure Playgrounds that have something for everyone from small children to the grandparents!
In addition to the adventure playgrounds, Stockeld Park is also home to an impressive giant yew tree maze! Climb the castle viewing tower to look out over the tops of the trees or cross bridges and discover playful surprises, musical instruments and some unexpected obstacles!
Stockeld Park has a large café, outdoor food outlets and picnic area. There is also an amazing gift shop where you can buy different, seasonal goodies throughout the year! My personal top tip – is prepared to be there for lunch AND dinner! Seriously, if the sun is shining – you can easily spend the whole day there. We usually take a picnic for lunch then have something from one of the food outlets at the end of the day.
Wetherby, North Yorkshire, LS22 4AN
Now the beautiful city of York, our lovely friends at York Mumbler are Harry Potter mad and have chosen the city’s latest Harry Potter themed attraction The Hole In Wand Wizard Golf!
A great activity for all those wannabe wizards out there. Can you find the missing Gargoyle Grobblenook at The Hole In Wand Wizard Golf? Visit the World’s Most Magical Golf Course in York’s Coppergate Shopping Centre in York, and take on 9 magical golf holes.
Along the way there will be bubbling cauldrons, magical portals, a giant picture frame where you become part of the painting…and can you do a Light Spell to illuminate the way in our dark hole? At the end of your adventure you will find out if you have the magical powers of a Serpent, Basilisk, Unicorn or Wizard and every player will receive a magic potion gift to take home, plus hopefully find Grobblenook!
After a magical 9 hole adventure you can relax in our Wizard pub with a Wand Dog, Uni-pop-corn or GrobbleNachos and a delicious potion with poisonous options for grown up spell makers. Wizard golf with a potion drink for every player is £6.99 per person and you can book now via the website. Minimum age is 3 and the maximum group size is 6 Wizard with wands.
14 – 16 Coppergate Walk, Coppergate Shopping Centre, YO1 9NT
South Leeds Mumbler recommends checking out the fabulous attractions from Leeds Museums & Galleries. Lotherton, Temple Newsam, Kirkstall Abbey and Abbey House Museum are just some of the fantastic places on offer from them!
Our favourite is probably Lotherton & Wildlife World.
The expansive grounds and gardens are lovely walking spots, with or without four-legged companions. Each season brings new surprises including wild garlic in the spring, a sea of colourful blooms in summer in the formal gardens and stunning autumnal colours later on in the year. The two playgrounds mean there’s plenty of space for running about and letting off steam, with zip wires for older children to enjoy.
The evolving zoo, Wildlife World, is a real highlight and visitors can see the Humboldt penguins splash and swim in their pool. Other colourful characters include Arthur the tapir, porcupines and a flamboyance of pink flamingos, and the Nocturnal House with a kinkajou, armadillo and more!
To discover the history of the estate step inside the former home of the Gascoigne family and wander the rooms. A fascinating collection of artworks and objects fill each room and tell the story of its former residents and the community around them. The Museum is also home to an annually-changing exhibition on the first floor.
The traditional stables area courtyard is where you’ll find the Stables café serving a range of lunch options, cakes and ice creams.
Learn more and book tickets for Lotherton here.
Lotherton Lane, Aberford, Leeds, LS25 3EB
It’s off to Wakefield Mumbler next and Diggerland Yorkshire (there’s also a Diggerland Durham)!
To read our Mumbler Review click here.
The only place where children and adults can ride, drive and operate real diggers!
Diggerland is the Ultimate Adventure UK Theme Park Experience where children and adults alike can ride, drive and operate REAL diggers, dumpers and other full-size construction machinery.
Diggerland with its 20 different rides and drives and an array of additional activities is the ideal theme park for small to large groups looking for something exciting and truly unique. Get to grips with real JCBs and 180/360 excavators, take a head-reeling turn or two on the Spindizzy, rise to lofty heights and enjoy the views on the Skyshuttle, enjoy an off-road ride on the Groundshuttle, or have a go on the Dodgems and Go-Karts!
There are outdoor play areas, sandpits, coin operated rides and much more where younger visitors can let off steam while their parents can just sit back, relax and watch the fun… or join in! All parks boast a Diggerland Goodie Store where visitors can mark their day with a memorable souvenir as well as buy gifts, toys and other merchandise.
We recommend that you pre-book your Diggerland tickets in advance – advance purchased tickets are cheaper than pay on the day.
Diggerland Yorkshire, Willowbridge Lane, Castleford, West Yorkshire, WF10 5NW
Diggerland Durham, Langley Park, Co. Durham, DH7 9TT
– also sites in Devon and Kent
Next stop is STAG (Selby, Tadcaster and Goole) Mumbler and they’ve chosen Selby Abbey!
Inspiring architecture; sacred space and a vibrant worshipping community make Selby Abbey the place it is today. Men, women and children have worshipped here and served the wider community for over 900 years. Selby is a small Yorkshire town, 12 miles South of York with one of the most superb Abbey churches to be found anywhere in England. The Abbey is not just a building it is a living and vibrant part of the local community yet provides space that allow the visitor and the worshipper alike to find peace, tranquillity and the very presence of God. The Abbey, Gift and Coffee Shop is open daily, and you can book one of their guided tours.
The Crescent, Selby, Yorkshire, YO8 4PU
Heading east to Hull & East Ridings Mumbler who’ve chosen The Deep!
Embark on a journey through the world’s oceans. Travelling from oceans past and into the future, you will explore over 5,000 different species amongst 50 different displays. From the shallow tropical lagoons to the darkest depths of the coldest oceans, you will marvel at the incredible diversity of life beneath the waves.
The Deep aims to create a deeper understanding and enjoyment of the world’s oceans through stunning marine life, interactive displays and presentations to daily dive shows that deliver the wow factor. With a fun-packed calendar of events perfect for the whole family, there is always something going on. Fully accessible to all, we ensure that everyone can get up close to their favourite critter.
An education charity, all money made is re-invested into pioneering research, conservation activities and new exhibits.
Tower Street, Hull, HU9 1TU
Next stop is Doncaster Mumbler – they have worked with Visit Doncaster to bring you a whole A-Z of family days out in Doncaster! You can read the full A-Z list here!
From meeting Alpacas, to theatres, golf and unicorns – Doncaster has it all! It’s so hard to choose just one – so try and do as many on this list as you can – Boston Park Farm, Conisbrough Castle and Bawtry Paintball are a few of our favs!
We now head west to East Cheshire Mumbler who has chosen the popular BeWILDerwood Cheshire!
To read our Mumbler review click here.
BeWILDerwood Cheshire is a huge woodland full of family fun, adventure, and imagination. Enjoy a day out for the whole family and create wonderful memories together!
The 70-acre adventure park is filled with huge slides, muddled mazes, treetop structures and magical treehouses. There is also storytelling, crafts, activities and so much more! Grown ups are encouraged to play alongside their children, so ALL of the family can run WILD at BeWILDerwood Cheshire.
If you love the outdoors then whilst in this neck of the woods also check out Discover Tree Climbing. They are based in Liverpool – but hold regular events in Cheshire. Discover Tree Climbing offers recreational tree climbing across the North West, a safe, thrilling experience! Equally enjoyed by kids and grown ups! They’ll be at Arley Hall and Capesthorne Hall throughout the summer, to book head over to their Facebook page!
BeWILDerwood Cheshire is located on the A49, 5 miles north of Whitchurch, use the postcode SY13 4JF.
Heading east over to Norwich Mumbler, who has also chosen BeWilderwood in Norfolk! Told you it was popular!
BeWILDerwood is a wild and imaginative adventure park with magical treehouses and a hint of intriguing characters, bringing a curious difference to the Norfolk Broads. The setting for the book, ‘A Boggle at BeWILDerwood’ by local children’s author Tom Blofeld, BeWILDerwood is a wonderful, mystical land of brave, adventurous creatures who you may never see anywhere else in our world.
The 18-acre adventure park is filled with zip lines, slides, mazes and lots of climbing through magical tree houses, as well as an array of special events throughout the year.
Admission prices are based on height rather than age, as there’s some things in the park that require longer arms and legs! Pssst! Get a super saving on ticket prices by booking online in advance on their wiggly website!
Horning Road, Hoveton, Norwich, NR12 8JW
Our last stop is down south with Oxford Mumbler. They’ve gone for Waterperry Opera Festival!
An annual festival held over the summer presenting a range of exciting productions, including more relaxed, family-friendly performances prefect for younger audiences, whether regular theatre-goers or those attending an opera performance for the first time. Why not join Waterperry Opera Festival this summer to surround yourself with exquisite music amidst the stunning gardens; you never know what you might find.
Waterperry House, Waterperry, Oxford, OX33 1LQ
We don’t have a Mumbler in London (yet!), but many of us started our families there and have some fab ideas for family days out!
The great thing about London is so much to do there is free! It’s hard to decide what to do – and with little legs in mind our top tip is to stick to one area a day! You can’t beat being near the river when on a sunny day in London! We were there a couple of weeks ago – the South Bank has to be our go to when the sun is shining! From Waterloo to London Bridge – you’ll see some of the best sites: The London Eye, Houses of Parliament and Big Ben! There are loads of street entertainers as well brilliant places to eat – we love Giraffe at South Bank. We had a great time at Tate Modern and loved catching the Thames Clipper down the river!
If you’re looking at doing the museums – The Natural History Museum and The Science Museum are next door to each other – and just a short walk from Hyde Park!
Happy Holidays everyone – have fun making memories with your family!
Blog published July 2021
Thanks so much to guest blogger Harrogate Mumbler and to all of Team Mumbler – don’t forget to check our Mumbler websites wherever you’re heading for more ideas for your summer holidays!
There’s plenty on Gateshead Mumbler to help keep little ones (and big ones!) busy, check here for more ideas and info for playgroups, classes and fun days out from tots to teens!
If you’d like to keep up to date when new resources are added, please click here and like the Gateshead Mumbler Facebook page
