Best UK family days out to try in 2024: From steam trains to adventure parks

In our best list of the top family days out, we’ve thought of all ages and interests. We've included National Trust and English Heritage sites for those who like to be among nature and learn about history, alpaca walks and donkey picnics for the animal lovers amongst us, plenty of theme parks like Thorpe Park and Chessington World of Adventures for fearless teenagers, and — what did we say about the weather? — we’ve also considered indoor activities, too, like SEA LIFE London and Shrek’s Adventure! London.

A quick top tip from us to you before we crack on with the best days out list: be sure to check the expiration date on the activity you purchase. For example, sites like Virgin Experience Days and Buyagift often give you up to a year or 18-months to use the voucher, so if you don’t get a chance to do the activity this summer holiday, don’t sweat, simply use it on your next available weekend.

For more exciting activities to entertain your kids this holiday, take a look at the best kids theatre shows and the best musicals on tour UK.

Best family days out in the UK at a glance:

• Second day at LEGOLAND offer, free
• Cadbury World, from £12
• The Blackpool Tower Dungeon, from £13
• Shrek’s Adventure! London, from £15.60
• The York Dungeon, from £18
• The London Dungeon, from £20.40
• SEA LIFE London, £21.60
• Madame Tussauds, from £22.80
• Jurassic World: The Exhibition, from £25
• Hot Wheels City Experience, from £32
• Paintballing for Four, £49 £24 (save £25 or 51%)
• Thorpe Park, from £66 £34 (save £32 or 48%)
• Chessington World of Adventures Resort, from £66 £34 (save £32 or 48%)
• LEGOLAND Windsor Resort, from £35
• Alton Towers Resort, from £68 £35 (save £33 or 49%)
• Family Steam Train Experience, £39
• Drayton Manor, from £45 £40 (save £5 or 11%)
• Chelsea Football Club Tour for two, £46
• Lucky Tails Alpaca Farm Entry with Alpaca Walk for four, £49.99
• English Heritage membership, from £57 a year
• National Trust family membership, from £91.20 a year
• Diggerland for Four, £129
• Donkey Picnic for Four, £139

Best UK family days out to try in 2024

Jurassic World: The Exhibition

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to walk amongst real-life dinosaurs? Well with this brand-new exhibition in Manchester, you won't have to imagine anymore.

The experience is based on one of the biggest franchises in the movie world: Jurassic Park. This family-friendly exhibition takes you through the Jurassic World gates and into a universe full of life-sized dinosaurs like the towering Brachiosaurus, Velociraptors, and Tyrannosaurus Rex, as well as everyone's favourite female Velociraptor, Blue.

This new experience is located at The Trafford Centre, Overflow Car Park (Peel 7 car park, opposite John Lewis), and tickets are on sale now.

Buy Jurassic World: The Exhibition tickets from £25 at Ticketmaster

Chelsea Football Club Tour for One Adult & One Child

If this doesn’t get the month off to a cracking start, we don’t know what will. If your little one is a fan of Chelsea FC, then this stadium tour is just the ticket; you’ll both get to visit iconic spaces inside Stamford Bridge, such as the dressing rooms, press room, player’s tunnel, and manager’s dugouts, and you’ll also get the opportunity to go pitch side, too. Although players such as Thiago Silva and Raheem Sterling won’t be present (unless they fancy a behind-the-scenes tour of their own club), the atmosphere and excitement definitely will be.

After the tour, you’ll head to Chelsea FC Museum, then receive a free Chelsea FC gift to remember this special day with.

Buy Chelsea Football Club Tour for One Adult & One Child for £46 at Activity Superstore

Here are the best stadium tours, and did you know one of our Digital Writers climbed Tottenham Hotspur stadium? You can find out all about it in our best London experience gifts guide.

Visit to SEA LIFE London for Two Adults and Two Children

Was Little Mermaid’s Sebastian right when he said life under the sea is better? Well, there’s only one way to find out: take a trip to SEA LIFE in London. Inside the centre, you’ll see sea creatures like sharks, stingrays and starfish, and as you walk through the glass tunnel, a variety of fish and other swimmers will glide over your head. There’s also Penguin Point, where you’ll meet the Gentoo penguins, a graceful underwater penguin which can swim up to 22 miles an hour — faster than any other diving bird! A good thing about this experience, too, is that it’s indoors, so is suitable for all weather conditions.

• Buy SEA LIFE London tickets from £27.50 at Visit SEA Life
• Buy a SEA LIFE London for Two Adults & Two children ticket for £110 at Virgin Experience Days

Is your little one a big fan of animals? Our friends at MadeForMums have put together a guide on the best UK zoos.

Visit to LEGOLAND Windsor Resort for Two

LEGOLAND is one of the UK’s most popular theme parks, and it’s easy to see why: the park boasts over 55 rides, as well as live shows and attractions dotted across 150 acres of land. This experience gift card will get the two of you all-day entry to LEGOLAND, and some of the highlights include the LEGO City Driving School where your little one can get their very first driving licence — perhaps they can drive the two of you home after your day out? — Ninjago The Ride, Miniland, and LEGO Mythica, a mythical world which features three exciting rides.

• Buy LEGOLAND tickets from £29 at LEGOLAND
• Buy four LEGOLAND Windsor tickets for £180 at Virgin Experience Days

For more great offers at LEGOLAND, read our how to get cheap LEGOLAND tickets article.

Diggerland Family Ticket for Four

The Diggerland theme park centres around, you guessed it, mechanical diggers. The parks in Durham, Kent, and Yorkshire include rides such as Land Rover Safari Ride, Spin Dizzy, Dump Trucks, and Skyshuttle — an exhilarating ride which takes you 50-feet into the air — as well as soft play areas, arcade games, and computer digging games. There’s also some Land Rovers and go-karts to test your driving skills on, too.

Buy Diggerland Family Ticket for Four for £129 at Activity Superstore

Want to know the top UK theme parks? Our guide has you covered.

The York Dungeon

This next family day out activity comes with the following warning: it may cause nightmares! Once upon a time, York was declared by The International Ghost Research Foundation the most haunted city in Europe, and it continues to reign amongst the most haunted cities in the UK. The York Dungeon pays homage to York’s grizzly and gruesome past, with live actors, spooky scenes, and special effects in rooms such as The Plague Doctor and Curse of the Witch.

Although The York Dungeon is a mix of scary and fun, kids under five aren’t allowed in the dungeon, and the recommended minimum age is eight. This is because it’s a dark environment with some loud noises.

Buy The York Dungeon tickets from £18 at The Dungeons

Take a look at the best York ghost tours, best zombie experiences and best Edinburgh ghost tours, if you dare...

Hot Wheels City Experience

Europe's first ever Hot Wheels experience has just pulled up to Manchester. This interactive exhibition spans 10 separate stations across a whopping 6,000 square metres, all of which is dedicated to bringing the iconic cars to life.

Not only will fans of the franchise get to learn more about the history and development of Hot Wheels, they'll also be able to enjoy a peek behind the curtain at the top range Hot Wheels collections.

Buy Hot Wheels City Experience tickets from £32

Did you know a new F1 Drive experience has opened in Tottenham?

The Blackpool Tower Dungeon

Blackpool isn’t all seaside, slot machines, and delicious fish and chips, you know, it also has a spooky side. Like The York Dungeon, The Blackpool Tower Dungeon also has a mix of live actors, terrifying scenes, and special effects in areas such as The Labyrinth and The Dark Chapel, plus, it has a ride, too. The Drop Dead Ride is sure to get your heart racing if the blood-curdling rooms haven’t already.

Buy The Blackpool Tower Dungeon tickets from £13 at The Dungeons

With Halloween on the horizon, why not head on down to Alton Towers Scarefest or Thorpe Park Fright Night to test your nerves?

Cadbury World

A trip to Cadbury World seemed to be a right of passage when we were youngsters, so we’re happy to see the chocolatey paradise is still going strong. At Cadbury World, you’ll discover the history of Cadbury confectionery through rides, a 4D cinema, chocolate tasting, workshops, and more, plus you’ll find out top secrets about the making of the sweet treat.

Buy Cadbury World tickets from £12 at Cadbury World

Do you have a sweet tooth? These are the best chocolate making classes in the UK.

Paintballing for Four

Are you and your family competitive? Then paintballing could be a great activity to see how well you work together as a team, and see if that competitiveness can be channelled into making your team victorious.

Your experience will begin with a safety briefing, target practice, and a full kit of head and body protection, before you’re unleashed in one of two games, either the Tomb Raider game which includes trekking through the jungle to find an ancient stone pyramid, or a mission to protect the President on his tour of the UK. To help you in your quest, all four of you will use a rapid-fire semi-automatic machine gun with a hip-mounted 400-shot battle pack, and you’ll start with 100 paintballs each.

Buy Paintballing for Four for £49 £29 (save £20 or 41%) at The Gift Experience

If you're on the look out for family friend experiences to do this month, our friends at MadeForMums have put together a guide on the best UK waterparks and a National Trust family membership explainer.

Family Steam Train Experience

All aboard your next family day out! Whether you and your family are interested in steam trains or just fancy a wholesome day out, the steam train experience will transport you to a simpler time as you’ll roll through acres and acres of untouched countryside. At the various stop-off points, you’ll be given a rover ticket, which means you can hop on and off to explore the local areas, with the chance to visit a train museum, too.

Buy Family Steam Train Experience for £39 at Find Me A Gift

For more like this, here are the best steam train experiences in the UK.

Madame Tussauds

At Madame Tussauds in London you can come face-to-face with your favourite celebrities from around the world. The impressive wax figurine experiences houses celebrities from the sporting world, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, music legends like David Bowie and Beyoncé, and superheroes in the Marvel Hall of Legends like the Black Panther, Captain America and The Incredible Hulk.

• Buy Madame Tussauds tickets from £22.80 at Madame Tussauds
• Buy Madame Tussauds Visit for Two Adults and Two Children for £132.50 at Virgin Experience Days

Here on the RadioTimes.com Going Out team, we like to review the things we recommend. Just take a look at our Shifters review, candlelight concert review, and The Friends Experience review.

Drayton Manor

Whether you’re planning a day out for a little one or a teenager, Drayton Manor has you covered with exciting things to do for all ages. For teenagers who crave thrilling rides, there’s Thor, Shockwave, and Maelstrom which are sure to get hearts pumping, and for youngsters, Drayton Manor is home to Europe’s only Thomas Land: an interactive park for Thomas the Tank Engine and all his friends. There’s also Drayton Manor Zoo, a 15-acre zoo which boasts over 500 animals from red pandas and capybaras to tigers and monkeys.

Buy Drayton Manor tickets from £45 £40 (save £5 or 11%) at daysout.co.uk

National Trust locations

Picture this: you and your family have just walked around a stately home rich with hundreds of years of history, you’ve sauntered through beautiful gardens with flowers, lakes, and more, and now you’re enjoying a coffee and sandwich in a National Trust café. Sounds idyllic, right? Well, this winter, with a National Trust membership card, you can get free entry to over 500 National Trust properties, free parking at most National Trust car parks, as well as a copy of the National Trust Magazine three times a year, and a National Trust handbook.

Family memberships start from £91.20 a year, and there’s also the option to buy individual junior and adult memberships, plus joint memberships and lifetime memberships, too — under 17s' annual memberships cost just £10.

Buy a family membership from £91.20 a year at National Trust

The London Dungeon

If your youngsters aren't afraid of things that go bump in the night, then take them to The London Dungeons to uncover the capital city's darkest moments in history... Inside the dungeons, there are 19 interactive shows with live actors which cover 1,000 years of history, each themed area has gripping special effects and you'll be on the edge of your seat as the actors tell their tales, plus, there's two underground rides, too.

Buy The London Dungeon tickets from £20.40 at The Dungeons

For more brilliantly terrifying days out, take a look at the best murder mystery experiences.

Donkey Picnic for Four at Dashing Donkeys

This Donkey picnic does exactly what it says on the tin: your family of four will enjoy delicious food and beverages on some green grass, while being surrounded by adorable donkeys.

After the picnic, all four of you will stroll through the field with a donkey, and there will be plenty of photo opportunities during the day as well.

Buy Donkey Picnic for Four at Dashing Donkeys for £139 at Find Me A Gift

Check out the best animal experience days up and down the country.

Chessington World of Adventures Resort

If you’re local to Surrey, Chessington World of Adventures is a brilliant theme park to take youngsters to this summer holiday. Not only does the resort have over 40 rides, including Tiger Rock and Croc Drop, and areas such as the world’s first Jumanji World, but Chessington World of Adventures also boasts a SEA LIFE centre and a zoo, with animals like iguanas and rhinos.

At the moment, Chessington World of Adventures has a special offer on the theme park, taking tickets from £66 to just £29.

• Buy Chessington World of Adventures Resort tickets from £66 £29 (save £37 or 56%) at Chessington
• Buy Chessington World of Adventures Visit for Four for £152 at Virgin Experience Days

Looking for a saving? Check out how to get cheap Chessington World of Adventures tickets.

Alton Towers Resort

Another theme park to test even the most fearless of riders is Alton Towers. There’s so much to do and to see at Alton Towers: there’s over 40 rides, including The Smiler and Wicker Man, as well as CBeebies Land, Sharkbait Reef with real-life sharks and rays, as well as a dungeon… Luckily, Alton Towers Resort offers short breaks and there are plenty of hotels nearby, too, so you can make a couple of days of it if you’d prefer.

• Buy Alton Towers Resort tickets from £68 £29 (save £39 or 57%) at Alton Towers
• Buy Alton Towers Resort Visit for Four for £159 at Virgin Experience Days

Here's how to get cheap Alton Towers tickets for even more top offers on the UK theme park.

English Heritage locations

The English Heritage membership will give you unlimited access to over 400 hundred historic sites up and down the country, as well as free entry for up to six children. Plus, that’s not all, at participating English Heritage cafés across the country, members’ children can eat free, and you can also get discounted tickets to many of the English Heritage events such as knights' tournaments.

Buy a membership from £57 a year at English Heritage

Lucky Tails Alpaca Farm Entry with Alpaca Walk for Two Adults and Two Children

Another day out for the animal lovers amongst us: alpaca farm entry and an alpaca walk for four people. Situated in the stunning Warwickshire countryside, which is also home to giant bunnies, pygmy goats, chickens, and ducks, as well as alpacas, this experience encourages you and your family to learn all about alpacas before you harness up and take your own alpaca on a soft stroll through the grounds. It’s the perfect family day out for photo opportunities, too, and some of the alpacas on the Buyagift website look like they have their cheesy grins at the ready.

Buy Lucky Tails Alpaca Farm Entry with Alpaca Walk for Two Adults and Two Children for £49.99 at Buyagift

Shrek’s Adventure! London

This winter, Shrek is inviting you into his swamp. Located at London’s Southbank (sorry, we mean Far Far Away), you and your family will enjoy an interactive and immersive walkthrough experience, which includes embarking on the DreamWorks Tours magical flying 4D bus, meeting characters like Puss in Boots, the Muffin Man and Pinocchio, and enjoying up to 12 fairy-tale themed live shows.

Buy Shrek’s Adventure! London tickets from £21 at Shrek's Adventure! London

Thorpe Park

The weather might not have delivered, but Thorpe Park is on hand to ensure you have a sizzling summer with this red-hot saving: save up to 48% on Thorpe Park tickets, with prices starting from just £32. Featuring the much talked-about rides, Stealth, SAW, Nemesis Inferno, and more, Thorpe Park will test even the most fearless of teenagers.

• Buy Thorpe Park tickets from £66 £29 (save £37 or 48%) at Thorpe Park
• Buy Thorpe Park Visit for Four for £156 at Virgin Experience Days

Our how to get cheap Thorpe Park tickets guide will help you secure affordable Thorpe Park tickets this year.

Stay up to date with our Going Out section for top tips on how to get cheap tickets, such as how to get cheap cinema tickets, how to get cheap theatre tickets and how to get cheap concert tickets.