Family holidays
Walk among dinosaurs on a fossil hunting tour or put nerves to the test at a thrilling theme park. Get close to nature and camp in protected woodland or stay aboard a lighthouse or a barge on your family holidays. Bike rides and picnics in a national park, long afternoons at the beach exploring rockpools, baffling mazes and hide and seek in the grounds of a stately home: England is packed with inspiring child friendly holidays and activities. If you think learning is for stuffy school rooms, think again. Discover the secrets of the Tudors and Victorians, marvel at Roman remains and re-live bloody battles and beheadings on days out with the kids.
Head to Salcombe for butterscotch beaches and bright blue waters
A haven for yachties and those who prefer to keep their deck shoes firmly on dry land.
Location: Salcombe, Devon
Catch some waves at Woolacombe Beach
North Devon has some of the county’s most popular family beaches, including award-winning Woolacombe.
Location: Woolacombe, Devon
Follow themed trails through Haldon Forest Park
Walk, cycle, horse ride, segway or Go Ape at Haldon Forest Park near Exeter.
Location: Exeter, Devon
Cycle alongside the Exe Estuary
Jump on a bike to explore the beautiful Exe Estuary, taking in the lovely scenery, villages and landscapes along a 26 mile-long route.
Location: Exeter, Devon
Live the good life at The Lido in Bristol
Bristol's restored Victorian Lido offers outdoor swimming, spa facilities, a café and bar for lunch and award winning restaurant for dinner.
Location: Bristol
Rainy Day Activities: Be an engine driver for the day at STEAM
Try your hand at changing the signals, drive a model steam engine and walk under an 80 ton train at STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway.
Location: Swindon, Wiltshire
Rainy Day Activities: Scale the walls of Exeter’s Quay Climbing Centre
With over 200 climbing lines, training walls and an abseil tower, there are plenty of indoor activities to suit everyone.
Location: Exeter, Devon
Live a day in the life of a Tudor at St Nicholas Priory
Originally part of Exeter’s first medieval monastery, this splendid Grade I-listed building later became the Tudor home of a wealthy merchant family.
Location: Exeter, Devon
Explore The Grand Pier of Weston-super-Mare
Relive happy childhood memories of eating ice creams, skimming stones and skipping along piers in Weston-super-Mare.
Location: Weston-super-Mare, Somerset
Make friends at Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre
Home to over 250 rescued and endangered primates, this sanctuary lets you get up close and personal with all kinds of monkeys, gorillas and apes.
Location: Wareham, Dorset
Retreat to Ruthern Valley
Get some peace and quiet in a wooded valley inhabited with squirrels and wild rabbits.
Location: Bodmin, Cornwall
Go wild camping on Dartmoor
When it comes to experiencing the unspoiled and unique environment of the wilds of Dartmoor, nothing compares to wild camping.
Location: Dartmoor, Devon
Have yourself a Famous Five adventure
Follow in the footsteps of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five with some castle capers and a seaside adventure by steam railway.
Location: Corfe Castle, Dorset
Take to the slopes in Dorset
The Snowtrax alpine activity centre will transport you to the mountains for the day.
Location: Christchurch, Dorset
Enjoy high-wire and two-wheeled adventure in the Moors Valley
Enjoy adrenaline-fuelled activities for all the family in Moors Valley Country Park in the lovely Dorset countryside.
Location: Ashley Heath, Dorset
A botanical treasure trove on the Jurassic Coast
Sniff your way around the award-winning Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, a coastal haven filled with rare and exotic plants from all over the world.
Location: Abbotsbury, Dorset
Explore the UK's first safari park at Longleat
Feed giraffes by hand and walk on the wildside with lemurs at this popular safari park, found in the picturesque grounds of historic Longleat House.
Location: Longleat, Wiltshire
Take a dip in Bude Sea Pool
Take the whole family to this part man-made, part natural sea pool which nestles under the cliffs at Summerleaze beach in Bude.
Location: Bude, Cornwall
September events: Bournemouth Air Festival
The world's biggest airshow brings together the thrill of gravity-defying plane displays and an abundance of family entertainment on the ground - all for free!
Location: Bournemouth, Dorset
Rainy Day Activities: Experience the underground world of Wookey Hole
There are legends aplenty about Britain’s biggest caves, where you’ll find a secret river and bewitching caverns.
Location: Wells, Somerset
Watch history come to life at Morwellham Quay in Devon
Take a living history lesson from the team at Morwellham Quay, a beautifully preserved Victorian village in the Devon countryside.
Location: Morwellham Quay, Devon