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.
Filter By:
-
Regions
-
Type
- Accessible breaks and places to stay (1) Apply Accessible breaks and places to stay filter
- Autumn Break Ideas (3) Apply Autumn Break Ideas filter
- City (4) Apply City filter
- Days Out in England (1) Apply Days Out in England filter
- Food and Drink (2) Apply Food and Drink filter
- Unique Experiences (1) Apply Unique Experiences filter
- Seasons
Marvel at prehistoric cliffs and caves
The magnificent coastline of South Tyneside tells a story that stretches far beyond the stunning aesthetics of the golden sands and rugged cliffs.
Location: Marsden, South Tyneside
Walk in Roman footsteps at Arbeia Roman Fort
Britain’s biggest and best reconstruction of a Roman fort is the perfect place to immerse yourself in an ancient way of life.
Location: South Shields, South Tyneside
Rainy Day Activities: Sunderland Museum
Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens is a great place for the whole family to spend the day – and it’s free.
Location: Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
Animal antics at Down at the Farm
Down at the Farm is one of Sunderland's most popular farms, home to a wide range of rare breed animals including giant tortoises, alpacas, raccoons, donkeys and red deer.
Location: Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
Go seal and puffin spotting on the Farne Islands
Visit Farne Islands to see thousands of seabirds and a huge Grey seal colony.
Location: Farne Islands, Northumberland
Go under the sea at The Deep Aquarium
Get out of the rain and head... into the water? This underwater world features Europe's deepest viewing tunnel, offering unparalleled views of exotic fish, sharks and other sea creatures.
Location: Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire
October events: Visit England's largest travelling fair in Hull
Hull Fair celebrated its 700th birthday in 1993 and has grown continuously, now attracting over half a million visitors every year.
Location: Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire
Bag some bon bons at England’s Oldest Sweet Shop
Evoke happy childhood memories with hundreds of retro sweets at The Oldest Sweet Shop in England.
Location: Harrogate, North Yorkshire
Journey into the world of the dinosaurs at Dino-stone Park
Escape to the lost world of dinosaurs at this inventive theme park.
Location: Malton, North Yorkshire
Rainy Day Activities: Explore mining history at Woodhorn Museum
Explore hundreds of years of mining heritage at this unique museum in Northumberland, built from what was once the largest pit village in the world.
Location: Ashington, Northumberland
Relive the sights and sounds of wartime Britain at Eden Camp
Be transported back through time from an ex-POW camp in Malton, North Yorkshire, to life in wartime Britain on both the home front and on the front line.
Location: Malton, North Yorkshire
Meet feathered friends at Lotherton Hall Estate
Get up close and personal with rare birds, tropical mammals and wild-roaming deer at Lotherton Hall in Aberford, near Leeds.
Location: Leeds, Yorkshire
Bathe in autumn colours close to the Falling Foss waterfall
If ever there was a magical woodland walk, it’s the two-mile circular trail through the trees from May Beck to the charming Falling Foss waterfall, all within Little Beck Wood Nature Reserve.
Location: North York Moors, near Whitby, North Yorkshire
Peep into Durham’s locomotive past
Discover Durham’s role in the development of the railways at Locomotion, the National Railway Museum at Shildon.
Location: Vale of Durham
Brighten up your autumn with Sunderland Illuminations
Don't mourn the arrival of longer, darker nights; let the North East coastal city of Sunderland fill your autumn with light and magic.
Location: Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
Go wild camping in the Northumberland Countryside
Be close to nature as you enjoy an overnight camping experience with the experts at Badger and the Bear Outdoor Adventure Camp.
Location: Amble, Northumberland
Immerse yourself in the magic of The Alnwick Garden
Let the little ones run free around the 12 acres of gardens at the multi award-winning Alnwick Gardens in Northumberland.
Location: Alnwick, Northumberland
Journey through British history at Kynren
Experience an epic storytelling journey through time at this spectacular live-action night show in Durham.
Location: Bishop Auckland, Durham
Fiendish Halloween fun at Flamingo Land
Visit Yorkshire's ultimate theme park and the UK's most visited Zoo for family friendly entertainment brimming with spooky fun this October.
Location: Malton, North Yorkshire
Pay homage to the written word in South Shields
Step inside The Word, National Centre for the Written Word, a state-of-the-art venue in South Shields.
Location: South Shields, South Tyneside
Enter the world of Anglo-Saxon Northumbria at Jarrow Hall
Discover the incredible story of Anglo-Saxon Northumbria and the extraordinary life of the Venerable Bede.
Location: Jarrow, South Tyneside, Tyne and Wear