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With half term upon us it’s time to start thinking about how you’ll keep the kids entertained over the long holidays. Luckily for you we’ve compiled our top ten favourite attractions to check out this half-term. All of these suggestions are accessible by train meaning you can leave the stress of driving behind and focus on enjoying the journey with the family.

01. Danby Lodge, North York Moors National Park, Whitby

Danby is a village lying 10 ½ miles west of Whitby, and tucked away near the banks of the Esk Valley river is Danby Lodge. Visitors here can see rolling hills and idyllic moorlands and woodlands. Aside from being a Dark Sky Discovery site, Danby Lodge is also home to an art gallery. Over the half-term Danby Lodge is offering many activities that the whole family can enjoy such as: guided trail walking, treasure hunts, archery and more!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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02. Huddersfield Leisure Splash Park, Huddersfield

The Hudderfield Splash Park is ‘the best leisure water experience in West Yorkshire’ and has something for all the family. It is ideal for all ages, with big and small slides, water buckets, and even a water flume. The awesome Sidewinder slide will have you slipping around in a big rubber ring at dizzying speeds! For something a bit more chilled out there is the Lazy River which is just as fun but at a gentler pace. We can’t promise it will keep the kids quiet, but it will definitely keep them entertained for a few hours.

03. Inflata Nation Inflatable Theme Park, Manchester

With inflatable fun for the whole family the huge indoor Inflata Nation theme park has climbing walls, assault courses, and Inflata Duel, an inflatable gladiator style experience. They also host birthday parties for all ages. They also offer several classes including Disability Friendly sessions, Grown-Ups only sessions and Inflata Tots sessions (just for pre-schoolers). If all that excitement is too much, parents can take a break and relax at the Café Nation and enjoy speciality coffee and homemade food with a view of the kids.

04. National Videogame Museum, Sheffield

If you enjoyed video games as a kid you can now share that experience with your own children at the National Videogame Museum in Sheffield. With fun and activities for all ages this might be the perfect family day out! At the museum you can see how videogames are made and learn lots of interesting facts about the games. You and the kids can enjoy playing some of the classics together like Sonic. There are workshops and careers events, which might interest your teenagers.

05. Abbey House Museum, Leeds

Take the kids on an interactive walk through history at the Abbey House Museum in Leeds. Transport you and your family into the 19th century and enjoy walking the ‘authentically recreated’ streets of Victorian Leeds, with thoughtfully built shops, pubs, and homes. Over half term there are many events and exhibitions, including sessions for the whole family and community events.

06. Wild Discovery, Preston

For a wild day out you can get up close with the animals at Wild Discovery Zoo in Preston. The kids will love being a zookeeper for a day by helping out with the upkeep of the animals and getting close to their favourites. The whole family can make friends with a tortoise, a capybara, and even a giant anteater. There’s also a chance to feed an artic fox and a bearcat!

07. Poole’s Cavern & Go Ape, Buxton

Buxton has so much to offer that we have two choices for one here. Poole’s Cavern and Go Ape are both located in Buxton Country Park. You could easily take the family both in one day in you were feeling extra adventurous. At Poole’s Cavern the whole family can explore deep underground with a guide for 45 minutes through cave passages, see stalactites and stalagmites, and hear of the legends and history of the caves. If that wasn’t enough fun then swing over to Go Ape where the older kids and adults can take on the treetop challenge.

08. Scarborough Castle and Luna Park, Scarborough

We’ve found another day out combo in Scarborough! Take the kids for a walk up to the imposing Scarborough Castle, which offers incredible panoramic views across the Yorkshire coastline. Expose the family to 3,000 years of English history and if all that culture is too exciting, kids can play on the grassy headlands and parents can grab a coffee on site. If that doesn’t tire the little ones out then head down to Luna Park for some action packed theme park style fun, with rides for all ages the whole family can enjoy a fun day out.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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09. Manchester United at Old Trafford, Manchester

This list wouldn’t be complete without something for all the sports fans! For a fab family outing that’s sure to score with the kids, check out the Old Trafford Stadium. Here the  whole family can enjoy an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the stadium, food at the onsite Red Café, and buy gifts at the Megastore. There’s even a museum which includes loads of history to give the kids a glimpse of past Man Utd glory. Old Trafford regularly hosts events, conferences, and exhibitions as well as birthday parties!

10. TeamSport Indoor Go-Karting, Warrington

Our final suggestion for a half-term day out with the kids is go-karting at the UK’s number 1 indoor karting venue, based in Warrington! With a 1000m circuit that includes 35 twists and turns and a tunnel all over three different levels, this fun filled day out is sure to be wheely awesome. The separate adult and kids karts mean the whole family can compete. What’s more, the family can even sign up for karting tuition to make it even more competitive. This F1 experience even offers a leader board spot for those  who can finish their lap in under 1 minute and 10 seconds! If all that fun tires everyone out you can head to the bar to grab food and drinks.

That rounds off our awesome list of fun-filled family days out! All of our suggestions are accessible via our network. We believe you see the best of a place when you ditch the car, and active travel is a good way to enjoy your day out sustainably and stress free. Have fun!

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Northern App

Streamline your journey and get tickets straight to your phone. Making your journey contact-free.

  • iOS App Store
  • Android Google Play