Just looking for ideas for cheapy Premier Inn break during Oct half-term and we’ve never been.

Or we thought of Liverpool – or any other ideas within a couple of hours drive of Derby?

Ta!

Cambridge is nice enough for a bimble. Lots of students though, and tourists ;o). Reasonable places to eat and drink, plenty to do. Very ‘small town’ city if you get my drift.

The Fitzwilliam is a nice place to visit too.

Having lived in/close to both I’d certainly chose Cambridge over Liverpool for a visit!

Well they have the Scott Polar Research Institution, planning a weekend there sometime myself as I really want to go to that. Worked there a couple of times and it seems a pleasant enough place to spend a weekend.

Yep, especially if you like a museum. I went with my wife last year in a rare weekend without mini-Scud, a lot of nice bars and restaurants, but we found ourselves wandering around the numerous museums most of which are free to get into, especially good was the Fitzwilliam and the Scott Antartic exhibitions.

Plus it is a pleasant place just to walk round with the colleges and the river.

I lived in Cambridge for several years & have visited Liverpool quite a few times.

I like both places; they (obviously) feel very different – Liverpool is a much larger place with much more bar/club nightlife.
Cambridge is a small city, but there’s plenty to see & do for a weekend. The nightlife is a bit rubbish in Cambridge, but there’s tons of decent pubs.

Regarding Cambridge:

The Premier Inn on Newmarket Rd is well placed for a short walk into the centre of town, although the road it’s on is a bit rubbish and there’s limited parking (should be OK at the weekend).
There’s another Premier Inn on the north side of Cambridge just off the A14. This isn’t in a very nice area & you’ll get stung for cab journies, so I’d avoid if possible.
The Travel Lodge in the centre of town quite often has good deals – parking is bit pricey (but then it is all over Cambridge) and it’s a decent stroll into town, but a perfectly fine place to stay.

If you like aeronautical stuff – Duxford is only 20 mins from Cambridge & will easily fill a day.

Cambridge well worth a trip – lots of stuff to see around the colleges etc and a nice place. Punting along the river can be nice even in October if you get a warm day (big if!).

Some nice places to eat too for all budgets. Dojo (noodle bar) is worth a visit – not flash but great food.

The Sedgwick museum is pretty amazing for such a tiny place, if you like fossils.

ADC Theatre can sometimes be good, but can be a bit hit and miss. Lots of music if you like classical music – could have a look at West Road Concert hall.

I like Cambridge, had a few work courses there. The old colleges are great to see, lots of pubs and eateries, incredible cycling system. Handy for Duxford if you like that sort of thing. Fantastic art deco cinema now a Weatherspoons.

Shame about the A14 to get there from here!

Work put us up at the Travelodge next to the station, easy walk into the centre and opposite a Giant bike store….

Enjoyed a weekend away in Cambridge a few years ago. Sat down by the river and bought some good quality prosecco from a lovely little off licence and subsequently won a trip to the producing vineyard in Italy, yeah I really liked Cambridge 8)