The North West with little kids

I have brought the family (age 1, 3 and 34) with me to Preston for almost two weeks.

Anyone got any suggestions for tourist attractions or activities?

South Lakes wild animal park, then lunch in Ulverston which has two bike shops.

And what exactly had they done to deserve this punishment? 😉
East lancs railway[/url] have loads of stuff on for kids ie: Thomas the Tank Engine Weekend. Or you could gag them while you do the real ale trail 😉

And Chester Zoo! Its ace!

Lancaster and museum about witches.

Blackpool – its shocking but the Circus at the Tower is awesome and a ride on the Trams.

Zoo there is not bad either

MOSI – just off the train in Deansgate – that there Manchester
Museum of science and Industry

Some NT stuff – mills and the like in Cheshire

Some cracking museums in Liverpool – cheaper and more fun to take the tunnel and ferry back over as parking is free that side.

Camelot ???

http://www.wildboarpark.co.uk/
Bowland

Wetland trust on the way to SOuthport – never been myself though

+1 for the South Lakes park.

If you’re in Ulverston for lunch then head to Gillams Tea Rooms and get the kids their own tea party. A tray with their own teapot (filled with squash), teacup, jam and cream scone and a few sandwiches. Our two love it!

Another vote for the South Lakes animal park.

Boat trips, train rides and local shows in the Lakes.

Beach, ice cream and fish and chips at Morecambe

Head into the south Dales to Hesketh Park Farm and the amazing Yorkshire Dales Ice Cream Factory (50s-style diner and big outdoor playground)

Our 2-year old loved the Falconry centre at Austwick (on the A65). He had a proper twit-twhoo conversation with an owl and laughed so much he kept falling over.

Knowsley Safari Park, Catalyst museum, Martin Mere.

(Working from memories of school and family trips in the ’80s – they may all now be rubbish…)

The City art gallery in Manchester always has lots of family activities on in the summer

City Art Gallery[/url]

As does The Lowry. You’ve got the Museum of Science and Industry and The Imperial War Museum. Alsorts really

If you go to the World Peace Buddhist cafe in Ulverston, be aware that the speed of the service is dictated by the seasons and beauty inherent in the natural world, not by any kind of need to eat and pay and get going again.

It’s like a stoner cafe; the food is great but takes a while.

If you want to head coast-wards, Southport is also an option. (Although it is about 30 years since I was last there!)

Not sure the war museum or mills are going to go down well with a three year old tbh! Animal stuff does tend to though, will check those out.

Windmill farm if they like animals. Also Worden park in Leyland on a Sunday is great for the family. Steam train and a big field (take a ball).
I guess there’s botany bay as well (although I’ve not been there myself).
Will think of some more.

Formby, National Trust Forest with Red Squirrels

Knowsley Safari is a good day out and excellent value for money.

East Lancs railway is also good although be warned it is run by amateurs and expect some random time tabling!

Martin Mere is rubbish unless you really like birds.

The Inn at White Well for a walk in the coutry followed by an exceptional pub lunch (a bit pricey though).

+1 for South Lakes wild animal park, first time we went there were a bunch of keepers trying to encourage the ring tailed lemurs back into the centre rather than running around car park 😆

My kids loved feeding the giraffes

as above spend a day in my home town Liverpool. See the Museums and especially the Albert Docks, park on the Wirral and come over by ferry, if the sun is shining its a wonderful experience.

Southport is also an option. (Although it is about 30 years since I was last there!)

Imagine you had just left it to decay…its ok but not really worth the effort IMHO – I do go though because it is close
In the unlikely event of nice weather Lytham St Annes for the beach
Worden is a great park [also has crazy Golf]but this one has the best outdoor play in the county but will be busy – by Bamber bridge leisure centre
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=357205&y=426125&z=120&sv=357205,426125&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=645&ax=357205&ay=426125&lm=0

Botany bay is not worth it

If the weather ever perks up, go to the beach at Roanhead near Barrow too.

http://www.coastradar.com/beach-guide/Europe/United%20Kingdom/Cumbria/Barrow%20in%20Furness/Roanhead/1334

My kids made a skeleton out of shells then did a kind of Wicker Man ceremony over it and buried it. They have won National awards for age related cynicism and bastardry though…

Quarry Bank Mill
Speke Hall
Southport is good for a walk on the pier
Heaton Park
The Lakes

as above spend a day in my home town Liverpool. See the Museums and especially the Albert Docks, park on the Wirral and come over by ferry, if the sun is shining its a wonderful experience.

All the museums are free in Liverpool, visit the Albert dock, and the old garden festival site, just reopened, as a new park,

from preston A59, head towards Liverpool then through the tunnel to Seacombe ferry, free parking there and then ferry over to liverpool, after visiting spaceport, the new museum in Liverpool,is 3 minutes walk from the ferry terminal at liverpool,followed by The Albert dock with yet another museum.

if the sun is shining its a wonderful experience.

If the sun isn’t shining, you’ll be divorced and disowned…

Not really, Liverpool is a good day out with kids or without. 🙂

Then youve got safe beaches at Southport, new brighton and Wezst Kirby, also dont forget Blackopool for the amusements etc.

also dont forget Blackopool for the amusements etc.

You aren’t supposed to call them that, project.

Oh, you meant the machines…

its liverpool pride this weekend at the pier head,

Our 3 year old had a ball at Blackpool pleasure beach (including Nickelodeon land). Cost a few quid though. Beach at Blackpool was very good last time I went but Lytham-St annes easier just to park up next to the beach but not much else. I like to go every couple of years to soak up the atmosphere 😯

We have been to Blackpool pleasure beach today and my kids loved it. The beach at Blackpool is enormous but was a bit windy today.

There are plenty of things for kids to do there on a day trip and not too far from Preston.

The Shell petrol station in Prestwich is a lovely spot to while away an hour or so………. 😉

Good toilets too 😆

Wirral and Chester: Knowsley Safari park. Blue Planet Aquarium. Chester Zoo.

Rossendale: Fitzpatrick’s Temperance bar for sarsaparilla. Ride On cyles. Rawtenstall museum. Ski Rossendale. East Lancs Railway. Helmshore Textile Museums (good for kids, nice cafe)

Lakes: Nice cafe in Lakeland by Windermere station. Bowness for boat trips. Hardknott for slate quarry trips. Grizedale for good cafe and kids’ playgound, bike hire, Go Ape.

Dewlay Cheesemakers on the A6 at Garstang have a viewing gallery and cheese shop you can visit on the way to Scorton for some nice walks and a trip to the Priory or Barn for the cafe. Garstang is a also a nice market town to visit. Plenty of good eateries around the rural Preston area. There’s the Ribble Steam Railway near the docks in Preston too, usually open during the holidays. There’s a Go Ape at Rivington (Chorley) now I believe which is less of a trek than to the lakes, probably not as busy either. Brockholes just of Junction 31 of the M6 is a great nature reserve, good (short walks), a great cafe and you can take bikes around too. There’s an activity centre also for the kids.

Bowland Wild Boar Park just outside Chipping is great during the school holidays.

http://www.visitlancashire.com/explore/preston

http://www.ribblesteam.org.uk/index.php?option=com_jevents&task=year.listevents&Itemid=70

Also there’s a great comedy club in Deepdale, with 11 in house comedians.

Oh yes, I forgot the Bowland Wild Boar Park – they have CHICK STROKING!!!! Not to be missed.