The UK offers a plethora of exciting family activities this summer, from exploring sunflowers in Gower to discovering the wonders of nature in various locations across the country. Here are some of the best family days out in the UK this summer, offering a mix of outdoor adventures, cultural experiences, and educational opportunities.
Sunflowers in Gower
The Gower Peninsula is a hidden gem for families seeking a peaceful escape. Rhossili Bay, with its wide sweep of sand and dunes, is a haven for bodyboarding and surfing enthusiasts. But the real star of the show is the 100,000 sunflowers that bloom here in the summer months. A 20-minute walk from the Worm's Head National Trust car park leads to a vibrant field of flowers, offering a pick-your-own experience and a chance to explore wooden animal structures and giant swings. The sunflowers are a sight to behold, and the surrounding landscapes provide a perfect backdrop for family photos. The entry fee is £4 for adults and £4.50 for children, making it an affordable and memorable family outing.
Forest Play in Dorset
Deep within the woods of Moors Valley Country Park, a magical play area awaits. This year, the park introduces 'Woodland Rhapsody,' a musical play structure with interactive elements like rain makers and drums. The park also features a play trail with giant ant nests, snake pits, and a variety of stars, including hawks and spiders. The inclusive beehive offers a unique experience with a double-width slide and quiet areas for those who need less stimulation. The park is free to enter, but car parking charges apply. It's a fantastic opportunity for families to immerse themselves in nature and engage in imaginative play.
Wine and Wildlife in Surrey
Surrey Hills offers a unique experience with its wine hikes and scenic trails. Albury Vineyard provides a self-guided wildlife walk through the vines, passing bat and barn owl boxes, bug hotels, and wildflower meadows. The walk is free, but a suggested donation of £10 per group goes to the Surrey Wildlife Trust. After the walk, families can enjoy a seven-mile stomp to Denbies Wine Estate, where they can board the vineyard 'train' and explore the estate. The Denbies vineyard train tour costs £12.50 for adults and £6.95 for children, offering a unique way to experience the vineyards. The estate also features artist James Tunnard's wavy wooden seat, Radius, and a picnic spot with stunning views.
Dolphin Watching in Moray Firth
The Scottish Dolphin Centre at Spey Bay is a must-visit for families interested in marine life. Located in a former 18th-century fishing station, the centre offers tours of the old ice house and an interactive dolphin exhibition with live wildlife cameras. Visitors can also enjoy river rambles and nature-themed holiday clubs during the Scottish school summer holidays. The centre is free to enter, and families can borrow binoculars to spot ospreys, seals, and otters. The holiday clubs cost £1.50 to £3 per child, providing an educational and fun experience for young nature enthusiasts.
David Hockney's Salts Mill
West Yorkshire is home to Salts Mill, a cultural hub transformed by Jonathan Silver. The late David Hockney's oil painting, 'Salts Mill,' hangs in the entrance, depicting the building's Victorian facade and the Yorkshire hillsides. The mill features more of Hockney's works in the '20 Flowers for 2025 and Some Bigger Pictures' exhibition, which runs until January 2027. The space is free to explore, and families can enjoy burgers and pizzas at Salts Diner for lunch. The Peace Museum and a walk along the canal to Bingley add to the experience. It's a perfect blend of art, history, and family-friendly entertainment.
Quentin Blake Centre in London
The Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration in Clerkenwell is a haven for art lovers and families. The centre celebrates the work of renowned illustrator Quentin Blake, known for his scribbly style in Roald Dahl's stories. The centre offers a library in the former Engine House, a cafe in the Boiler House, and beautiful gardens. Paid exhibitions delve into Blake's extensive archive and showcase contemporary illustrators. The Creative Studio provides hands-on activities like fabric painting and printmaking for budding artists during the summer holidays. The centre offers a range of tickets, with prices starting from £15 for adults and £6 for children, making it an accessible and engaging cultural experience for families.
Butterfly Conservation in Hampshire
Butterfly Conservation predicts a bumper summer for butterflies, thanks to a massive migration of painted lady butterflies from Africa. The Big Butterfly Count, running until August 9, is the world's largest butterfly survey. Families can participate by spending 15 minutes outside noting the numbers of butterflies and moths. The Magdalen Hill Down nature reserve, just outside Winchester, is an excellent spot for counting, with 46 hectares of chalk grassland, wildflower meadows, and woodland. The reserve is home to various butterflies, including the adonis blue, chalk hill blue, and brown argus. It's a free and educational activity for families interested in nature conservation.
Monastic Life on Caldey Island
Caldey Island, off the coast of Pembrokeshire, offers a peaceful escape for families. The island is home to the Cistercian order, known for their chocolate and lavender perfume-making. Visitors can explore the working lighthouse, soft sands of Priory Beach, and the Monastic Story Hall, which charts the island's history and explores monastic life. The new natural play area provides an engaging experience for children. The island offers a range of tickets, with prices starting from £24.95 for adults and £12.95 for children, making it an affordable and unique family outing.
History Comes Alive in County Durham
Kynren – An Epic Tale of England brings history to life in Bishop Auckland. Each summer, on Saturday evenings, Boudicca battles against the Romans, Vikings invade, and knights joust. The outdoor show features a full-size steam locomotive and a 1,000-strong cast, offering a journey through 2,000 years of history. The daytime counterpart, Kynren – The Storied Lands, provides an equally dramatic experience with immersive re-enactments and live-action storytelling. The show is priced from £30 for adults and £20 for children, offering a memorable family experience.
Bat Safari in Cambridge
Cambridge offers a unique bat-watching experience on a Bat Safari Punting tour along the River Cam. The tours take place on Friday and Saturday evenings in the summer, with departure times varying depending on dusk. Run by the local wildlife trust, the guides use bat detectors to listen for pipistrelle and Daubenton's bats along the riverbanks. Families can enjoy the atmospheric setting and spot the mothers and pups in tandem flight in the night sky. The family row for two costs £63, and for three costs £73, making it an affordable and memorable family activity.
Thames Swimming
London is embracing river swimming this summer with designated bathing water areas. Ham in the west has become the capital's first designated bathing water area on the Thames. Sea Lanes Canary Wharf opened a 50-metre six-lane pool in June, designed for swimming lengths. The Royal Docks Summer Splash at Royal Victoria Dock offers a free paddling pool, deckchairs, and sandpits for younger children. These initiatives provide families with opportunities to enjoy the Thames and cool off in the summer heat.
Waterworld in Staffordshire
Cliff Lakes, located north-east of Birmingham, is a water-filled paradise for families. The tranquil waters offer open water swimming lanes, boating, wakeboarding, and the UK's largest aqua park with floating assault courses. The X Tower, a 12-metre-tall inflatable with six slides, is a thrilling addition for thrill-seekers. The dedicated kids park and Aqua Chimp, a high ropes course, provide fun and adventure for younger water babies. The prices start from £25 per person (over-6s) including parking, wetsuit, aqua socks, and buoyancy aid, making it an affordable and exciting family outing.
Henry Moore in London and Hertfordshire
Henry Moore and his wife, Irina, moved to rural Hertfordshire in 1940 after their home was damaged in the Blitz. The Henry Moore Studio & Gardens preserve the farmhouse and outbuilding studios where Moore created some of his best-known works. The Sheep Field Barn has reopened as a gallery with hands-on spaces for monoprinting sessions and collaborative sculpture workshops. Kew Gardens in London is also showcasing Moore's sculptures in the 'Henry Moore: Monumental Nature' exhibition, with a family trail and interactive activities. The prices start from £23 for adults and £11 for children, making it an accessible and culturally enriching family experience.
Osprey Fledglings in Mid Wales
The Dyfi Osprey Project in Mid Wales offers a unique opportunity to spot osprey fledglings. Ospreys disappeared from the UK in 1916 but have been slowly recovering since the 1950s. Telyn and Idris, one of the breeding pairs, are raising three chicks at the Cors Dyfi nature reserve. Visitors can enjoy a front-row seat in the observatory tower, less than 200 metres from the nest. The prices start from £8 for adults and £4 for children, providing an educational and memorable family experience.
Biking in Robin Hood Country
Forestry England's Sherwood Pines offers an activity-filled corner of Sherwood Forest, more popular with mountain bikers than merry men. The 1,336-hectare woods feature a network of trails for all abilities, including advanced dirt jumps, single-track downhills, and the four-mile Maid Marion family loop. The new Pedal and Play trail allows the next generation of freeriders to learn on three loops of increasing skill. King John's Castle, with its wobbly bridge and climbing tree, provides a post-pedal play area. The prices are free (with parking charges applying), making it an affordable and exciting family outing.
Tidal Swimming Pool Tour on the Fife Coast
The Fife coast offers a unique tidal swimming pool tour. St Monans, Pittenweem, and Cellardyke have been revamped by community-driven projects, providing sheltered swims away from waves and currents. Families can start at boulder-edged St Monans, then enjoy mini golf at Pittenweem, and finish at Cellardyke with wood-fired pizza and coffee. The stretch of East Neuk is dotted with pretty fishing villages, each with top-notch fish and chips. The prices are free, making it an affordable and scenic family outing.
Cosmic Land Art in Dumfries and Galloway
American visionary land artist Charles Jencks has created a 400m-long path lined with giant standing stones in southern Scotland. The Crawick Multiverse features spiralling mounds of the Milky Way and Andromeda on one side and jagged formations on the other, representing the birth of a billion new stars. The 22-hectare site was an abandoned opencast mine, and Jencks transformed tonnes of excavated earth and rock into an otherworldly sculptural installation. The prices start from £8.50 for adults and £5 for children, offering a unique and imaginative family experience.
Surf on a Blue Flag Beach in North Shields
Tynemouth Longsands, a mile-long dune-backed beach, is the north-east's year-round surf hub. Families can enjoy surfing lessons and board hire from Longsands Surf School and Tynemouth Surf Co. The beach is a Blue Flag-award recipient, ensuring clean, safe, and environmentally well-managed conditions. After surfing, families can enjoy fish and chips at Longsands Fish Kitchen. The prices for kids' lessons start from £15 for 1.5 hours and £22.50 for two hours, making it an affordable and fun family activity.
Springwatch in County Fermanagh
BBC's Springwatch had a new home this year in Northern Ireland at the National Trust's Crom Estate. Set along the shores of Upper Lough Erne, the estate offers a tapestry of habitats, including ancient woodlands, reed-fringed wetlands, and flower-filled meadows. Families can follow the estate's red squirrels, pine martens, otters, and birds of prey. Young wildlife watchers can borrow tracker packs to find animals themselves. The prices start from £9.50 for adults and £4.75 for children, making it an educational and engaging family experience.
Thrills and Red Squirrels in the Cairngorms
The Cairngorms national park offers a range of outdoor adventures. Landmark Forest Adventure Park near Carrbridge features action-packed attractions like a high-ropes course, a bouncy aerial net challenge, treetop trails, and a water raft ride. Families can also spot red squirrels among the Scots pines and climb the 105 steps of the forest tower. The prices start from £31 for adults and £29 for children, offering an exciting and educational family experience.
