The school summer holidays are just around the corner. So, if you’re already combing weather forecasts and planning how you’ll fill the time of your children or grandchildren, we’re on hand to help.
Here are seven attractions within 30 miles of Jane Smith Financial Planning HQ, perfect for a family fun day out in July and August.
1. Stowe Gardens
The National Trust-owned Stowe Gardens has been welcoming visitors for three centuries. With around 250 acres of landscaped beauty to explore, kids will have plenty of room to run around and (hopefully) wear themselves out.
With rolling grassland, winding paths, and picturesque views exquisitely framed by meticulously placed foliage, the 18th-century scale and design mean that you can visit time and again while always discovering something new.
Throughout the summer holidays, there’s even more fun to be had for would-be explorers with Stowe’s newest trail.
Little People, BIG DREAMS® is a bestselling book series by Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara that introduces children to history’s trailblazers. Follow the trail and teach your child to dream big!
2. Hogshaw Farm & Wildlife Park
Get back to nature at Hogshaw Farm & Wildlife Park with the chance to get up close and personal with some rare breed farm animals as well as some more exotic wildlife.
You’ll find reindeer and silver foxes, with the chance to have a one-on-one encounter with some, including reptiles and the incredible tenrecs of Madagascar.
Away from the animals, you’ll find pedal go-karts, adventure playgrounds, and an indoor soft play area for those inevitable rainy days.
There are also more than 40 acres of green space to explore with designated nature trails, discovery walks, and a wildflower Meadow.
3. Discover Bucks Museum
Discover Bucks Museum’s “Summer of Fun”, which runs from 20 July to 3 September.
Open seven days a week throughout this period, you’ll find all the museum’s usual exhibits and its vast collection of artefacts detailing 200 million years of Buckinghamshire history.
There’ll also be special exhibits for kids, including a ‘May The Toys Be With You’ exhibition featuring Star Wars toys and film posters and plenty of fun to be had at the Roald Dahl Children’s Gallery.
A packed summer of activities also includes everything from space cookie decorating to Victorian toy making and even a young writers’ workshop.
4. Whipsnade Zoo
The whole family is sure to have a fun day out at Whipsnade, the UK’s largest zoo.
With thousands of animals from aardvarks and African dwarf crocodiles to Wallabies and Yaks, there are many days’ worth of paddocks, pens, dens, and ponds to explore. Plus, a vast new Monkey Forest experience to enjoy.
Visit different geographical regions as you venture around the 600-acre site, where you’ll also find indoor and outdoor play areas and the steam train of the Great Whipsnade Railway.
5. The Canal Museum
In the beautiful village of Stoke Bruerne, situated along the Grand Union Canal, you’ll find a historic Grade-II listed corn mill. Inside, are three floors of British canal history and wide views across our beautiful waterway heritage.
Find out what it was like to work on the canals during the golden age of British waterways, through exhibits, artefacts, and interactive displays.
Outside the museum, you’ll find waterside walks, the chance for some pond-dipping, and the chance to enjoy the wildlife that lives in and around the canal.
Also be sure to visit the museum’s very own narrowboat, Sculptor. Built in 1935, Sculptor saw action during the second world war as a fireboat, helping to put out fires on the war-torn streets of London.
6. Wicksteed Park
Wicksteed Park is another local attraction offering exciting summer adventures. Starting on 13 July, expect family fun, whatever the weather.
Situated in Kettering, and sprawling over 147 acres of parkland, you’ll find more than 25 rides and attractions alongside beautiful open spaces and pockets of serenity.
Access to the parkland is free while family wristbands will allow you unlimited access to rides and attractions.
7. Woburn Safari Park
Woburn Safari Park offers a fun-filled day of incredible animals, keeper talks and demonstrations, food and drink, and adventure.
Not for the fainthearted – or those with a new car – you might opt for the Road Safari. Taking 60-90 minutes, it provides a new experience every time. Kids of all ages will enjoy being close to some truly amazing animals, from the safety of the family vehicle.
Start at the Northern Plains to see North American bison and brindled wildebeest, before heading to the Savannah Grasslands, the Kingdom of the Carnivores (for Amur tigers, North American black bears, and African lions).
The next stop is Giraffe Junction before finishing at the African Forest to take your chances with the mischievous Barbary macaque monkeys.
There’s a walking safari too, where you can take in some of the park’s smaller animals before ending at the gift shop.
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