In light of this we’re going to motivate you out and up off the sofa; yes we’ve got just the thing to help you cherish the last rays of summer; a round up of the best sites to give you a multitude of ideas, inspiration and top notch information on great places to visit on that all important day out.
VISIT WOODS
visitwoods.org.uk
So what’s Visit Woods? We’ll give you a hint – it’s in the title. Want to venture out, but haven’t a clue where to start? This site will sort you out, with a great on-site search facility to find the closest woods to you. You can even tick the option “toilets on site” to make sure your needs are well catered for; perfect if you’re heading into the woods with kids or elderly members of family. The site also offers downloadable maps for walking, programmes for woodlands workouts, and a guide on how to best build dens.
VISIT ENGLAND’S BUDGET DAY OUT
www.visitengland.com
Visit England is the National Tourist Board’s official site for, er, visiting England. Their guide on how to have a budget day out is an incredibly helpful resource for those of us who don’t want to fret about overspending and just focus on enjoying ourselves. They offer a list of fun activities, and if you venture further on the site, there’s tons of quirky guides available. Short breaks and holiday ideas? Summer family fun? Explore rural England? Sign us up!
SCIENCE MUSEUM’S FAMILY DAY OUT-PLANNER
www.sciencemuseum.org.uk
Not only do we love the incredible Science Museum in London, we also love their web planner that makes a visit that much more relaxed; especially if you’re going with kids. Just select the age group you’re bringing, and the planner will tell you what on offer. Great when you’re taking, say, your younger cousins or your nieces and nephews and you find yourself clueless as to what suits them best. Just sit back and relax, the Science Museum will plan it all for you.
DAYS OUT GUIDE
www.daysoutguide.co.uk
As well as great guides, the Days Out Guide also has some really great offers on like 2 for 1 on a long list of attractions. All you have to do is print the relevant voucher and show it with your Oyster card when arriving at your venue of choice. The deal boasts a broad variety of attractions: for example visit Churchill War Rooms, go on the Harry Potter bus tour, visit Science Museum’s IMAX cinema, or tour Chelsea FC’s Stamford Bridge. There’s even some of the truly “classic” tourist attractions like London Dungeons, Madame Tussauds, and Royal Albert Hall available. Perfect if you’re going for a nice date out, or spending time with your best mate!
National Trust
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
No list of this nature would be complete without a nod to that bastion of British heritage that is the National Trust. Take the entire family for an illuminating day out in a variety of historic houses. Kids go free in August – yes you heard correctly! The site also offers information and links to a wide range of accommodation surrounding the National Trust Property of your choice. A site with all the angles covered.
THE GEORGIAN GROUP
www.georgiangroup.org.uk
This incredible charity is focused soley on the upkeep and protection of historic Georgian Houses across the country. If this is your area of interest then log onto the site and check out their upcoming rosta of events, including a Devon Overnight Country Visit. There’s a even a log of legal cases where the charity seek to protect Georgian properties in danger of demolition. An incredibly insightful domain.
DO FREE STUFF
www.dofreestuff.com
This incredibly useful domain is just what we're looking for now that our summer spending has taken its toll. This incredible compendium of 'free stuff' is just what will brighten your week, month or year in an economic downturn that (unfortunately) shows little sign of abating. There may be no such thing as a free lunch, but there's certainly a free visit to be had!
UK WILDLIFE PARKS
www.ukwildlifeparks.co.uk/daysout/
What a brilliant resource we stumbled across in the comprehensive guide that is UK Wildlife Parks. The site covers every single park across the UK, and offers videos about the animals, as well as titbits to help you plan your day out. If you're an animal lover or just feel the call of the jungle then look no further.
22 August 2012