This was a late in the season visit. Not all the attractions and vendor stands were open. It did not spoil the visit. The best attraction was the falconry quest. The birds were amazing and the handlers ensured that everyone was buzzed by a bird. The barn owls was majestic and graceful. The peregrine falcon was fast and precise. When looking up at the condor as it flew over was awesome. At the end of the show I couldn't tell you what the birds were, but the sky was full. It was amazing, worth the 3 hour drive for this. The horrible histories maze was fun and informative. There are peacocks everywhere. Other wildlife in abundance squirrel's, Robin's and ducks. There are plenty of seating and concession stands. There are plenty of staff who are helpful. Yes there are a lot of areas accessible for wheelchair users but it is hilly in places.

The knights lodge was big enough for 3 of us nicely dressed with a modern bathroom- breakfast was good too - I'd recommend as a short stay. Castle speaks for itself don't miss the dungeon tour - absolutely brilliant my son is 8 and loved it best £6 pp I think iv ever spent

Had a fantastic day with my dad. Birds of prey are fantastic! Really loved seeing them! Lots to see and do. Lot's of choice of food and drink. It's well worth the money. The car park has plenty of space. It's a good day out for the family or just going your own. The castle was really good! Something for everyone. 😁👍. Plenty of toliets. Clean.

Amazing! I enjoyed spending half a day visiting this stunning castle. It’s so big and beautiful, I could stay there the whole day. I love to go again.

Absolutely amazing visit to the castle for Halloween!! The special touches everywhere for Halloween were super fun. It was a great day out with the family with lots of performances, some Karaoke, plenty of food options and lovely views from the top of the towers. Definitely a must visit!!

My friend and I had a wonderful day at Warwick Castle. Such beautiful grounds and such an interesting place to visit. We loved the guides tours, so engaging and informative. The bird of prey show was absolutely outstanding.

A Truly Magical Day at Warwick Castle! From the moment we arrived, Warwick Castle completely exceeded our expectations. The grounds are beautifully maintained, and every corner feels steeped in history. The live shows were absolutely fantastic — the Falconer’s Quest was a standout, and the actors really bring the medieval atmosphere to life. The staff were friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about making the experience memorable. We especially loved how interactive the exhibits were — perfect for families and history enthusiasts alike. We left feeling like we’d stepped back in time for the day. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a fun, educational, and truly magical day out. We can’t wait to return!

We had a brilliant day out here. The house is really interesting and all the staff were very knowledgeable and super helpful. The gardens were lovely, as was the church. The cafe and restaurant were great and the shop and book shop were full of tempting goodies. Loved the whole day.

There is a LONG drive to the entrance. Be sure that your GPS takes you to the correct one. Calke Abbey is maintained a bit differently from other National Trust Properties. The Trust chose not to try to bring it back to its original glory, but rather, to leave it in the condition in which it was received, which includes wings of rooms in disrepair. Tour is self guided but volunteers are frequent to offer explanations or answer questions. One of the unique holdings is a state bed made for King George I in 1715. The bed linens were found by the Trust rolled up in the basement. Since they were in perfect condition, the bed is set up as it would have been and preserved behind glass. Another was the caricature room whose walls were covered with humor satirical pictures. I found it to be quite entertaining. The dining room featured some outstanding decor, simply presented. The main entertaining room was filled with glass cabinets loaded with taxidermy. Not my favorite but that is how the family had left it to the Trust. One particular wing has rooms that are in complete disrepair with the ceilings falling, wall paper peeling, and loads of broken furniture haphazardly tossed in the room. Not at all what one would expect while walking through a National Trust Site. Calke Abbey is perfect example of a country estate that was barely held together in the 20th century. Many similar country houses did not survive to tell their story. We are National Trust members (via Royal Oak), so I cannot attest to the cost of entry. Parking lot was within easy walk of the entrance. No reservations were needed.

Had a lovely dog walk around the beautiful grounds of Calke with friends, I can’t believe I’ve never done this before, being fairly local. The gardens were beautifully maintained and the gardener was happy to stop his work and have a chat. There were outhouses with interesting artefacts to see. We walked the tunnel, dogs weren’t quite sure about this, but we loved exploring. All of the staff were friendly and helpful. What a pleasant place to work at. Had a light lunch in the cafe, it was extremely busy, so there was a bit of a wait for the coffees, but by the time the drinks were served, the warm quiche was ready, so perfect timing. There were plenty of dog water bowls dotted around which was good, as it was a hot day. I will return to this national trust gem.

Superb property, that's been kept as the trust found it in its decline. The house has loads of interesting items in it and the room guides are very knowledgeable. The brewhouse tunnels were decorated for Halloween and were good fun. The church is also worth the walk. The usual cafe and giftshop on site.

I came here today with my partner for a couple of hours, sadly didn't take many photos. The restaurant is nice, the gift shop is cute. The house and the tunnel is great too. As a National Trust Member it is great that we get access to this place. Because it rained we didn't end up looking at the gardens/trails. I definitely recommend a National Trust Membership to come here to visit and other places around Derbyshire.

Fascinating " unstable home" Handed to the National TRUST in 1981 in a very run down state. Continues to be preserved as the family left it. Servants tunnels, ancient kitchens, cases of taxidermy, antiques and general decay. Amazing place. Wonderful gardens, great dog walking and lovely cafe. A full day out to explore.

Calke Abbey is a really interesting house to visit as most of it is in it's original state so you can appreciate it as it was. The volunteers are very knowledgeable about the history of the family. Outside there are grass areas and woodland to take a walk and there's a lovely walled garden and cafe area to visit.

Beautiful riverside in the sunshine. Brunvh menu , no greenn red or fungi to bother with. Beautifully cooked poached eggs wgich could have done with being reheated. Excellent hash brown. Gluten free a difficulty as limited meny and staff didnt know and the one we had resented having to find out. Cumberland sausage was advised as gf and tasred good. Fingers crossed it was. This is a beautiful setting but nowhere as good as the restaurant on the 3rd floir. Lets the brand down. The manager said she would adress issues, i hope she does.

We went on my birthday for a pre-theatre meal. The service was exceptional. I was made to feel very special. There was a full vegetarian menu. The food was delicious. After the meal I was given a special birthday cake plate. Thank you.

We had a lovely pre-theatre dinner at The Rooftop Restaurant at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, and it was the perfect start to our evening before Cyrano de Bergerac! 🎭 The food was beautifully presented and full of flavour — from the delicious tomato soup and smoked salmon starter to the perfectly cooked main and heavenly desserts 🍰✨ Everything felt fresh and well-balanced. The service was attentive and friendly, and the view over Stratford-upon-Avon made the experience even more special 🌆💫 Even though I was fighting off the flu and stuck with tea instead of wine 🍵😅, it was still a wonderful birthday evening. Highly recommend for anyone visiting the theatre or looking for a relaxing, elegant meal in a great atmosphere! 💖

Came here for pre-theatre dinner on a Friday evening. At £35 for a three course meal, this was excellent value for money. The menu had lots of options and the we both agreed that the food and service were excellent. The restaurant decor was cleverly done, with great views across the park and river. This place most definitely exceeded our expectations.

We often eat at the Rooftop restaurant and have enjoyed excellent food and service, everything served in time for us to go downstairs and enjoy the theatre experience. However, on Monday evening, in spite of the restaurant not being very busy, we had to wait quite a while for our drinks and then we were served with such a delay that we had to rush our main course in order to ensure we were not late for the performance. Disappointing.It seems staff are much more efficient when they are busy as they seem to focus better: my g&t was presented with almost completely melted ice cubes , it seemed it had been prepared much earlier and then had sat on the bar counter for some time.

Lovely evening pre theatre with excellent service. Huge wine and drinks list (almost too much!) and nice food options. We had the vegetarian options which were delicious and they catered for GF very well. Overall will return and recommend

Special mention for the lovely Louise who made my mother and I feel so very welcome. She was friendly, knowledgeable and really took the trouble to ensure we had everything we needed. She is a real credit to you. Give her a pay rise! The “small plates” are a great idea. A full meal would have been too much for us so soon after breakfast and before sitting through a show. The interesting and delicious selection of small dishes and sides was ideal.(The little cubes of black pudding hash were especially yummy). It was also a very pleasant surprise to be offered complimentary sparkling water. This trip to the theatre was my gift to my mother for her 95th birthday.I can’t think of anything she would have enjoyed more and it will be a very special memory for us in the years to come. Thank you!

With not a lot of time to spare, we ran through this wonderful landmark and got a wonderful experience. Shakespeare’s birthplace felt like a familiar home even though it was our first visit there. The volunteers were incredibly helpful and friendly, went above and beyond to help and support each visitor. The tickets that we bought only covered Shakespeares birthplace but there was an option to see Anne Hathaways home which due to time constraints, we couldn’t do. I also believe that the tickets also allow you to go back over a 12 month period as many times as you want to. All in all, a wonderful place to see, visit and enjoy.

Drop in short visit to Stratford upon Avon, Shakespeare Birthplace. If you start from The Shakespeare Centre then gradually work around from there. Adult price was £30 might be worth seeing if there's discount codes to see if you can pick up cheaper tickets, there are concessions available. I would advise you to pre book online. The price includes Shakespeares, Birthplace, Ann Hathaways cottage and Shakespeares new place. As you walk through Shakespeares Birthplace you come through a large gift shop that's well worth a good look around, my apologies to the ladies in the sop for taking a video, however there's no problem if you care to take a picture. As you walk towards your next stop you'll pass the statue of Shakespeare ideal photo opportunity, to the bottom of the street turn right and just before the Guild Chapel is Shakespeares New Place. Ann Hathaways cottage is further away so maybe hop back into the car and set the GPS to get you there. A very nice walk is to be had along the river and around the park. As we had limited time we will be returning when we have some nice weather and we will make a whole day of it.Theres plenty of gift shops , cafes and bars a a reasonable variety of shops and through the summer there's boat trips to be had. All in all a nice place to visit with plenty to do.

I was very pleased with my visit. I travelled there via the park and ride. I was happy for it to be open on a Monday and as it was not too busy it allowed me to walk around the exhibition in my own time. It was a very informative visit as it included clear and easy to read information as well as volunteers who were well-informed and attentive to visitor questions. I would recommend the visit.

A fascinating place for those who love Shakespeare’s work. If you’re not familiar with his life or literature, it may feel a bit slow or less engaging. Plan anywhere from 40 minutes to 2 hours depending on how deeply you want to explore the museum and the surrounding exhibits.

I really enjoyed our visit to Shakespeare’s birthplace. We bought the 3 site pass at the door and visited here first. We started by going through and exhibit with some background and information on Shakespeare and then outside and in the queue to enter the house. There was about a 10-15 min wait to get into the house itself as we were following a school group. Inside the house there were staff in multiple rooms who provided background to the spaces and information on Shakespeare life and the home. We found it very informative. Before or after entering the house you can walk through the beautiful garden right outside it. The exit is through the bookshop/giftshop.

Lovely experience. Had a live theatre with famous lines being enacted by wonderful actors. Saw Macbeth / Romeo Juliet. There were guides inside to tell us about Shakespeare’s early life with his family. Lovely garden and a very nice gift shop. Bought some lovely souvenirs from there. Weather was perfect. Good reminiscent of life of Shakespeare.

Very charming street with a lovely park. BUT … VERY touristic. If focused on learning about Shakespeare, then this is the place to be. If focused on the Cotswolds and charming villages, then you may wish to skip Stratford Upon Avon and venture to smaller villages that offer a more peaceful experience.

This is a picturesque and historic attraction nestled in the Cotswolds. Built in the late 18th century, this iconic folly sits atop one of the highest points in the region, offering breathtaking views that stretch across multiple counties on a clear day. We arrived after closing time after 5pm. So, we parked just on the side road close to the entrance without needing to pay. I would say :narrow road nearer to the tower to drive. Didn't go in the tower but the views are worth the hike. Great shop and cafe. There is a pay park at the top during opening time. Not recommended for disabled access as there's a moderately steep hill & a good 10-15 minute walk. Lovely views over the countryside when you get there though & the Tower is majestic when you come to it. As it's quite small, you do have to wait for others to come so we didn't go inside on our visit. It's £5 to park, £14 per adult to go up the tower and £12 for the nuclear bunker experience. Views from the hill outside the tower however are free and spectacular, Visitors can explore its small but informative museum, enjoy peaceful walks through the surrounding country park, and even tour a Cold War-era bunker nearby.

First time visiting Broadway Tower and its park. You can visit the park for free and see the deers and the beautiful view overlooking the countryside. It’s nice if you like to have a long and quiet walk. I personally haven’t walked around much as if was raining but I visited the inside. The tower is quite small with only three rooms to see and a rooftop. You always have an audio guide with some audios and videos to see. Here you can learn about the history of the tower and also some immersive stories. It is very interesting. The tower is beautiful inside and out. During Christmas it’s decorated so even more magical. The view from the rooftop is also amazing. I spent around 45 minutes inside but I listened to the audioguide. If you don’t, you can visit the tower for 20 minutes or less. So I recommend only if you’re interested in history and want to take your time. However I think the ticket is a bit expensive for the size of the tower. At least you contribute to the maintenance so it’s a good thing but the ticket could be a bit less expensive.

Wow simply an awesome little find on our travels in the Cotswold. We Drove straight past it and saw a busy carpark, and as we drove around the corner saw the gorgeous view's and the glorious Tower. So we did a U-Turn and drove back to the carpark, which from our days experience was really cheap £3. We had totally no Idea what we stumbled across , so parked up and went for a stomp around to see what it was all about. We spent a magical couple hours walking, looking around the tower and around the Nuclear Bunker. We only walked the outside, and didn't go inside, but what an amazing gorgeous walk with a couple of distance options for young , old and the enthusiastic. When you decide you have seen enough and had enough fresh air, the Cafe Bar, is a real mix of Joe blogs general public just wanting a coffee and snack or indulge if fine wine and fine food . It's a real mix lovelyness inside. This place is simply a must stop off point on your journey. It was

An impressive landmark with great views but massively overpriced. We paid £3 to park and a further £4 each to access the “grounds” as we couldn’t justify an extra £10 each to go inside the tower. The grounds themselves were nothing special with no clear signposting or information boards, so even that felt like £8 wasted. There are also two car parks, two cafes and a clothes shop for some reason. I’d advise trying to park close to the entrance, where parking appeared to be free, and taking in the views from there. Walking to the tower is also a good option if time and mobility/fitness allows.

Amazing experience! We booked tickets in advance and got to the tower early, before opening, to walk around and enjoy the view. Our tickets also included touring the WW II bunker located on the property nearby.

Lovely walk up to the tower. Lovely view of the countryside. Deer park with a stag and lots of does. Plenty of benches on the way up. But I didn't go into the tower as £14 entry!

The Tower is a beautiful landmark, nearby there is a nice café with a second one just further down in construction nearly finished. On a nice day You can enjoy the panorama and is perfect for a nice walk. Near the tower there are some red deers. The 14£ to go on top of the tower a bit overpriced to my opinion, considering the £5 for parking. Also the Nuclear bunker is interesting but I am not sure if there is an extra charge for that one as well.

Great day out for my daughters 10th birthday. Bonus as May was buy one get one free so really good value! As the girls were 10 I didn't have to go in the pool or on the snow play sliding with them (extra bonus 😂) but easy to watch and manage. Snow play staff were lovely. Life guards a bit moody to be honest.

I recently visited Tamworth Snowdome and have mixed feelings based on two very different lesson experiences. If, like me, you’re someone who learns best through clear instruction and explanation (and not just being told to “give it another go”), I really recommend thinking carefully about which lessons you book. My first session was a 9am Saturday Fast Track lesson, and honestly, it wasn’t great. There was very little actual teaching - we were mostly just sent down the slope repeatedly with minimal feedback. We were merged with another group and had to do more standing around and waiting rather than actual skiing. I was the slowest in the group and unfortunately the instructor didn’t handle that very kindly. When I asked genuine questions - like how to walk at the top of the slope without slipping - she (Rhea) just smiled and didn’t give an answer. It felt dismissive and unhelpful. I was also moved into a line with a longer wait time because I was struggling, which made me feel singled out. I do want to highlight Max, who was assisting that day - I learned more from his quick tips than from the main instructor. But overall, I left that lesson frustrated, embarrassed, and feeling like I’d wasted my money. That said, my Level 2 lesson the same afternoon was the complete opposite experience. Adam and Joe were brilliant - patient, clear, happy instead of grumpy, and genuinely helpful. They told me exactly what I was doing wrong and how to correct it. Within three more runs I was skiing with control, and by the end I was confidently linking turns. They turned a discouraging morning into a huge win, where my partner noted I was smiling constantly and more relaxed. I honestly can’t thank them enough. My advice: If you’re someone who needs proper explanation rather than just trial-and-error mixed with standing around, book Level 1, 2, and 3 separately instead of Fast Track. You’ll get more focused teaching and less pressure to keep up with the quickest learners. Also, go with an instructor who actually instructs. I also found (in my personal experience) that the male instructors were warmer and more helpful than the female instructors - as there was a older lady instructing a group we were later merged with, who wasn’t very warm, but that may vary and isn’t meant as a blanket statement. In the end, I’d still recommend Tamworth Snowdome - just be mindful of which lesson format you choose. With the right instructor, it’s absolutely worth it.

What a fantastic day. All 3 of my boys went to Clip and Clmb and had their first lessons snowboarding. Every member of staff were so polite and professional. The food in Aspen was great and pizzas delivered on a mini snowboard was great. A big shout out to Imogen and Ethan the boys instructors who were amazing from start to finish, their smiles and constant tips to push them on had them from wobbly newbies to being independent and in control. Thanks for such a memorable day!

We bought a group of 6 kids to SnowDome for a snowboard lesson! Special thanks to Coach Leo who was absolutely amazing and made the session so much fun for them . We did ski with lift pass the next day and the staffs there were all really lovely and helpful. Great experience all round! We will definitely book again.

I recently completed the beginners’ Ski course and it was absolutely fantastic! I can’t praise my instructor, Ben P, highly enough. He was incredibly attentive and patient with everyone in the group, giving each of us the confidence we needed to get out on the slopes. Ben spent plenty of one-on-one time with those who needed extra help and made everyone feel completely at ease. If all the instructors are anything like Ben, I’m certain anyone who joins this course will have an amazing experience and make great progress. Highly recommended!

I attended a Fast Track 1 lesson, but the group was far too large and the instructor was quite abrupt. Several children became upset during the session. With so many participants, there wasn’t enough time for proper attention to each learner, so class sizes should definitely be smaller. It also didn’t feel like a safe or suitable environment for beginners, as there is no dedicated training area. While waiting on the slope for my turn, I was knocked over by a free-skiing skier, and snowboarders from the top slope were repeatedly coming through the group as well. There is only one entrance and exit, meaning everyone — beginners included — is funnelled into the same crowded space. If I were a more confident skier coming from the top, I’d be concerned about finding a safe gap to get through with such large groups blocking the run. Given the venue’s limited space, they really need better crowd control — smaller groups and/or set training hours would make a huge difference. Clearly this isn’t a priority though, as it seems the focus is on maximising money rather than safety or learning experience. To highlight that point: the pass was £120 per person. So with around 10 in the group, that’s roughly £1,200 for a 3-hour session — yet the experience felt overcrowded and poorly managed. Finally, the instructor we had should reconsider their approach. Shouting at people that they are “not doing it right” only creates a stressful environment and doesn’t help anyone improve.

I recently took my first group ski lessons for beginners at Snowdome Tamworth, where three instructors were looking after our group. During the session, one of the instructors — Adam K. — really stood out. His passion, friendly attitude, and clear guidance helped me take my very first steps on the slope with confidence. I felt truly supported throughout the lesson. Because of this great experience, I decided to book a few private lessons with Adam K. as well. I never thought someone as clumsy as me could actually learn to ski, but thanks to his patience and excellent teaching, I did! I highly recommend Adam K. for ski lessons — he is an outstanding instructor!

This was my 7 yr old daughters first visit to a proper theme park she absolutely loved it. I am not so keen on rollercoasters as I have gotten a bit older, however the roller coasters here, although fast at twisty, did not feel like they were trying to fling you out of the atmosphere. Very enjoyable rides, and my daughter is already itching to go back, and also eager to try something bigger and faster. The whole family enjoyed the small zoo which is there also. The Red Panda, Gibbons and Meerkats were the favourites.

Our family had the most wonderful stay-and-play experience at Drayton Manor Resort, and I can’t recommend it highly enough! My wife, our 5-year-old son, and I visited recently during their Halloween special, and it was a magical experience from start to finish. Everything — from the themed décor to the warm hospitality — made it one of the best family getaways we’ve ever had. The highlight of our trip was, without a doubt, the Thomas Land theme park. Our little boy is a huge Thomas the Tank Engine fan, and seeing his face light up when we entered was priceless. He absolutely loved riding on the Thomas-themed trains, meeting his favourite characters, and exploring all the fun rides designed especially for younger children. The park was beautifully decorated for Halloween with pumpkins, friendly ghosts, and cheerful seasonal music, creating a festive yet family-friendly atmosphere. Every corner had something new to discover, and it was clear that a lot of thought had gone into making the experience enjoyable for both kids and parents. We also stayed overnight in one of the Thomas & Friends-themed rooms, and it was simply amazing. The attention to detail was outstanding — from the Thomas bedding and wall art to the little touches that made our son feel like he was sleeping in Sodor itself. He was so thrilled that he didn’t want to go to bed, and the next morning, he didn’t want to leave! In fact, he kept asking if we could stay “just one more night” so he could go back to Thomas Land again. The staff throughout the resort were friendly, helpful, and always smiling, which made the experience even better. The food options were great, and everything was clean, well-organized, and family-oriented. Overall, Drayton Manor Resort is a dream destination for families, especially those with young children. We created some truly special memories and can’t wait to visit again — maybe next time for Christmas or summer!

Wow, what a season, and it’s not over yet! Well done Drayton Manor for the friendliest welcome, be it customer services, ride staff, and catering staff. New entertainment, more atmosphere, and an incredible Halloween theming, and the light and firework show last night 😱. We have had a brilliant year and look forward to Christmas! Keep doing what you do - great value great family entertainment 🙏

We had a wonderful day at Drayton Manor! The rides were fantastic, and we were pleasantly surprised by how many of the thrill rides our children were able to go on. The Halloween entertainment was excellent — our children especially loved the trick-or-treating experience. There was great entertainment and a fun atmosphere all around the park, with lively music adding to the Halloween spirit. The park itself was really quiet, so we were able to walk straight onto most rides, which was a huge bonus. All the staff were super friendly and really embraced the Halloween theme, which made the day even more enjoyable. We had lunch at Safari Pizza, and the family deal was great value for money. Later, we treated ourselves to Halloween milkshakes and a Halloween waffle while watching the water show — both were delicious and again, very reasonably priced. The water show was a lovely extra touch that we all really enjoyed. The zoo was another nice addition to the day, and it was lovely to see how well cared-for the animals looked. A few rides, like the rapids and the pirate ship, were closed, but honestly, we wouldn’t have had time to fit them in anyway — there was so much else to do! It’s a shame we don’t live closer, as we would definitely buy an annual pass. However, we’re already planning to return soon for the Christmas celebrations 😀 thanks !

Loved the Halloween theme. The park was not very busy. We had fast passes but didn’t have to use them. It’s great that they allow you to use the fast passes at a later date.

Drayton Manor is perfect for children up to about 13, or for teens who prefer medium size coasters. My pre teen enjoyed all the rides, it was the perfect fear level for her. There are 5 big rides, plenty of medium size rides and loadsss of little rides for toddlers. The theme was Halloween and the whole place was decorated lovely! We didn't get chance to visit the zoo, but we will definitely be back to do it all over again and make sure we save time for the zoo.

I did the stay and play offer for myself and my son. We had a free room upgrade when we arrived which was lovely. Included in our stay were two days entry to the park, fast track passes for rides, free parking and breakfast. Friendly helpful staff, clean and comfortable rooms. The park itself was tidy. Wait times for some rides were long, especially The Wave! Took ages for them to load the trains , giving half the train to fast track and half to regular waiting customers, just felt wrong considering how long we were waiting. Great for younger children with the Thomas land. My son is 17 and we still had an amazing time.

There is a helpful little tip for visiting - in the corner of the gift shop there is a lift back up to the toilets. These are back at the beginning of exhibition so you can head round again to pick up any bits you missed! It is a great half day out with the kids. The centre feels like it could do with some updating and refresh on some of the side activities but the exhibits are all great, and the feeding / talk times flow quite well through your visit. The staff are all super friendly and helpful, our daughters especially loved the roaming pirate!

It was am awesome experience! I'll be honest when I first went in, I thought it was quite small, however it is extended at the back so it was indeed quite spacious. Easily took us 2-3 hours to explore the entire place at a slow pace with a 5 month old. The penguins were adorable at the start, the amount of fish in each aquarium space was quite adequate. I did wish we could see the otters though, only managed to catch s tiny glimpse in the room at the far back. The area with the jellyfish was so mesmerising. There were different photography stations located at multiple areas. You could take photos at each station, and at the end you could choose which pictures you'd like to buy and what package. Overall there was a lot of cleanliness, tanks were clean, the walkways were clean too. We ended up going at a busy weekend, but still could easily manage to get around with a baby pram. There was however a pram parking area, if you will, to store the prams if you'd rather do that. Definitely worth a trip.

Visited on a Saturday with pre-booked tickets and went straight in. It was as busy as you would expect on a weekend. Theres a route to follow and as long as you are patient in certain places you can see everything (unless creatures are hiding) There are some additional options like photos taken and a VR experience included in the admission charge. There is quite a bit to see and different areas. There are toilets at the start and halfway through, there is a shop at the end but no cafe. It takes around 60-90 mins to go round but we didnt do any photos or VR. It does look a bit tired and dated in places and the enclosures look a bit on the smaller side especially for the Penquins and Sea Otters. We used Tescos Clubcard vouchers to pay but our tickets would have been £55.00 which is steep for what you get but, if you used all the things offered it might seem better value for money

National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham: A Submerged City Escape ​The National SEA LIFE Centre in Birmingham offers an engaging and surprisingly intimate exploration of the underwater world, making it a perfect family outing in the city centre. While its footprint is smaller than some coastal aquariums, it packs a real punch, particularly with its signature attraction: the UK's only 360-degree Ocean Tunnel. ​Walking through this clear acrylic tunnel is genuinely jaw-dropping, providing an immersive experience as sharks, rays, and the beloved giant green sea turtle, Molokai, glide directly overhead and beneath your feet. This highlight alone justifies the visit, offering incredible photographic moments and a true sense of being submerged. ​Beyond the ocean tunnel, key exhibits include the playful Gentoo penguins in their icy habitat and the charming sea otters, Ozzy and Ola, who reside in the Mammal Rescue Facility. Interactive elements like the rock pool, where visitors can gently touch a starfish, keep younger guests highly engaged. Other sections, like the jellyfish displays and the Clownfish Kingdom, are vibrant and well-presented. ​While tickets can be pricey, seeking out available discounts or utilizing combination passes with nearby attractions like LEGOLAND Discovery Centre offers better value. Allow about 90 minutes to two hours for a comfortable tour. Despite sometimes being busy, the SEA LIFE Centre remains a truly "splash hit" and a memorable journey into marine conservation and discovery.

We had a fantastic afternoon here with my daughter and grandson! It’s such a wonderful place, and we especially loved watching the feeding the sea otters, Ozzy and Ola. The gentleman narrating was so friendly and knowledgeable, answering all our questions with enthusiasm. He’s a real asset to the centre and made our visit extra special — we only wish we’d caught his name!

It's OK for young children, not a long experience for the price so would definitely plan other activities around this if you are travelling into Birmingham. Staff are very friendly and knowledgeable and the venue is clean and tidy. The immediate area, Brindley Place, is clean and well presented and has parking nearby.

Awesome experience,amazing staff!! They have designated talk and feed times for penguins and otters, so you could enjoy that. Staff was very friendly and helpful. Specially enjoyed the penguins. Would have given a 5 or even more if otters were close instead of on screen. However I understand and appreciate that they need to adapt first to this environment before exposing them to public. Overall, it was a very fun experience and Happy Weekend instead!!

Lovely experience. It was a wonderful time, spent around 2 hrs. The best part was the 4D movie which was just wow. And then the avenue was the good experince. If could show more about how chocolates are made nowadays then it would be more interesting. I have seen cadbury making process in a different country and that was more into the process making, so thats what a gap was I feel... rest everything was an amazing experience. It was my best birthday present.

Its not a very big place, but informative and there were things to do. We also got a taster cup of chocolate, it was nice. Saw a demo about how the chocolate was made. Unfortunately when we went the rides were not working and my child was so disappointed! The ticket was not cheap, so all the rides should work properly!

Terrible place to visit, definitely not worth £52 for 1 hour and 20 mins after traveling for over 2 and a half hours. Press and play features not working, other functions not working. Interactive machines not working and one that was working went into error mode when we tried to use it. Nothing for adults and it is more themed for children under the age of 8. The 4D attraction was not good at all unless your of a toddler age, motion seats just move a little and vibrate and the other motion seats in the other video tour slightly move from left to right and was over in 5 minutes. Staff at each station do not explain what to do and what you can do at the chocolate making feature which you don't actually make any chocolate or decorate anything, instead they just say the initial hello and tell you to start and then talk amongst each other in front of you about their personal life's. Booking online isn't any quicker as they have a zigzag queue line for any prepaid visitors. The price of a ticket for an adult ticket is the same price for a child under 15 and the whole experience is far from value for money, it is not something you want to plan as a day out. There is lots of places marked on the map as no visitor access also, and when it came to an abrupt finish ending up in the gift shop to spend more money, we where not told if there was anything else to go to or see and nobody creating us at the door or giving us wishes on our way. Parking is free and about good thing as the whole place appears run down, washed out and offers little to do for the whole family. It is more like walking around a mirco museum with a family playground and cafe.

Loved it, was a lot of fun, even as an oldie. Would loved to have seen more of the factory and some more of the history of cadburys. Also has a lovely afternoon tea while we were there. Please take your time to look and use all the activities or you will be out in less than 2 hrs but saying that I think the entry fee is reasonable.

I visited Cadbury world in Birmingham on a weekday as I predicted this to be a little quieter than a weekend which it was. I managed to get a few snaps of the factory as you take a trip an a good history lesson of the beginnings all the way to present day. I like the tour and I think it’s pretty cool, especially seeing the chocolate makers on the ground floor making the chocolate fresh and shaping these for souvenirs to buy or for special events coming up. The gift shop is also pretty cool and worth a visit, having some cool novelties you can buy and take home with you. HOWEVER, for being a chocolate tour, the ride was not working when I was there, which was disappointing. Also, you only get 2 free bars of chocolate included in your tour visit, which is a little ridiculous considering that you pay a decent price to go.

A place that offers information, fun filled activities and entertainment. Booking tickets in advance is must. It will save you a trip and money. Arrive by about your time of entry, they let people queue and enter in batches. The tour begins with a historic display of cocoa production and evolution of chocolate while it travelled across the world. Then the first chocolate shop and birth of Cadbury, some stories of the family and how they ventured into this business. Followed by the making of chocolate, staffs demonstrating the process and later you get to do it by yourself. Inside they also sell some crazy structures of chocolate. Then you get entertained by 4D movie, dwelling into the world of characters Cadbury has introduced. Followed by a nice exhibit narrating the story of Bournville village and a fun filled ride where you collect the ingredients (virtually) to make your own chocolate. If you may have forgotten to collect something, don't worry you can buy them from their store that has EVERYTHING CHOCOLATE!!! A one of its kind place to engage all age groups. You get some free chocolates on entry and can buy more at exit. There is a cafe inside this building. Parking available. Cloak room is only for large luggage bags. Enough numbers of toilets available in intervals throughout the tour.

It's not just about chocolate (although that's rather a key theme …) but also about how the workers were treated. Very well. A quite interesting self-paced tour. Three free (well, included in the admission price) bars of chocolate for each guest, plus a sample towards the end of the tour. Then there's the museum to see, too. Oh, and the shop, just in case you haven't already got enough chocolate.

I enjoy all the fun slides. The changing room is clean. You get a cheaper price when you book in advance. The downside is a lack of signage of where the water park car park is located and one of the claw machines is faulty.

A really nice and atmospheric water park, with plenty of theming. The water was warm and clean. The staff were polite, even though it was busy, they still had time for everyone. The only problem was the amount of time we spent quing to get an inflatable for the slides. It was also a cramped waiting area for the inflatables. But apart from that, we had a really nice day out.

We enjoyed it. Fun place to take the kids and we will comeback. The toilets however were dirty I attribute too it being very busy. Also it took a while to find a parking spot at least 20 minutes so I suggest arriving at least half an hour before your booking.

Was quite anxious as my 7 and 10 yo went off in different direction. Staff friendly and had the use of AI life guarding, continually scanning swimmers and those in trouble. Rides where great, queues manageable, pools warm , food was a bit pricey. Parking free.

Never been here before so took the grand children who had a wil of a time. Recommend fast track if you can afford it as there are long waits og up to 2hrs on some rides.

Pretty average water park. Firstly, there is only one big slide (master blaster) which I waited about 70 mins for. There are also lots of reliability issues with the slide and almost every time I get in the queue for this slide it end up stopping for 10 mins. The changing rooms and even parts of the water park smelt terribly of urine and a lot of the changing rooms are dirty. Also the lockers require 20p so keep that in mind. There are also some flumes outside which have a short queue for each one but are really fun. I also enjoyed the smaller ring slide which I only waited 5 mins for. It seems everyone just goes to the master blaster leaving the rest of slides with barely any queue. The water park is quite crowded and areas like the lazy river and pool get really busy. If you really like water parks then I suppose it’s worth a visit but if you aren’t that bothered then I’d give it a miss.

It all started with Doug in reception who was polite, helpful and welcoming and it just got better after that. The 20 Pence man was fabulous and then all the staff poolside were great. The pool was warm, exciting and really fun. My 6 year old loved it. We will definitely be coming back. Well done Alton Towers.

I'll start with the car park. It's decent size and well maintained. I completely do not agree with flat rate you have to pay on top of the entry tickets. Regardless if you are there for just couple of hours, half a day or full day, still have to fork out another £12. Park itself is spread out across vast space. There's lots and lots of walking. Rides are decent. Other attractions are good as well. For us it worked out quite expensive as we've come with a child under 2 years old mainly to visit CeBeebies Land. I've managed to pop on some rides when he had a power nap. Overall we've enjoyed our time in there and definitely rate it higher than any other UK theme park. Problem is, once you've been to Universal Orlando and other Florida parks you gonna find all rides in any UK park not as thrilling and stunning as what they have in there. We've found all staff to be friendly, helpful and polite. Cleanliness throughout the park was decent including rest rooms. We've even found a nice kebab takeaway on site which was a plus.

We’ve been to Alton Towers three times now, and it never disappoints! Whether you’re a family, a couple, or a solo rollercoaster thrill seeker, there’s something here for everyone. With a little help from Cadbury’s (who will you take vouchers — are a huge help! As it can be a little pricey) we were able to enjoy another amazing trip. The whole park is lovely and clean, and all the staff we met were really friendly and helpful. If you’re planning a visit, just be aware that during peak times the queues can get quite long for the rides. We went out of peak this time, and it was incredibly quiet — barely any waiting at all, which made the day even better! Just a heads up also food in the park is very pricey if you don't want to take food with you, but as a one off it's ok. like us going three times we learnt to take sandwiches and snacks and bought a coca cola refillable drinks beaker we take everytime. We noticed families taking the travel trucks with their bits and bobs into carry around for the day of there is a large amount of you who which is a brilliant family hack. Some of the food wasn't that spectacular and very cheaply made as you would get in most big theme parks but some little hidden gems in the park were lovely like the coach house confectionary in gloomy woods serving up there social media viral black ice creams and sweet foods. Overall, Alton Towers is an amazing day out full of excitement, laughs, and memories. Can’t wait to go back again!

We had an amazing day in Alton towers. We went on a Scare fest event, it was brilliant. I really recommend to download the app to see the waiting times in queue as well as if it’s closed or having a weather delay. It’s good to see every ride update so you don’t make any unnecessary walk. To be honest even the 45mins ques were quick. Staff were very friendly and helpful, food is nice but pricey. Bring comfy shoes and snacks!!! We went for opening which allowed us to go on every main ride. The scare mazes were fantastic, the themes the actors were spot on!!🖤🧡 Both day and night time all the resort looks very stunning with the rides lighted up and the Alton Castle! 🏰 all the park is very looked after. Definitely coming back next year!

Great visit everytime. The food stalls are expensive but if you can take some food to save yourself some money. Definitely recommend visiting during scarefest even if you dont do any of the scare mazes. Staff are brilliant they keeps things moving quickly so the ride times stay as low as possible and the park stay open 9pm meaning you can get to go on the rides in the dark. Which is well worth it!

Honestly hands down best theme park in the UK. The theming is immense and absolutely mind-blowing. Has the best rollercoasters in the UK and the best inverted coaster in Europe. The food is amazing Sand is worth it, especially the loaded fries on Tower Street. The Smiler is one of the most intense rides out there and is definitely a coaster worth going on, even if you are far away from the park it is definitely worth a visit. Loads of kids areas to adventure but some big areas for the thrill seekers. My favourite coasters in order: 1. Nemesis Reborn (Got on it 2 times in 1 day and got front row) 2. Smiler (Can be rough sometimes but is so thrilling) 3. Galactica (Really underrated and immense fun) 4. Wickerman (Best wooden coaster in the UK bc of Megafobia) 5. Oblivion (Short and boring after the drop) 6. Rita (The launch into the turn is amazing and forceful) 7. THI3TEEN (The droptrack's airtime is absolutely stunning) 8. Spinball Whizzer (Quite painful and colours don't suit Alton) Haven't been on: Octonauts Rollercoaster Adventure, Runaway Minetrain. Honourable mentions: Toxicator (Best flat ride in the UK coming in close with Samurai. Sharkbait reef (I love fish and this was cool for a Theme Park) Hex (I love the story and the ride is quite unique) Congo River Rapids (Great family ride) So overall the price is worth paying and the food is worth eating. You should go to Alton Towers if you are wanting thrill and you can also go if you need a family day out with the kids. (Scarefest at Alton Towers is the best Halloween event at a major theme park throughout the whole of the UK and the vibe of the park already fits a Halloween vibe)

Look I totally get that there may have been issues with staffing as it was the last day of scare fest, but we still paid the same amount then any other days. Ultimately I have seen a huge difference in the service from staff at the resort, I’m not talking about the ones on rides or at the guest services, the main issue is the food and restaurants staff and the facilities. Shocking difference, the attitude on some of the staff and the serious lack of any customer service. It was like they have just grabbed a load of teenagers out of school and plonked them down, in all the restaurants and food stalls. 1. Total mess around the food stalls including hotdog stand. 2. Unlit areas when they have organise for night rides and attractions there were broken lights everywhere and massive dark spots across the park, including near the food stalls as. 3. Toilets, this shocked me as I had never experienced issues with unclean toilets at AT before. Really smelly and no cleaning staff in sight. Almost every toilet in the resort had an issue . 4. Lots of areas of the park were closed as they were setting up for bonfires night, it was almost like an excuse for staff to behave like the resort was half closed. 5. Monorail stunk of alcohol, first thing in the morning and generally needs to be cleaned up it’s old worn and looks uncared for. 6. Staff at the video stalls after a ride has some serious attitude problems, not all of them, but sone would just stare at you, not saying anything, and then mumble and give annoyed looks. The attractions/rides, as always were great. And the actors of the scare mazes were brilliant. but what makes Merlin entertainment brilliant is the whole magic of the resorts and the magic was definite missing and most of the staff just didn’t care, this could be because of the way they’ve been treated who knows but I was very disappointed, it’s lost its magic for me.

Absolutely amazing place! Definitely recommended for all the family If you're an older family I would recommend two days - would also recommend looking at the Waterpark as it is fantastic for all the family Only negative that you would expect, the food, drinks and merchandise is expensive so make sure you save up if you intend on eating and drinking on park

Almost 5 stars but this was our first visit & entering the carpark we had no idea or signs to say which way to the entrance or instructions to pay for the carpark. It wasn't very busy today but we thoroughly enjoyed our time spending over 4 hrs. The staff were delightful & oh so helpful. Fish & Chips were utterly delicious, best I've had in a long long time. The houses & shops were wonderful, bringing back so many memories. All in all a truly wonderful day, thank you.

Such an amazing experience. The museum and what it offers is phenomenal and the staff and volunteers are so engaging. The way they have set this up is exemplary and we learned so much from the people there and the exhibits. The forging and Army and Navy store were two of our favourites as well as the canal and chain shop area. A must see if you are here, a short train ride from Birmingham New Street to Tipton and it's about a 15 minute walk to the museum. Excellent day.

Well worth a visit. Great family day out. We have two boys 7 and 11. They engaged really well. The fun fair cost more but parents of little ones went on free and they were great. Staff were super 👌. The fish and chips were amazing much better than we get these days and cheaper. The demonstrations were informative and entertaining. Definitely go down the mine but watch your head! The gift shop was reasonably priced.

Really enjoyed it and here. Took my 8 year old. Lovely to walk around and really takes you back. Even I remember houses like these when I was alot younger. The boat rides do have an additional cost. There is alot to see and do. Although they do have some eateries we didn't bother. I think I'd have preferred a packed lunch regardless. Definitely recommend a visit here!

Open air museum, this is more like a small, Industrial Revolution, town with plenty to see and do. Very good parking facilities with plenty of disabled space as well as spaces for families, especially those with younger children giving easy access to site. A quick 2 minute walk from the car park to the main entrance where you are greeted into a large atrium in a modern building with a comprehensive gift shop to the right on entry. To the left there is an eatery serving up hot and cold food, and the usual coffees/teas and soft drinks etc. Exiting the main entrance the is a world of history in front of you starting with a tour of the mines. Sadly even early In the morning 10:30 (30 mins after opening) there was a long queue however this was accessible during the day. Old buildings galore, presented in various period decor all accessible to view both upstairs and down as well as black smiths, foundries, smelting, brick production, the list goes on. Heritage building with cars and bikes for viewing. The museum also runs a bus service with busses from 1940’s. They operate an early funfair with several period rides including ghost train, carousel and penny slot machines, well worth a ride. To the rear of the museum there is a modern building dedicated to the canal trust and preservation with the ability to take passenger on a boat ride through the caves where they mined line stone. Several found outlets in the various building, accessible toilet throughout the site, actors on site who interact with the public. All in all a fantastic day out FYI, I travelled from Essex the morning of the visit. Worth every penny.

What an amazing day we had at the Black Country living museum. We got there about 10am and stayed about 5 hours . So much to see and do. The staff was very friendly and helpful and willing to answer any questions. The fish and chips was amazing . Had one or a few beers in various locations. Then we went back for peaky blinders night . What a great time that was. Music and attractions all over the museum. Can’t wait to go back for a 40s or 60s night next year.

Absolutely incredible experience, we do come quite often due to being in the midlands but the new updates are fantastic and there is so so much to do. I actually don’t think the museum is open long enough to do everything they now have on offer. Not to worry you are able to return as many times as you like within a year with those tickets! Incredible! Such a good time had by all!

Beautiful cathedral to visit, quite breathtaking in parts. Free entry (suggested donation £7). Lots to see and a lovely comfy cafe also. Outside is a bit scruffy but not helped by the dry weather I suspect. You can climb the tower but only on guided tours. Really enjoyed my visit there.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Absolutely stunning! The setting by the River Severn is beautiful, and the cathedral’s architecture is breathtaking. Even just walking around the grounds feels peaceful and full of history. A real gem in Worcester!

Not often you get to enjoy a cathedral for free, but here we are. Worcester is a delight, a mid-sized cathedral with a beautiful run inside, and great acoustics. Went in there and found an orchestra in the middle of rehearsals for Carmina Burana. It sounded amazing. Bought tickets for the performance, and I was reminded why we only ever hear the famous track. It was a long hour on wooden pews after that. but the cathedral is gorgeous, set overlooking the River Severn which is frequented by a lot of mute swans. Very curious to see King John’s tomb - I’m not sure if it’s acceptable to throw rotten fruit at a tomb, but I’m sure they’d help their restorations if they offered it as a pay-per-throw service 😉 Definitely worth a visit if you’re in Worcester, or nearby, combine with a long walk on the riverbanks for maximum enjoyment.

The nave is very beautiful with spectacular stained glass and vaulted ceiling. See the tombs of King John and Prince Arthur. We liked St George's Chapel dedicated to the Worcestershire Regiment. As a non religious person it was still interesting and there is a peaceful atmosphere.

Great place to see. Another incredible Cathedral. The tomb of King John is here along with Arthur eldest son of Henry vii. Fantastic stained glass windows.

Visiting the cathedral was a memorable and peaceful experience. The moment I walked inside, I felt a sense of calm and respect. The tall arches, stained glass windows, and detailed carvings showed how much skill and effort went into building such a place. The light shining through the coloured glass created a warm and calm atmosphere, making it easy to reflect and think quietly.

Fabulous Cathedral. A "must visit" on your tour. Free but donations welcomed to keep the building in good shape.

Shugborough Hall is a place well worth a visit. It is a National Trust site located in a large estate in rural Staffordshire. There is plenty to see and do for Adults and children alike. On a nice day there are some very pleasant walks that you can do, as well as visit the house. There is a gift shop, toilets and tea room/restaurant close by. The Hall and all of its history is quite fascinating. As I like my photography I loved seeing some of Lord Lichfield's cameras and equipment, as well as the many photographs mounted on the walls. Some are of famous faces that you will recognise, and some of the Royal Family over various years. There are also events put on throughout the year. I have visited twice in December to see the spectacular display of Christmas Trees. They differ every year, and sometimes follow a theme. They also put on a light show display in December. I haven't seen this yet, but do plan on it this year. I have heard it is very impressive.

Wonderful national trust free entry day. Blessed with fine sunshine. Greeted by 2 very helpful members who explained the map. Added onto planned guided visit to new garden at 2pm. This proved really good with the gardener being very interesting. Volunteers in house brilliant, informative and friendly despite impromptu fire alarm, they were unflappable. Beautiful grounds, gardens and all with our rescue dog Maddie. (She stayed in the car whilst we went inside house). Just had such a lovely relaxing day. Thank you 😊

Lovely day out at Shugborough - the staff are 10/10 and gave brilliant service. The gentleman and lady upstairs in Patrick Lichfield’s apartments on Saturday were brilliant, friendly and knowledgeable and great help. The girl working the ice cream counter near the mansion tea room (but not inside the tea room) was amazing, really helped us with our intolerance while ordering an ice cream, super friendly to all customers in front of us and gave exceptional service to us with our celiac dietary needs. It’s a shame a lot of Shugborough has shut since the national trust took ownership, but still has lovely grounds on a sunny day.

Shugborough is simply beautiful whether you're visiting the house or just walking the grounds. Me and my fiance visit often as we just love walking our dog through the grounds and picking up a coffee at the tea room. Very friendly staff upon entry, plenty of info boards explaining future plans, the house is gorgeous inside and out with lots to see. Staff and volunteers are very knowledgeable with the history of the the house. It's just a fab place to visit.

First visit today and what a fantastic place! We decided to join as family members and it was well worth it. The grounds, gardens and mansion are all beautifully kept — full of history and charm. The tea rooms were excellent too, perfect stop for an autumn treat. Even during October half term it never felt crowded; plenty of parking and so much space to explore that you’d hardly notice how busy it actually was. A brilliant family day out — we’ll definitely be back! – O’Toole UK | Keeping it real, one visit at a time.

Had a wonderful day, strolling around the gardens and small walk plus a joy to hear so much history from the volunteers in the hall. The cafe was reasonably priced with good food and coffee.

Amazing place the mansion has lots of things to admire the gardens spectacular iff your going with your family pack up for the day and spend a full day exploring this huge place its a little pricey so best to make it a day and enjoy or the other option join the national trust and visit some of there amazing places

Beautiful gardens with free street parking if you can find it or loads of paid parking either around the town or in the gardens which can be located by the main road. Free public toilets, a small railway train that goes around the park for £2.50 per person, lasts around 5 minutes and is very cute, allowing you to see and take in the park from different angles. Theres loads of different paths, trees, wildlife and plants, some with information plaques, as well as frequent benches, bins and play parks for the kids. Extremely child, disabled and pet friendly. The streams, ponds and riverways are very well kept, as is the whole park and its lovley to see the ducks and wildlife enjoy it too.

Nice easy walk round a pond. Lots of water birds, ducks ,geese, herons. Quite a bit of duck poo on paths near pond. Nice bar, cafe, swimming pool, music venue.

Love the pavilion gardens here in Buxton. Some nice snack/eateries, locally made beers and I particularly like the "hot house" garden, and walking around the park.

What a lovely and unique place. We walked around gardens for a bit, lots of wild birds, small water lakes, had live music playing, which made atmosphere really nice.

Disability freindly in most of Buxton pavilion.Family freindly clean beautiful park and buildings, small train ride in the park lots of geese and other birds in the park.a small river running through the park.you have Buxton opera house with a tea room and inside garden area.not far away is the famous Buxton spring water well you can use your own bottle and fill it for free.You could have a full day out here all while including a day at the opera.

Absolutely stunning area. Great park with wide clean pathways. Plenty of wildlife around. Lovely facilities in the pavilion

Beautiful, well maintained gardens and old heritage buildings. Would be lovely to see more of the Pavilion buildings themselves open and used though.

Fantastic day out, the journey along the line is wonderful, there is plenty to keep the enthusiast and someone looking for a good day out interested. Will be going back and still a lot to see and do. Would recommend investing the parking first, it's incredibly limited at Kidderminster and if you need special parking needs you may be a little ok let down but there is also the main station carpark next door

The Severn Valley Railway is a great affordable heritage Railway 🛤 steaming between Kidderminster and Bridgnorth. We had a marvellous time, having lunch in Bridgnorth and walking around the Castle 🏰 Gardens and Thomas Telford's church ⛪️ where we were made to feel very welcome and had tea, coffee ☕️ and biscuits. A grand day out!

Had a truly lovely day today. 12/6/25. We had my Fathers ashes scattered here today in a lovely area along the journey. The staff were so kind and caring towards us. They gave us pride of place at the front of the first carriage behind the engine in our own private area. We had a lovely cup of tea along the way. All the staff on the station and the engine driver and fireman and train staff were very informative and very kind lovely people. Thankyou all for helping to give my father the send off he wished for!

Visited the SVR for a trip on the magnificent flying Scotsman with my neighbour & his brother. we all had a great day out. thanks to all the SVR polite staff.

Great place to visit, like going back in time, beautiful scenery along the way and some lovely places to stop off at, Arley has been our favourite stop so far!! Just be careful when parking your car the severn valley railway parking is to the right as you drive in not the main Kiddiminster train station parking! got fined for parking in the wrong area!!!

Well worth a visit, we had a great day visiting the station shop, and having a trip on the SVR to Bridgenorth. Also called at Highly to visit the visitors centre, a great café and an amazing museum. Dropped of at Arley for a quick walk to the Arley Arboretum puckibg up an iiceceam on the way🫠👍

Excellent steam train trip. Nice scenery and the stations are great and full of history.

A mixed bag. The drive round is hit and miss, as with any zoo/ animal attraction. Animals are their own boss and you can't predict when or if they will make an appearance which means you aren't guaranteed to see them. Not feeding the animals anymore is the right decision for the park but also means animals are less likely to come up to you. We paid extra for the safari tour so we did get to go closer than If we were in a car and had the knowledge of Tim telling us all about the different animals. Road has alot of pot holes so please be wary of that! The actual park is a bit dated now but the rides are still fun for the youger ones. The ice age walk and dinosaurs could do with a bit of TLC due to wear tear and weather damage. Hopefully the money they get from the lodges (approximately 500 for 2 adults per night)will be out back into the animals and actual attractions. All the staff were lovely, friendly helpful and knowledgeable. Take your own packed lunch. Food is expensive and overpriced. For the sake of 45 minutes I'd drive the extra and go to Dudley zoo personally.

We had an absolutely brilliant time at West Midlands Safari Park! I went with my family and from start to finish it was a perfect day. The safari drive-through was amazing — we got so close to the animals, and they all looked really healthy and well cared for. The lions, giraffes and rhinos were the highlights for us, and the staff along the route were friendly, helpful and clearly passionate about what they do. After the safari, we spent the afternoon in the theme park and it was just as good. There was something for everyone — fun rides for the kids, a few thrill rides for the grown-ups, and plenty of places to stop and relax in between. The whole site was clean, well organised and full of energy, and we never felt rushed or crowded. It’s clear that a lot of care goes into both the animals and the visitor experience. My family left with huge smiles and lots of great memories — we’re already planning our next visit! If you’re looking for a full day out that combines adventure, learning and fun for all ages, I can’t recommend West Midlands Safari Park highly enough. A solid 10 out of 10!

Get to see the animal in their own environment and you are inside your car . The entrance to lion, hyena, tiger, are all controlled thru electrified gates and reminded of Jurassic park !! The giraffe can be fed. Cottages are there for weekend stays and relax in a serene atmosphere. One feels very near to nature and animals . Kids will enjoy the Jurassic times , ice age, reptiles. stalls for food , snacks, coffee, gift items are there. A must visit place either children

I went with my family, my parents and my partner so as 4 adults. It was really great, I have always heard of such good things about this safari park and have been excited to visit for a long time, and it was really impressive and lived up to expectations. I have visited both Knowsley and Longleat before, and they were both impressive in their own right. What West Midlands Safari Park did best that made them different, was the lack of queues, the way the routes in the enclosures we laid out so you could get really close to the animals whilst the animals remained safe, some of their enclosures were huge and i absolutely loved just how much the park had to offer with all of these extra events, shows, talks and the walking part - we didn’t quite realise just how much the park would have to explore and adventure and we wish we had arrived earlier to truly experience it all. The staff were amazing, at every point they were kind, informative, friendly and helpful, a few initiated some small talk which really showed they cared, that they were passionate about the animals and their work, it made my day and really cheered me up just how nice everyone was. I will definitely be visiting again, considering just how much there is to enjoy the price is worth it. I really loved just how up close and personal we could get with the animals and my only complaint would be I wish there were more signage, it was confusing where we needed to go at certain points and we nearly missed the tigers during the drive thru and would’ve been great if they had their own dedicated space without having to look through bars or the plastic viewing points, and we sadly didn’t get to see the cheetah however I’m aware they are very shy animals so I can’t blame them! The animals we did get to see were amazing, I loved feeding the giraffes, I loved the sea lion show and how passionate the staff were, I loved seeing both the tiger on the drive thru feeding and the lions on the walk ripping at bones. I feel like we were very lucky with everything we got to see, and I love that there’s Dholes, I have never seen a Dhole in person before and I don’t know any other parks that have them, I found them the most exciting part of my trip just because I’ve always wanted to see a Dhole and I didn’t realise they were here :) I would love more merchandise specifically tailored and made for the park! Such as artwork, and anything to do with the Dholes c: I loved all the recycled plushies however and we got one of each thing that had been branded by West Midlands Safari park, we like to get souvenirs as memories specifically tailored to each park we have visited, and it’s our way of supporting the park.

All you could spect from a salary park that takes cares of animals and also visitors. Well organised, cleaned and very friendly staff. Animals look healthy and well take care ok. There are some rare species like white lions and large anacondas. Particularly amazed by the bats room where the animals fly arround. Food was also good in the Dyno Diner.

Great zoo. Ample space for the animals who roam a large area looking very happy. This location has a drive through safari as well as a walk through part, similar to a normal zoo. Lovely variety of animals often very close to the road. Food options are available in the zoo. Great sea lion show. Amazing theming. A large proportion of the zoo is also a theme park with lots of rides. Lots of huts you can stay in near the drive through safari. Good zoo with large paddocks.

We were totally thrilled with everything, the lodge was charming with huge windows that the tigers came right up to….. one looking deep into my eyes! I was excited for 48 hours. The meals were excellent too . I would recommend it to anyone who loves tigers as I do. I’ve waited 75 years to get so close,and Naresh gave me an enormous thrill.

Stunning house, visit if you can as a wonderful and rare tour of the behind the scenes showing the butlers pantry and the brewery site. Also the Regency dressing room, do take advantage and dress up as your own Mr Darcy/Elizabeth as it really enhances the experience for you and those around you. The garden is great even in Autumn and dogs are very welcome A great day

Like a dream 🌿🏛🌿 From the Paddock cottage and Scottish Highland cattle to the the Cage and rolling grass hills. I visited many national trust locations during my recent trip to England and I can safely say that Lyme Park was my favorite. The property is expansive and beautiful. The house also had many interactive exhibits. I can't wait to return one day and experience it again.

Vast grounds, interesting house and knowledgeable volunteer room guides. The main lake near the house was part drained, so otherwise five stars. Gardens are worth a look, but the "cage" whilst open on the ground floor is quite a walk for not very much until it's refurbished and fully open again.

Had a great time, as always at Lyme Park with our daughter & grandchildren. (5&3) We love the gardens & all the Summer activities for the children are fantastic, along with the adventure playground which our girls loved! We enjoyed the refreshments in the cafes. It’s really great place to visit with so much history to explore in & around the house. We’ve only really just scratched the surface & we want to do more of the walks all around the estate in the future.

Unfortunately, the house is closed until the end of November, so I didn't have a chance to explore a house with six centuries of history. Walking around the gardens doesn’t take much time. There’s a bookshop and a nice café.

Huge grounds where dogs are welcome to roam. There's places where they are even allowed to run off lead, which is a rarity at national trust properties. The house is impressive to look around, and the gardens must be stunning in summer. The trees were in glorious colours on the autumn day we visited, but the flower beds were mostly empty and the fountains and pools drained for the winter. I can only imagine what it must be like in the summer. Maybe we'll come again and find out! Dog friendly section in the cafe was great. There's a bit of a steep walk from the car park up to the house entrance, but I saw accessibility parking signs so perhaps they avoid it.

The wide and beautiful garden was turned into a play area for the children’s summer event. My kids had so much fun! The house inside was also very large and interesting. There were children’s toys inside the house, and my kids had the special experience of playing freely in a historic building!

We had a great time here, we dropped onto good weather and being a Tuesday a bit quieter than usual. It's great that you can just walk around with the monkeys free roaming, there are plenty of workers there to look out for you. You must watch a safety briefing before entering, not long at all but important info regarding your visit. The forest is lovely and a nice walk around, its in a loop but both directions there is a hill to climb, I would say keep right, smaller hill. If you are lucky enough to be there when they are doing a feed, they tell you all about the history and about the monkeys. One being 31 years old now, which in human years is over 100. Banana cafe was good too, both having jacket potatoes. Toilet facilities were very good. Ample parking.

This place was amazing! My sister and I loved being able to see the monkeys up so and learn so many different facts about them for example, their origin and their diet. We were lucky enough to be there at the time of their feeding which we got to see a staff member feed the monkeys and teach us how they behave and the hierarchy of the monkey kingdom. At the time of visiting, they had over 100 monkeys to see and around 11 of which being babys as young as 4 weeks old. As you leave the monkey forest, there's a cafe and a really big park with unique attractions such as big tree swings and mystery trails to walk and venture on. This site is truly amazing and I couldn't recommend it for families any more!

Its a nice day out with the children. Its not a huge site so only took about 2 hours to do everything, which included eating in their cafe. The cafe had a nice variety of food and was actually quite reasonably priced. We used kids pass to get 25% entry so paid £44 for 2 adults and 3 children. I have only given 4 stars due to the size of the place and how quickly it took to get around. I would return though but wouldn't want to pay full price and recommend looking for a voucher code like we did.

Pleasantly surprised by this place. £54 for a family of 4, a little on the expensive side I thought, but when you wander in to the monkey enclosure you certainly get your money's worth! There's plenty of monkeys to see and they get quite close to you at times. There were lots of babies (1 month and younger) to see that were ADORABLE! A small play park and den building area for the kids for when you're done and some educational areas. These weren't too informative, but enough. There's also a short meadow walk. We ate from the pizza van and this was really good value at under £10 for a Margherita pizza. The ice cream van was also exceptional! £4.50 for two scoops and you get loads! Shout-out to all the guides in the enclosure. They were all really knowledgeable and were full of chat. We didn't use the cafe but the food looked good and we didn't visit the shop I would recommend at least walking through the enclosure from 4:30 onwards as the monkeys head back up the hill for the evening, very cool to see them all walking home!

I absolutely love monkeys, so I drove five hours round trip to visit the Monkey Forest, and I was absolutely not disappointed! The monkeys are adorable and live freely—they aren't kept in cages. The area is spacious, and I had so much fun watching the little monkeys playing around.

Absolutely great time. Monkeys everywhere, feeding, playing, all natural, ignoring people, other than to play tricks on us, like bouncing in the branches of an acorn tree when people walk underneath! Nice walk, good little cafe. All reasonable prices, including entry tickets. We'll definitely be back.

We’ve been to Trentham Monkey Forest a few times, and it’s always great value for money. Walking through the secure area where the monkeys roam freely is both scenic and fascinating. The well-maintained path winds through grassed areas, which are fenced off with a low ankle-height barrier. The monkeys walk, run, and swing all around you, with knowledgeable staff on hand to answer questions. We were lucky on our last visit — several babies had recently been born, so it was a treat to watch them playing and exploring. The main walk can take anywhere from 30 minutes upwards, depending on how visible and active the monkeys are. For children, there are two lovely outdoor play areas, plus another pleasant walk through an open field. The café is reasonably priced — the food is nothing fancy, but it fills a hole and keeps the kids happy! Overall, if the weather is good, Trentham Monkey Forest is a fantastic family day out.

Brilliant lovely day out with family. Shops and cafes really good selection. Garden centre is definitely worth a visit. I spent way to much on a wire fairy ( inprogress as we speak.

I visited Trentham Gardens today, I've been on many occasions and I have always enjoyed it and today wasn't an exception. But I was so pleased to see so many beautiful plants and all the nature that was being attracted by them. I'm not sure what the part is called but it's the little bit by the children's play area, which has a red bridge and a pond. Well I'm a massive fan of real flowers, bees, ladybirds etc and I was so happy to see the flowers and that area flourishing! Myself and my daughter (9yo) loved watching all the bees and wasps going from one flower to another. We loved seeing all the different things growing there and how calm and relaxing it was! It's beautiful and you can tell it's being well taken care of!

We visited for the Halloween event on the evening. Beautiful place to visit as always. The decor was lovely. Sadly they didn't have the seperate disabled access line they've had on previous occasions. The line did move quickly but our child became stressed with being surrounded by a large volume of people waiting in the queue. We booked the first slot for the event to get ahead of the crowds for this reason. Would be great if there was a section for older children who may enjoy being spooked. The food on offer was great.

A fabulous day out, reasonable prices for entry. A beautiful Italian garden & a walk around the lake is recommended. Also an excellent shopping village there too.

Really big estate, didn't get to see all of it, maybe next time when the weather is on my side. Would be great to see the wildlife, but I wasn't so lucky. Loved how intricate the metal dandelion sculptures were.

Amazing place, like a National Trust property but much larger than most of the ones I've been to. Obviously much of the gardens have been restored but they all look amazing. Lots of stopping places if you get tired. The boat ride on the lake is a reasonable cost and really nice on a summer's day. The residence is not accessible as it's just a shell but there are lots of plaques telling you about the history of the place. Would really recommend it for young and old, as there are walking trails around the lake and the youngsters can do a' fairy trail 'to try and spot all the amazing sculptures. There are beavers on the island too, you might not see them but you might spot their handiwork asking the edge of the lake. There are shops just outside the entrance too, I would recommend the ice cream at the Thornton's shop, by far the best on site (and we pretty much tried them all!)

Been a long time annual ticket holder and always pleased to go to the gardens . You sometimes baulk at the price but when you look around the gardens and see how much work goes on it easily value for money . The gardens are great . Lovely to stroll around the lake and pop in one of the two cafes for a drink before pottering around the Italian Gardens . My granddaughter is a great fan of the play park . And yesterday it was our first time on the boat . It was brilliant. Great commentary from the guys on board . Learnt so much and saw some great bits of wildlife . Once again great value at only £3 .

Great place for family day out. Swimming pool is a bit outdated but still beats others with slightly better theming. Don't look at rusty metal works and enjoy the waves and slides which are any age friendly, steps climb isn't too excessive and one doesn't have heart attack at middle age while climbing them, so one can still have fun in any age. They are trying stay on top of cleaning mess of pool and changing rooms. Again it does the job and it isn't too bad compared to some other pools. Restaurant offered quiet decent fried food with meal deals and share pallets, which was actually ok for fast food, but not too many healthy options, there was vegetarian Nd vegan option and beer for beer lovers. £5 refundable locker deposit, nice. £24 single entry and deal on family ticket or on dine or mini golf. Well it does come to a hundred at least for family of three with food but again kids have lots of fun. Viewing area for non paying customers isn't very comfortable or one can't see much unfortunately. Area is warm and one can sit and rest on chair and table. Website is very descriptive. Car park is about £6 if you stay 3 hours or more

Came last year and really enjoyed it, went last weekend and my gosh the place has nose dived. Organised chaos. Came for my lads 11th birthday and there was a poo in the outdoor pool, which took some time to clean, the queue system for the rings makes no sense, one line at the right hand side all waiting for singles, then you see people just walk up the left hand side taking doubles, so I asked (as I was waiting for a double) oh is that what we do, when we need a double use the left lane. No you wait in a line, then if I see you are waiting for a double I’ll call you forward? Err… didn’t make much sense. As I waited another 2 - 3 mins and then said, yeah you can come forward now? Needs two seperate lines one for singles and one for doubles or a member of staff asking, you a two? Yep, cool. Come forward. Then there are the queues on the stairs, swapping over mid stairway for one slide then the other over the various floors. We worked out at the very top, the queue was around 33 mins, mainly due to having one member of staff not only watching the ring one (possibly the cyclone) and then watching the (almost vertical ) slide at the same time. Just needs some actual management and some signage. A lot of unhappy people complaining about the same things. No mention that the blast slide was closed either, the one that’s like a rollercoaster and we are still waiting for a refund on our locker wrist bands. So disappointed after such a great visit last year. Wayyyy too many people in, no time limits or didn’t appear to be. Didn’t stay the full 3 hours of our slot because we all got bored of queuing, it was like human soup in the wave pool part. Water was cold, some places were clean, but the changing rooms absolutely packed to the heavens and when you have cold kids, couldn’t find a changing room for ages. Also adults walking about the pool area with trainers on and even when we raised it on hygiene concerns, they didn’t challenge it. Don’t think we will be coming back again sadly. Only giving it a two because of the first time.

We went with the boys (8 and 11 yo) on a Sat during Oct half-term, it was fabulous! The boys loved it and we spent 5 hours inside. We arrived early in the morning like 10:30, changing room was dry and clean, locker is easy to use. We paid £6 for the car park as we plan to stay long inside. Temperature inside is ok, a bit chilli if you get wet and stay out of the water, but the water is warm enough to stay long inside. We managed to play all the rides with less than 10 min wait before more people started to come at around noon. So my advice will be arrive early and enjoy the time with less people. We did get food from the cafeteria inside, food is ok, standard quality as you would expect to get inside this type of facility, as least there are enough choices for my fussy eater. More people in the afternoon meant a slightly longer waiting time for each ride, but still very manageable, and the arrangement for queue is good, there are quite many attendants/ life guards inside the facility too. We are from south of England, if there’s any chance we will travel north again, the boys would love to come again.

We spent a day at Waterworld during a heat wave when we visited the area from Scotland. The girl on the desk was lovely and friendly. We had issues using the QR code to pay for parking, so you're best using the machines outside. Parking was £6 for the duration we were there. I was actually surprised I had to pay to park. That's not common in Scotland. Most places have free car parks 😬 We paid, I think £96 for 2 adults and 2 children. You pay £5 deposit for a locker wristband, which you get refunded when you leave. The changing area was very big, and very clean. There were also plenty of lockers. There were a lot of slides, which was great 👍 and the outdoor pool was open, which was amazing when it was 27C outside 😅 My husband can't actually swim, so he was quite happy chilling in the bubble pools or outside. My daughter, her friend, and I went on the slides, river rapids, the wave pool, outdoor pool, and outdoor bubble pool. Lots of staff, and they were all being very attentive, giving clear instructions. I can understand why people in other reviews seem concerned about cleanliness. I wouldn't say the place is "dirty", I saw them doing water checks several times when we were there. It's more that it's in need of quite a bit of maintenance. For example, the race slides paint is badly worn, there is obvious rust on the spiral stairs, all of the tops of the flumes are caked in dust, the fans above the python and blackhole are rusty and covered in dust. It's all quite easily sorted out. The only thing I was actually concerned about was the bottom of the wave pool felt "slimey." You would try to jump with the wave, lose your footing, and you're straight under the water. I've been in many a wave pool lol that's not normal. We got the supreme platter from the cafe, and that was enough for 4 people and pretty affordable. Drinks were very expensive, though. Overall, we enjoyed our day and would happily come back if the maintenance issues were addressed.

Brought my child to Waterworld for the first time she 9 years old and she had the absolute best time staff were friendly and supportive she had the best day ever her words and wants to keep coming back she loved the slides but also loved the tide pool Lots of fun had :)

The second visit was just as good as the first. The place was as clean and well maintained as before, and although it was busy the queues weren't too bad. The changing rooms did the job.

Great water park we had a fab day. I had read a lot of bad reviews but we found it pretty good. It was clean and yes some of the slides and steps are old. But it was brilliant fun and all the staff were amazing. It did get a bit too busy after 2pm. But if you get there early you can have a great few hours. The outside pool is lovely too and is heated. Will definitely be back. Thank you

Fun, historic town. Lots of great little shops that have been used to fill lots of the buildings with authentic businesses from around 1900. In proper dress and character docents. Terrific stop for anyone driving through ironsgate village. Super nice area for kids to play and experience what it was like 125 years ago. Loved this place, but too many stores had no one to explain what you were looking at. The fish and chips were fresh and delicious

A truly wonderful, insightful visit. It was amazing revisiting as an adult after coming here as a child, what a fantastic experience to share with my 13 year old son, who was just as impressed as I was. A huge mention to the wonderful staff who make this experience incredible. Every member of this team from the reception throughout all the staff who are in full Victorian character are absolutely amazing. A real credit to this set up are you guys. You were all so welcoming, engaging, knowledgeable and totally endearing. What a fantastic landmark we have and to share such an incredible part of our history. It makes us and you feel proud of our heritage. Thankyou 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Really enjoyed our visit to Blists Hill Victorian Town. I haven’t been here since I came with my primary school, so glad to see it’s still as amazing at 23 as it was back when I was 8 (I walked in and remembered the layout and the fun memories of my school trip there, if that doesn’t speak volumes of how amazing this place was and has continued to be then I don’t know what could) . Went as a family day out with our dog, we were amazed at how dog friendly it was, out of everything there were only two places we couldn’t go with our dog which was no bother and completely understandable (sweet shop & bakery). The animals located in the town were well cared for and friendly with knowledgable handlers who were more than happy to answer questions, clearly knew the animals likes and dislikes and spoke fondly of their quirks showing a love and dedication for their four legged cast members. Our favourite Victorian character was the local police man (and his “cousin” singing in the pub - who was a very good singer). We met him on our way in and straight away were greeted with a welcoming warmth before he directed us towards our first stop of the day the post office for our very own dog licence which was decently priced as were a lot of items sold in their other shops around the town. My mum’s favourite activity was George’s carriage ride. The beautiful boy took us both and our dog around the town, he looked happy and well taken care of which as long term animal people it was a joy to see him comfortable and enjoying his work. My favourite stop off was the last one of the day for us. It was the printing shop which we visited after having a ride around the town in George’s carriage. Inside the printers we were taken through the different printers, how they are used to help create prints for the village and answered our questions from possibilities of injuries to how the different printers work in terms of changing letters, sizing of letters etc (it looked like a lot of fun and now I wish I could own one). we came away with a couple of notebooks and a postcard that fit perfectly in with Halloween. We will definitely be looking at Blists Hill Victorian Town for future day trips out, and we hope next time we visit we’re in the season for the use of the fair ground as it would have been lovely to have seen those in use.

Wow..What a excellent Victorian Town Everything as it was back in the day. You feel like you're in the Victorian Era. I got myself a one off adult single ticket, £27 Oct 2025 prices, you can buy a multiple pass to see other extractions which works out cheaper in Ironbridge area. It started with a short guided tour at 11.30 with Emily, She was so friendly, kind and so enthusiastic and told us all along short history about the town. The Town itself has shops,Bank, butchers ,bakery, clothing shop and a forerunner to WH Smith with a post office, and plenty of other shops. And don't forget to have a sing song at the pub on the corner The mine as well is a great reminder about how hard it was to work here and the forge, and the tile factory. The houses are open so as you enter you will find now and again a person dressed up and he or she will tell you about the house. There's a few places to eat and have hot/cold drinks. I had a trip as well in the carriage with George the shire horse pulling us around the town. The car park, you pay on exit ,just make a note on what time you actually park. I paid ( £6 for 5hrs, Oct 2025 prices) A must visit while you're are in the area of Ironbridge.

I visited Blists Hill Victorian Town about 20 years ago, and it was great to come back and see how it’s changed. It’s still a fun and educational day out! I loved the traditional fish and chips from the old-fashioned chippy and the Victorian-style photos. It’s a shame you can’t get some of the old-fashioned sweets they used to have, but we really enjoyed the singalong around the piano in the pub which was definitely a highlight of the day.

Definitely would recommend visiting Blists Hill. We spent numerous hours with our 10yr old son and he loved it as did we. I’d suggest going on a dry day as there is lots of walking outdoors and the fish and chip shop should you choose to go to doesn’t have indoor seating. Staff were all very pleasant and knowledgeable. Well worth the visit.

Visited for the Blists Hell Halloween event The spooky atmosphere was fantastic the setting and ambience were really well done and made for a really eerie vibe. Of the few scare actors I managed to see, those I did encounter were absolutely brilliant especially the clown with the balloons, the plague doctor, and the Nosferatu-style vampire. They really brought the event to life and deserve a lot of credit. Unfortunately, the event was let down by overcrowding. It was difficult to see everything due to the sheer number of people, and the queues were SO long. I queued 45 minutes for fish and chips, and another 20 for the bakery, not the fault of the vendors, but a clear sign of how overcrowded the event was. There were quite a few intoxicated and stumbling guests, which did feel inappropriate given how many young children were present. At one point, several areas were closed off due to fire alarms, which caused a lot of confusion and crowding. The movement of the crowd during that time was very chaotic almost like a stampede and raised concerns about how well safety was being managed. Finding staff was also hard with so many visitors in full costume, it was hard to tell who was part of the team. The atmosphere was affected by some rude behaviour from other attendees pushing swearing, and a general lack of courtesy. While the event itself had potential, the crowd size and lack of control made it hard to enjoy. Wouldn't rush back but that has more to do with the overcrowding and rude attendees than the event.

Great place to visit with the children. We were there 10:30-3:30. Could have stayed longer just had a long journey home on a Sunday. Dinosaurs are fantastic. All making noises and moving and looking realistic. Lovely animals to see and talks going on a roast the park. We managed to feed the deer and a dinosaur on our visit. Lovely big parks for the children to play in for all ages too.

I loved the wildlife experience, I was able to handle a friendly Snake, enter the fox enclosure and feed them as well as meeting a Skunk and Serval. After the experience, I wondered around the the Zoo and managed to feed some Ostriches and check out some cute Capybaras! Food and drink is also available on site and I managed to get a sandwich and Hot Dog to share. It was such a fun hands on experience and I loved how I learnt so many fascinating facts about them, the perfect experience for any animal lover!

My friend and I took part in the Meerkat and Lemur experience, which included entry to the zoo. It was absolutely brilliant and so much fun. The keeper was really lovely and full of interesting and fun facts. The zoo was a perfect size, so it was not too exhausting for us 'oldies' and meant we could take our time walking around. All the staff were friendly and welcoming. We had a fantastic day and will definitely return. In addition to this, we also stayed overnight at Badger's Wood in their luxurious wooden lodge with hot tub... awesome!! We were not lucky enough to see any badgers or foxes on this occasion, but we took some fun photos to make up for this!!!

Been coming here since I was a child and every visit is somehow better than the last! Had the carnivore experience with Mel & was worth every penny! She was so lovely and knew so much about the animals - you can tell how much she loved them it was amazing! Would 100% recommend going here to anyone looking for a good day out, the animals are so happy and loved, staff is so friendly. Also loved the cats walking around the site 🤣!

What can i say. Dont judge a book by its cover. Its not the best presented place with quite a few enclosures and buildings looking a bit tired, but the actual day we had there was brilliant. Every member of staff was super friendly and very knowledgeable. Big props to the Dino and fossil expert (really sorry i cant remember her name but she had great spider and Velociraptor tattoos). She was brilliant and had such a wealth of knowledge. Could of stayed and listened to her talk all day. She was bursting with enthusiasm too with was really nice to see. Like i said some enclosures are looking tired but ALL the animals are really well looked after and clearly in great condition. Play areas are brilliant for kids. All the Dino parts are great and our daughter loved the shows and the Dino walk. We spent 6 hours there and the time flew by. Very happy and would definitely go again. Worth the journey. Thanks Hoo Zoo!

A real hidden gem, it had the feel of all those family places I used to go to when I was a kid. The staff are passionate about the critters and environment they're in If you're looking for polished roller coasters, this isn't your place, but if you want your kids to have fun? Get them along

We pre purchased a family ticket paying around £70 and I have to say we thought it was excellent value for money. There were a lot more animals than we had anticipated and we saw almost all of them whilst a couple of the nocturnal animals were sleeping. The dinosaur trail was brilliant and my 10 year old grandson absolutely loved it and was able to name a few before we got to the relevant information boards. The toilets were extremely clean with plenty of hand soap and paper towels. The food was a little expensive and you got the usual burger and chips etc. There was also a good selection of ready packed sandwiches and cold drinks to choose from. If I went again I would take my own as there were plenty of picnic areas. What I also liked was the fact it wasn't overcrowded. It was school holidays but it seems they only allow a certain number of guests I think maybe because of the animals. The only drawback was they have an epidemic of wasps. They were literally everywhere mainly centred around the food area and shop. I don't think I've ever seen that many and we, along with everyone else were continually swatting them away although as we went from that area they did thin out and weren't as many. We took our food to the car and ate there then went back to see more of the animals. As we went around we spoke to some of the friendly keepers and staff and they were happy to answer our questions regarding some of the lovely animals.The wasps didn't deter us from having a lovely family day out and I would highly recommend hoo zoo as a family day out.

Fantastic. Went with our granddaughter who's not yet 3 and she loved it, as did we. Plenty of interest for all ages and plenty of interactive things for children, which are fun as well as being educational. The history of Jodrell Bank is amazing, going back to 1945 and the genius of Bernard Lovell. It's still one of the most important observatories in the world as well as being a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Cafe, picnic area, playground and shop are all there.

This is a fantastic place to visit — super interesting and home to one of the biggest radio telescopes in the world. The main attraction is, of course, the Lovell Telescope, with its impressive 250 ft (76 m) diameter, making it the third largest steerable radio telescope on Earth. The site itself is beautifully set up: excellent car parking, clear signage, and well-presented exhibits. The atmosphere is lively — there are plenty of kids running about, full of excitement about space, planets, and life on Mars. I actually loved that as it feels very much like a science paradise for children. Overall, the whole setup is first-class, just what you’d expect from a UK UNESCO World Heritage Site. The only downside is the ticketing system. They only sell annual passes, and when you ask for a day ticket, you get into what feels like a Basil Fawlty–meets–Two Ronnies sketch. Technically, they don’t do day tickets… except they do, but under the name of an annual ticket. If you keep your sense of humour, you might even end up with a 10% discount like we did! On the plus side, the staff are all super friendly and helpful, which rounds off the experience brilliantly.

This is an amazing afternoon out. You can quite easily spend several hours here. Just exploring the grounds before actually exploring the main attraction. The motion pictures are incredibly well done. And the indoor sections are also incredibly well done and really put you in the place of what it must have been like all those years ago to be trying to build this sort of structure and what sort of visionary this human was. If you buy your ticket online, it lasts for an entire year and you can go as many times as you want. Not bad for 12 quid.

A great visitor centre. It's a pretty recent addition, so everything is still working as it should. The guides are all really helpful and know the sites history intimately. The main event, the 'Lovell Telescope', is an awesome sight up close. Well worth the trip.

A great place if you're into astronomy! You can see the Lovell Telescope and walk around it (and even watch it rotate, if you're lucky). Be sure to check out the dome show, it's very immersive. There's a good exhibition on the history of Jodrell Bank in the main pavilion, and a small "science lab" that's great for kids.

Reasonably priced day out with lots to see and learn. Despite its small size, there is a great amount of detail in all of the exhibition halls as well as lots of interactive activities for the little ones. However if you don't bring a packed lunch then be prepared to spend a bit more for the cafés. Overall I would say this is a great place to visit for all ages.

Really rewarding to visit, even on a wet and windy day. The Lovell Telescope is of course a wonder in and of itself, and Jodrell Bank as a whole is a UNESCO world heritage site, but there's been a concerted and very successful effort to make the site offer families more than simply a chance to gawp at a giant dish. 🙂 The permanent exhibition is very well curated and offers lots of interactivity, the films are high-quality and interesting even for junior-school-aged kids (though tots might get a bit bored) and the outdoor experiments offer some clever insights into how radio astronomy works. Staff are always on hand, knowledgeable and friendly. And as if all that weren't enough, buying tickets provides free return visits for a entire year. It's too far for me and the family to make the trip regularly, but for those nearby the temporary exhibitions alone are worth returning for.

Had a great time here for my friend Edens birthday. Everyone who served us that night was brilliant. I got chatting to one staff member Mit great guy but well done team

Great cocktails. I had a very good Negroni. Warm and attentive service in this atmospheric and intimate bar we stumbled on when trying to escape the rain. Highly recommended.

There is this one bartender who is a rude and arrogant. Our pints were not full and when we asked him to fill it to the bro he made sure to fill it but later made a very very arrogant comment and a rude face. Suggesting that my boyf and I were asking for something which was not usual. I have been to this this place so many times. The last time we went here we had a lovely time. Our bartender was as a lovely man!! He made sure we were look after! But this time it was comepelt opposite! A really rude guy!serving downstairs!

Beautiful discreet cocktail bar. Gorgeous decor and ambience. Makes a mean old fashioned. Really skilled staff.

Great tasting cocktails, very good ambiance plus very enthusiastic staff! The cocktails were amazing just a bit pricey but they were well worth it! The bartender even made me a customised drink when I asked for something that they would recommend for me - and that was absolutely lovely! Will definitely come back here!

So glad we found this place. From the moment we were greeted by the quirky friendly host the staff were so friendly throughout. This is also a serious cocktail place for people who like proper cocktails from mixologists that know their stuff. Thanks for a great night!

Nice, but quite expensive for what it is. We were expecting more of a science theme, but the drinks weren’t anything special. My partner got a good recommendation from a member of staff, but it was just not worth the money. It was also very loud, to the point where you couldn’t even have a conversation, with some patrons being very rowdy and staff not doing anything about it. Overall, it was okay but we wouldn’t go again, but we did like the ice cube!

Visited the Football Museum in Manchester and it was a mixed experience for me. There are some good interactive bits, especially for kids – things like penalty shootouts, making your own magazine cover, and different touch exercises. The building itself is very striking from the outside and the architecture is worth a look. Inside, there’s a lift to every floor, clean toilets, and a café if you fancy a break. The staff were friendly and even chatted to me about the team I support, which was a nice touch. The gift shop has plenty to browse such as shirts, signed frames, posters, magnets, badges, etc. On the downside, some of the interactive sections have long queues, sometimes up to half an hour. It’s also cheaper to book online, but if you turn up on the day you pay quite a bit more, which feels unnecessary. I found it a little expensive for what’s there – most of the displays are about football from the 1800s to early 1900s, with not much focus on modern football. There are some trophies, but again, mainly older ones. They have baggage lockers, but they’re not cheap either. Overall, worth a visit if you’re a big football fan or have kids who’ll enjoy the activities, but I wouldn’t rush back.

Hmmm, so am interesting viewing and a way to spend a couple of hours. BUT in my opinion, not worth the £17 "donation" (so they can also claim an extra 25%) entry fee for adults. Lots of stuff for kids to do (some are chargeable extras or ticket upgrades) and one to visit for the real football fan. Great to see the Jules Rimet trophy (I would have expected the museum make more of this) and also a (replica?) of the premier league trophy. £10 I think would be a fair price....

Definitely worth an hour or two for the dedicated fan, especially if you have kiddos who can play all of the interactive challenges like the penalty shootout or the passing accuracy- there’s even a VR section where you can immerse yourself with the professionals! And your ticket is good for a year so you can come back again if you don’t get to everything the first time through. The gift shop has a nice selection of items to include some retro jerseys as well! I should’ve bought the Beckham England jsy for £100…

This place is filled with history and nostalgia. One of a kind museum delving into football origins and the great championship clubs. Took about 30 mins to cover this place plus about 20mins to cover the coffee shop at ground floor..found some interesting souvenirs as well to take home. Walkable distance to other historical places. Well recommended. Wonderful time

Generally great. Loved second floor for kids. The generalised pc bregade. Takes away from fundimentals of the history of the game. Would have liked more about mens game and history.

Fantastic couple of hours spent at the NFM - Packed with one of a kind memorabilia from every era and generation of football. Lots of interactive stuff to do for the kids, both young and the young at heart kids! Ticket prices are very reasonable, and the gift shop isn't one that feels overpriced either

Good price for an annual pass. The stories are informative and staff are friendly. Many exhibits are interactive. Suitable for both solo travellers and families.

Amazing library and is worth a visit especially since their is no admission fee (please feel free to make a donation). Although the library looks quite old, it only opened on January 1, 1900. It took ten years to build and was founded by Enriqueta Rylands in memory of her husband, John Rylands. The staff here are extremely knowledgeable, it's worth waiting for the talk they give about the building's history. They're are some very impressive works in their collection. A copy of the Gutenberg Bible, a copy of Shakespeare's famous First Folio from 1623, and many more impressive items. It is a true functioning library and you can view books in their collections. We were very impressed with the library and will come back on our next visit to Manchester.

Went to this library with my friend previously, very astonished to see the lovely architecture and design of the place. Also there is a mini bay with a modern building right beside it, yet they were blended together very well. The differences and blending of both buildings are just fascinating. Again, our visit is just magically enhanced by the rare but welcomed sunshine. Took such great photos because of it as it shows how beautiful the stained glass windows are ♥️✨

100% worth a visit, for exploring or studying, I'd recommend getting in there early though before the crowds assend upon the library. It's like stepping into a library from Hogwarts, or more accurately put, I can see where the inspiration for a set from Harry Potter came from. Free entry, but you may need to wait in line for 10-15minutes, but don't let that put you off visiting as you will not be disappointed.

One of Manchester’s best attractions to visit. Very highly maintained building with a blend of old and new architecture. The reading rooms are beautiful and so is the library upstairs. The building is well laid out. They also offer a free talk giving you insight into the history of this place. Toilet facilities on site. Free entry. Staff are friendly too.

Absolutely stunning place, John Rylands Library is a must visit in Manchester! Part of the University of Manchester, this Gothic style library is open to the public for free. The architecture is breathtaking like stepping into a 19th century castle. Vaulted ceilings, intricate stone carvings, and dramatic lighting give it a magical, almost Hogwarts like atmosphere. The collection is equally impressive. Even if you’re not a book lover, the building alone is worth the visit. Peaceful, historic, and visually spectacular. Just remember, it’s a working library, so be respectful and keep your voice down. Perfect for fans of history, architecture, or anyone looking for a quiet escape in the heart of Manchester.

Today i visited the John Rylands Library in Manchester, England. It is a neo-Gothic building that was founded by Enriqueta Rylands in memory of her husband, John Rylands, and opened in 1900. The building is considered one of the finest examples of neo-Gothic architecture in Europe The library is part of the University of Manchester and houses a large collection of rare books, manuscripts, and archives. The money in which the library comes from has a bit of a dark past. The Rylands' wealth was significantly linked to the transatlantic slave trade, as much of the cotton used in their mills was cultivated by enslaved people in the Americas.

Free entry and waiting time differs at what time of the day and what days you go. Friendly and approachable staff. Beautiful architecture. Exhibition is in the level 1 and reading room in level 2. Reading room has religion, history and geography books and Level 3 has research rooms to study the books which require appointment. People also come here for photoshoots such as for their graduation photos. Definitely worth a visit if you are coming to Manchester.

The Theatre of Dreams. What can I say, I was blessed to witness MANU vs Arsenal on 17th August 2025 in this iconic stadium, steeped in history. The atmosphere buzzes way before the kick-off. The vibe is unbeatable. Although MANU lost, it was truly a blessed moment for me coming from the other side of the globe. Old Trafford is an incredible pilgrimage for anyone who watches sports.

Going to a Manchester United game as a New York football fan was a dream come true. We stayed at the adjoining Football Hotel with an amazing view of Old Trafford. On game day, we had the Red Cafe Hospitality package and enjoyed a three-course meal before the game. The first course was a delicious and creamy soup. Next, I had the pork belly with mashed potatoes, which was astounding. Lastly, we had chocolate and fruit. While enjoying our meal we were charmed by ex-Manchester United players telling us stories of their playing days. The staff were so nice and friendly. Our seats were padded and comfortable at the Stretford end of the field. United won 2-0 and wett returned to the Red Cafe and enjoyed a drink and a wonderful meat pie. I will definitely be back. What a great time.

Visiting Old Trafford is truly a worthwhile experience. You’ll have the chance to explore the main functional areas of the stadium, learn about the rich history of the club, and visit the traditional trophy room. It’s an unforgettable tour for any football fan and a must-visit destination for anyone interested in the legacy of Manchester United.

The theater of dreams! A show! one of the most beautiful stadiums in the world, you can breathe the English atmosphere, the passion for Man Utd and The magic of the Premier League! Incredible experience

My wife & I visited here in Nov 2022 the day prior to my surgery at the Spire. Awesome day & great to see my favourite teams stadium even though they have gone down hill. Either was good & would recommend. 👌

Visited Old Trafford for my first ever matchday experience, a 1-0 loss to Everton, and despite the result it was an unforgettable day. I’d been before for a stadium tour, but you really don’t appreciate the sheer size, atmosphere, and beauty of the place until you’re actually in the stands surrounded by thousands of supporters. There really isn’t a bad view anywhere in the stadium. The seating space was decent, and even from my spot I could take in the pitch and the scale of the ground without any obstruction. The atmosphere, chants, and energy of the crowd were something special, the overall experience was definitely better than the performance from the players that day. A must visit for any football fan, and I’m already looking forward to coming back for another match, hopefully with a better result next time.

Old Trafford. Full of history and atmosphere. One of the great football grounds. The security on entry to matches is slow. Arrive early on match day to get through the checks.

Museum not open on Monday or Tuesday, so just walked around the grounds which were lovely. Stopped at the cafe for tea and cake which was lovely. Lots of places to enjoy a picnic. Need to pay for parking.

Lovely grounds to walk around. Clean toilets at the hall and a lovely brew at the rotunda by the car park. Only down side.. Reflection pond was empty at the time we visited

A beautiful historic house and art gallery, set in a really nice park with a wonderful garden. I particularly liked the chapel, long gallery and the Victorian kitchen.

Expectations exceeded. It's a forest, magnificent gardens, a stately home, a museum and an art gallery all in one. Even the coffee was good. All the staff were friendly and knowledgeable.

What a lovely place! Beautiful, well tended grounds, and a stunning, newly renovated stately home to look around. Sleepy ducks round a pond and fountain, wonderful flowers and ancient trees. A very nice cafe. Despite being a weekday when we visited, it was pretty busy, and we were lucky to find a parking space. Parking was cheap though, as was entry to the hall and museum.. cheap for me, and free for my student companions. My ticket is also valid for the whole year, should I wish to return, which I certainly will. Definitely worth a visit if history, nature and beautiful houses are your thing.

Excellent place. Ticket price is £5.50 for an annual pass, so can visit as many times as you want in a year. Staff welcoming, friendly, knowledgeable and informative. Lots of 'behind the walls' secret panels that were highlighted, along with information and historical stories. Great cafe in the grounds with a good assortment of food and drinks at a reasonable price. Nice outside grass and garden areas too. Great afternoon spent here

Amazing place my 4 grandchildren loved it I even got thanks of afterwards they found all the 19 mice