Tag: museum

Categories
Colorado

Colorado Ski Holiday

Suzanne Dent’s annual trip to the Colorado mountains was this year with a stopover in Denver and a stay at Broadmoor resort with her husband Simon and their children, Ellie aged six, and Charlotte aged four. Here’s her guide to the activities for kids on offer in Denver, before heading up to the luxury resort in Colorado Springs.

Why go?

For us, when ski season arrives we make our annual trek to our favorite US ski location, Colorado. But this time we decided to slowpace and take a detour through Denver with our two girls, Ellie aged six and Charlotte aged four. Typically, a winter city break with the kids fills me with dread of trudging through indoor shopping centres and arctic-cold pools at a chain hotel.

Located in the middle of downtown Denver, we stayed at the pop art hotel The Curtis, a DoubleTree Hilton Hotel. Its bright colors and fun themed floors made a nice change from the business travel set. and it’sis perfectly located within a few miles of museums and activities for families to explore.

It’s the perfect stop off before our December trip to Colorado Springs…

Activities in Denver

THE ZOO

No more is going to the zoo a strictly summer pastime, as there are plenty of indoor things to look at. Rather than our typical self-guided tour, we booked the penguin encounter, a premier animal experience that is restricted to families with children aged six or older.

First up on the tour is the birdhouse, which had us quickly shedding our top winter layer in the tropical temperature. Animal-mad Ellie showed no hesitation in grabbing up handfuls of live worms and crickets to throw to the crested wood partridge and ground doves.

After a tour of the feeding and welfare facilities for the birds, we are led to a private room inside the penguin enclosure. The door opens and in waddles the star of the show, Juniper, an eight-month-old African penguin (which you’re even allowed to touch!)

The zookeepers are happy to answer the steady stream of questions and use simple words to explain tougher subjects, such as details on how African penguins have become endangered due to oil spills and excessive fishing.

MUSEUMS

If the zoo doesn’t tire the little ones out, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science with giant IMAX screen is conveniently located next door.

I never plan a family trip to a US city without checking to see if there is a children’s museum handy. The Children’s Museum of Denver is a kid-focused touch-everything educational bonanza, where themed rooms are spread over two floors. Ellie started in the bubble room, where every kid seems crazy to get their hands dirty with soap and water and compete to blow the biggest bubbles. Educational plaques are dotted around the room explaining water vapour and encouraging math skills with measurements. Charlotte insists on the giant anthill with costumes teaching about habitats and animals native to Colorado.

Then, there’s the full-sized retired fire engine downstairs and located right next door is the Downtown Aquarium, which makes a full day’s itinerary for two tiny tots.

SPORTS

For older kids, any given week in Denver is bound to have a professional sports game in town to see. We went to see the Colorado Avalanche NHL ice hockey team – there was a lot of whopping and hollering inside the Pepsi Centre even though we didn’t have a clue what was going on in this fast-moving, full-contact sport on ice.

Colorado Springs

An hour and half drive south of Denver you can partake in beautiful mountain scenery at the luxurious Broadmoor resort in Colorado Springs – the grand dame of the Rockies. It is a beautiful regal resort hotel with a history dating back to 1918 with a backdrop of craggy red cliffs and pine trees.

The hotel was founded by the wonderfully named Spencer Penrose, who made his fortune through gold mining in the nearby hills.

With pink stucco towers, yellow and white striped awnings around the swimming areas, you’d think a resort such as this would be more suited for the Mediterranean rather than rustic Colorado. The architecture may feel Mediterraneanbut the modern convenience at every turn, and the excellent service, is definitely American.

ACTIVITIES

First stop is one of the swimming pools, indoors and open all year round. I settled the girls with their dad and headed for an indulgent trip to spa on the third floor – I am sure this layout was designed with mums in mind.

After a facial and a long gaze at the scenery from the cleverly named Mountain View Room, I’m back to family life to help negotiate the girls out of the pool with a promise of an evening of Americana at the Broadmoor’s own ten-pin bowling alley and restaurant called Play.

It’s an intimate venue, with just six lanes and a lux lounge feel – just make sure you get a reservation booked at check-in so that you don’t miss out. Here, the playing field is evened out for the whole family, as with bumper guards and a metal ramp to assist, my four year old is vying fortop score with her father.

Even in winter (we travelled in December), daily activities keep us busy, such as,the on-site movie theatre, family bingo, and hikes or horse riding into the hills.

When the weather gets better and the seasons change, there’s also three golf courses, tennis courts and what looks to be an impressive outdoor pool area – we’ll definitely be back for our summer holidays.

WHERE TO EAT

The restaurant next to the bowling alley has simple but hearty American food and, curiously, a great sushi menu. Kids will love the milkshakes; the adult versions come mixed with vodka!

Another family must try is the Golden Bee advertised as an English pub, but has more of an old west saloon feel and comes complete with a piano man. If you’re missing home though, it does have chicken curry or fish and chips on the menu – I’d recommend the steaks and burgers, though.

The lowdown

How to get there: British Airways flies from London to Denver, for £945 return

Travel time: A flight from London to Denver takes 9 hours and 20 minutes.

More information: Book your stay at Broodmoor Resorts stay at broadmoor.com. The Spring Break Getaway package runs March 1- May 15 2014,which includes special discounts and packages.

2014 events: Visit broadmoor.com/bonanza for events insummer.

Upcoming events include the Weekend of Jazz at The Broadmoor (4-5 April), 3rd Annual Women’s Weekend of Wellness (1-4 May), and Adventures on Planet Barbecue (28-31 May 28-31 and 31 May – 3 June).

Categories
Florida

Florida Holiday: What to See and Do

Don’t be overwhelmed by Florida’s endless options – we’ve handpicked the best cultural, athletic and culinary options in the Sunshine State.


SALVADOR DALI MUSEUM

Spain’s grand surrealist is showcased in thrilling style at this fine gallery in St Petersburg. Many of the works here – like The Hallucinogenic Toreador – can be impenetrable even for adults, but a kids’ programme brings them to life for children, with games, clue trails and craft workshops.

Price: Adults £12, teens 13-17 £9, 6-12s £4

PEREZ ART MUSEUM MIAMI

Florida’s party city displays its grown-up side in this treasure trove of contemporary art, which has works by American visionaries such as Purvis Young and Joseph Cornell. It also has art sessions for kids on every second Saturday of the month, where young minds can be creative under expert guidance. 

Price: General entry £7, under-6s free

MUSEUM OF ART FORT LAUDERDALE

Miami’s neighbour treads a similar path at this impressive gallery, which focuses on 20th-century art in a striking white structure. Children should enjoy the regular family days, which make the exhibits accessible via storytelling, film screenings, games of dominoes, Cuban dancing lessons and even quilt-sewing. 

Price: Adults £6, under-13s free

AH-TAH-THI-KI MUSEUM 

Exhibitions detail the culture of the Seminole people in child-friendly fashion at the Big Cypress Reservation, in the Everglades. 

Price:  Adults £6, kids £4.50


For all its reputation as a state obsessed with beaches and theme parks, Florida also boasts myriad great museums and historic sites. Trouble is, your kids won’t be interested – or will they? The following cultural landmarks all do their bit to engage junior attentions.

SARASOTA OPERA HOUSE

For the dedicated young culture vulture, there is but one destination – Sarasota, where the superb opera house runs a three-week Youth Opera Summer Camp in June, introducing kids to the highest of the arts

Price: £176; no experience necessary

THE CIRCUS ARTS CONSERVATORY

Alternatively, Sarasota also has this zany hotspot, dedicated to acrobatics, juggling and high-wire trickery. More daring children may want to sign up for the conservatory’s Circus Summer Camps, where they can learn clowning and trapeze skills. Sessions, aimed at would-be performers aged 6-15, run between June and August. One-week courses start at £167. 

Price: Regular shows, adults £7.50, kids £6

BRADENTON RIVERWALK 

If the idea of cocooning your kids in an art gallery seems implausible, Bradenton Riverwalk may be a better option – a 1.5-mile promenade along the Manatee River where 19 sculptures are delightfully interactive. Children can experiment with acoustics and the way noises move by standing between the ‘Sound Dishes’, pound at the steel instruments of the ‘Drum Yard’ – or dance damply in the ‘Splash Pad’ fountains. 

CASTILLO DE SAN MARCOS

St. Augustine was America’s first city, and its guardian, the Castillo de San Marcos, is the country’s oldest fort – founded in 1672. Demonstrations of weapons used by 18th-century soldiers, muskets and cannon, give a dose of boom and bang to visits every Friday, Saturday and Sunday (10.30am-3.30pm). 

Price:  Adults £4, under-15s free

TRAIL OF FLORIDA’S INDIAN HERITAGE 

Florida’s history started long before European settlement. Online resource The Trail of Florida’s Indian Heritage does a good job of pinpointing the state’s key indigenous sites – 66 in all.

WINDOVER ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE

For something a little different, a peat bog near Titusville where 168 skeletons dating back 6,000 years were discovered in 1982 – pulls America’s tale back into the mists of time. Extra information is provided by the Brevard Museum of History and Natural Science 

Price: Adults £3.50, kids 5-16 £2.75


TRY THE BOARDWALK TRAIL

For families seeking more athletic fun on land, there are cycling boardwalks and trails on almost every corner. Based in the Winter Garden suburb of Orlando, West Orange Trail Bikes offers cycles to those who want to ride the West Orange Trail, which follows Lake Apopka for 22 miles. Key Largo Bike Tours, meanwhile, runs an Islamorada Sightseeing Bicycle Tour every Sunday. It’s a three-mile jaunt in the north of the Florida Keys, which ends with a beach cook-out. 

Price: West Orange Trail Bikes: from £3.50 an hour, £18 per day. Key Largo Bike Tours: £27 a head, for cycle and cook-out.

SADDLE UP 

Another sort of day in the saddle is also viable. Perched south of Orlando in Kissimmee, Horse World offers undemanding Nature Trail forays into the lake-laced landscape, which swells up here. Children of four are allowed to mount their own horse, and younger children can ride with an adult. Cactus Jack’s Trail Rides offers a similar service at Ocala, north-west of Orlando. 

Price: At Horse World, kids on their own horse cost £27; younger kids riding with an adult cost £10. Cactus Jack’s Trail Rides cost from £27 a head, minimum age six.

KICK OFF

Football – or soccer, to use the favoured American term – is gaining a firm foothold in the USA, to the point that David Beckham is in talks to establish an MLS (Major League Soccer) club in the state, probably in Miami. For now, those who wish to boost their skills should head to Orlando City Soccer Club, which is due to become an MLS side in 2015. It runs summer camps (June and July) for youngsters aged five to 14 in locations around the city. 

Tuition is also on hand at the IMG Academy Bradenton, which covers golf, athletics and baseball, but is best known for being part of the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy (NBTA). Stars including Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams have passed through here, and budding grand-slammers aged eight to 19 can follow their leads via one-week summer camps (May to August).

Price: Orlando City Soccer Club one-week courses cost £164 per student. IMG Academy Bradenton summer camps cost from £921 per person.

JOIN THE CROWD

Sport can also be a spectator pastime, particularly in the US, where even big matches are family-friendly, with regular time-outs and plenty of scope for hotdogs and popcorn. 

Florida is festooned with sizeable teams. Three NFL (National Football League) clubs compete at the shoulder-pads version of ‘football’ – the Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers – with the season running between September and February. Two MLB (Major League Baseball) sides – the Miami Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays – put bat to ball from March to October.

Basketball holds court from October to June. Two Florida teams – Miami Heat and Orlando Magic – play in the NBA (National Basketball Association). 


FUN ON THE WATER

With the dual coastline as a playground, Florida’s focus is often on the waterfront. Surfboards and kayaks can be rented in just about every seafront town, and Sea Kayak Florida is a comprehensive resource that lists possible paddling routes. Alternatively, for children who prefer bigger boats, Sarasota Sailing Squadron does summer camps that teach would-be seadogs to operate vessels under sail.

Price: Sarasota’s 12-day courses – a Tadpoles programme for 5-7 year-olds and an Optimist package for children aged 8-12s – run between June and August at £206 a head. Registration for Sarasota Sailing Squadrom’s 2015 camps opens in March.

Of course, you don’t need the ocean for watersports. Paddleboard Orlando offers jaunts along the canals of Winter Park, where you stand on a board and push forwards using a long oar. It has real fitness benefits, but is also fun for families (with many opportunities to fall in).

Price: Beginners’ trips cost £21

TEE OFF IN STYLE

Alligators are a factor at Smugglers Cove, a mini-golf franchise with outlets in Fort Myers, Bradenton, Sarasota, Tampa and Clearwater. Here, the scaly creatures are part of the backdrop to 18 holes themed around pirates and water features, and kids are allowed to feed them (under controlled conditions) once the putting is over. 

JET PACK ADVENTURE

Florida Keys operator Tiki Jet also works wonders with the ocean. Based at Islamorada, it offers daring souls the opportunity to strap on a device that looks like something from a Bond film – jet packs that propel their wearers to a height of 30ft using pressurised bursts of water (via durable hoses linked to a boat below; ‘flying’ is always done over the sea). Participants must be at least 4ft 9in.

Price: A 30-minute ‘flight’ cost £146

TREETOP VIEW

Dry land has its moments in enclaves such as Myakka River State Park, near Sarasota, where a 74ft tower and a canopy walkway offer fine views. In fact, families can find much to like if they look up. TreeUmph is a high-ropes course in Bradenton where kids and parents clamber onto swinging logs and throw themselves into nets. In the north-east, meanwhile, St Augustine Alligator Farm has Crocodile Crossing, where swinging ladders and ziplines stretch over reptile pits (don’t worry, you can’t fall). 

Price: There are routes at Myakka River State Park for children aged seven to 11 (£7.50), and for adults (from £23.50). At St Augustine Alligator Farm, participants must be 10 to try the Septik River Course (£21) or the advanced Nile River Course (£38). 

More of what you love…

Tempted to try water sports a little closer to home? Check out Center Parcs de Eemhof in Holland.


There’s no point in denying that, when it comes to food, America has something of an image problem. A mountain of burgers, fries and high-fat snacks rears up in the mind’s eye – dinnertime heaven for any child, but a prospect far from paradise for many parents.

Happily, Florida is a state where you can go on holiday with your offspring and still eat healthily, especially if you opt for the relaxed situation of a self-catering apartment by the sea. 

MOREISH FOOD MARKETS

There are numerous markets, where you can buy fresh produce and just-caught seafood, in waterfront towns and cities. 

Flagler Beach Farmer’s Market: On the Atlantic coast, every Friday and Saturday, you can grab slabs of local seabass and loaves of bread. 

Fort Pierce Farmer’s Market: Located in Fort Pierce, also on the Atlantic, every Saturday this market sells fruits, honey and barbecued meats. 

The Wild Ocean Seafood Market: Open daily, this market has bases in Titusville and Port Canaveral, with Florida rock shrimp, as well as mahi mahi and tuna, a speciality. 

Morton’s Gourmet Market: A deluxe deli in Sarasota, open daily, with a Gourmet To Go range of dishes – Moroccan chicken, Crabmeat quiche, Beef Stroganoff – that can be taken away for an afternoon by the beach.

FABULOUS FOOD FESTIVALS

Finding lunch can also be family fun at the many food festivals around the state. The Gulf coast revels in gastronomic celebrations that come with added entertainments.

The Stone Crab Festival: Open enery October in Naples, this festival doles out a grand array of tasty crustaceans, along with live music and kids’ games.

Panama City Beach Lobster Festival: This festival is where lobsters are prepared in almost every conceivable manner – gumbo, bisque, paella – alongside a sand-sculpting contest, where people create outlandish shapes on the shore. Festival runs every September.

South Beach Wine & Food Festival: Miami joins the fray with their wine & food festival in February. The wine part appeals to parents and there are lots of fun events for youngsters. The city’s Jungle Island animal park is usually invovled, with shows where chefs give out cooking tips for families, and interactive kitchens that let kids try for themselves. 

More of what you love…

Are you a family of foodies? Check out New York City’s best food stands, or discover why kids love French food. 


Categories
UK

York England

For rich history combined with cute harbour towns and one of the finest shopping destinations of the north, visit the picturesque York.

Why go?

The city of York looks and feels very much as it would have done in medieval times. Dominated by the enormous Norman minster, parts of which date back to the 11th century, this old walled town is a glorious higgledy-piggledy jumble of streets with names such as The Shambles and Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate.

This all-pervading atmosphere of Middle-Age Britain is heaven for any children who have ever fancied themselves as knights or highwaymen, but York is so much more than a days-of-yore theme park.

Activities

The city is home to York Castle Museum – in which you can visit the cell where notorious robber Dick Turpin was held before he was hung on nearby Knavesmire in 1739 – and Jorvik Viking Centre, an interactive experience to show what life was like when the city was ruled by Eric Bloodaxe in the 10th century.

Children will also be pestering you to take them to the National Railway Museum, where 300 years of rail travel are showcased through all the gleaming engines and carriages any wide-eyed devotee of Thomas & Friends or Chuggington could possibly imagine.

The city is also an excellent base for excursions out to Yorkshire’s other child-friendly highlights. The atmospheric harbour town of Whitby and Staithes (where hit CBeebies series Old Jack’s Boat is filmed) are just a short drive away to the northeast. And an hour’s drive from York there is an essential visit for art lovers – the enormous Salt’s Mill gallery in Saltaire.

Shopping: For those who prefer to live in the present, the city is one of the finest shopping destinations in the north, and there are plenty of exclusive boutiques and hip homeware stores for parents to browse.

The lowdown

How to get there: Situated midway between Edinburgh and London, York is just 20 minutes’ drive from the M1/M62 motorway network. Alternatively, you can travel from London Kings Cross to York by train.

Travel time: The drive from London to York takes 3 hours and 30 minutes. The train from London Kings Cross to York takes just 2 hours.

Where to stay: Located in the Mount district, a welcome retreat just outside the bustling city centre, Hotel du Vin & Bistro York (01904 557350) offers stylish accommodation in a Grade II-listed former orphanage that dates to the early 19th-century. Family rooms; from £139 per night.

Categories
Travel Tips

City Breaks with a Toddler

When you take a toddler on a cultural city break you have to put yourself in their shoes and enjoy it on their terms, not yours.

Next to the yachts and ferries in Marseille harbour, life has been turned upside down. Ombrière, a giant rectangular steel mirror, created by architect Norman Foster, is held 6m above the ground like a giant polished sunshade.

‘Look at yourself up there, Jake,’ I said to my young son as we stood underneath. ‘Isn’t it amazing?’ The mirror is a colossal 46 x 22m. Jake glanced up, sniffed and ran over to watch a digger.

 

OUR CITY BREAK IN MARSEILLE

We had dragged him on a city break to see my brother and his family in Marseille. The 2013 European Capital of Culture, Marseille is equal parts gritty, cool, seedy, sexy and chic. Once notorious for gangs and drugs, it is being slowly transformed by a £6 billion makeover, which includes public art installations and grand buildings designed by big-name ‘starchitects’.

‘Let’s take Jake to see the new Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations,’ my wife Anya said. It’s an extraordinary building, a sharp glass box covered by an astonishing, dark, latticework concrete net.

You reach it across a narrow shaft of a footbridge from a fort that used to house the French Foreign Legion. Surely Jake would be impressed. It was huge, it was visual, it was unmissable. ‘Look at it, Jake,’ I said again, hopefully. ‘Doesn’t it look bizarre?’

But was he interested? Could I even get him to glance at it without clamping his head still with Velcro straps? Of course not. Rather than the museum, or its equally jaw-dropping neighbour Villa Méditerranée, an arts centre that cantilevers out from its base at a gravity-defying angle, Jake is still mainly interested in things he can jump off, run along or bash.

I had wanted him to raise his gaze and soak up some culture. Instead, I just had to chase him around as he climbed bollards and ran along wide walls. ‘We can do that at home,’ I pleaded. It was frustrating, but I was expecting too much. I want my son to be my friend, and enjoy my fascinations. He may well in time, but until then I need to relish the idea of entering his world, rather than expecting him to enter mine.

 

 

THE TODDLER TRAIL

It’s a bit like when I started going out with my wife. There she was, dragging me to Greece (which she loves) and Denmark (to see her relatives), and I was moaning about how I missed the freedom to decide on destinations. Then a light went on in my head; I realised how lucky I was. She could have been taking me to a depressed Ukrainian mining town. Instead, I was getting Greece and Denmark: sun-kissed islands and perhaps the best-run country in the world.

So when Jake refused to enter the fancy museums of Marseille, sat down on the sea wall outside, looked at me with puppy-dog eyes and asked me to join him for what would inevitably be an hour of chucking pebbles into the sea, I had to abandon any hope of stuffing us both with architecture and culture.

?It was time for me to enjoy discovering the world on my son’s terms. ‘Let’s see who can throw the furthest,’ I said.

SEE MORE OF SIMON’S COLUMNS AT: FAMILYTRAVELLER.COM/SIMON-REEVE

 

Broadcaster and author Simon Reeve is the presenter of the BBC TV series Indian Ocean, Tropic of Cancer, Pilgrimage and Australia. He is currently filming Sacred Rivers for the BBC. 

Categories
Competitions

Win a Trip to Hampshire With Over £2500!

Hampshire’s Top Attractions is launching a competition to win a  ‘Golden Ticket’ prize of over 50 family tickets to attractions in Hampshire, plus an overnight stay for a family of four in two Hampshire hotels for use until the end May of 2016!

From wildlife, roller coasters, action and adventure through to steam trains, classic cars, museums and heritage – Hampshire’s Top Attractions has them all! Perfect for a summer of exploration.

FAMILY FUN!

WHERE’S INCLUDED?

  • Paultons Family Theme Park, home of Peppa Pig World in the New Forest is home to more than 60 fun rides and exciting attractions.
  • Housing a collection of over 250 automobiles and motorcycles, the award winning Beaulieu National Motor Museum appeals to all age groups.
  • From ring-tailed coatis to cheeky monkeys, endangered tigers to frilled lizards, curious meerkats to pygmy hippos – Marwell Zoo is home to an incredible range of exotic and endangered species.
  • Go wild and take to the trees with Go Ape at Moors Valley Country Park and Itchen Valley Country Park.
  • There is something for everyone at Staunton County Park; With a farm full of friendly animals, the south coast’s largest ornamental glasshouses and 1,000 acres of country park to explore.
  • The Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth offers breathtaking views over the city and its harbour. Nearby atGunwharf Quays you can enjoy a spot of shopping and lunch overlooking Portsmouth Harbour.
  • Winchester Science Centre and Planetarium is an interactive, science and technology centre and the largest capacity digital planetarium in the UK!

MORE ATTRACTIONS…

GARDENERS WORLD

Explore 200 acres of beautiful gardens at the famous Exbury Gardens and Steam Railway – a world-famous magical place in the New Forest which belongs to a branch of the Rothschild family.

The Sir Harold Hillier Gardens in Romsey is a 180-acre garden paradise with a magnificent collection of more than 42,000 plants. While the gardens at Mottisfont, make a feast for the senses all year round.

STEP BACK IN TIME

Winchester Cathedral offers a wealth of beauty with its outstanding architecture. On the Watercress Railway Line you can climb aboard a carriage pulled by either a steam or loco engine.

The Museum of Army Flying tells the story of British Flying with over 35 historic aircraft dating from World War I to the present day alongside interactive displays. Take time to visit Fort Nelson – an imposing Victorian Fort that is home to the Royal Armouries’ national collection of artillery.

AHOY THERE…

Visit Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, home to the Mary Rose Museum and where you can go onboard Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory and HMS Warrior. There are a number of friendly museums that create The National Museum of The Royal Navy: Gosport’s Royal Navy Submarine Museum and Explosion Museum of Naval Power or The Royal Marines Museum in Southsea to see the extrodinary stories of the men, women and ships of The Royal Navy.

Overlooking the vibrant Solent, Portsmouth’s Blue Reef Aquarium is home to thousands of incredible creatures from tropical sharks to turtles and stingrays.

Channel your inner pirate and sail the seas of the Rapids in Romsey with Valley Leisure for some active family fun.

DISCOVER THE ISLE OF WIGHT…

From Royal Residences and fairytale castles, dramatic coastline and sandy beaches, The Isle of Wight has it all. Explore the Isle of Wight with Red Funnel Ferries if you are traveling from Southampton or if you are traveling from Portsmouth step aboard Wightlink Ferries.

AND FINALLY…

If you are planning to visit Hampshire, check out Southampton Airport with daily flights from across the UK – you could be in Hampshire quicker than you think! And because Hampshire as so much to offer, Visit Hampshire can help plan your next trip with details of events, accommodation and travel advice and tips.

THE PRIZE

A family ticket to all of Hampshire’s Top Attractions featured on hampshireattractions.co.uk. The ‘Golden Ticket’ includes attraction admission for two adults and two children. Hotel stays are for a single night bed and breakfast at theWhite Star Tavern in Southampton, a historic tavern, dining & rooms with a 5 star AA rating and The Grand Harbour hotel in Southampton and iconic four star hotel in the city centre.

Attraction tickets will need to be redeemed by the 31 May 2016 and hotel stay before the 31 December 2015.

COMPETITION CLOSES 15/07/2015

Sorry, this competition has now closed. Please check out our competitions page for more chances to win!

Categories
Family Days Out News Story UK

Opa! Greek Museums to Open 7 Days a Week All Summer

Thirty-three of the largest museums in Greece are set to change their hours of operations and will now be open from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week. This will be in place from April 1 through to the end of October. These museums account for 95% of visitors and revenue for the same period. With an expected 18.5 million tourists visiting Greece this year, the country can show its culture to the world in grand fashion.

Sights include the Acropolis in the lively capital of Athens (pictured), Ancient Olympia in the Peloponnese, Akrotiri in Santorini, and Knossos in Crete.

More information: Explore our Greece destination guide to start planning your family holiday to this family-friendly European destination.

To book: Schedule your family’s summer holiday in Greece by visiting sunvil.co.uk or calling 020 8758 4758.

Categories
Family Days Out News Story UK

London’s Imperial War Museum Relaunches

Don’t pass up the chance to see the transformation for yourself. The impressive new atrium showcases hundreds of fascinating objects, from aircrafts and tanks to letters, films and artwork.

There are lots of ways for kids to involved and many of the exhibitions are free to enter, making the Imperial War Museum a great option for a family day out this summer.

WHAT’S NEW?

First World War Galleries To mark the centenary of the First World War, these ground-breaking displays tell the story of the War. 

Truth & Memory: British Art of the First World War  A collection of powerful artworks by First World War artists.

IWM Contemporary: Mark Neville A new body of work in response to the war in Afghanistan.

 

WHAT IS THERE FOR KIDS?

As well as lots of family-friendly objects on display, there’ll be craft activities, exhibits and galleries designed with little ones in mind.

Interactive exhibits: Kids can try on uniforms and even explore a reconstructed trench, to find out what life was like for troops on the Western Front.

Activities: Children can engage with history through craft sessions and by handling museum objects. Look out for the head of Tirpitz the Pig – he’s the mascot of HMS Glasgow and something of a celebrity at the museum.

Exhibitions: Popular family exhibitions will reopen, including the ever popular Horrible Histories Spies, which is based on the hugely successful children’s books.

 

FREE EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES IN SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

Forget-Me-Not: Postcards from the Front 28 July–10 August and 18–24 August

Soldiers at the Front sent embroidered postcards of flowers to their loved ones back home, and now children can create their own, as part of a commemorative art project. Recommended age 6+ 

Close Encounters and Creative Responses Sundays 20 July–31 August

On Sundays throughout the summer, visitors will get the chance to handle artefacts and then respond creatively through writing, drawing and photography. Recommended age 6+

 

DETAILS

When: From 19 July 2014, open daily 10am-6pm. Last admission 5.30pm.

Where: Imperial War Museum, Lambeth Rd, London SE1 6HZ. A short walk from Lambeth North, Waterloo and Elephant and Castle underground stations. 

Price:  Museum entry is free. Horrible Histories Spies exhibition: Adult £6.20; Children £3.30; Concession £4.40; Family ticket £12.25 – £19 (dependent on family size). Book online to save 10%. 

More info: Find out more about Imperial War Museum’s transformation Contact the museum on 020 7416 5000 or email mail@iwm.org.uk