Planning a family day out but stuck for inspiration? We've got you covered. Here are five reviews of the top family-friendly activities and destinations in the North West that parents and children alike will adore. Bon voyage!
1. Roller Skating, Wigan Roller Rink
Now, my 3-year-old son Daniel is probably a little too young for roller skating. When we arrived at the rink they didn’t have boots small enough for him so he had to contend with a pair that were around three sizes too big – but he absolutely loved it! To start with he fell over (a lot) and there were tears but he’s quite a determined little character and picked himself up, dusted himself off and carried on.
After around thirty minutes his patience started to wear thin but one of the marshals intervened, gave him an impromptu lesson and stayed with him for around 15 minutes which was lovely of her. After that there was no stopping him and really started to get the hang of it. We’ll be going again and at £3.00 each with £2.00 for skate hire for two hours it’s amazing value too. Only one downside: beware of the backward skating, grape-vining, middle-aged men who think they’re auditioning for a part in Starlight Express...
2. Bowling
Bowling is slightly more expensive than skating and frankly after the first few frames Daniel got bored and wandered off around the air hockey table and video games. He did enjoy the actual bowling of a ball but waiting in between turns for our party of five didn’t help. It was quite amusing to see him running up with a ball only to then stop and drop it. I’m sure the management didn’t find it at all amusing!
It would then take an eternity for the ball to reach the skittles. Note to parents – don’t run down the bowling lane and attempt a kick at the ball to help it on its way – you’ll end up on your back with the other twenty lanes worth of people giggling and pointing at you!
3. The Ice Cream Farm, Cheshire Farm
Our visit here turned out to be a really fun day out and completely free to get in with plenty of activities for the little mites. We first had a walk around the Animal Corner which had deer, pigs and all the usual animals you’d expect. They all looked perfectly happy and their enclosures were clean.
There was a sit-on digger (£1.00 coin required) with a scoop and sand pit, plus climbing frames galore – Daniel was so excited he wet himself! Even though he’s toilet trained I’ve learned the hard way you always need a change of clothes on days out!
They also had little electric ride-ons, again only at £1.00 a pop and Dad gets to ride too! Food in the café was good quality and reasonably priced. Although it was a busy Sunday afternoon there were tables available. The highlight of the day was of course the homemade ice-cream which was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.
There was plenty more to do including zip lines, crazy golf, Fools Gold Rush and more. Unfortunately even though the farm and many facilities are free and presumably they make their money selling the ice-cream and food in the cafe I did see quite a few parents with packed lunches hidden in their pushchair baskets despite the ‘Please No Picnics’ signs. Not really in the spirit of it!
4. Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Despite being a miserable autumn day Daniel, my girlfriend and I drove up to Blackpool for an afternoon at the Pleasure Beach. We arrived at 4.30pm (the website said it was open until 8.00pm) only to be told due to the weather the park would be closing at 6.00pm. We suspected the real reason was because there weren't that many customers. In any case we considered the family ticket but due to the shortened time available to us we bought around £50.00 worth of tickets instead.
Daniel and I had a go on the Flying Machines, Carousel, Krusty Crab Order Up, the Kids Rollercoaster and then all three of us went on the log flume. At this point, lo and behold, we’d pretty much run out of tickets. The rides were enjoyable enough although the log flume was tame even for a 3-year-old! Having recently visited Universal Studios in Orlando, there’s no comparison but despite being quite expensive you always know what you’re going to get at Blackpool.
5. Blackpool Zoo
Up here in the North West the most well-known zoo is in Chester but there’s a real gem over in Blackpool. It’s a little smaller but I found it to be a great alternative. They have all the usual animals you’d expect such as elephants, lions, tigers and orangutans but also some lesser known vicugnas, sitatungas and rheas! The childrens' play area was very impressive and there’s plenty of options for food and drink, including a Starbucks coffee shop.
But back to the animals: Blackpool Zoo seems to be very much about getting up close and personal to the animals. Next door to the excellent play area was the Kids Farm where they had goats, sheep and rabbits all within little arm's reach. Daniel loved ‘Giraffe Heights’ which is a raised viewing platform that allows you to get face to face with some of the tallest animals on our planet.
The visit feels like a lifetime ago now (hailstones are pounding my windows as I write!) but we went in July last year and the weather was stunning. Unfortunately I’d forgotten Daniel’s suncream and had to ask another parent to borrow some – not sure I could ever give it back! Another lesson learned and now there’s always suncream in the boot of the car – even in March!
