Best Summer Holiday Ideas for Midlands

Let’s go on a summer day out in the Midlands,
We’ve got you covered if you haven’t made a plan!
From zoos, castles, farms and more,
Here’s our handy guide at what you can explore!

OUR FAVOURITE PICKS:

 

West Midlands Safari Park – Bewdley, Worcestershire

Take a walk on the wild side this summer at West Midland Safari Park! Take the family on a drive through safari to see tigers, cheetahs, elephants, zebra, rhinos, including the super cute baby rhino Ekosu! Check out the African Village to see some lemurs and meerkats, take the Discovery Trail to watch talks on more fascinating creations or head to Animal Encounters to see some small and cute critters up close! Find out more.

 

Severn Valley Railway, Kidderminster, Worcestershire and Bridgnorth Shropshire

Limited offer: Family Summer Saver Ticket only £44 for 2 adults + up to 4 children

Bring your family here for a steam powered day out. Severn Valley Railway has many different events planned for tons of family fun, especially this Summer. Enjoy a Family Summer Saver tickets where you can have unlimited travel between Kidderminster and Bridgnorth, with a FREE entry into The Engine House at Highley. Find out more.

Drayton Manor Theme Park – Tamworth, Staffordshire

**Get up to 41% off when you book through us!**

Drayton Manor has lots of fun rides and attractions for all ages! There’s Cranky the Crane Drop Tower, Jeremy Jet and Bertie Bus for little ones, as well as the likes of Apocalypse, G-Force, Pandemonium, Shockwave and more for adrenaline junkies! There’s also indoor and outdoor play areas, a Dino Trail and crazy golf for those after some quieter fun. All tickets booked through Picniq have the option of two great packages which makes planning your day out even easier. You can choose between a ‘Meal Deal’ package which includes entry and a meal voucher or the ‘VertiGo‘ package which includes entry and a 30min VertiGo high-ropes course! BOOK HERE.

Gulliver’s Explorers Retreat Stay and Play – Matlock, Bath, Derbyshire

**Get up to 30% off when you book through us!**

This summer enjoy a pirate themed ‘stay and play’ short break at Gulliver’s Explorers Retreat which includes accommodation and entry to Gulliver’s Kingdom theme park. With over 70 rides, attractions and experiences aimed at younger children between the ages 2–13, this is the perfect retreat for your little thrill seekers! Enjoy rides such as the ‘Dino Falls’ ride, the log flume, dodgems, pirate ship and more! With the stay and play package you can stay in the fun and cosy self contained suites suitable for up to 5 people. BOOK HERE.

ZSL Whipsnade Zoo – Dunstable, Bedfordshire

**Get up to 21% off when you book through us!**

29th July – 3rd September – Bear Grylls Wild Survival Academy

This Summer from the 29th of July to 3rd September , bring the kids to ZSL Whipsnade Zoo to join in the exciting Bear Grylls Summer Academy, where they can become real life explorers and learn survival skills, attempt challenges and have a go at an assault course! There will be live shows demonstrating how animals and humans can survive in extreme conditions. With over 600 acres, ZSL Whipsnade Zoo is also home to more than 2,500 amazing creatures from every corner of the world. See elephants, lions, bears, giraffes… and so much more! Find out more.

AirSpace Trampoline Park, Wolverhampton

Spend a session bouncing, flipping and jumping at Air Space! This brand new attraction has over 100 interconnected trampolines all waiting for you to spring about on. As well as freestyle sessions you can join in with games such as dodgeball, football and basketball – just bouncier! Boasting a staggering 50,000 square foot, this Wolverhampton location is the biggest and is the largest trampoline park in the Midlands! Find out more.

Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre – Grimsby, Lincolnshire

Free entry for 1 person with every full paying adult with Days Out Card

Learn some fascinating facts about the fishing industry (often described as one of the toughest jobs in the world!) at Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre. Little ones can get dressed up in fishing gear whilst navigating around to discover what life was like for trawler-men and their families in the 1950s! Grab free entry for one person with every full paying adult with our Days Out Card! Find out more.

Playtime Cannock – Cannock, Staffordshire

**Half price entry for all kids and £4.50 per child for midweek parties with Days Out Card**

This lovely play area has lots of fun features that mini adventurers will love! Jump on slides, climb through cargo nets, ball pools and so much more! Find out more.

Highfields Happy Hens – Derby, Derbyshire

1 child goes free with Days Out Card

This lovely farm offers lots of fun for little ones, such as a chain walk, hopscotch and trampoline. Bring along a picnic to take in some sunshine, or if you’re feeling fancy head to their tea rooms! Budding farmers will also have the chance to make friends with some cute animals too. Grab our Days Out Card and you’ll get a child’s entry for free! Find out more.

Fourways Play Centre – Atherstone, Warwickshire

**Get 25% admission discount with Days Out Card**

Relax and unwind as your little ones are let loose at Fourways Play Centre. This fab indoor play centre offers a 6m drop slide, two lane astra slide, sky glide, ball canons and even a race track. Toddlers can have fun in a separate area, which includes a giant ball pool, wavy slide and puzzles. Get 25% off with our Days Out Card! Find out more.

Tropical Butterfly House – North Anston, Sheffield

Amazing Animals – 22nd July-5th September

Over the Summer holidays come along to see some amazing wildlife and fascinating daily shows featuring birds of prey! The kids will get to meet some brilliant animals up close in daily encounters and whatever the weather there is plenty of fun on offer in the Craft Centre. You’ll also get the chance to see some snakes, cheeky meerkats, marmoset monkeys, otters, lemurs and more. Head to their indoor rainforest to see see beautiful butterflies, fruit bats, crocodiles and other interesting creepy crawlies!  Find out more.

MORE FANTASTIC OPTIONS:

Wollaton Hall and Deer Park – Nottingham, Nottinghamshire

Dinosaurs of China- 1st July – 29th October

This amazing building, home to the National History Museum, has a collection of three quarters of a million specimens that make up its zoology, geology, and botany collections! You’ll also find Nottingham’s Industrial Museum in it’s outbuildings. Little explorers can take walk around the beautiful grounds or even a segway tour! This summer from 1st July to 29th October the Dinosaurs of China exhibition will be visiting Europe for the very first time and is definitely worth taking all the dino enthusiasts to in the family! Included are fossils and other specimens that have not been seen outside of Asia and will tell the fascinating story of how these prehistoric animals evolved into some of the creatures that live with us today. Find out more.

Gloworm Festival, Nottinghamshire

Saturday 19th August – Sunday 20th August 2017

Take the whole family down to the Gloworm Festival this August for a fun-packed weekend of music, art, workshops and loads more to keep you entertained! The festival is primarily a family festival and there is loads to do for kids such as Pizza Making Parties, Dance Workshops, Paint A Car, Comedy Magicians, Donkey Rides and so much more! The kids will also have a chance to have Meet & Greets with dinosaur Rex the T-Rex, the Chuckle Brothers, Postman Pat and Jess the Cat!  Find out more.

Pantaloons A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Canons Ashby,  Daventry, Northamptonshire

5th August 2017: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

19th August & 2nd September: Bat Walks

Little historians will love this medieval priory, house and gardens, which dates back to 1790, full of beautiful objects to admire including tapestries and antiques. Little ones can even complete a quiz as they take in the amazing grounds! On the 19th of August and the 2nd of September come join our friendly bat experts on a guided walk around Canons Ashby’s grounds in a search for our favourite flying mammals. This Summer on the 5th of August, the Pantaloons make their much-anticipated return to Shakespeare with the timeless comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream – told, as ever, in their own distinctive and anarchic style. Don’t miss this fully family-friendly open-air Shakespeare theatre performance! Bring a rug and a picnic to relax with the whole family as Puck and his musical fairy band tell a tale of lovers, mechanicals, and magical mayhem. Find out more.

 National Centre for Craft & Design – Sleaford, Lincolnshire

With five amazing galleries featuring fascinating exhibitions from varied artists, as well as lots of free craft activities, little artists will love this creative filled day out! Families of all ages can take part in some fab arty sessions every Tuesday until 29th November at Tots Tuesdays, which includes making miniature worlds, ceramic painting and more. Find out more.

Carsington Sports & Leisure – Ashbourne, Derbyshire

This action packed family day out offers something for everyone! Whether your little one wants to take to the waters with sailing, windsurfing and paddlesports, or fancies a lovely bike ride around one of Carsington’s many routes, they’ll be spoilt for choice! Find out more.

Matlock Farm Park – Matlock, Derbyshire

This amazing 600 acre farm is perfect for animal lovers! They’ll love the chance to cuddle a rabbit and see some lovely llamas whilst learning some interesting facts about the countryside! Find out more.

Lincolnshire Wildlife Park – Skegness, Lincolnshire

Bring the family to this amazing zoo, which houses the largest collection of parrots in the UK! You’ll get to walk through bird enclosures to make friends with over 100 different species of lovely birds, as well as having the chance to see some playful meerkats, lemurs, unusual Brazilian coatimundis and even Bengal Tigers! Find out more.

Sherwood Forest Fun Park – Mansfield, Nottinghamshire

This lovely family adventure park, located in Sherwood Forest Fun Park, has lots of fun rides such as the Caterpillar Coaster, Jumping Jack, Terror Castle, Pony Express and Cups & Saucers and more! Find out more.

Jimmy Beans – Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire

Designed for children under 10, Jimmy Beans is a fantastic play frame with a giant astra slide, rope-bridge, sky glide rollers, dizzy disk, mouse holes and more! Toddler’s have a separate area just for them to enjoy, which includes rides on toys and an imagination corner where they can learn and play. Find out more.

Leicester Outdoor Pursuits Centre – Leicester, Leicestershire

This fab charity centre has lots of fun outdoor experiences designed to educate and motivate people of all ages! Everyone can have a go at abseiling, aerial trekking, air rifle shooting, archery, bushcraft, canoeing and more. They even have holiday schemes, an adventure club and offer birthday parties too! Find out more.

Bradgate Park – Newton Linford, Leicestershire

This amazing 800 acre park has lots for mini explorers to discover! Head to the Visitor’s Centre to learn all about the history of the park, have a lovely picnic to take in some sunshine and let the little ones let off some steam! Be sure to keep an eye on their events listings, as lots of fab activities take place throughout the year. Find out more.

Northampton Trampoline Centre – Northampton, Northamptonshire

This fab trampoline based day out, suitable for all ages and abilities, is a great place for kids to get active and will leave them jumping for joy. They also offer birthday parties! Find out more.

Rookery Open Farm – Towcester, Northamptonshire

Bring your budding little farmers along to Rookery Open Farm where they can make friends with lots of lovely animals! Meet pygmy goats, cattle, pigs, geese, ducks, chickens and lots more. They’ll also love the fab indoor play area, with a special dedicated play area for under 4’s. Find out more.

Catanger Llama Trekking – Towcester, Northamptonshire

Try this day out with a difference at Catanger Llama Trekking! These lovely llama’s will walk around with you whilst you take in some of the stunning countryside. Find out more.

Si5 Spy Missions – Brackley, Northamptonshire and Nottingham

Home to over 2,500 animals, as well as covering 600 acres, animal lovers are sure to have an amazing day out! You’ll have to the chance to see elephants, tigers, cheetahs, bears, wolves, chimps, giraffes, lions… and so much more! Find out more.

Rockingham Castle – Market Harborough, Leicestershire

This stunning family home, built by William the Conqueror, was a royal fortress for 450 years! With views of over 5 counties, there’s sure to be lots of room for the little ones to explore! Inside you can pick up an Eye Spy booklet to learn about the Castle or try their quiz. Find out more.

The Heights of Abraham – Matlock, Derbyshire

After taking a cable car to scale some great heights and take in stunning views, little explorers can discover some amazing caverns and let off some steam at their play area. There’s also some insightful exhibitions to visit, as well as yummy food to eat in their lovely lit caverns! Find out more.

The Wolseley Centre – Stafford, Staffordshire

With over 26 acres of beautiful grounds and gardens, which are home to some amazing wildlife, your budding David Attenborough’s will be spoilt for choice at where to explore first! Bring along a family picnic, follow the Play Trial or head to The Sensory Garden to learn about some exciting plants. Find out more.

Want to Canoe? – Bromyard, Herefordshire

Take in some stunning waterside views as you navigate River Wye by a hired kayak! Take your family on an adventure along over 100 miles of river without restriction, whilst making sure to keep an eye out for some amazing wildlife such as Herons, Cormorants, Kingfishers, Swans and Otters! Find out more.

iSkate – Uttoxeter, Staffordshire

If you’re feeling the heat this summer, take your family to iSkate for some fun on the ice! With skating lessons, ice shows, parent and toddler classes, disco sessions and even birthday parties, there’s something for all of the family to enjoy. Find out more.

National Forest Adventure Farm – Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire

This family adventure farm offers the chance to make friends with some cute and cuddly critters, such as Shetland ponies, pigs, quails, chickens and goats. Head to the indoor playbarn which has lots of fun features, including a large soft play area and Lego Construction Zone. In the Funfield, kids can have a go at Go-Karts, mini golf, jumping pillows and more! Find out more.

Wall Roman Site – Lichfield, Staffordshire

Little historians will love these Roman ruins which were once an important military road to North Wales! Have a walk around the foundations of an inn and bathhouse, with info posts offering some fascinating facts. Head over to the museum to see some of the amazing artifacts discovered on the site. Find out more.

National Forest Llama Trek – Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire

Make friends with some friendly llamas at the National Forest Llama Trek! Walk with the llamas along the trek, groom and hand feed them, as well as learn some interesting facts about llamas, the local history and more. Find out more.

Rays Farm Country Matters – Bridgnorth, Shropshire

**Free child entry with paying adult with Days Out Card**

Little farmers will love this family friendly farm, which offers a magical Fairytale Forest where you can hand feed deer, as well as a play area and beautiful countryside views housing some fascinating wildlife. A child goes free with a full paying adult with our Days Out Card! Find out more.

Ludlow Castle – Ludlow, Shropshire

Learn all about some amazing Medieval history by taking a guided tour through these ruins, which are surrounded by some stunning views. Be sure to check their event listings, which includes food fairs, medieval days and more. Find out more.

The Edge Adventure Activities – Much Wenlock, Shropshire

If your energetic little monkey is after an active adventure, bring them along to The Edge Adventure Activities! With fab activities ranging from quad biking, mountain boarding, archery and so much more, they’ll be spoilt for choice at what to do first! Find out more.

Wonderland – Telford, Shropshire

Pay a visit to Wonderland where your little ones can meet some of their favourite fairytale characters and see their homes! Other fun features include a Wonderland Maze, the Dinosaur Valley, crazy golf and more. Find out more.

Pirates Playpit – Telford, Shropshire

Arr matey! Bring your little scallywags along for a swashbucling adventure at Pirates Playpit. They can climb a large pirate ship frame that has ball pools, a swinging ball, crows nest and more! For mini pirates in the making, there’s a separate area for under 3s as well as an on site cafe for rumbling tums. Find out more.

Blists Hill Victorian Town – Telford, Shropshire

Mini historians will love immersing themselves in this Victorian town experience! Watch in awe as actors bring Victorian characters to life to see how they lived, worked and shopped. Kids even have the chance to dress up as a Victorian, visit a traditional sweet shop and more. Find out more.

Ackers Adventure – Birmingham, West Midlands

**Buy 30 minute Toboggan Session and get another 30 minutes free with a Days Out Card**

Head to Ackers Adventure for an action packed day out! Children over 5 can enjoy the likes of skiing, canoeing, kayaking and more, whereas little adventurers over 3 can try their hands at tobogganing! You can get an extra 30 minutes free with our Days Out Card! Find out more.

Royal Air Force Museum – Cosford, Shropshire

There’s so much to learn at the Royal Air Force Museum, which is home to 70 aircrafts! You can also pay a visit to the National Cold War Museum and see the world’s oldest Spitfire and a Lincoln Bomber, 60 engines and missiles. Find out more.

Carding Mill Valley and the Shropshire Hills – Church Stretton, Shropshire

Be at one with nature at Carding Mill Valley, which offers some stunning views of the Shropshire Hills. With over 2000 hectares just waiting to explored, including paths for walking, mountain biking and horse riding, the whole family has the chance to take in some amazing natural beauty. Find out more.

Planet Ice Coventry – Coventry

This ice centre offers some fab activities for all of the family to get involved in, including ice shows, skating lessons, disco sessions and more! Find out more.

Brandon Marsh Nature Centre – Coventry

Brandon Marsh has over 200 acres of amazing lakes, woodland, marshes and grassland, meaning mini explorers will have the chance to discover some fascinating wildlife! See if you can spot some otters, owls, badgers and many more! Find out more.

Sarehole Mill – Birmingham, West Midlands

Well loved for its links to JRR Tolkien and as being an inspiration for his novels The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, this mill is the perfect escape for movie and book fans alike!  See if you can spot some gorgeous wildlife, including mallards, herons and moorhens! Find out more.

Puzzlewood – Coleford, Gloucestershire

Explore 14 acres of ancient woodland for a chance to discover some fascinating yew trees, bridges, lookouts and twisted rocks! Make friends with some lovely animals, such as donkeys, cattle, pygmy goats, ponies, pigs, ducks and more! There are also two indoor mazes to get lost in and amazing outdoor play area.  Find out more.

Ice Quest – Malvern, Worcestershire

This day out on the ice offers family activities suitable for all ages! Everyone is sure to have fun, whether they’re a skating novice or pro. There are skating aids available for younger skaters, as well as Laser Quest for a fun game of laser tag! Find out more.

Severn Expeditions – Malvern, Worcestershire

Take to the waters with Severn Expeditions – a family run boat hire company – where you can hire your own boat to explore the river, have a go at fishing or just take in some stunning views! No boating experience necessary as you’ll be told all you need to know on the day! Find out more.

Evesham Light Railway – Evesham, Worcestershire

If your little ones are train mad they’ll love Evesham Light Railway! These fab trains take you for a mile journey around the old apple orchards and country park. Don’t forget to bring along a picnic to take in the stunning views! Find out more.

Small Breeds Farm Park & Owl Centre – Hereford, Herefordshire

For animal lovers, Small Breeds Farm Park and Owl Centre offers the chance for your little farmers to make friends with some cute and cuddly critters. See chipmunks, rabbits, guinea pigs, and squirrels, as well as tortoise, sheep, horses and so much more. Find out more.

The Amazing Hedge Puzzle – Ross on Why, Herefordshire

Spend an hour having some active fun at this traditional hedge maze, which includes over 1km of hedges! Make your way to the temple in the centre, play tag with the family and have a go at climbing the viewing tower. Find out more.

Eastnor Castle – Ledbury, Herefordshire

Explore some lavish architecture and interior design at Eastnor Castle, which includes collections of fine art and medieval armour! Have a go at the Knights Maze, let loose in the Children’s Adventure Playground and swing between the trees on their treetop walkway! Find out more.

Herefordshire Raceway – Leominster, Herefordshire

Aspiring race drivers will love the chance to zoom around the 600 metre outdoor track! Suitable for little ones over 1.3m and over 8 years old. There’s a lovely picnic for proud spectators to watch and soak up the sunshine. Find out more.

Click here to explore a different region!

What have you been up to? We’d really love to know! Someone else might love it, and really want to go! If you’ve got ideas, suggestions or reviews, you can shout all about it on whatever channel you choose!

Lets go on a Picniq! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or tag us on Instagram using #PicniqUK! ❤️