5 Best Half-Term Family Breaks in the UK
Whether you are planning a Half-term week away or settling for a long weekend, these places in the UK are a fantastic getaway for the whole family.
1. Cardiff, Wales
Cardiff if full of art, history, and science. With an abundance of things to do with your kids, Cardiff city and Cardiff Bay is always a great day out. For the nature & history lovers, you could visit Cardiff Castle and take a stroll through Bute Park. Or if you have a car, you could travel a little further out to St. Fagans National Museum, which has FREE entry.
Cardiff has a fantastic range of shops, and independent retailers throughout the city in the Shopping centre and arcades.
From Treetop Adventure Golf in the city to white water rafting in the bay, Cardiff is a fun getaway for the family.
Here are a more family friendly things to do in Cardiff:
- Techniquest in Cardiff Bay
- Infinity Trampoline Park
- Ice skating at Ice Arena Wales
- Indoor Go-Karting at TeamSport
- Laser Quest and Bowling
- National Museum Cardiff – Free Entry
- Cefn Mably Farm Park
- Swimming at Cardiff International Pool
- Book an Escape Room
- Crazy golf, foot golf and a soft play area at TEEREX
2. Isle of Wight, England
A popular UK break away for the whole family, full of beautiful beaches, caves, historic sights and more! Perfect for animal lovers there are attractions such as Monkey Haven, West Wight Alpacas, and the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary. Or maybe if you are going through a toilet humour phase, you could even visit the National Poo Museum!
There are multiple fun activities and places to visit across the whole of Isle of Wight, so whether you stay North, South, East or West, there will always be something to do.
The Isle of Wight is known as the ‘Dinosaur Capital of Britain’. As they have found nearly every type of dinosaur fossil here, which can all be seen at the Dinosaur Isle Museum.
Or alternatively you could visit one of their amazing beaches and try find your very own fossil! Here are beaches from each side of Isle of Wight:
- Steephill Cove in the South Wight
- Gurnard in the North Wight.
- low tide at Colwell, Totland, Freshwater Bay, or Compton Bay in the West Wight
- St Helen's, Priory Bay, or Whitecliff Bay in the East Wight
3. Sherwood Forest, England
With so much to do, Sherwood Forest is a great pick for families of all ages. They have a whole range of different walks and trails to do with the kids. It is even more fun if they are a Robin Hood fan too, the forest gives them a sense of Magic as you trail through and take part in their fun activities along the way.
Their trails include:
- The Major Oak Trail - 1.5 miles | Approximate time 45 mins
- Giants Trail - 0.75 miles | Approximate time 30 mins
- Greenwood trail - 2 miles | Approximate time 1 hour 15 mins
- Wildwood Trail - 4 miles | Approximate time 2 hour 30 mins
Depending on when you visit, they host a range of fun activities and offer amazing resources for their walk routes. They also have a fun route for cyclists too, so It is worth checking that out if your kids love to cycle.
4. Jurassic Coast, Dorset
The Jurassic Coast is often named one of the best UK holiday destinations for families. They have a whole range of fun and entertaining activities and attractions, making it a popular choice for your little ones.
The history is on another level at the Jurassic Coast, with rock formations like Old Harry Rocks and Durdle Door. It makes an exciting coastal walk for the whole family.
If you are on a budget, there several free to no-cost days out and attractions to do. A few of the low cost/free attractions include:
- Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre
- Tout Quarry
- Durlston Country Park
- Lulworth Fossil Forest
- Spyway Dinosaur Footprints
- Lulworth Cove Visitor Centre
You could make it even more fun for half-term by booking camping, as there is so much to discover on the Jurassic Coast.
Remember double check the weather forecast just in case you need to pack the wellies!
5. Edinburgh, Scotland
A picturesque half-term break for the whole family, there are so many activities and attractions in this city. If any of the family are Harry Potter fans, this is one to visit! You could take the Potter Trail, which is a free tour of the locations that inspired Harry Potter.
10 other things you could do that are child friendly favourites in Edinburgh, would be:
- Edinburgh Zoo
- Portobello Beach
- Edinburgh Castle
- Volcano Falls Adventure Golf
- National Museum of Scotland
- The Chocolatarium
- The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
- Open-Top Bus Tours
- Camera Obscura & World of Illusions
- Mercat Tours
Remember to check the weather forecast as you may need to bring along a raincoat and a pair of wellies whilst you explore this magical city.
If Edinburgh is a little far for you, maybe plan a beach day trip in the half-term instead? Take a look at the Top 10 UK Family Friendly Beaches Near You.