Days Out in the South West | 8 Favourites

The countdown to the summer holidays is upon us and if you’re lucky enough to live in the South West of England then you have this bunch of places to visit right on your doorstep.  But quite frankly, even if you don’t – they are well worth a journey. Here’s some of our faves …

Looking for Days Out in the South West? Here's our favourites

We The Curious

It’s always surprising how many people don’t know about We The Curious on Bristol’s harbourside. If your family are into science, art, questions and ideas – this is right up your street. It’s an indoor science centre where you can get hands on with exhibits, shows and experiments. There’s also a 3D Planetarium where you’ll feel as though you’re flying through space. You can easily spend the whole day here with kids of all ages, and not hear “I’m bored” once. True story. It’s cheaper to book online than on the day and children’s tickets start at a reasonable £5.95.

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Writhlington Leisure

Writhlington Leisure covers the two communities of Radstock and Midsomer Norton, and each site has superb leisure facilities for all the family – gym, classes, swimming, trampoline, dance, climbing wall and loads more. And at Radstock you’ll find one of the best indoor play centres in the area – Go Bananas. You don’t have to spend a fortune to treat the kids to a day filled with activity, and this place goes to prove that. So if they’re sports mad, with loads of energy to burn off during the six week hols, get yourself over here for the day. 

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Wookey Hole Caves and Attractions

Wookey Hole Caves and Attractions is an absolute belter of a day out. It’s been around for donkeys, and many parents will remember it from their own childhoods. As you’d expect, it’s seen some changes over the years and is now on many families wish list for the summer holidays.  Here’s a few reasons why:

The caves – Obvs! Atmospheric, beautifully lit and really interesting. Goose pimples guaranteed. 

Dinos – Kids will love the incredible new animatronic dinosaurs at Valley of the Dinosaurs. 

4D cinema – And if you’re not too Boredasaurus of these creatures, take in Dawn of the Dinosaurs at the 4D cinema. Prepare for your senses to be teased.

Play Castle – There are two indoor play areas if the weather doesn’t behave or if you want to burn off some steam.

There’s actually loads to do here. It’s great value, and cheaper when you book online. Plus, if you visit between 24th July and 1st September there’s a live circus show.

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Cheddar Gorge and Caves

You can’t mention Wookey Hole without a friendly nod to Cheddar Gorge and Caves. Two quite different experiences but they are practically neighbours and if caves, history and nature are your thing – you’re gonna love this place. If you don’t drive, or fancy traveling by train just for the heck of it, there are loads of services direct to Temple Meads in Bristol, then you catch the FIRST bus (number 126, or the 826 on a Sunday) to Cheddar. For the summer holidays there is a stone age theme with lots of hands-on activities included in the price of your day ticket. 

Plus, if you wanted to combine your trip to Cheddar Gorge with Longleat (further on in this article) you can buy a combo ticket for both attractions and save around £5 on adult entry and the same for children. 

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Cotswold Country Park and Beach

If you fancy a trip to the beach this summer, head over to Cotswold Country Park and Beach just outside of Cirencester. Because it’s so fantastic here it does tend to get very busy – so book online. Okay, where to begin? A beach and swimming lagoon, boating activities, watersports, inflatable obstacle course, Vertigo Adventures – with a trapeze and air drop, Go-Karts, mini-golf, playgrounds and delicious food. And there’s plenty more besides. When the sun is shining you cannot beat this place. 

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Nature in Art

Have you heard of Nature in Art? It’s the world’s first museum and art gallery dedicated to art inspired by nature. Set within a Georgian mansion two miles north of Gloucester on the A38, this is a really lovely day out for every member of the family.

Yes, soft plays and arcades are fun – but if you’d like to enjoy a slower pace of day and treat the children to something a little more interesting, head here. You can check out the changing displays, exhibitions and children’s activities. Then plonk yourself at the coffee shop for a well-earned rest and an incredible view of the surroundings.

It’s £15 for two adults and two children and under 8s go free. If you have an aspiring artist in the family, they’ll love a day trip to Nature in Art.  Check out the children’s activity days here.

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Longleat Safari Park

Nestled on the A36 between Bath and Salisbury, Longleat is one of those places you simply must visit this summer? Why? Jeez, there are so many reasons.  But here’s 3 to kick you off:

• It’s a safari park and who doesn’t want a monkey jumping on their car or a giraffe’s head through your window?
• It’s jam packed with stuff to see and do at the Main Square Safari and the House and Gardens
• During summer, kids eat free at teatime, plus you can use Tesco Clubcard Vouchers to save even more money

Truth is, there is SO much to do here, you could easily fill two days.  So, if you wanted to turn a day trip into a mini break – book yourself a local stay. There are some suggestions on the Longleat website. 

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The Mid-Somerset Show

The Mid-Somerset Show in Shepton Mallet takes place on Sunday 18th August.  It’s a free agricultural show with loads to do – even if the whole family aren’t cattle-crazy or potty about pigs (it helps if they are!) 

As a little taster, as well as the agricultural displays you’d expect, you can enjoy live music, home craft classes for all the family, classic and vintage car displays, show jumping, cookery demos, trade stalls and the South West Cheese Awards and Somerset Cider Championship.

Take a break from your usual day trip favourites and head out for the day for something a bit different. It’s free to enter the show, but parking is £15 per car.  You can save £2 by booking early here. 

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We’ve really just scrapped the surface as far as days out in the South West go.  We’re a lucky bunch to be surrounded by all of these wonderful places to visit. 

My Town Rocks would love to hear from you if you’d like to get involved in telling others about days out where you live. Get in touch with us today.