Local(ish) Day Out With Kids

[jimnicebutdim]

Hey guys and gals,
Has anybody got any suggestions for a local(ish) to Pompey day out for two adults and three kids?
Looked at the normal (theme parks, Marwell) but unless I fancy selling a kidney they're out of my budget.

So, has anyone got any ideas.
Jim

[Jonboy_t]

There's a really good cake/coffee shop called the 10th hole about 20 minute walk fom Fratton station, right by the seafront, that has a pitch and putt. The cakes are immense (trust me - I'm fat, I know cake) and are pretty cheap (about £3 per slice wedge, £2 ish per mug of coffee) and the pitch and putt was about £5 I think.

From there, it's quite a nice walk along the seafront towards Southsea amusements, probably about 2-3 miles. There's a big park with a small-ish lake about half way and they rent out swan and duck pedal-o's for about £7. You can fit 4 fully grown men in them, but they're st for drag racing across the pond. Apparently....

If it's raining, cinema!

[Fuzzy72]

Bere Forest in Wickam, also known as 100 acres, is great for kids of all ages. There's a younger children tree house play area and sandpit, a rope obstacle course and cool rope swing, good woodland walks, picnic area and sometimes a refreshments van. Parking is not badly priced as well, £2.30 for 4 hours. Probably be a 20 minute drive from Pompey.

If you really want to push the boat out, I recomend the Merlin passes. If you like days out to Chessington, Legoland, Thorpe Park, Alton towers, Sea Life centres, some London attractions etc, you make one payment for the passes then you can go as often as you want.

Hope this gives you some ideas.

[AndWhyNot]

National Trust membership is pretty good value if used. Within 45 mins of Portsmouth there's Petworth, Uppark, Hinton Ampner, Mottisfont, Winchester City Mill and many more further afield. Pay once (£80 for our family membership) and free entry to all sites for a year.

The Heath Pond up at Petersfield is good for 30mins-3hrs fun depending on weather & tolerance levels. Southsea Castle is free entry these days. Staunton Park is a few quid entry but interesting particularly when there's new animals.

We were also surprised recently how much fun the kids had trying out new beds at various showrooms; and the sunglass section of Vision Express is pretty exciting if you have girls who like dressing up...

[Kitchski]

Staunton Park is good value. My kids love the model village in Southsea too, but it's not a day out (although you can eat a picnic on their benches overlooking the Solent.
If you've got boys you can lose 20mins waiting for the hovercraft to arrive and leave. That's free!

We go to Southsea quite alot and spend relatively little. Even just walking around the old castle is nice.

[blueheron]

How old are the kids?

Manor Farm at Bursledon is quite good and not too expensive. Lots of baby animals at the moment as it's springtime! They have demonstrations and handling sessions at certain times of the day too.

Also on the road in, there's quite a good playground at Barnfield, with a popular long rope snakey swing thing.

Hampshire County Council do a 'Culture all Passport' which includes entry to quite a few attractions.

Also, Moors Valley Country Park is very good. Bit further afield just outside Ringwood, but free entry - you just pay for parking. There's a play trail with giant wooden carved sculptures to climb and play on, tree top trail on an elevated wooden walkway, plus the walks around the lake side, miniature railway and adventure playground etc.

[bruschetta]

Fort Nelson - Free (donations appreciated!) - Loads to explore - tunnels - and firing demos
http://www.royalarmouries.org/visit-us/fort-nelson

At the bottom of the Hill is Portchester Castle - entry to Castle not free - but you can climb up the tower - Or just use the grounds for a picnic - free
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/propert...

Manor Farm is seconded - went there last weekend
http://www3.hants.gov.uk/countryside/manorfarm.htm

[Huntsman]

How about jumping on the feryr to Ryde and having a day out on the Island?

Red Funnel from Southampton is only £35 day retun, that's prolly a lot less than a theme park, take a picnic, bit of singing in the car on the way!

[jimnicebutdim]

Thanks for the advice guys. We've done Manor Farm and Staunton several times, so decidedto take the offspring (and the dog) to Moors Valley. It was a fantastic day, with good weather and not to busy. Highly recommend it, and will be returning again

[blueheron]

Ahh good choice!

Always liked Moors Valley when I was little

[goforbroke]

jimnicebutdim said:

Thanks for the advice guys. We've done Manor Farm and Staunton several times, so decidedto take the offspring (and the dog) to Moors Valley. It was a fantastic day, with good weather and not to busy. Highly recommend it, and will be returning again

We were meant to go to Moors Valley on my birthday at the beginning of the month, but the weather was rubbish so we took the kids to the Milestones museum in Basingstoke instead. Our two (ages 4 & 2) loved it, plus there was a Lego exhibition on at the time too.

Still looking forward to going to Moors Valley though. We've also bought one of the Hampshire Culture passes, so we'll be trying a few places out over the year.

[HiHoSilverSLK]

What a sweet thread, made me feel all warm and nice.
Which makes a change.