As a mum of two young boys, Odhran, 10, and Reuben, 7, there's nothing I love more than a great family day out or a kid-friendly weekend break away. Over the years, we've travelled all around the country, enjoying some of the most fun attractions and events the UK has to offer. Here's our pick of the five most memorable experiences with kids in the UK...
1. Port Lympne Safari Park
It was three or four years ago when we visited Port Lympne Safari Park in Kent, but it was an incredible day out that lingers fondly in my mind. We did the feeding the giraffes experience and it was one of our most memorable family days out. We rode in the back of a jeep out to an open space where the giraffes wandered freely. It didn't take long to entice them with some delicious branches and leaves. The giraffes came sauntering over, stooping their necks and leaning into the truck. We'd never seen these beautiful creatures so close up, and I can still remember Reuben's squeals of delight. Port Lympne Safari Park is a breeding sanctuary for rare and endangered animals, and home to more than 900 animals. It's as close to an authentic safari experience as possible in the UK, and a day out we'll remember forever.
2. LEGOLAND short break
As huge LEGO fans, a stay at LEGOLAND Windsor had been on our bucket list for a long time, and we were thrilled when it lived up to expectations. After enjoying all that the theme park had to offer, we stayed in the Knight's Room at LEGOLAND Castle Hotel. The whole hotel was wonderfully themed, with LEGO everywhere, and there was a little treasure hunt in the room. As a guest at Castle Hotel, you could move freely between here and the other LEGOLAND hotel, where the boys loved the giant Playroom filled with bricks. I enjoyed sipping a drink outside the bar while the kids ran around the playground, and the following morning, we had a lovely table-service breakfast and a swim in the pool. The boys skipped around during our visit, and it's an experience we're so happy to have captured in pictures to frame on the wall. LEGOLAND Windsor is kicking off its 30th birthday celebrations with its annual Brick Days event (with exclusive building activities), running from 14-23 February. As part of a Short Breaks Offer, visitors booking a stay receive second day entry to the Resort free.
3. Camp Bestival
I'd always wanted to take the boys to a music festival, and they don't get more kid-friendly than Camp Bestival in Dorset. But it's not just about the music (though there were some great acts the year we attended, including Pete Tong, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, McFly, and fantastic tribute acts, such as The Smyths), Camp Bestival is also about the abundance of activities to take part in. The boys did some building, art, roller-skating, skateboarding, rock-climbing, parkour, LEGO building, and more! Our days and nights were jam-packed with fun. Camp Bestival is a weekend for the whole family to enjoy. Camp Bestival will take place at Lulworth Castle from 30 July to 2 August. This year, the festival headliner is legendary DJ and producer Norman Cook aka Fatboy Slim!
4. Longleat
We love a day out that involves close encounters with wildlife, and Reuben still talks about feeding the sea lions and learning about how the nearby gorillas sometimes get annoyed with their barking and toss their poop at them. But it's the monkeys at Longleat that really steal the show. It was so much fun to slowly drive around and have them jump on our car and scamper across the windows and roof. We even had a mum holding a baby monkey hop on to our windscreen. There was also the giant maze and fantastic adventure playgrounds, making Longleat an attraction we're sure to revisit.
5. The Historic
I'm selecting this one as it holds so many memories for us from down through the years. We originally visited to explore The Ropery and the historic wartime ships and submarines. But over the years, we've returned for some of the many great events hosted at The Historic Dockyard. We saw an amazing art installation, where you could climb up into a cocoon made entirely of sticky tape. We attended the Medway Gaming Festival (where the boys got to play retro video games and have their pictures taken next to people in the most incredible cosplay outfits), and we celebrated the annual Salute to the 40s event (The boys learnt more about the war from this event than they've ever picked up from school). In years to come, when I think back on the boys' childhood, The Historic Dockyard Chatham is sure to feature in my memories.