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Long weekend with kids - public transport only

26 replies

Msbobblysock · 13/03/2022 07:56

Hi all

Looking for some inspiration for a long weekend away with my DS (10 and 7) at the end of June ( have an inset day I want to take advantage of).

I’m a single parent and don’t drive so needs to be public transport from London. Kids like to be active. Places we have done previously include York, Warwick castle, Birmingham, Liverpool and longer ago Bath and Brighton ( so could return now older). Am wondering whether to do another city or perhaps beach or even new forest 🤔.

Any ideas for inspiration very welcome!

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IggyAce · 13/03/2022 08:01

How about Newcastle, several great museums a few of them are free, you could use the metro to get to the coast.

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RampantIvy · 13/03/2022 08:03

Carlisle. Travel via Leeds to get the train from Leeds as it travels along the stunning Settle to Carlisle railway line.

Carlisle has a brilliant castle and excellent museum as well as a decent shopping centre.

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toots111 · 13/03/2022 08:08

Kent coast is lovely for those ages and really do-able by public transport. Pick a town to base yourself in but you can get something different from each of the different towns - Whitstable lovely for cute shops and nice lunch plus a stoney beach, Broadstairs nice beach with great ice cream parlour, Margate enormous beach and Dreamlands. Quex park near birchington. You can do it all via bus/train or hire bikes.

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toots111 · 13/03/2022 08:08

Plus Canterbury for cathedral etc.

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axolotlfloof · 13/03/2022 08:11

Bristol - harbourside, museums etc.
Day trip to Bath (15 min on train).

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Jeffjefftyjeff · 13/03/2022 08:11

You can get to Tenby by train and the town is quite compact so you can walk to accommodation/ beach etc. The beaches are great.

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Cheguevarahamster · 13/03/2022 08:36

Tenby is beautiful but its a hell of a trek from London for a long weekend.
Bristol is excellent for a trip with Bath as well.

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RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 13/03/2022 08:38

I wouldn't want to travel too far, so you can get the most out of your time. Brighton would be great, or Bristol.

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Msbobblysock · 13/03/2022 08:51

Thanks all

Yes agree don’t want to travel too far. Was thinking of Kent coast myself ( although can’t decide where - suspect I’d like whitstable but the kids would prefer Margate!) and possibly Bristol.

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mdh2020 · 13/03/2022 08:53

Canterbury - do a tour of the cathedral and a boat trip. They’d enjoy the story of Thomas a Becket. You can get a train to both Margate and Whitstable.

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ChoiceMummy · 13/03/2022 09:26

Kent would be easier!

New Forest is lovely. But you'd be reliant on the hop on off bus for where you could go and would need to find accommodation near to the route and the costs of this have really jumped.

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PotteringAlong · 13/03/2022 09:28

Get the sleeper train to Edinburgh?

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Ealingreally · 13/03/2022 09:39

Southampton? Sea city museum is good. Could do a day trip to the Isle of Wight or Bournemouth, and Paultons Park on inset day when it will be less packed, bus X7.

New Forest tour is an open top bus from 25 June.

Lots of huge cruise ships and cargo ships to look at if they find that interesting.

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mongoosebaby · 13/03/2022 10:15

Portsmouth- cheap hotels to stay and easy to get around by bus. Portsmouth historic dockyard, southsea amusements and mini golf, hovercraft to isle of Wight, spinnaker tower. Beach if good weather.

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toots111 · 13/03/2022 10:29

@Msbobblysock

Thanks all

Yes agree don’t want to travel too far. Was thinking of Kent coast myself ( although can’t decide where - suspect I’d like whitstable but the kids would prefer Margate!) and possibly Bristol.

We go quite often and stay in whitstable and then do day trips to Margate and broadstairs. Kids love it!
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Msbobblysock · 13/03/2022 12:37

@toots111 - is there anywhere you’d recommend to stay at all?

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Msbobblysock · 13/03/2022 12:38

Thanks everyone - Portsmouth also on my list

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Notagoodnight · 13/03/2022 12:42

Yy to Portsmouth. Theres enough for the weekend just with the dockyard and spinica tower. Its compact so easy to walk and you can always do a day trip to isle of wight

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toots111 · 13/03/2022 12:57

[quote Msbobblysock]@toots111 - is there anywhere you’d recommend to stay at all?[/quote]
We always just get an air bnb off the high street. Lots available. Means everyone has space. I don’t do any cooking, fish and chips, pizza etc at home if we don’t want to go to a restaurant and run out for croissants for breakfast.

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PosiePerkinPootleFlump · 13/03/2022 13:26

I'd base yourselves in Margate. Beach is good, Dreamland for rides, Turner contemporary gallery as well as some smaller art galleries etc. You could hire bikes and do the Viking Coastal Trail along the sea.

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Neurodiversitydoctor · 13/03/2022 14:31

Dover has some interesting WW2 stuff, Rye is a pretty medival town and Camber sands is hard to beat for a sandy beach.

Equally Arundel is very lovely with an impressive castle.

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Msbobblysock · 13/03/2022 21:30

Thanks everyone - lots of ideas to look into

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ArialAnna · 13/03/2022 21:34

Do you all cycle and have bikes? There are lots of great cycle routes in the new forest and you can take your bikes on the train.

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PermanentTemporary · 13/03/2022 21:36

I was going to say Portsmouth for this age.

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Danikm151 · 13/03/2022 21:40

Chester?

Walk along the roman walls and do a day at chester zoo.
Very much a walking town with loads of things to see

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