02/05/2019
May Bank Holiday Ideas
Remember the days when a bank holiday weekend meant catching up with friends and having a lie in? We do vaguely too!
Although things may have changed, there’s lots of things to do on bank holiday with the family to make the most of the long weekend.
Here are our top May bank holiday ideas, from wildlife explorations and seaside events to free museums:
Best coastal trips
There are loads of great beaches to visit in the UK. Southwold in Suffolk is a wonderful historic coastal town with colourful beach huts and lots of coastal amusements to keep them entertained. Take a stroll down the pier and revive yourself with a coffee and ice cream There’s even a historic lighthouse you can see up close and personal if you’re up for a 7 mile walk!
Norfolk has a number of great beaches to visit with the family. Head to Wells-Next-The-Sea to see the beach huts and play in the dunes. You can even take a train from town up to the beach or have a wander through the woods. If you fancy something with a bit of razzle dazzle Hunstanton will be the beach for you, full of arcades and with a sealife centre, they’ll be well entertained whatever the weather. If you want to explore some great wildlife then Brancaster is the place for you.
Brighton is a fabulous seaside town in the South of England. With a fantastic pebble beach with lots of attractions as well as a quirky shopping district in the Lanes it really does offer everything for a demanding family!
Take a walk on the wild side!
This is a great time of year to get the family enjoying the great outdoors and lots of fantastic wildlife parks to enjoy in the UK.
From animatronic dinosaurs to living reptiles and large mammals, Paradise Wildlife Park in Hertfordshire is a great day out for families. With indoor and outdoor play areas as well as an exhibition of art made from recycled materials available this May bank holiday, they’ll have a fun filled day!
Get the kids exploring nature right in the heart of the city at WWT London, just 10 minutes from Hammersmith. If you go on Monday 6th May, there are additional activities planned to inspire your mini Attenboroughs!
There are 46 Wildlife Trusts in the UK with 2,300 centres! Nearly all of these are free to visit and offer loads to do from birdwatching to woodland explorations and wildflower walks. There are plenty of opportunities to get out and about with the family this bank holiday weekend so take a look at what’s on near you.
Need more bank holiday wildlife events near you? Take a look at what’s on in the UK at Visit Britain.
Culture at no cost!
There are lots of local museums that you can visit in your region for free. On top of that our capital offers plenty of options for you expand your families minds for a donation of your discretion. Here are our favourites:
Even before you enter the Natural History Museum, kids will be impressed with this exceptional building with architectural delights both inside and out. There’s loads to see in this fantastic museum with over 80 million items linked to zoology, paleontology, mineralogy, botany, and entomology. Dippy has now been replaced but they’ll have a ‘whale of time’ viewing the new exhibit!
Founded in 1857 the Science Museum brings big scientific concepts to life and has lots of great interactive activities for them to try. There are additional exhibits to book such as The Sun: Living with our star (free for under 16 year olds) and Wonderlab.
Maybe one of the best known museums in the world, the British Museum holds a wealth of information celebrating culture, art and history. This educational institution offers free trials, workshops and activities for family visits as well as a number of varied free exhibitions and displays that will entertain and enlighten.
Take a look at more free museums to visit in London.
We hope this inspires you with some great May bank holiday ideas.
Let us know what you’re planning in the comments below.