With the summer holidays coming up thought I would share this list with great days out with things to do around Chester, Cheshire, North Wales, and the Wirral
OUTDOOR PLAY (not including parks)
*Gruffalo trail, Delamere forest
*Go ape, Delamere
*Crocky trail, Chester
*Cheshire Ice cream farm
*Blakemere Village, Cheshire
*Otterspool promenade, Liverpool.
*Brimstage Maize Maze,
*Abergele adventure trail
*Greenfield valley museum, Holywell - treehouse, play area, museum, animals.
*Greenwood family park, Gwynydd
BEACHES.
*New Brighton prom and pirate ship (could check out the arcades too)
*Formby
*West Kirby
*Ainsdale beach, Merseyside
*Crosby
*Penrhyn Bay
*Prestatyn
*Talacre
*Llandudno and prom.
*Rhyl
*Colwyn Bay
*Rhos on sea, Conwy
*Prestatyn
*Anglesey
*Tywyn
*Black rock sands, Porthmaddog
*Blackpool
*Southport
WATER PARKS, AND OUTDOOR POOLS
*Bubbles world of play and Splash water park, New Brighton
*Otterspool promenade, Liverpool.
*Manley Mere. Must be 8 years and 1.2m. Nr Ellesmere port
*Outdoor water play Chester zoo
*Sandy Lane park, Mr Huntington
* Indoor water play at Cheshire ice cream farm
*Marbury outdoor pool, Northwich
*Nantwich outdoor brine pool
*Church walk paddling pool, Northwich.
*Congleton paddling pool
*Rhos on sea paddling pool.
*Water World, Stoke
INDOOR POOLS AND ICE RINKS
*Skating at Deeside ice rink
*Chester city baths
*Northgate arena, chester
*ESPV, Ellesmere Port
*Plas madoc leisure centre, Wrexham
*Eirias park and water park, Colwyn Bay
*Head to your local pool. Keep an eye out on their websites for special events.
RIVER WALKS, CRUISES, FERRIES
*Ferry across river Mersey
* Liverpool waterfront currently has a range of activities over summer.
*The Wirral way, Birkenhead
*Chester lady Diana boat tour
*Hire a paddleboat on the river Dee
*Feed the ducks along the river Dee or your local canal (we advise against bread in line with the canals trust recommendations). Coffeetots sell duck food. Why not also grab a yummy I've cream from Cheshire farms on the canal?
*Sandy lane aqua park, Chester. Again can feed the ducks.
*Eccleston
*Llangollen. You could even take a horse drawn barge
*Ty Mawr country Park, Wrexham
*Loggerheads, Nr Mold
*Alyn Waters, Wrexham
*Erddig country park.
WILDLIFE (not including farms or parks)
*Chester zoo
*Falconrry, Chester cathedral, Chester
*Blacon adventure playground and city farm, Blacon.
*Blakemere Village, Cheshire
*Cotebrook horse centre, Tarpoley
*Welsh mountain zoo, Colwyn Bay
*Gypsey Wood park, Caernarfon
*Blue planet aquarium Cheshire oaks
*Seaquarium, Rhyl
*Gelateria Domingo the Llama, Eryrys
*Greenfield valley museum - treehouse, play area, museum, animals. Holywell.
*Pili Palus nature world, Menai
*Trentham gardens and Monkey forest.
*Sea life, Trafford Centre
*Knowsley safari park
*Norton priory museum, Runcorn
*Wirral Donkeys, Birkenhead
*Wheelock Hall petting farm, Sandbach
COUNTRY PARKS
*Delamere forest
*Helsby quarry local nature reserve
*Marbury country park, Northwich
*The Wirral way, Birkenhead
*Eastham country park
*Rivacre valley
*Loggerheads
*Moel Famau
*Alyn waters
*Ty mawr, Wrexham
*Wepre park, Ewloe
*Snowdonia national park
*Erddig country park
*Greenfield valley museum - treehouse, play area, museum, animals. Holywell.
*Hawkstone park follies, Shrewsbury.
The Follies is an historic woodland fantasy with cliffs, crags, caves, deep woods and a series of extraordinary monuments built over 200 years ago,
OTHER PUBLIC PARKS
*Grosvenor park, Chester
*Westminister park, Chester
*Countess walk, Chester
*Hoole Park, Chester
*Christleton Park, Chester
*Ashton park, West Kirby
*Birkenhead Park
*Plassy, Wrexham, castle themed play park.
*Ruthin park, Ruthin
CASTLES
*Chester castle (museum)
*Halton castle, Runcorn (ruin)
*Mow cop castle, Cheshire (ruin)
Wittingham castle (small ruin), Oswestry
*Beeston castle (smallish ruin), Tarpoley
*Hawarden castle - only open to the public on select days
*Ewloe castle ( small ruin), Ewloe
*Caernarfon castle, Caernarfon
* Conwy castle, Conwy
*Rhuddlan castle (ruin), Rhuddlan
*Penrhyn castle (national trust)
*Boddlewyddyn castle
*Beaumaris
*Flint castle and playground (ruin)
*Chirk castle
*Powys castle
*Penrhyn castle, Bangor
NATIONAL TRUST
*Erddig Hall, Wrexham
*Chirk castle, Chirk
*Bodnant gardens, Colwyn bay
*Powys castle, Powys
*Penrhyn castle, Bangor
*Plas Newydd country house, Llanfairpwllgwyngyll
*Speke Hall (can watch planes come in too), Speke, Liverpool
*Hardmans house, Liverpool
*Beetles childhood home, Liverpool
*Dunham Massey Hall, Altringham.
*Tatton Park, Knutsford.
*Lyme Park, Stockport
*Quarry bank mill, Wilmslow
*Alderley edge and Cheshire countryside
*Hare Hill, Macclesfield
*Buddulph grange garden, Biddulph
*Little Moreton Hall, Congleton
*Rufford old Hall, Ormskirk
*Gawthorpe Hall, Burnley (further afield)
*Sudbury hall and toy museum, Ashbourne (further afield)
NON NATIONAL TRUST HOUSES AND GARDENS
*Eaton Hall,Eccleston. Only open to public four times a year.
*Plas the, Mold (Sunday tours only). Also do ghost tours for adults.
*Walton hall and gardens, Warrington
*Arley Hall and gardens, Northwich
*Capesthorne Hall, Siddington, Cheshire
*Addllington Hall, Macclesfield
*Cholmondeley gardens, Cheshire. Castle not open to public.
*Ness botanic gardens, Little Neston
*Castle Park, Frodsham
*Pet cemetary, Holywell - award winning gardens, statues and memorials.
FARMS
*Applejacks adventure farm, Warrington.
*Church farm, Thurstaston, wirral
*Claremont farm, Birkenhead
*Tom O Shanters Urban farm, Birkenhead
*Hayrack Church Farm, Thornton Le Moors, Chester
*Little Als urban farm, Eastham
*Farmer Teds adventure farm, Ormskirk
* Backford belles, Nr Chester
*Blacon adventure playground and city farm, Blacon
*Snugburys ice cream, Nantwich - Farmhouse ice-cream outlet in a converted barn, with a courtyard and canalside walking trail.
*Cheshire farms ice cream farm.
*Shockley Farm park, Arley, Northwich
*Wheelock farm nr sandbach
*Greenacres Anjmal park, Mancot, Deeside
*Park hall country side experience, Oswestry.
LAKES
*Ellesmere, Oswestry
*Bala lake
*Manley Mere Nr Ellesmere Port- large inflatable course. Must be 1.2m
*Lake Vernwy, Powys
*Tatton Park lakes, Knutsford
MUSEUMS
*Grosvenor museum, Chester
*World museum Liverpool
*Liverpool maritime museum
*Lady lever art gallery , Port sunlight
*Little edenville child amusement center, Birkenhead
*Boat museum, Ellesmere Port
*Norton Priory, Runcorn
*British Iron works, Oswestry
*Blissts hill museum, ironbridge, Telford
*Cadbury world, Birmingham
*Manchester museum
*Eureka museum, Halifax (further afield)
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CENTERS
*Imagine that, Liverpool (also so Arts and Crafts).
*Spaceport, Wallasey
*Techniquest, Wrexham
*Catalyst Science discovery centre, Widnes
*Joddrell bank, Macclesfield
PLANE WATCHING
*Chocks away diner, Broughton
*Speke Hall, Speke, Liverpool
*Manchester aviation viewing park. Tours available.
AMUSEMENT/THEME PARKS
*Alton towers, Stoke on Trent
*C beebies land, Stoke on Trent
*Gullivers World, Warrington
*Blackpool pleasure beach
*Greenwood family park, Gwynydd
*LEGOLAND discovery centre, Manchester
*Inflatanation, Runcorn - indoor Inflatable theme park
*Wonderland, Telford
*Drayton manor theme park, Tamworth (further afield)
CLIMBING WALLS
*Climbing Hangar, Liverpool
*Awesome Walls, Liverpool
*The Boardroom, Queensferry
*Boulder Hut, Ellesmere Port (opens soon)
TRAMPOLINE PARKS
*Flip out, Chester gates, Chester
*Freedome, Ellesmere Port
*Jump nation, Widnes
*Spring city Trampoline park, Liverpool
SOFT PLAY
*Good time Charlie's, Broughton
*Zippys soft play, Chester
*Bubbles world of play andsplash water park, new Brighton prom
*Mattel play, Liverpool. Themed soft play.
* Cheshire Ice cream farm soft play
* Whizz kids saltney
*Ty bugs, Mold
*Infinity, Mold
*Fantastic funhouse, Oswestry
FOOTBALL AND SPORT
*Paradise Island Adventure golf, Cheshire Oaks, Ellesmere Port
*Bowling (please see your local Bowling alley)
*LFC tour
*Everton tour
READING, FILM, CRAFTS
* Please check out your local library for upcoming events.
*Weekend kids screening posted on the clued in with kids group each Friday.
*Grosvenor open air theatre, Chester (Summer)
*Cheshire candle factory, Cheshire workshops, Beeston.
*Lady Lever Art gallery, Liverpool.
*Lady Hayes, Frodsham
*Blakemere Village, Cheshire
*Krafty house, Buckley
*Jemoleys, Penyffordd
*Charlie's ceramics, Boat museum, Ellesmere Port
*The potting shed, Hoylake
*Aberkhan, Mostyn - outdoor play area
*Spotty pig cafe, Chester
*Story house, Chester run a range of activities in the week and during holidays. Please see website
OTHER
*Breakout, Chester
*Escapism, Chester
*Chester ghost tours (Friday, Saturday)
SUGGESTIONS FOR STAYCATIONS CLOSEBY
*Betwys y coed - beautiful place. Waterfalls, streams, forests and adventure
*Portmerion
*Harlech
*Abersoch
*Lancaster
*Shrewbury- beautiful city. Boutique independents, river walks, parks etc.
EATING OUT Chester and surrounding areas e.g. Broughton, Penyffordd, Llay, Ellesmere Port
*Gelateria Domingo the Llama, Eryrys
*The crown, Llay. Two for one on adult meals. Climbing frame outside
*Spavens, Hoole, Chester - sweet shop, ice cream parlour, creperie and desserts.
*Jemoleys Penyffordd
Very tasty cafe. Healthy home cooked food. Kids menu is fantastic e.g. quesadillas, Bolognese etc. Kids can make a ceramic. Fabulous cake.
*Chocs away diner, Broughton Nr Airbus - a fab place to see the planes (and if you are lucky, you may spot the red arrows).
*The Running Hare, St David's Park, Deeside. Outdoor play area featuring a wooden train.
*Princess afternoon tea, Booth mansion, Chester
*Spavens, Hoole, Chester - sweet shop, ice cream parlour, creperie and desserts.
*Coffeetots Chester - indoor play area For £1 or free if you spend £10
*Russian style Crepe cafe, Upton. Play area upstairs.
*The white horse, Chester racecourse. Fab play area which includes a pirate ship.
*The little owl, Countess way, Chester. Slide and climbing frame. 2 for 1 on meals.
*Ring O Bells Christleton - high up on Chester Chronicles list of child friendly pubs. There's steak on the kids menu and a nice play area outside.
*The plough inn, christleton. Large outdoor play area and family beer garden.
*Stamford bridge Tarvin road.
A fab play area with decent swings and a nice outdoor space to burn off some energy
*The Goshawk, mouldsworth. Large outdoor play area and space to run around.
*Old Hall farm, Ellesmere Port
According to the Chronicle there's a nice play area for kids.
*The Rake. Hungry Horse, little Stanney. Large gardens and play area.
*Pollards inn, Willaston. Outdoor play area. 200 yards from the Wirral Way, a lovely countryside and coastal footpath.
*Aberkhan, Mostyn - outdoor play area