Great days out

Never before has it been so important to  support local initiatives in the build up to Christmas. There are fabulous markets and events throughout the uk and we have listed a few with links to find somewhere near to where you live.

A fun way to explore this lovely seaside town and solve the crime of Margate's Missing Masterpiece. The Coates family donned their deerstalkers to solve the mystery.

Win a Family Ticket for the Classic at Silverstone for 1 August, 2021.

A week by the seaside in the Uk offers lots of entertainment as well as swimming in the sea when the weather allows! Anne Coates and family spent a week in Portsmouth and Southsea.

Blue Reef Aquarium Portsmouth – perfect entertainment for when the weather isn't great writes Anne Coates.

The Emirates Spinnaker Tower is the perfect place to begin your holiday in Porstmouth and Southsea, suggests Anne Coates.

Each year in the first week of the school summer holidays Harriet and I go away for a few days usually by the seaside. Last year it was Margate, this year Brighton. So what was Brighton like as the Covid-19 lockdown eased a little? Worth a visit and a perfect place for a staycation.

No visit to Brighton is complete without some time spent on the Palace Pier. Covid-19 has made some changes to how you experience the rides and you are time-limited but everyone has worked hard to maintain the fun. We added a Seafront Treasure Trail to our day.

BAi360 is a viewing tower located directly on Brighton beach, where visitors travel in a giant glass viewing pod up to 138 metres high for 360 degree views on Brighton & Hove, the South Downs and all along the South Coast from Beachy Head to the Isle of Wight. 

Marwell Zoo is celebrating the birth of some of the world’s most threatened species this summer.

Are you planning ahead for when you can get out with the kids next and plan a playgroup day trip? Getting outdoors and exploring is a great way to keep kids busy and entertained, and it even gives you a chance to teach them a little bit about their surroundings. But what are the ideal destinations for a playgroup day trip? Which destinations/sights are able to combine all the elements that keep kids and parents happy? Here’s a look at a few that you may want to check out.

Charity Kids in Museums awards the prize annually to one museum, gallery, historic home or heritage site in the UK that goes the extra mile to provide a great experience for families. It is the only museum award in the UK to be judged by families.

Seasonal Shindig – a celebration of autumn in the Geffrye Museum's gardens Saturday  26 October, 2019 12 to 4pm. Free. All ages

Since re-opening in 2015 and expanding in 2017 after additional investment, Dreamland has been delivering exciting experiences for international visitors across its estate. Offering vintage rides, the park is currently free to enter. Here Anne Coates shares her experience.

Over 3,000 objects from around the world exploring the fundamental question of what it means to be human go on display this week as the Horniman’s much-anticipated World Gallery opens to the public. The 600 sq m gallery opens following a major redevelopment of the historic South Hall to provide a bright and contemporary setting for the Horniman’s world-class anthropology collection. Anne Coates went along to preview.

Experience the magic of sitting in your own bird’s nest, take an exhilarating all-night moonlit ramble, hunt for glow worms, build dens or join a seashore safari! Wildlife Trusts across the UK are offering hundreds of nature-tastic events during the first ever Big Wild Weekend which runs from 16 to 17 June, 2018.

The View from The Shard is teaming up with the friendliest bull in town, Fredinand to create exciting entertainment for all the herd. London’s tallest attraction is hosting a range of fun-filled activities throughout the day, all free with a general admissions ticket. Children and adults alike can take part in a Ferdinand-inspired treasure hunt to help find his favourite flowers, and spot some of London's most iconic landmarks along the way! The Coates family scaled the heights and were delighted.

Olivia Coates went along to experience the new Christmas feature, Hogwarts in the Snow, at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London. For the first time ever, the iconic Yule Ball makes up part of the Studio Tour’s festive makeover and Olivia, a huge Harry Potter fan, was enchanted.