Unusual bank holiday ideas
From safaris to hat museums, we’ve rounded up some interesting ways to enjoy your bank holiday.
If ash clouds and BA strikes have put you off air travel, you can still have fun without leaving the UK.
As a nation, the Brits have our favourite days out – Alton Towers, Stonehenge, London Zoo. However, there are alternatives for those who want to try something a little different.
See James Bond’s cars
If you’d rather spend the long weekend watching Bond films than taking your kids to a museum, you could compromise with a trip to the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon, Warwickshire.
Bond Week takes place between 29 May and 6 June with an exhibition of cars from 007 films including Die Another Day. Meanwhile, children can entertain themselves learning secret codes and making gadgets in Spy School.
There’s also go-karting and exhibitions of great British motors.
Prices: adults £9, children £7, under fives free, family ticket £28, concessions available.
Jousting knights
You don’t need to fly to Prague or Barcelona to see exquisite architecture. For any history buffs, visiting a castle could be a fantastic way to spend the bank holiday.
Warwick Castle is one of the country’s most famous medieval attractions. Between 29 May and 6 June, visitors can watch jousting knights take on rebel Barbarians. There will also be archery displays and falconry.
Prices: adult prices range from £14.36 to £27.45, family tickets from £47 to £71. Visit the castle website for more details.
Eat a bug
Those who aren’t frightened by insects could try the Bug World Experience in Liverpool.
Divided into various zones, this attraction will give you the chance to learn about insects living in woodlands, deserts and rainforests – from redback spiders to dung beetles.
As well as holding the insects, visitors who aren’t too squeamish can taste a selection.
Prices: adults £10.95, child £6.25, under fives free, family tickets £30, concessions available.
Go on safari
Believe it or not, you can go on safari in the UK.
Woburn Safari in Bedfordshire allows visitors to see creatures such as bison, rhinos, giraffes and elephants. You can either drive through the park or visit some of the animals in their enclosures by foot.
Other UK safari parks include Knowsley Safari Park in Merseyside and West Midland Safari Park.
It might be a bit of a change from the traditional trip to the zoo over the bank holiday.
Prices: see park websites. Also note some parks have restricted opening hours during winter.
If you’ve been to the Natural History Museum more times than you can remember, why not broaden your knowledge of more specialist subjects?
The Museum of Witchcraft in Boscastle Cornwall has the world’s largest collection of witchcraft-related artefacts. Even more interestingly, it was founded by a former film producer and wartime secret agent.
In Stockport, the Hat Works Museum is the UK’s only museum dedicated to hats and headwear. Canine enthusiasts could pay a visit to The Dog Collar Museum. Part of Leeds Castle in Kent, the collection contains more than 100 collars.
**This material is for information purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. We strongly encourage our readers not to rely solely on this content, but to seek independent advice when making financial decisions.**
