Read on for our pick of Britain\u2019s best family breaks… <\/p>\n
Enjoy the coast with the most in Cornwall<\/p>\n
![\"Cornwall](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/C36XW5.jpg\")
Cornwall has everything from beautiful beaches to incredible activities like The Eden Project (Alamy Stock Photo)<\/p>\n
Beautiful beaches, buzzy seaside towns and world-class attractions make Cornwall a classic family destination \u2013 and there\u2019s no better way to arrive than by train. Head to St Ives and you can enjoy one of the most scenic stretches of coastline in the country en route. The town has plenty to keep you busy, from outdoor adventures like seal spotting and a picturesque working harbour to cultural attractions like Tate St Ives and the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Gallery. Another great weekend destination is St Austell, where you\u2019ll be a short bus ride from both the lush environs of The Eden Project and The Lost Gardens of Heligan, beautiful romantic gardens that were rediscovered 33 years ago and have been lovingly restored since.<\/p>\n
Nearest stations: St Ives, St Austell \u2013 both a few minutes walk from the town centre<\/p>\n
Go fully rural on a farm break<\/p>\n
![\"Kids](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/FD-East-Shilv-small-019.jpg\")
Kids will love getting close to farm inhabitants at rural stays like Feather Down Farms (Feather Down Farms)<\/p>\n
Kids will love getting to stay on a working farm where they can get off their screens and get involved with activities like feeding lambs, watching cows being milked and even walking alpacas. Featherdown Farms offer a variety of farm stays throughout Britain that offer the perfect off-grid family break \u2013 many of which are accessible by train. There\u2019s East Shilvinghampton Farm on Dorset\u2019s stunning Jurassic Coast (close to Weymouth, Upwey and Dorchester stations), Moor Farm in the beautiful Cotswold countryside (five miles from Gloucester station) or College Farm in Norfolk (ten minutes from Beccles station).<\/p>\n
Nearest stations: Various \u2013 see above<\/p>\n
Step back in time in historic York<\/p>\n
Not only is York a beautiful city, packed with historic buildings, green spaces and atmospheric streets, it\u2019s also extremely walkable, making it easy to take in the attractions \u2013 of which there are many. Walking the mediaeval city walls is a must, as is climbing York Minster and strolling narrow cobbled lane The Shambles \u2013 believed to be the inspiration for Diagon Alley in Harry Potter. Children and adults alike will love the huge collection of locomotives at The National Rail Museum and the immersive experience of the Jorvik Viking Centre. Take a spooky walk through 2000 years of history at the York Dungeon, where you can get a third off entry<\/a> with your train ticket (pre booking essential). When you travel by train you can also take advantage of National Rail 2FOR1 offers<\/a> at York\u2019s Chocolate Story<\/a>, York Army Museum<\/a> and on City Cruises<\/a> down the River Ouse.<\/p>\n Nearest station: York, about a 10 minute walk to city centre<\/p>\n Explore the stunning Pembrokeshire Coast<\/p>\n Use the picture perfect town of Tenby, with its colourful houses, sandy beaches and quaint harbour, as a base to explore this stunning stretch of coastline. Board a boat to Caldey Island, hit the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path for breathtaking views or simply enjoy one of the town\u2019s three beaches. Just a couple of miles from the town centre are The Dinosaur Park and Manor House Wildlife Park. If you\u2019re feeling brave, go on a guided ghost walk unveiling haunting secrets and local mysteries, and be sure to make a trip to Fecci\u2019s, which has been serving up delicious fish and chips since 1935.<\/p>\n Nearest station: Tenby, about a five minute walk from town centre<\/p>\n Go glamping<\/p>\n With everything already set up and no camping gear to lug with you, it\u2019s easy to arrive by train for a weekend of glamping \u2014 and there are plenty of options within easy reach of train stations. In the Yorkshire Dales, Ribblesdale Pods are walkable from the station (Horton in Ribblesdale) and have large family friendly options, as well as dog-friendly pods and ones with hot tubs. Adhurst Yurts in Hampshire are a ten minute taxi ride from Petersfield Station and offer extras like guided nature walks and the option to learn skills like bushcraft, fly fishing and basketry. The eco-friendly cabins at Little Menherion in Cornwall feel like they\u2019re in the middle of nowhere \u2013 but are just three miles from Redruth station. If you want to keep the kids happy then North Hill Farm with its quirky selection of glamping options is a 15 minute taxi journey from Watford Junction \u2013 where you can also catch a shuttle bus to the Harry Potter Studios.<\/p>\n Nearest station: Various \u2013 see above<\/p>\n Enjoy a kid-friendly culture trip in Liverpool<\/p>\n Packed with museums, galleries, iconic buildings and a buzzy waterfront, Liverpool has plenty to entertain visitors of all ages. Kids will love the dinosaurs in the World Museum, and the interactive Museum of Liverpool. Hop on a ferry across the Mersey and you\u2019ll find Eureka! Science + Discovery, aimed at igniting kids\u2019 interest in science and technology. Music lovers will enjoy the British Music Experience, a huge museum dedicated to the history of UK pop music. And if you\u2019re into the Fab Four, you can also take advantage of\u00a02FOR1 entry to The Beatles Story Museum<\/a> when you travel by train. If this doesn\u2019t hit the right note for you, there are lots more Liverpool offers<\/a> for you to enjoy on Days Out Guide. Football more your bag? There\u2019s 2FOR1 tickets available for rail travellers when you take a tour of Anfield, too.<\/p>\n Nearest stations: Liverpool Lime Street or Liverpool Central, both in the city centre<\/p>\n Hang out with wildlife in the New Forest<\/p>\n Step off the train in the New Forest and before long you\u2019re likely to find yourself up close with wild ponies, who roam the streets, moorland and woodland there freely (as do wild pigs). The national park is full of walking and cycle trails, so it\u2019s easy to explore the beautiful scenery by foot or hire bikes to reach attractions like the Bolderwood Deer Sanctuary. With eight stations in the New Forest you can also hop around easily by train. Brockenhurst is a good entry point, but from there you can explore destinations like the pretty village of Sway, or Ashurst, where you\u2019ll find the New Forest Wildlife Park. You can also easily reach the coastal town of Lymington. <\/p>\n Nearest station: Brockenhurst, in the centre of Brockenhurst village<\/p>\n Stay in a castle<\/p>\n Warwick Castle \u2013 located just a 15 minute walk from Warwick station \u2013 is one of the country\u2019s best family-friendly attractions. But did you know you can also stay there, too? It offers various accommodation options, including a hotel, lodges, mediaeval themed glamping and exclusive suites in the 14th century castle tower. During the day there loads going on to keep everyone entertained, including jousting experiences, the UK\u2019s biggest bird of prey display and live shows in the castle dungeon. Even if you don\u2019t opt to stay on-site, day visitors who travel by train can get a third off entry<\/a>.<\/p>\n Nearest station: Warwick, about a 15 minute walk from Warwick Castle<\/p>\n Have a family-perfect city break in Edinburgh<\/p>\n From taking in historic attractions like the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle and Grassmarket to enjoying outdoor adventures like climbing Arthur\u2019s Seat and exploring Holyrood Park, the Scottish capital has so much to offer visitors. You could lose a day alone in Camera Obscura and World of Illusions, a five-floor attraction with over 100 interactive exhibits. Other family friendly attractions include Edinburgh Zoo, the Edinburgh Dungeon<\/a> (where train travellers can enjoy a third off entry alongside their discounted rail fare when they travel by train with a Railcard and prebook through daysoutguide.co.uk) and, of course, a Harry Potter walking tour. Another great thing about a city break in Edinburgh? It\u2019s only 10 minutes on a train from the city centre to Portobello Beach \u2013 so you can enjoy the best of both worlds.<\/p>\n Nearest station: Edinburgh Waverley in the city centre<\/p>\n Enjoy some old-school seaside fun in Blackpool<\/p>\n Blackpool\u2019s popularity as a holiday resort soared when the town\u2019s railway station opened in the 1840s \u2013 and to this day it remains a fabulous seaside destination to discover by rail, with a perfect blend of old school charm and modern attractions. The seven mile stretch of beach has three Victorian piers, with the Central Pier home to the town\u2019s famous Big Wheel. Blackpool Pleasure Beach has roller coasters and rides to suit both big thrillseekers and little adventurers. The Blackpool Tower is an iconic British landmark (and home to the equally iconic Blackpool Tower Ballroom) and rail travellers can get a third off tickets to climb it when they prebook. There\u2019s\u00a0a third off other attractions<\/a> too, including SEA LIFE Blackpool, Madame Tussauds Blackpool and The Blackpool Tower Circus. <\/p>\n Nearest station: Blackpool North Station, about a 10 minute walk to main attractions<\/p>\n Enjoy great value British adventures by train<\/strong><\/p>\n From stunning nature and the Great Outdoors, to culture, cuisine and incredible scenery, there\u2019s no doubt Britain has it all in spades, and these unmissable adventures are just a simple, enjoyable train ride away. So there\u2019s never been a better time to start planning some Great British getaways, from day trips to weekends away or a longer staycation.<\/strong><\/p>\n With Railcard, whether you\u2019re travelling solo or with a friend, on a couples weekend or off on holiday with the family, you can save on all sorts of train journeys around Great Britain. Railcard helps you save a third off rail travel and for just \u00a335 for the year, it pays for itself in no time. With 9 different Railcards available, find the one for you at <\/strong>railcard.co.uk<\/strong><\/a>. What\u2019s more, you can enjoy 2FOR1 and other offers with National Rail\u2019s <\/strong>Days Out Guide<\/strong><\/a> when you travel by train. So make this your year to get out, experience and explore everything on your doorstep and enjoy truly great value getaways.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Looking for inspiration for a family getaway this summer? You don\u2019t have to head to the airport for…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":238238,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5018,3,4],"tags":[748,393,4884,1144,712,16,15,1764],"class_list":{"0":"post-238237","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-britain","8":"category-uk","9":"category-united-kingdom","10":"tag-britain","11":"tag-england","12":"tag-great-britain","13":"tag-northern-ireland","14":"tag-scotland","15":"tag-uk","16":"tag-united-kingdom","17":"tag-wales"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114796702498365831","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/238237","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=238237"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/238237\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/238238"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=238237"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=238237"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=238237"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"From](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/RRHYX5.jpg\")
From gorgeous beaches to charming harbours, Tenby makes for an idyllic family getaway (Alamy Stock Photo)<\/p>\n![\"Head](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/E1B63X.jpg\")
Head to the Yorkshire Dales where you can glamp in family-friendly pods with hot tubs (Alamy Stock Photo)<\/p>\n![\"With](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/PKRB1K.jpg\")
With music experiences and science museums, kids will love a trip to Liverpool (Alamy Stock Photo)<\/p>\n![\"Stay](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/CTX2C9.jpg\")
Stay in serious style by checking into Warwick Castle \u2013 and enjoy a wealth of fun family activities on-site (Alamy Stock Photo)<\/p>\n![\"From](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GTMFJA.jpg\")
From fascinating history to fun, family-friendly attractions, scenic Edinburgh has it all (Alamy Stock Photo)<\/p>\n![\"Mix](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2AFHXTY.jpg\")
Mix old-school fun with modern attractions on a trip to coastal family-favourite Blackpool (Alamy Stock Photo)<\/p>\n