Family Holidays: South East England family holidays and breaks

Take the Family holiday rating 4½ stars out of 5

Why

Whether it’s a day out, a short break or a traditional summer holiday, South East England can cater for all your family’s needs. With oodles of flexible family accommodation, amazing attractions and exciting destinations to offer, what are you waiting for? From zoos and scenic countryside to theme parks and vibrant cities, the south east of England has an abundance of family activities just waiting to be taken.

Go Ape - various locations in the South East, and the UK

Top left: Go Ape - various locations in the South East, and the UK
Top middle: Viking Bay Broadstairs Kent
Top right: Spinnaker Tower Hampshire

Bottom left: Woburn Safari Park Bedfordshire
Bottom right: Look Out Discovery Centre Berkshire

When

A visit to the south east is a great family day out all year round, but like the rest of England, the outdoors weather is best between Easter and October. Don’t let the occasional rain put a dampener on your family activities, the region has a huge number of indoor attractions and award winning museums to keep you busy!

How

Travel to and around the south east region couldn’t be easier, with great transport links including air, sea and rail.

South West Trains has an extensive network that stretches across much of the south of England, with stops at many of the south east’s best attractions. Fast, economical, and environmentally friendly. Take advantage of the brilliant ‘GroupSave’ and Early Booking discounts available when you travel with South West Trains.

Do

Days out by the water

Littlehampton, West Sussex, is a lovely traditional seaside town, with plenty to keep visitors busy including Harbour Park adventure park, the Look and Sea centre, and Butlins.

Thanet, Kent, is made up of 3 stunning coastal towns, Margate Broadstairs and Ramsgate boasting exciting activities such as seal trips, seashore safaris, surf lessons and much more. The Thanet coastline in Kent has been named as the best in England after 10 of its 15 beaches were given the prestigious Blue Flag award.

A trip to the River Thames makes for an ideal day out by the water. With attractions such as Hampton Court Palace in Surrey, Beale Park in Berkshire, and the River and Rowing Museum in Oxfordshire, there is a lot to keep families busy on their days out.

City breaks

The South East is packed with great towns and cities that are ideal for family explorations.

Take a trip to Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, and prepare to discover numerous activities from an action packed day at Xscape, to a family cycle ride along the red ways.

Portsmouth, Hampshire, has a striking mix of old and new, from the Historic Dockyard to the stunning Spinnaker Tower it’s a great family destination.

Buckinghamshire has a whole host of award winning attractions within the country, or simply enjoy the stunning countryside of the Chiltern Hills and Aylesbury Vale.

Head to the Isle of Wight and discover dinosaurs at Dinosaur Isle, visit Osborne House (Queen Victoria’s holiday home) or explore the rainforest at Amazon World!

Both Surrey and Sussex have indoor and outdoor activities to keep the family happy whatever the weather, from National Trust properties to Castles and Observatories.

Action packed

LEGOLAND Windsor, Berkshire, is one of the leading family theme parks in the UK and offers over 50 interactive rides, live shows, and attractions. New for 2008 is the Land of the Vikings!

Swing your family through the trees, slide across high wires, and zip back down to the ground with Go Ape, the award-winning high wire forest adventure course. With five courses across the south east, (and seventeen across the UK), including Surrey and Kent.

Mercedes Benz World in Surrey makes for an action packed day out for the family. From the interactive play zones, to the kids driving, it gets the heart racing and the adrenaline pumping!

Animal magic

Discover some of the world’s most magnificent creatures up close at Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire. Take a safari drive, be a ranger for the day, or let off steam in the indoor and outdoor activity areas.

Make a day of it and visit Ascot racecourse in Berkshire on one of its Family Fun days. With entertainment in between the races including face painting, demonstrations and shows it’s a day not to be missed!

Education with a twist

The Look Out Discovery Centre in Berkshire is a hands-on science and nature exhibition set in Bracknell Forest. With five fun filled zones where the children can learn about science in a fun way and 80 exhibits there is plenty of entertainment to keep you busy.

Costumed guides bring The Historic Dockyard Chatham in Kent to life. Discover over 400 years of Britain's maritime history at as you explore the world's most complete dockyard.

Dickens World, Kent, is an exciting indoor visitor complex based around the life, books and times of Charles Dickens. Take a fascinating journey through Dickens’ lifetime and step back into authentically themed Dickensian England.

For inspiration for family ideas in the South East why not take a look at the Visit South East England Family Fun website? Full of information about great days out, short breaks and summer holidays across the South East! You can even download an online e-guide full of more great ideas.