Weekends and school holidays are expensive times and entertaining children isn't always fun. Britain offers a great many places where kids and adults can go free, generally countryside, wildlife and nature reserves, lakelands etc. The majority of public sector museums are also free. Be mindful though that despite free entry, car parking can up to £5.00 per car in some car parks, not taking into account those in major cities.

To add to the fun, consider leaving the car at home and look into buses, coaches, trains, river boats and canal boats. As an example a one and a half hour return trip on a narrowboat from Little Venice, Maida Vale to Camden Town market is only £22 for the whole family, it even travels through Regents Park Zoo and includes a tour guide full of interesting information about the canal history and life on a house boat.

There's no need to dine in expensive restaurants and cafes, take a picnic. They are a fraction of the cost, you can enjoy your favourite food and even take your pet! Keep checking here for freebies, free products, sample packs, puzzles and competitions.

South-east of England offers a wide range of visitor attractions to suit everyone. Major attractions in historic towns,cities, counties and regions include; London, Brighton, Cotswolds, Hastings, Oxford, Portsmouth, Tunbridge Wells etc.

www.itstheweekend.org
It's The Weekend is a guide of things to do and places top go. Cinema, Theatre, Shopping, Pampering. Treats, even places where kids and families can go for free!

Dorset Free Days Out

Christchurch Castle & Norman Keep

Today, Christchurch Castle consists of two ruined buildings: the keep on the motte and the Constable's House on the bank of the mill stream, the latter being one of the gems of Christchurch. (It should be on the itinerary of everyone with an interest in the Norman period as it is a superb example of Norman domestic architecture.)
In the town centre of Christchurch, east of Bournemouth

Corfe Castle

The medieval castle, commanding a gap in the Purbeck ridge, is now an imposing ruin and a popular tourist centre drawing on it’s many years of history. There is belief it may have been a Roman defensive site, but the castle we see the ruins of today was a rebuild in the 11th century of what was a wood castle back into the 9th century. The village and its famous castle are built mainly from the local Purbeck stone which is probably the finest limestone available for building and polishing in England, and is used throughout the world.
The Castle telephone number is: 01929-481294

Maiden Castle

One of the finest Iron Age fortified villages in England. It was built on the site of a much earlier causewayed camp. Neolithic defenses have been uncovered below the Iron Age ramparts. The Celts expanded Maiden Castle (Mai Dun) building the ramparts to a height of 60 feet. However this proved inadequate against the Roman 2nd Legion, who, under their commander Vespasian defeated the Durotriges in the 1st century AD. After using the site as a temporary military outpost the Romans founded the town of Durnovaria (Dorchester) and moved out. Maiden Castle was never occupied again, and has remained derelict for 2,000 years. The largest Iron Age Hill Fort in Europe
Maiden Castle is located off the A354, 2 miles south of Dorchester in Dorset.

Waterfront Museum
Waterfront Museum tells of 2000 years of Poole's history. Displays include a street scene, details of the Roman occupation, trade with Newfoundland, Poole Pottery, ship models, the Studland Bay Wreck and much more. The Local History Centre offers research facilities for the history of Poole and its people. The Waterfront Museum will be closing in Autumn 2005 due to a Heritage Lottery Fund supported redevelopment and will re-open for the 2006 season.

4 High Street, Poole. 01203 262600

Opening Times: April - October: Monday to Saturday, 10am - 5pm. Sunday, 12 noon - 5pm

November - March: Closes at 3pm. Admission: Free to all.

The Tolpuddle Martyrs Museum
Tells the harrowing tale of the Martyrs arrest, trial and punishment, leading to the foundation of modern day trade unionism.

The museum has been re-designed into a modern, informative, and educational exhibition, using interactive touch screen displays new graphic panels telling the story in text and images. The museum sets out the Martyrs' story in four sections: Before the arrest, The Oath and Betrayal, Transportation, and the Homecoming.The museum evolved out of the library which formed part of the Tolpuddle Martyrs Memorial Cottages, built in 1934 to mark the Centenary of the Martyrs' conviction. The library, meant for use by the workers living in the cottages, soon became a depository for various artefacts, documents and memorabilia relating to the history of the Tolpuddle Martyrs. Over the years, a rather ad hoc display telling the story of the Martyrs had evolved into the Tolpuddle Martyrs Museum.
Tolpuddle Martyrs Museum
Tolpuddle, Dorchester, Dorset,
DT2 7EH
01305 848 237

Somerset Free Days Out

King John's Hunting Lodge
The property is run as a local history museum by Axbridge and District Museum Trust, in co-operation with Sedgemoor District Council, Somerset County Museums Service and Axbridge Archaeological and Local History Society. Wool-merchant's house of c.1500. Immaculately restored Early Tudor merchant's house. Home to a fascinating local history museum
The Square, Axbridge, Somerset, BS26 2AP
01934 732012

Nunney Castle
EASY walking country in the low hills west of Frome reveals two medieval gems.One is immense, being Nunney Castle which was built in 1373, after Sir John de la Mare returned from fighting with the Black Prince in south-west France. Its style of a stout keep with round towers at each corner is much commoner in Ireland than England.A grand hall was at its heart but this was torn apart when the west side was demolished after a long Civil War siege. The Prater family held it for King Charles against Parliamentary forces. Delamere effigies fill the north transept in All Saints Church. Villagers thwarted their rector’s plans for a thorough Victorian restoration. All but one of the effigies were saved from destruction after builders began ripping out the original tombs.The other historic time-warp is tucked away behind the steeple of Whatley parish church. Not only is there an intact manor house but the entrance is through a gatehouse with slit-windows and other contemporary outbuildings lie on the other side of the main house. There is even a large sarsen stone as evidence that this was a site of significance from Bronze Age times. Sir Oliver de Servington’s effigy in the church dates from 1350. In between the two villages there is Nunney Brook running down a ferny hollow to the west and a new-look landscape to the east.

Stoke-sub-Hamdon Priory

14th/15th-century farm buildings, formerly a priests' residence. The priests who lived here served the Chapel of St Nicholas (now destroyed). The Great Hall is open to visitors.
Between A303 and A3088. 2ml W of Montacute between Yeovil and Ilminster
North Street, Stoke-sub-Hamdon, Somerset, TA4 6QP

Wiltshire Free Days Out

Woodehenge

DISCOVERED by British archaeologists in 1999, Woodhenge is thought to have been a huge wooden cousin of the famous Stonehenge just 20 miles away.

A Neolithic wooden monument, where now lies deep holes, there once stood tall poles of red cedar wood. Like many of the henge monuments, the exact purpose of Woodhenge remains a mystery.

There was also two concentric stone circles which were destroyed in the 18th Century. In the centre of where these would have been, giant post holes have been found. They are up to six feet deep and could have supported wooden pillars up to 17ft high and six to eight rings appear to have existed. One theory is that they were supports for a ritual building but they are much thicker and closer together than would have been needed to hold up a roof. Woodhenge is signposted from the A345 road just north of Amesbury. Admission and parking is free

South West of England. Children go free.

Denham Country Park - Uxbridge
Rivers, woodlands and meadows.
www.buckscc.gov.uk/countryside/countryparks

Hanningfield Reservoir Visitor Centre - Billericay, Essex
100 acre nature reserve on the shores of Hanningfield Reservoir
www.essexwt.org.uk

High Woods Country Park - Colchester, Essex
woodland, wetland, grassland, farmland - fishing and horse-riding trail.
www.visitweb.com/hwcp

Lee Valley Park - Waltham Abbey, Essex
Bird-watching, fishing and Walking.
www.leevalleypark.com

Weald Country Park - Brentwood
Deer Paddock, two lakes, walks and nature trails.
Tel: 01277 216297

The Bear Museum- Petersfield, Hampshire.
Antique teddy bears in Edwardian setting.
www.bearmuseum.co.uk

Fort Nelson - The Royal Armouries - Fareham, Hampshire
Victorian fort fully restored set in 19 acres. Live firing daily.
www.armouries.org.uk

Southampton Maritime Museum - Southampton
Medieval stone warehouse with exhibitions including Titanic and interactive displays.
www.southampton.gov.uk/leisure/heritage

The Needles Park, Totland Bay, Isle of Wight
Park with rides and attractions, chairlift to beach.
www.theneedles.co.uk

Capstone Farm Country Park, Gillinham, Kent
280 acres of meadows and woodlands with childrens' play areas.
01634 812196

Bank of England Museum, Threadneedle Street, London EC2
Museum within the Bank of England charting the history of money.
www.bankofengland.co.uk

Imperial War Museum, Lambeth Road, London SE1
Interactive, sights and smells of wartime in London.
www.iwm.org.uk

Livesey Museum for Children, Old Kent Road, London SE1
Interactive exhibitions for children up to 12
www.Liveseymuseum.org.uk

Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7
Interactive exhibitions from dinosaurs onwards. Some exhibitions have entrance fees.
www.nhm.ac.uk

Ragged School Museum, Copperfield Road, London E3
On the site of the original Dr. Barnardo's Ragged School. Dedicated to East End.
www.raggedschool.museum.org.uk

Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon London NW9
Museum of aviation, interactive areas. Flying through the ages.
www.rafmuseum.com

Science Museum, Exhibition Road, London SW7
Interactive exhibits from yesteryear to tomorrow's world.
www.sciencemuseum.org.uk

Stepping Stones Farm, Stepney High Street, London E1
Working farm, farming demonstrations, farm trail and play area.
www.stepneynews.com

Tate Britain, Millbank, London SW1
National gallery of British art from 16th century to today.
www.tate.org.uk

Box Hill, Tadworth, Surrey KT20
Woodland and downs with marked trails and strolls.
01306 885502

CherryTree Farm, Lingfield, Surrey RH7
Stabling for rescue horses, donkeys, and ponies - guided tours.
www.ilph.org.uk

Harbour Park Family Amusement Park - Littlehampton, West Sussex
Traditional family amusement park and fairground - individual fees for rides.
01903 721200

Shpwreck Heritage Centre, Hastings, East Sussex TN34
Collection of historic treasures salvaged from shipwrecks.
01424 437452

Tilgate Park & Nature Reserve, Crawley, West Sussex RH10
Endangered species and breeds, wild and domestic animals.
www.crawley.gov.uk

[ kids go free - South West England ]