As a parent in Berkhamsted, I love exploring with my family. Our area has many wonderful day trips. But some places are worth a longer journey, and an overnight stay or two. This article contains some of our favourite places to visit that are more than an hour from Berkhamsted (one is abroad!).
Want local ideas first? Grab my free guide to Family-Friendly Activities near Berkhamsted!
1. Step Back in Time: Sudbury Hall and the National Trust Museum of Childhood
When looking for places to visit to make the most of our National Trust membership we came across Sudbury Hall. This is located about 2 hours from Berkhamsted.
Sudbury Hall is a unique National Trust property as it is all designed for children. It combines a magnificent 17th-century country house with a very fun museum of childhood.
The house is designed for children to explore and interact with through every room. Dress up and dance across the ballroom, appear in your very own stately home painting on the wall or take books from the grand library and have a read.
The Museum of Childhood takes you on a fascinating journey through the history of growing up in Britain. Experience what school life was like in a Victorian classroom, complete with a strict schoolmaster and wooden desks to bring history to life.
Vintage teddy bears peer out from glass cases. Old board games tell stories of rainy afternoons past. Dolls houses reveal intricate miniature worlds. Each display shows how children played in different eras. They can test their skill at old-fashioned games like cup-and-ball or whip-and-top. A crawler tunnel lets little ones experience what life was like as a young chimney sweep.
The gardens provide space for outdoor adventures and there are many games and activities dotted around.
2. York’s Science and Railway Adventure: Wonderlab and National Railway Museum
We visit York often has we have family nearby, it’s definitely worth a weekend visit if you’re looking for somewhere new to explore. The National Railway Museum and Wonderlab are two of our favourite places to visit. Very conveniently, they are both located in the same building!
National Railway Museum
A must visit for any train loving child, this free museum showcases Britain’s railway heritage in spectacular style. The Great Hall houses massive locomotives that tower over visitors. Some of the trains are based there permanently, others such as the Flying Scotsman come and go. Each engine has its own fascinating story to tell, and many are open for you to climb inside.
Interactive exhibits explain how steam engines work. You can try operating signals and points. There is a small train that you can ride around the grounds of the museum, though this has been closed for renovation on our recent visits.
Another highlight is the model railway, our boys could spend hours watching the trains go up and down! There is also a small area where children can build and play with small wooden trains.
Wonderlab at the National Railway Museum
A fairly recent addition to the Railway Museum is Wonderlab. Every exhibit in this exhibit invites hands-on exploration. You do have to pay for entry, it is well worth the entrance fee.
There are at least 20 interactive experiments for children to explore – one of our favourites is the 3 player air hockey table! Another favourite is a magical projection onto sand that changes as you move the sand around. There are many types of ball runs you can explore and build, as well as tunnels that you can change to fly scarves through.
There are also regular science shows which add extra excitement. A small soft play area is used to host interactive story telling sessions where children decide where the adventure will take them.
3. Bodiam Castle: Medieval Magic in East Sussex
Another National Trust property that we love is Bodiam Castle. Bodiam Castle rises from its moat like an illustration from a fairy tale. This 14th-century fortress captivates visitors of all ages.
You park a short distance away from the castle, there is a cafe and ice cream shop near the car park As you walk up to the castle you pass a space used for events using the summer holiday, as well as a stone outbuilding for kids to explore.
Entry to the castle is via a wooden bridge across the moat, where you pass through wooden doors into another world. The portcullis hanging overhead reminds visitors of ancient defenses. Every step reveals new details from the past.
The castle interior is perfect for exploring. Arrow loops in the walls show how archers once defended the castle. Children can dress up and imagine life as medieval knights or nobles. Some of the rooms have videos providing stories of life in the castle in its hey day. The towers offer different levels of adventure. Some spiral staircases reach all the way to the battlements. Others reveal hidden chambers along the way.
The courtyard and area outside the castle also host many medieval events throughout the year. These are done to a really high standard and absolutely bring history to life From hands on jousting sessions, to historical cooking demonstrations there is always a lot to explore. Traditional craft displays show how people lived and worked. Special events include archery demonstrations and falconry displays.
4. BeWILDerwood Norfolk: Where Stories Come Alive
There are two BeWILDerwoods, we’ve visited the one on Norfolk. This unique park combines storytelling with outdoor play. Local folklore inspires every activity. Natural materials create an authentic woodland experience.
Once you park your car, you can choose to get to the main area by boat. Each boat ride is lead by a storyteller, introducing the characters and myths of BeWILDerwood. When you reach the main area, wooden structures rise through the trees. The site is made up of multiple adjacent play areas, each unique and part of a larger story. There are many things to climb, bridges to explore, slides to enjoy and many, many other challenges. You can easily spend a whole day exploring. There were good challenges for children of all ages.
There are story telling sessions throughout the day. Craft sessions and faceprinting are all included in the entry fee.
5. Billund: Legoland, Lego House, Wow Park and Lalandia
A short, and relatively inexpensive flight from Stansted, is the town of Billund, famous as being the birth place of Lego. We visited for 5 nights, and could easily have spent more time here.
Legoland Billund stands where the LEGO story began. On one hand it’s very similar to Legoland in the UK, there are a variety of rides and the much loved Miniland. There are also many differences. One big difference is the queues – we visited during May half term and we didn’t queue more than 5 minutes for any of the rides, including the big rollercoasters. Snacks are lego themed, and there are different areas such as a Peppa Pig themed zone.
Legoland isn’t the only lego-based attraction in Billund. Lego House is a full day out where you can see lego being made, and play with lego all day. It’s full of interactive zones, where you could build a fish that them swam in an aquarium, create designs purely from one colour, or race cars to see which goes fastest. One of the highlights of the day was the restaurant, where you order using lego bricks, and you food is served by robots. Definitely recommended. You can climb up the outside of the Lego House building to discover the many colourful play
Non-Lego-based Activities
Wow Park is a seasonal attraction in Billund, a massive outdoor amusement park. Home to Scandinavia’s tallest slide, there is something for children of all ages. After a full day playing we came away still feeling like we hadn’t seen it all. Climb among trees, up structures and towers, across bridges and down slides and zip wires. It’s slightly more rustic in places than similar places in the UK (it’s a bit like BeWILDerwood crossed with Go Ape and lots more added in) and a lot of fun. Adults can play as much as the children.
We stayed in Lalanadia, which is self catering accommodation designed around a centre complex similar to Centre Parcs. There is a massive swimming area with all sorts of water slides included in the price. All of the places we visited were in walking distance. Everything is designed with children in mind, pavements have lines and activities painted on them to make walking fun.
Your Adventure Awaits
These destinations offer extraordinary experiences, and are definitely worthy a longer trip. We have so many happy memories of each location, and I truly feel they are worth the effort getting to them. I’d love to know if there is any where similar you would recommend – we’re always looking for new places to explore. Tell me here!
[Don’t forget to download my free guide to Family-Friendly Activities near Berkhamsted for those times when you want to stay closer to home!]