Great family days out in North West England this summer

Blackpool Pleasure Beach

You can’t miss it…literally!

Situated on the South Shore, you cannot miss Blackpool Pleasure Beach with its towering rollercoasters and screams from excited riders!

The newest of the 10 thrill rides is ICON, a double launch rollercoaster which accelerates from stationary to 80 km/h in 2.25 seconds – as fast as a supercar! After racing past other famous rides, ICON makes a second sudden burst of acceleration to climb to its peak of 88 feet.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach is also home to Nickelodeon Land where little kids can enjoy 12 rides and meet their favourite characters, such as the pups from Paw Patrol. Speedy Passes can fast track you onto rides reducing waiting times by up to 90%.

Over the summer holidays be sure to visit the Euphoria Hot Ice Show with spectacular lighting and performances by talented ice-skaters (tickets from £10 per person).

Gulliver’s World

Warrington

Located in Warrington, Gulliver’s World is a great day out for families with kids between 2-13 years. There are over 30 rides to choose from. Hold on to your shoes on ‘Desperado Drop’! This thrilling ride is a long sheer drop and will take your breath away.

For little kids, there are lots of rides in Lilliput Land. Be sure to look out for Tiny and Small Clanger who are in the park waiting to meet and greet you. Elsewhere there is the SplashZone water park, RAF Burtonwood Heritage Centre and Gulliver’s Hotel with its themed rooms. Free parking.

Blackpool Tower Eye

380 feet above the beaches with 360° views

Although the design was clearly influenced by the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Blackpool’s majestic tower is only half the height but, in our opinion, twice as interesting! At the bottom of the tower is Blackpool Circus and, near the top, is the famous Tower Ballroom – best known as a location for ‘Strictly Come Dancing’.

The very top of Blackpool Tower is known as the Eye. From here you have 360° views and on a clear day you can see as far as the Isle of Man! As a test of courage, there is the SkyWalk – a 5-centimetre-thick glass floor with a view to the beaches, 380 feet below! Dare you step on it?

For a truly memorable experience, you can sleep up at the Eye!

Blue Planet Aquarium

Ellesmere Port - Home to more than 100 living displays

The Blue Planet gives kids a glimpse beneath the waves in the most vivid, intimate way possible. Watch their faces as they walk through the Aqua Tunnel surrounded by marine life, including large sharks and stingray.

Little kids will be mesmerised by the huge viewing window in the Aquatheatre where they can watch the diver mingle with the fish. And the dimly-lit Coral Caves are a special place where colourful tropical fish swim beneath their feet. A playground and a café are also on site.

City Sightseeing Tours

Chester

Arriving in a new city with kids is stressful. Instead hop on board an open top bus on a City Sightseeing© Tour. This company operates in over 100 cities worldwide. Their tours come complete with guides, offer a panoramic view and, best of all, allow you to hop on and hop off where you please. Each tour takes in approximately 12 of the key sights.

In Chester you will see the Roman sandstone walls, the 13th century black and white shopping Rows and beautiful cathedral. Make sure you hop off near the River Dee for lunch and watch the boats go by. The tour includes a discount booklet for local attractions.

Liverpool Football Club Stadium Tours & Experiences

Walk in the footsteps of champions

Liverpool Football Club's history is unrivalled with over 125 years of football, 18 league titles and 6 European Cups. Go behind the scenes at Anfield Stadium, one of the world’s most iconic and historic stadiums and explore football through amazing exhibitions such as the Halls of Fame, a dedication to LFC heroes, past and present.

During your tour you’ll use multimedia audio handsets to fully immerse yourself and see all the iconic highlights.

• Enjoy epic views of the pitch and city landscape from the top level of the Main Stand
• Visit the state-of-the-art Home and Away Team dressing rooms
• Practice your interview technique in the Press Room
• Touch the This Is Anfield sign
• Take a spine-tingled walk down the Players' Tunnel

Madame Tussauds

Blackpool - Get close to your favourite celebs!

With more than 80 lifelike wax figures of your favourite stars from film, TV, sport and music, your kids can take some fabulous selfies to impress their friends.

Do your kids like video games?

Well, bring them here to see the new arrival – DanTDM! This British gamer and YouTuber is well-known for his blogs on games, such as Pokemon and Minecraft. Dan’s voice can be heard speaking about gaming and he donated some of his own clothes to make this an authentic display.

Go Ape

Various locations across the North West

These centres are aptly named and play to our inner monkey! Who doesn’t like scrambling up nets and climbing through the treetops, zip-wiring towards the forest floor and testing their courage?

It’s fresh-air fun combining exercise with co-ordination and problem-solving skills. And it gets everyone away from video games and TVs for quality family time! This summer why not experience the special adventure of Sunset Zips – a high adrenaline rush for sure!

Hollywood Bowl

Various locations across the North West

Ten-pin bowling is a fantastic family activity. The best part is that anyone can win – even the youngest player! Little ones can use the lighter balls, ramp and bumpers and older kids can go all out for the strike.

At Hollywood Bowl, you have the option to upgrade to VIP lanes at certain centres. With luxurious seating, table service and designated storage for your belongings, this experience feels special. After bowling, check out the arcade and challenge your family to some pool! Early bird deals over the summer holidays.

Cinemas

London is the place to be!

Kids Pass members get the biggest cinema discounts at any time and for any film with prices starting from £4. There are so many big movies coming out this summer, including Jungle Cruise, featuring Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Space Jam: A New Legacy!

Manchester United Museum & Stadium Tour

Walk in the footsteps of champions

The northwest of England is world famous for its Premier League football teams. Manchester United is one of the biggest with fans in every corner of the world sporting the red devils’ logo. No visit to Manchester would be complete without visiting Old Trafford.

The Stadium Tour is an opportunity to walk in the footsteps of sporting giants, such as Bobby Charlton and David Beckham. Walk through the players’ tunnel, stand by the pitch and look around a stadium that erupts with noise on matchdays. Get access to parts of the ground reserved normally for just the players. Don’t forget to take plenty of photos!

The Beatles Story

The Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool

Even though the Fab Four haven’t played together since 1969, the magic of their music lives on. At ‘The Beatles Story’ you can follow their journey from teenage daydreamers to a world-famous band.

Here you will see recreations of key locations from The Beatles career, such as The Cavern Club and Abbey Road Studios. Also, you can get a look at some of the band’s original instruments, handwritten lyrics and other memorabilia. This summer there will be a series of arts and crafts events for kids in the Discovery Zone (free of charge).

Afterwards grab a coffee at the Fab4 café and listen to more of the music.

Alton Towers Resort (Staffordshire)

Kids under 3 go free

Spread over 500 acres of rolling green countryside, Alton Towers is the largest theme park in the UK. It’s divided into ten zones and there’s something for everyone. Thrill-seekers will make their way to Forbidden Valley, the Dark Forest and X-Sector for the white-knuckle rides, such as Nemesis, Oblivion and Rita. Young kids will lead you to Cbeebies Land for a spin on the Go Jetters Vroomster Zoom and a tummy-lunching jump on the Peter Rabbit Hippity Hop!

Brand new for 2021 is the David Walliams-inspired Gangsta Granny ride where you race through the sewers with your booty of crown jewels trying to evade capture! It’s perfect excitement for little ones. Besides the theme park, the resort has a golf course, water park and several themed hotels. Alton Towers current policy offers free entry to children under 3 years of age.