UK Family Holidays | Reviewed & Recommended | Aberafon Campsite by Potty Adventures

After it's mini break last week, my UK Family Holidays series is back. Every Tuesday I share a UK Family Holiday that has been personally recommended by a reader. It's a good way to find inspiration for your next UK break.

Credit | Potty Adventures

Today, David from Potty Adventures shares one of his favourite UK Family Holidays - Aberafon Campsite in the Llyn Peninsula. David's family usually look for holidays which offer easy access to the great outdoors - this could be mountains, rivers, lakes or the sea. Basically anywhere that offers the chance of adventure.

Aberafon Campsite, Llyn Peninsula 

Aberafon Campsite sits in the Llyn Peninsula near Snowdonia. The site offers breathtaking views of the Welsh countryside and prices are very reasonable (£8 per adult per night, £4 per child). Potty Adventures particularly recommend the site for families as it has clean and modern toilets and shower facilities, a handy on-site shop and super friendly owners who are able to provide lots of advice on local things to do or hiking routes. 

Credit | Potty Adventures

The site allows campfires on the beach which is perfect for creating those special family moments and every Wednesday evening there's a wood stove pizza oven that gets fired up on the camping field and is popular with campers. 

Credit | Potty Adventures

Potty Adventures recommend you book a pitch with a sea view to make the most of the dramatic sunsets and sunrises and if you'd like a few luxuries, electric hook up is available for a small extra charge.

I think this place sounds fantastic! I wish I'd known about it when we visited Wales in July as I'd like to have booked a couple of nights here. I'm definitely going to bookmark Aberafon for another trip.

You can check out David's full review and more stunning pictures over on Potty Adventures here and I'd highly recommend checking out their Insta account too where they share lots more outdoor adventures.  

If you'd like to recommend a UK Family Holiday, please complete this form. It's best to leave as much info as possible. You can check out other reader recommendations here. 

UK Family Holidays | Reviewed & Recommended | Center Parcs by KatyKicker.com

Welcome back to our new occasional series which features top recommendations for UK Family Holidays that have been tried and tested by real parents. Today, it's over to Katy Kicker (from www.katykicker.com - a fab site which helps you to save and earn money online) who highly recommends Center Parcs as a fab place to take the family. Katy has visited both Elveden and Woburn and recommends them both.

Katy's family is a family of 3 with one 15 month old daughter. When researching a holiday they look for good restaurants, nice surroundings, a decent swimming pool and a choice of activities. They'll often treat themselves to a lodge with a sauna for evening relaxation too.

Center Parcs is particularly good for families as they have a superb swimming pool which is included in the cost of your holiday, their lodges are of a very high standard with lots of facilities, the surrounding area is beautiful as you are right in the middle of a forest, there are good food and drinks available and finally, an abundance of activities available for all ages.

Like most, Katy has yet to explore beyond Center Parcs and find out what there is to do in the surrounding areas. There is so much to do on site, you really don't want to leave.

Katy's memorable moment from the holiday:

'I will never forget our daughter meeting Father Christmas for the first time at Center Parcs'

The beauty of Center Parcs is that you can eat in or dine out. There are lots of restaurants on site and Katy particularly recommends Hucks, Prezzo and Cafe Rouge.

Katy's Top Tip: If you're looking to save money, take your own food and look out for reduced price activities on the day. 

If you're looking for a relaxing break with lots of family time, definitely check Center Parcs out. 

Read more:

• KatyKicker.com | Aqua Sana Elveden Review
• KatyKicker.com | Target Archery at Center Parcs
• KatyKicker.com | Pottery Painting at Center Parcs
• North East Family Fun | 10 ways to save money at Center Parcs
• North East Family Fun | How to enjoy Whinfell Forest on a budget
• North East Family Fun | Top Tips for staying in a new style woodland lodge at Center Parcs

You can find out more about Center Parcs and book online here. 

If you'd like to join in with this series and recommend a fabulous holiday in the UK, please complete this form and I'll be in touch. 

The best European cities to visit with your family in 2018

There's no denying that exploring a city with children in tow can be tiring but putting this aside, there are some real gems out there though and a city break in Europe will usually provide a family short break or getaway to remember for years to come. European cities usually offer superb museums, city parks, galleries and 9/10 will have decent public transport too. I've teamed up with some other top family travel bloggers to bring you some of our favourite European city breaks to enjoy with the kids. All of these breaks have been tried and tested by real families and have been selected as some of the best that Europe has to offer.

For me, the best city in Europe to take your children has to be Barcelona. I've visited this city with my own children around 3-4 times now. It's super easy to get to from the Spanish Costas as part of a day trip from a package holiday or just as easy to fly to for a short break with low-cost flights available from many UK airports. 

My top three reasons for visiting Barcelona with kids:

Fantastic Public Transport

First of all, there's a fantastic public transport system. I was able to navigate the Metro whilst using crutches with Heidi in a pushchair without too many problems and I'd recommend using the Metro as a cheap and easy way to get about.

A Huge Range of Family-Friendly Activities

There are so many things to see and do from Barcelona's own Aquarium and Zoo to tours around the Nou Camp or a stroll up Las Ramblas where children will be entertained by the famous street theatre. The famous Barcelona fountains are not to be missed and watching this show is a special memory I have from my own childhood. Barcelona even has it's own beaches should you need to escape the hustle and bustle.

Street theatre on Las Ramblas

Family-Friendly Dining

Finally, the main reason I love Barcelona is that it's home to so many fabulous restaurants. Everyone knows that good food is important to us and Barcelona is such a family-friendly city to dine in. Whether you fancy tapas in one of the city's squares, seafood by the harbour or coffee in one of the street cafes, we've always found the staff to be super friendly and accommodating to families.

We visited Barcelona during a private tour we arranged with a tour operator whilst staying in Sanguli in 2014. Sanguli is a beautiful resort for those looking for a relaxed self catering holiday with lots of facilities. We also visited during two separate holidays to Vilanova which I didn't blog about but you can catch a train direct from Barcelona from the town or a taxi will cost around 90 euros each way. Finally, you can catch a bus to Barcelona from Palafrugell which takes around 90 minutes and is super handy if you are staying in our favourite ever Spanish resort of Calella de Palafrugell.

16 European Cities to visit with your family in 2018

1 - Oslo

Nell Heshram recommends Oslo, one of her favourite cities, this summer. On her blog the Pigeon Pair and Me she’s put together a round-up of the top family-friendly museums in the Norwegian capital

2 - Brussels
Joanne from (Kids Days Out Reviewed) and her eldest recommend Brussels, Belgium. This post will show you the essential stuff to do, what to eat, and where to stay.

3 - Funchal Lisa from Travel Loving Family recommends Funchal. Check out this post featuring Lisa's five must see sights in the capital of Madeira, Funchal. Her recommendations include a scenic cable car ride to a view point at an incredible 1,800 feet overlooking the whole island, a thrilling toboggan ride in a wicker basket and a visit to Blandy’s Wine Lodge to taste the famous Madeira wine.

4 - Benidorm With three hundred days of sunshine, six theme parks and miles and miles of golden sandy beaches, Jane Batt from Taking 5 says you should definitely consider Benidorm when planning your next family holiday. Pop over to Taking 5 and have a look at Jane’s recommendations for what to do and where to stay in Benidorm as well as her family’s top ten Benidorm activities.

5 - Bruges Daisy over at Dais Like These Family Travel Blog recommends a family trip to Bruges and shares a few ideas on how to keep kids entertained during 24 hours in the city.

6 - Rome The Wandermust Family LOVE Rome and think it is the perfect European City Break for families. Pop over to their blog and find out their top 6 reasons why!

7 - Reykyavik Ting from My Travel Monkey spent a week exploring snow covered Iceland and discovered there was so much to see and do in Reykyavik - even for young children...

8 - London You don't need to travel abroad to enjoy a city break with kids. If you have visited all of the bigger London icons and are looking for Alternative things to do, hop over to Like Love Do. Donna share’s 10 hidden gems in London's big city.

9 - Liverpool Liverpool is another top UK city to visit with kids. Zena talks about why her family loved their visit to Liverpool and why it’s worth visiting if you're looking for a vibrant and cultural city outside of London.

10 - Barcelona Another vote for Barcelona! A Modern Mother shares 12 reasons to visit the city.

11 - Lisbon Here's why Karen from Mini Travellers highly recommends a trip to Lisbon with little ones. So much so that she's considering re-visiting again this year.

12 - Munich Emma from a Bavarian Sojourn is well qualified to recommend Munich having lived there for the past 5 years. The city is surprisingly child-friendly with lots of green spaces and is home to the biggest science museum in the world. You can even swim in a crystal clear lake in Munich. The list of things to do goes on and on......

13 - Amsterdam Penny from Parentshaped recommends a treasure hunt in Amsterdam, a city packed with invitations to play and new things to discover and learn as a family.

14 - Bologna

Over on Space in Your Case Penny recommends a trip to Bologna, which few people realise is it is the foodie capital of Italy. Bologna also has lots to keep children entertained, as Penny discovered on a weekend break courtesy of Bolgona Welcome.

15 - Pompeii

Laura from Have Kids, Can Travel spent just one day in Pompeii with her family on their Italy Road Trip but still highly recommends visiting the city with kids. Here she talks about the strange feeling of walking back in time through someone else’s home from 2,000 years ago, and her top tips on making the most of a even just a short visit to the ruined city.

16 - Berlin

POD Travels recommends Berlin and there seems to be loads to do for kids. Charly shares the top 30 places to visit with kids and where you can explore without them. With posts on the Berlin Wall, East Side Gallery and Wall Museum, a round up of the top Christmas markets in the city and a look at the Berlin street art scene, there’s more than enough to keep you occupied

Let me know which European city you'd recommend as being particularly child-friendly.

Driving An Electric Car - #WhyNot Give It A Try?

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We were recently given the opportunity to drive an Ultra Low Emissions Electric Vehicle and share our experience with you all. Our vehicle of choice was the super stylish Audi e-tron which was kindly provided by Lookers for the weekend. If you're interested in what it's really like driving an electric vehicle, read on. I'm sharing the ups and downs and lessons learned in this post. #WhyNot try an electric vehicle yourself? I'm almost certain you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Seven Stories Newcastle | Bears! | Exhibition Review

We are huge fans of the Ouseburn area of Newcastle and are always recommending a visit to this area of town when people call upon our advice. Seven Stories (The National Centre for Children's Books) sits right in the heart of Ouseburn and we are super lucky to have this multi-award winning attraction on our doorstep.

I have reviewed various exhibitions at Seven Stories in the past if you fancy a trip down memory lane:

• The Tiger Who Came to Tea | October 2013
• Moving Stories | May 2014
• Grand re-opening | July 2015
• Michael Morpurgo | July 2016 - present

I can hand on heart say that every exhibition we've visited has been engaging with lots of hands on fun. We were invited along to review the new 'Bears' exhibition which is open until February 2018. 

Seven Stories Newcastle | Parking & Admission

We usually park in the Foundry Lane car park (NE6 1LH) which is FREE and home to around 60 spaces. This car park can get busy during weekends and school holidays so I'd advise arriving early.

Alternative car parking:

• Ouseburn South Car Park | FREE | NE6 1BU
• Ford Street, Albion Road & Stepney Road are all within a 5-10 minute walk of Seven Stories

Check the Seven Stories Website for public transport details here.

Admission Prices (checked February 2017):

• Adult | £7.70
• Baby (under 12 months) | FREE
• Toddler (1-3 years) | £2.50
• Child (4-16 years) | £6.60

Family Tickets and Annual Passes are available. Check website for details. Admission is valid for a full day and you can come and go as you please, just make sure your hand is stamped.

*From 24th April 2017, Seven Stories will be closed on Mondays during term time*

Seven Stories Newcastle | Bears! Exhibition

We visited the exhibition on a rainy day in February Half Term and this new exhibition had been open less than a week. I am always honest in my reviews and I will say that I would never advise anyone to visit Seven Stories on a rainy day in the school holidays - it gets super busy and I have know the centre have to close to new admissions on occasion. I would recommend visiting after school during term time (the centre closes at 5pm) or on a super sunny day when it is likely to be less busy to make the most of your experience.

You will find Bears! on level 5 and the exhibition does not disappoint. The exhibition focuses on various Bears! that have featured in various children's literature over the years. Expect everything from Paddington to We're Going on a Bear Hunt, The Bear Under the Stairs and more.......

The exhibition is super hands on with lots of opportunities for fun. I loved the sensory wall featuring various types of real bears and explaining their habitats, what their fur feels like plus a few fun facts. My favourite bear on the wall is the 'Spectacled Bear' - what a name!

Every corner of the exhibition and every single piece of space has been used up. There is something to look at or read wherever you look. I love that there are baskets upon baskets of books featuring bears across the exhibition and I imagine if your children are aged 3-5 years and you can visit during term time, you would have lots of fun sharing story after story together.

The attention to detail in the exhibition space is fantastic and we enjoyed following the paw prints around the room.

Back in 2013, we listened to story time in the attic and one of the books that was shared was called 'I Want My Hat Back'. We hadn't heard of this book before but we immediatly fell in love with it. It appeals to a very particular type of humour but it really tickled us. We bought our own copy from the Seven Stories book shop that day and since then it has been one of our favourite ever stories. We still laugh at it now. Anyway, we were delighted to find a whole corner of the Bears! exhibition dedicated to our much loved story, along with multiple copies of the book for you to enjoy for yourself. If you visit the exhibition, you must read this book. I promise you will giggle.

This is a Seven Stories exhibition so of course it features lots of dressing up opportunities. You'll find lots of Bear costumes dotted about and of course lots of places to improvise and act out your favourite stories.

There is a bear trails throughout the exhibition and children are invited to bring their own teddy bears along to share the fun. If you forget your bear like we did (oops), there are plenty of teddy bears available for you to play with around the exhibtion.

The Bears! exhibition was lots of fun and we enjoyed spotting characters from some of our much-loved stories plus meeting some new bears too. Harry (aged 10) enjoyed the exhibition but I think he is at the upper age limit. I would definitely recommend for toddlers and pre-schoolers during term time when it's not so busy - Seven Stories is a fab place to meet for a play date with your mum friends.  Children of Primary School age will also enjoy the exhibition.

There are a whole Seven Stories of fun to be had and the Bears! exhibition just forms one part of your day at Seven Stories. From crafts to regular story time, various exhibitions, sensory back backs, a story station plus one of the best bookshops in the North East and a coffee shop, you can easily spend half a day here.

www.sevenstories.org.uk

I am linking this to Mummy Travels & Wander Mum 'City Tripping' 

Disclosure | We were provided with Press Tickets to review this exhibition. 

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50+ Things To Do In Falkirk

This is an advertisement for July 2021. Any reshares / edits beyond this date have not been asked or paid for. All thoughts and words are my own. 

We visited Falkirk in July 2021. It has been somewhere on my radar for a long time and watching Susan Calman's Secret Scotland during lockdown really cemented my wish to visit. I really wanted to see the Kelpies and take a trip on the Falkirk Wheel and both were definitely worth the trip alone. But what really stood out from my trip was just how much there is to see and do in Falkirk beyond the big attractions. It really is a destination I would recommend to families looking for a short break in the UK.