If you’re new to the Newbury area or you are looking for interesting places to go with the kids in the holidays, weekends and simply on days when you’d just like to go somewhere new, we have included some suggestions with links to the websites we’ve found useful.
We have visited all of these places ourselves, and can vouch for them being interesting and fun places to visit. If you have been somewhere locally which you and your children have loved, and we haven’t included here, please let us know and we will consider adding it to our list.
Tourist Information
Newbury Tourist Information
www.visitnewbury.org.uk
Sites of Historical or Architectural Interest
Newbury Museum
www.westberks.gov.uk
Highclere Castle
www.highclerecastle.co.uk
The Earls of Carnarvon’s family home. Usually during the holidays, they have some Tutakhamun exhibitions, with some of the items found in the tomb by the 5th Earl. Also, this is where the TV series, Downton Abbey, is filmed.
Donnington Castle (Newbury)
www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/donnington-castle
Basing House (Basingstoke)
www3.hants.gov.uk/museum/basing-house
An internationally renowned Tudor archaeological site.
Shaw House (Newbury)
www.westberks.gov.uk/
A Grade I Elizabethan Manor House
Whitchurch Silk Mill (Whitchurch)
www.whitchurchsilkmill.org.uk
Odiham Castle (Nr. Basingstoke)
www3.hants.gov.uk/hampshire-countryside/odiham-castle.htm
Basildon Park (Nr Theale)
Beaches
Hayling Island Beach
www.hayling.co.uk/guides/
West Wittering Beach
www.westwitteringbeach.co.uk
Shanklin Beach (Isle of Wight)
www.iwight.com/just_visiting/beaches/shanklin.asp
Bournemouth Beach
www.bournemouth.co.uk/things-to-do/beach
Local Attractions
The Watercress Line
A Heritage railway line going from Alresford to Alton. Steam trains, including Days out with Thomas the Tank Engine, a wonderful treat day for children, where they can ride and play on stream trains based on the characters from the Thomas books.
www.watercressline.co.uk
Soft Play Areas
Eddie Catz (Newbury)
www.eddiecatz.com/newbury/
The Mad House (Reading)
www.themadhousereading.co.uk
Krazy Klub (Thatcham)
www.krazy-klub.co.uk
JJ’s world of fun (Basingstoke)
www.jjsplay.com
Ten Pin Bowling
Bowlplex (Basingstoke)
www.bowlplex.co.uk
Lakeside Superbowl (Thatcham)
www.lakeside-superbowl.co.uk/
Swimming
The Aquadrome (Basingstoke)
Swimming pools, baby pool, Waterslides and rapids
www.basingstokeleisure.com/aquadrome
Northcroft Leisure (Newbury)
Indoor and large outdoor pool and leisure centre
www.leisurecentre.com
Coral Reef (Bracknell)
Water slides, rapids, and indoor swimming pools including a toddler pool
www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/coralreef
Ice Skating
Planet Ice (Basingstoke)
www.planet-ice.co.uk
Farms, Nature, Animals & Wildlife
Bucklebury Farm Park (Bucklebury)
www.buckleburyfarmpark.co.uk
Animals such as deer, donkeys and wild boar. Adventure playground, indoor play area, parkland.
Finkley Down Farm (Near Andover)
www.finkleydownfarm.co.uk
Similar to Bucklebury Farm Park (in spring you can feed the lambs)
Nature Discovery Centre Thatcham
http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/t/thatcham
Great for watching the wildlife including a huge variety of water birds. Cycling, picnics, feed the birds and ducks, pond dipping. Adventure playground.
Greenham Common
www.greenham-common-trust.co.uk
Snelsmore Common
www.visitnewbury.org.uk
Watership Down (Nr. Ecchinswell)
www3.hants.gov.uk/walking-country/featured-walk-4.htm
Gorgeous local countryside, the inspiration for Richard Adams’s book, and wonderful for walks
Marwell Zoo (Winchester)
www.marwell.org.uk
Longleat Safari Park (Warminster)
www.longleat.co.uk
UK Wolf Conservation Trust (Theale)
www.ukwct.org.uk
Beale Park Wildlife Park and Gardens (Pangbourne)
www.bealepark.co.uk
Rare birds, deer, peacocks, nature trails, children’s train.
Bowood House (Calne)
www.bowood-house.co.uk
Historical house, gardens, adventure park, soft play area. The adventure park is a particularly good one with different activities for different ages, and there are lovely picnic areas.
Kennet and Avon Canal
www.katrust.org.uk
Theme Parks
Paulton’s Park (Romsey, New Forest)
www.paultonspark.co.uk
This theme park is a good bet for younger children and in holiday times, as it is usually a little less busy than some other theme parks, with less queuing and a good selection of rides suitable for smaller children. Children under 1m tall get free entry.
Legoland (Windsor)
www.legoland.co.uk
Very busy at holiday times, half term and weekends, so we think it’s better to go on term time weekdays, if you can. Children under the age of 3 years get free entry.
Chessington World of Adventure (near Kingston)
www.chessington.com
As Legoland, go on a term-time weekday, if possible. Children under 0.9m tall get free entry.
