Finding exciting things to do in half term, that are also accessible, can be a challenge. So we were delighted to discover Toyota has put together a list of offbeat UK days out, for kids of all ages and abilities. And the best news is, every one is great value and easy to reach by road.
Toyota Corolla Touring Sports, Aldenham Country Park
With temperatures and leaves falling fast, the quest to find things to do in half term is underway. Hop in the car is Toyota’s advice, because there are plenty of lesser known adventures all over the UK that are easy drives with kids, just right for October days out and score high on accessibility for all.
Things to do in half term around northwest England
Things to do in half term, BeWILDerwood, Cheshire
Go wild in the woods at BeWILDerwood, Cheshire
BeWILDerwood adventure forest is great for families with children aged between 0 and 12 years, with activities such as ziplines, tree mazes, and climbing, many of which have been adapted for babies and toddlers.
During October, and on selected November dates, BeWILDerwood is also hosting The Glowing Lantern Parade: an enchanting woodland display for darker evenings.
All BeWILDerwood attractions are accessible, and they even have ‘rugged’ wheelchairs available.
Where: 18 miles from junction 16 off the M6
Tickets: Day Tickets from £20.50; free for children under 92cm, as well as wheelchair users, carers and visitors over 20 weeks’ pregnant
Good to know: BeWILDerwood offers free parking, disabled parking and electric vehicle charging points
Waterworld, Stoke-on-Trent
Make a splash at Waterworld in Stoke-on-Trent
The adventures at Waterworld range from Toddler Slides and the Interactive Jungle House, to extreme Thunderbolt and Cyclone rides. Everyone gets to enjoy a splash around here as all areas are wheelchair accessible, you’ll find adapted changing cubicles, and the car park provides disabled spaces.
Where: 8 miles from junction 16 off the M6
Tickets: £24 per adult; £20 per child under 1.1m; £7 for under twos
Good to know: parking is available at a pay car park nearby
Half term fun to have in northeast England
Danby Lodge National Park Centre, North Yorkshire
Spend a day (or night) at Danby Lodge in Whitby
Located in Whitby, Danby Lodge National Park Centre offers free entry to beautiful gardens and a shop where books for all ages provide adventures for the mind. Although more athletic kids, can also fun it up in the outdoor play area and woodland mud kitchen.
Danby Lodge features several wheelchair accessible routes, just ask at the Information Desk for details. Also, off-road ‘tramper’ wheelchairs, electric scooters and manual wheelchairs are available: during half term it’s probably best to call and book in advance.
On Wednesday 30 October, Danby Lodge is hosting Park in the Dark, which lets families explore the grounds of this Dark Sky Discovery Site by twilight. Other things to do in half term week include storytelling and child-friendly performances.
Where: 40 miles from junction 49 off the A1
Good to know: you’ll find paid parking close to the entrance of Danby Lodge
Make for the Midlands to find things to do in half term
Pumpkin picking, Wroxham Barns, Norfolk
Have a romp around Wroxham Barns in Norwich
Wroxham Barns is a fun-filled adventure that allows kids to can pet and feed farm animals, play in the indoor play area, go on the rides, or enjoy a round of mini golf.
As almost the whole site is wheelchair accessible, and wheelchair loans are available, this is a great day out for all.
Entry is £9 and those under two go free. There is plenty of free parking available on site, including disabled parking.
Where: 10 miles from junction 47 off the A140
Tickets: £9 for all visitors and free for under twos
Good to know: free, on-site parking and disabled parking
Southeast England is the place for outdoorsy adventures
Nower Wood Nature Reserve, Surrey
Nowhere’s quite like Nower Wood this half term
Nower Wood in Leatherhead is great for nature loving families and young bird-watchers, it’s also accessible for all visitors as it has wheelchair paths and convenient disabled parking.
During October half term, the wood is hosting family events including Autumn Photography on 27 October; Wild Explorers Holiday Club from 29 to 31 October for children aged between 5 and 11; and the Wild Rangers Conversation Club on 31 October, where 11 to 17 year olds can learn about human impact on the natural environment.
Where: 4 miles from junction 9 off the M25
Tickets: half term events priced per child and must be booked in advance.
Good to know: parking costs £11 for non-members, £10 for members, and visits to Nower Wood must be booked in advance.
Making friends, Aldenham Country Park
It’s all accessible fun at Aldenham Country Park
Aldenham Country Park is an idyllic location, just 12 miles north of London. As well as an extensive range of children’s activities like feeding and petting animals, there are also nature trails. An adventure playground lets kids swing, climb or zipline around. And SEND (special educational needs and disability) visitors are welcomed with half-price sessions. The SEND pavilion is also open at weekends and during school holidays, and between 9 and 11am, the adventure playground is reserved for SEND play only.
Fun things to do in half term include Spook-Fest which features Pumpkin Bingo, Giant Puzzles, Spider Maze, and Spooky-Oke. Families can also try pumpkin picking and carving, and Horrid Hay Tractor Rides, on scheduled dates from 12 October to 3 November.
Where: 9 miles from junction 19 off the M25
Tickets: £16.45 including farm activities and adventure playground, activities can also be bought individually
Good to know: on-site parking costs £4.50 a day
Half term Halloween thrills in Southwest England
Watermouth Castle, Ilfracombe, Devon
Seaside scares at Watermouth Castle in Ilfracombe
Built on the Devon coast in 1825, the gardens and villages of Watermouth Castle are today open to visitors and younger children will love the Steam Carousel and Spinning Cooking Pots rides. Meanwhile older kids can look forward to Halloween Scare attractions such as the Cursed Forest, the Carnival of Clowns, and the Mad Maze. These are suitable for anyone older than 12, but under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.
Where: 17 miles from junction 27 off the M5
Tickets: Day Tickets £18 and free for wheelchair users
Good to know: on-site parking is free and the castle has a wheelchair accessible route
Avon Valley FEAR Fire Show © Giulia Spadafora | Soul Media
Adventure around Avon Valley in Bristol
Avon Valley is an adventure and wildlife park in Bristol, with a wealth of activities, such as the sand and water play areas, dinosaur valley with animatronic dinosaurs, miniature railway, and an eight metre high climbing tower.
This October things to do in half term include visiting the Pumpkin Patch, where you can pick your own pumpkins. The FEAR Scream Park is back on selected days from 11 October and features fearsome rides and interactive experiences. Although the fainter of heart might prefer Fearless: the family-friendly Halloween experience.
All indoor areas at Avon Valley are level and ramped and there is also a visual guide available for visitors with autism and sensory needs.
Where: 10 miles from junction 13 off the M32
Tickets: £14.95 (£11.95 if booked in advance) and free for under twos
Good to know: on-site parking is free and disabled parking is also available
Hit Scotland for smart things to do in half term
Glasgow Science Centre © Paul Wyatt Photography
Come exploring at Glasgow Science Centre
Stretch your horizons at Glasgow Science Centre with interactive exhibitions exploring space, the solar system, and quantum physics, as well as optical illusions to amaze all ages.
The centre is accessible for all, with autism-friendly hours on Sundays, and an app called WelcoMe which helps users inform the team of any accessibility needs. Also, the ticket desk loans wheelchairs which can be used in the accessible lifts and car park.
Tickets are £14.75 for adults and £11.50 for children over three. On-site parking is £3 per day.
Where: 2 miles from junction 20 off the M8
Tickets: adults £14.75; children over-three £11.50
Good to know: on-site parking is £3 per day
Amaze your kids with adventures in Northern Ireland
High Rise, Lisburn, Northern Ireland © High Rise
Award-winning High Rise in Lisburn
High Rise is an indoor centre offering accessible activities for all ages, from climbing walls to soft play areas, and even an interactive sensory room for babies. Sessions last 90 minutes for climbing and soft play, and 45 minutes in sensory rooms.
As well as sensory assistants and ear defenders available to borrow, each week there are autism-friendly Clip n’ Climb and soft play sessions, which have received the Autism Impact Award from Autism NI.
Where: 3 miles from junction 6 off the M1
Tickets: sessions from £5 to £15.50
North Wales is all action this October half term
Quarry ziplining, Zip World © Visit Wales
Fly through Zip World day and night
Zip World is a high flying adventure in Wales that works for all the family, with highlights such as the Fforest Coaster, Zip Safari, and Skyride.
This year, from 11 October to 3 November, Zip World is also hosting its annual Ffear Fforest Scare-Fest each evening from 7.30 to 10.30pm. You’ll find all its wild daytime adventures transformed into spooky thrillers instead, such as the Cursed Coaster, The Nets, Screamride and 100ft high Nightfall.
Where: 2 miles from A470 exit on A5
Tickets: from £13 to £40 per person
Good to know: on-site parking is available, and Ffear Fforest Scare-Fest is suitable for kids aged 9 and over
Half term Halloween fun, GreenWood, Wales
Find spooky goings-on at GreenWood
Between its rollercoasters and water slides, moonkart riding and animal petting, GreenWood is adventurous for all the family this October.
During half term, its annual SpOokWoOd festival is back, where children aged from 3 to 10 can enter a costume competition, watch shows, and participate in pumpkin carving and Trick or Treating.
Where: 6 miles from junction 11 off the A55
Tickets: £7.50 for children under 1m; £22 for visitors over 1m
Good to know: on-site parking is free
Toyota Corolla Touring Sports
Get out and about with the Toyota Corolla this half term
Spacious and economic, the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports is ideally suited for a family autumn adventure. It has almost 600 litres of boot capacity, providing plenty of space for buggies, bikes, and picnics. Children are catered for, too: they can enjoy audio books and music – via Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay, or wired Android Auto systems. The car is also equipped with Toyota Safety Sense active safety systems, and finding your way to your destination is made hassle-free with cloud-based navigation that uses live traffic intelligence.