TAKING OFF LITTLE TICKETS, BIG VIBES Summer’s alternative family festivals
Just wild enough
BIG LOVE, WALES The ‘UK’s friendliest small festival’ comes with a Big Top, cabaret and a line-up of kids’ activities, so who are we to argue? 17-20 July biglovefestival.co.uk 2000 TREES, BRISTOL If 2000 Trees has slipped under your radar, make good on it this summer. Quiet camping is back, along with the Forest School, and a just-for-kids Trash Metal stage in the woods is all new for 2025. 9-12 July 2000trees.co.uk STEALING THUNDER, LAKE DISTRICT This one had us at ‘storytelling festival’, plus you get to settle down for tall tales near Lake Windermere. 20-22 June stealingthunder.co.uk
CHICKENSTOCK, KENT Family and dog-friendly, Chickenstock bills itself as the BIG little festival. Catch it in Kent from 31 July to 3 August chickenstockfestival.co.uk ELDERFLOWER FIELDS, SUSSEX Bringing everything from kayaking and treetop climbing to a Pop-Up Science Festival, Elderflower is winning our hearts, again. 23-26 May elderflowerfields.co.uk
UK’s (almost)wild summer swims
SEA LANES BRIGHTON If you want to be on the beach, but not in the (freezing) sea, 50m Sea Lanes Brighton is perched next to the pebbles, heated year round and laned for various types of swimmers. It only opened in 2023, so it’s fresh as a fresh thing too. sealanesbrighton.co.uk WOODY BAY TIDAL POOL Hard to believe this one isn’t a natural phenomena, rather than the work of inventive Victorians. Described as a spa-like experience, it’s more of a float than swim space, but prepare to be enchanted. Between Ilfracombe and Lynton, North Devon HILLINGDON LIDO Vintage lido vibes, but fully restored to its 1930’s splendour, Hillingdon Lido brings the big pool and adds cascades, heated kids’ pools and sun decks. Uxbridge. better.org.uk WESTWARD HO! Pack your swim shoes and watch the tides, Westward Ho! is another great Victorian, and a real open-water rock sea pool. It’s free and, thanks to sloping sides, accessible too. Bideford, North Devon. visitwestwardho.co.uk
IT’S A ROLLERCOASTER What’s new for summer 2025 MAKING EGYPT, YOUNG V&A There’s a little bit of Ancient Egypt in just about everything and Making Egypt at Young V&A has the proof this summer. vam.ac.uk UNIVERSAL EPIC UNIVERSE, ORLANDO Inspired by the heavens, stars and constellations, the brand new Universal Epic Universe immersive theme park opens 22 May in Orlando. universalorlando.com AMSTERDAM 750 Amsterdam celebrates turning 750 this October, get in early for Festival on the Ring A10 on 21 June, it’s the longest day of the year and sounds like a fun old time. iamsterdam.com RAINFOREST WILD ASIA, SINGAPORE Asia’s first wildlife adventure park, the latest addition to Mandai Reserve in Singapore, is home to 36 free-roaming animals species and wild family activities. mandai.com
Making Egypt, Young V&A
EASTER EXTRA
Château Capitoul in Narbonne is offering French language courses for teens this Easter. Plus, it’s adding new water sports on the Med to its line-up of family activities for 2025, including SUP, wing foil, windsurfing
and wakeboarding. chateaucapitoul.com
8
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator