New guest post from our friends at Moneysupermarket.com

UK Half Term Holiday Destinations

Half term is fast approaching and the worry of what to do to occupy the kids for a full week is filling many parents with dread. The desire to provide them with a fun filled educational week off is conflicting with the necessity of not breaking the bank. There are many great things you can do at home to have a great half term break and not spend a lot but sometimes getting away even for a couple of days can make the break seem like a real holiday.

Here are a few of the great UK destinations suitable for short breaks and ways you can enjoy them without spending a fortune.

Chester

Often overlooked for its neighbouring cities of Manchester and Liverpool, Chester is a fantastic place to get away with the children. Home to Chester Zoo, the whole family can enjoy a day out here, granted this can be a bit on the expensive side when there is a few of you but there are ways of reducing the cost. Chester Zoo often offers discount vouchers, particularly during the school holidays, always look out for these before you go. Avoid the restaurants and cafes when you are in there as they can be expensive, instead take a picnic, there are plenty of picnics spots available (indoor and outdoor) and that way you can control the amount you are spending on food and drinks.

To save even more money when visiting Chester, head to the lesser known attractions such as the Ice Cream Farm and the Candle Factory, close by you can even visit both in one day.

For a completely free activity if your children enjoy history, get them to pretend they are a Roman soldier for a day and walk the city walls and visit the ruins of the amphitheatre. A visit to the museum, which is also free, can provide you with all the knowledge to provide them with a fun and educational day out.

York

York, like Chester is a city steeped in history so is great for families with children who enjoy learning about soldiers, leaders and the key figures of times gone by. As well as its role in Roman history, York is also the birthplace of Guy Fawkes and visitors can take part in the Guy Fawkes walking tour at only £4 for adults and £2 for children.

For a fun filled day out head to the York Dungeons, here families can enjoy an interactive experience of all of York’s horrible history including rides and actors to make it all the more realistic. Money can be saved on tickets to the dungeon by planning ahead and booking online, particularly when booking a family ticket of 2 adults and 2 children (the price reduces from £49 to £29.40)

Blackpool

Blackpool has long been associated with British family breaks, although more recently has been given a bad reputation, largely due to hen and stag parties flocking to the area. While it is true that there are a fair few revellers around in the evening this doesn’t stop the area being a great traditional destination for families during the day.

Of course the best free attraction Blackpool has to offer is its beach, although not many of us will want to be sat on a beach in the freezing temperatures of February! Instead staying indoors is much more preferable, Blackpool has many attractions that are great for kids, the Sea Life Centre, Pirate Adventure Mini Golf (again indoors!) Louis Tussards waxwork museum, Blackpool Tower and countless arcades. Granted these all cost money although many offer vouchers and discounts so it’s a good idea to check before you go as you could end up saving a lot of money. Blackpool Pleasure Beach and Nickelodeon Land are fantastic for the kids and both will be open this February, the Pleasure Beach only opens at the weekends but Nickelodeon Land is open every day.

Conwy

If Blackpool is a little bit to lively then heading to the North Wales coast for a beach break might be more your thing. Conwy is a beautiful town that is a great destination for a family break, as well as having a stunning coastline which is great for walks (ideal if you have a dog and like to take them on holiday with you) a castle and even the smallest house in Britain!

You can see Conwy Castle as soon as you arrive in the town, wonderfully preserved, once you enter its grounds you can imagine how it would have been when it was first constructed during the 1200’s. Admission is just £13.90 for a family ticket. Once you have visited the castle, head just down the road to the smallest house in Britain! This tiny house is just 10 feet by 6 feet in size and was built in the 16^th century with people living there right up until the 1900’s. On visiting the house you can learn all about its past owners, the last being fisherman Robert Jones who himself who 6ft 3in. Visitors can enter the house and see for themselves how it must have been to live in Britain’s smallest house! Throw in a bag of fish and chips and this day out can be a great day for families with children of all ages.

This is a guest article from Charlotte at TravelSupermarket.com, whether you choose to enjoy a short break in the UK or a last minute holiday overseas, TravelSupermarket can help you to find a great deal for you and your family that’ll leave you with plenty of spending money to enjoy your time away.