It’s that time again. That time that some parents look forward to and others dread. Either way, there is no escaping, the Summer Holidays have arrived. Obviously as a mother to a pre-school child, the summer holidays don’t hugely effect me yet, we just carry on our normal routine. They only effect me in so much that everywhere becomes ten times busier and I rarely want to leave my home because it becomes like a military mission just to get out and about through all the crowds. We do live in an extremely popular tourist area and so we’re probably hit worst than most as we are surrounded by beaches, which when not in high season is brilliant but during the summer makes any car journey a lot less fun due to traffic. However, I am fully embracing it this year and am determined to get out and about with the best of them and for that I need to know what’s happening around the South this Summer and so I thought I’d share with you guys…

a pebble beach with 3 deck chairs on and glistening sea with a seagull flying past

Dorset

a picture of durdle door in dorset looking down on a sunny dayObviously, being a Dorset girl born and bred and still living here now, I had to start with my home county. If you’re simply looking for some beach time fun then there is lots to offer with Weymouth Beach which has lots of fun activities for kids a long the sands too as well as a fair ground and amusements at one end and is right next to the train station too. There is also beautiful Shore Road at Sandbanks which also offers Water Sport activities too. They both get packed so leave early and set up for the day!

We’re also very lucky that we have a couple of festivals which include the Larmer Tree festival which is great for music and also Camp Bestival which is pretty much designed for kids and is an amazing experience so I’m told.

If you’re looking at activities for the children to take part in then you’ll definitely want to take a look at Kingston Lacy which is a National Trust property, Kingston Maurward which is a great place for children who like animals and also any of our local leisure centres such as the Queen Elizabeth in Wimborne, which are packed to the brim with great activities throughout the summer!

To check out what’s on in Dorset from day to day throughout the summer you can check this events list.

a woman smiling on a water ski in the middle of the water

Bristol

Bristol is by far one of my favourite cities – I actually spent my 30th birthday there celebrating. It has amazing food with bars and restaurants all along the water’s edge, fantastic shopping with one of my favourite areas being Cabot Circus and of course the Bristol Hippodrome which shows some amazing productions and where I was lucky  enough to watch Wicked!

a little girl playing football on the grassIf you’re looking to occupy the kids then Clifton College could be the solution. This summer, Clifton College in Bristol are hosting their popular kids’ clubs, with a group suitable for all ages between 3-13 years old. Each club includes a wide variety of activities all with the aim that your children enjoy themselves and learn different skills on the way. The Mini’s Kids’ Club (3-4) focuses on personal development and interaction with others, while the Junior Club (5-7) focuses on encouraging children to pursue their interests and develop their skills through their own choice of activity. The oldest club, the Kids’ Club (8-13) promotes self-expression, confidence building, offering complete flexibility and choice of involvement. Of course, all three groups offer FUN, with activities such as arts and crafts, outdoor play and even afternoon swim sessions (Kids’ Club and Junior’s Club).

Price for all clubs start from £22 for half a day and £44 for a full day. The Mini’s Club starts from 6 July 2018 while the Kids’ Club and the Junior’s Club starts from 9 July 2018. For more information, please visit www.cliftoncollege.com

To check out what’s on each day in Bristol this summer you can view this list of events.

a picture of bristol harbour with a boat going under the bridge

Hampshire

the top of the spinnaker tower in portsmouth hampshire ukWith it being so close, we are always popping into Hampshire for one thing or another. If you have children from little to big then obviously a prime location to visit this summer is Paultons Park with Peppa Pig World, especially since they added the new rides which, speaking from experience, are great. Don’t forget to pack your costumes as they have a brilliant splash park area for those hot summer days we’ll be having!

If you love Wimbledon, then you have to head over to the West Quay Shopping Centre which is not only brilliant for a spending spree as it has so many different shops and food outlets but they are also showing Wimbledon throughout the day on the big screen, with deck chairs and of course strawberries and cream available too!

There are also some awesome activities planned at the Beaulieu Motor Museuem, House & Gardens which we visited back in April and it really was great for the whole family as there was something to peak everyone’s interest. What I love about Beaulieu is that they always add on extra events and activities for children during the holidays which makes each visit different!

To see what’s on each day in Hampshire this summer check out this event list.

From Alyssa and I, we hope you have the most amazing summer as we plan to do! If you know of any amazing events coming up then do let us know, as I will be happy to add and include them. If you have any brilliant days out then why not let me know and share your summer with us! I’ll be doing so over on Facebook and Instagram and I’d love to see your summers too!
*This is a collaborative post.

4 Comments

  1. So much to do! Bit far from Cumbria though 😉

  2. I love the south coast and hope to get down there this summer #ablogginggoodtime

  3. Great post – looks like there are lots of opportunities for fun and family time 🙂 #ablogginggoodtime

  4. Tubbs says:

    Such a lot of wonderful things to do … Bit far from us sadly 🙁 Have a great summer!