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The best family-friendly things to do around Lancashire this summer
We have you covered…
The six week summer holidays are looming, and I can bet good money that for most parents out there, the annual ‘how will I keep the kids occupied for six whole weeks’ anxiety is beginning to kick in.
Well, if you’re based in the North West, fear not!
With Lancashire right on our doorsteps, families will be spoiled for choice with fun, memorable and, most importantly, cost-effective activities to partake in this summer. Here’re some of the best ones…
The Wellbeing Farm / Facebook
The Wellbeing Farm Llama and Donkey Experience
Let’s start with one of the best ones – the Wellbeing Farm offers an incredible opportunity for families to come and interact with their resident llamas and donkeys.
Guests will get the chance to mingle with the animals as well as take them for a forty minute trail walk with the farm’s very own Dr. Dolittle, who will answer all your animal queries.
Tickets for the experience are £35 per person, and children must be aged ten or over.
Book your day out here.
Wellbeing Farm, Plantation Road, Edgworth, Lancashire, BL7 0BY
Samlesbury Hall
Preston’s very own Samlesbury Hall is offering a wide range of activities to keep the children and adults entertained this summer. Guests can take a tour with one of the Hall’s characterful guides, play in the hidden Mayflower playground, or meet the whole menagerie of adorable animals that take residence
on the grounds.
After all that fun, Dottie’s Wafflery will also be on hand for tasty treats and hot tea.
For tickets and more info, click here.
Samlesbury Hall, Preston New Road, Samlesbury, Preston, Lancashire, PR5 0UP
Visit Lancashire
Heritage Tram Tours
There’s nothing quite as iconic as the Blackpool trams – and now, you and the rest of the family can enjoy a unique experience on one of the original Heritage trams.
Travel the length of Blackpool’s famous coastline on one of these lovingly retained and restored
trams, many of which are over eighty years old.
Book tickets, which are priced at an affordable £6 per person, for your tour here.
Rigby Road, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 5DD
Windmill Animal Farm
This farm will give you and the family an authentic look into life on a working farm, as well as the opportunity to interact with and feed the resident animals.
As well as this, the farm also boasts three marvellous children’s play areas, with an on-site cafe offering hot and cold meals – though guests are also allowed to bring their own food to enjoy a picnic on the grounds.
Adult tickets are £7.95, while children tickets are £8.95 – under 1s go in free.
Visit the website here for more information.
Visit Lancashire
Ribble Valley Bike Trail
The best way to explore the stunning Lancashire countryside is by E-bike – you and the rest of the family can hire a Ribble Valley E-bike from a number of destinations such as The Inn at Whitewell, The Red Pump Inn, The Spread Eagle at Sawley, and Gisburn Forest Hub.
They can even be delivered to a specified location.
Perfect for cyclists of all abilities, these E-bikes will give you the gusto to tackle the hills, fells and forests that make up Lancashire’s iconic landscape.
Visit the website here for hire prices and availability.
Dunsop Bridge, Clitheroe, Lancashire, BB7 3BB
The Honeybee Experience at the Bee Centre
For ninety minutes, you and the family will don real beekeeping suits and learn everything there is to know about the art of beekeeping, honey and pollonation.
The Honeybee Experience will teach you all about the honeybee and beekeeping techniques from an experienced beekeeper, all while being up close and personal with the bees in their hive.
You’ll also see the bees bringing nectar and pollen back to the hive, making honey, building honeycomb and doing their famous ‘waggle dance.’
Click here for bookings and more information.
Brindle Distillery, Holmes Farm, Sandy Lane, Brindle, Chorley, Lancashire, PR6 8LZ
Bowland Wild Boar Park
Bowland Wild Boar Park
From meercats, owls and boars, to chicks, lambs and llamas, there’s a whole array of wonderful animals to meet and interact with, as well as habitats and nature trails to explore.
Families can explore the sixty-two acres by foot or by unique tractor rides – there will also be the opportunity to refuel in the farm’s newly-refurbished café and Ice Cream Parlor.
Click here for more information.
Forest of Bowland, Chipping, Lancashire, PR3 2QT
Mrs Dowsons Visitor Centre & Farm
Another one for the animal lovers – at Mrs. Dowsons Farm, they are passionate about giving their visitors the opportunity to see, touch and engage with their friendly farm animals, explore the countryside and experience a real working farm.
They also make their own award-winning ice cream using fresh milk from their farm dairy, which will be a fantastic treat on a warm day.
Click here for more information.
Hawkshaw Farm, Longsight Road, Clayton Le Dale, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 7JA
Thornton Hall Country Park
Thornton Hall Country Park
At the Thornton Hall Country Park, families can meet with the friendly farm animals and take part in activities such as lamb feeding and rabbit holding. Tractor rides through the fields are also on offer, as is an indoor play area featuring giant slides.
There is also a cafe on site, dishing up delicious burgers and pizzas for the whole family to enjoy.
You can find more details here.
Thornton-in-Craven, Nr Barnoldswick, Lancashire, BD23 3TS
Go Ape Rivington
The UK’s number 1 forest adventure challenge, Go Ape offers award-winning outdoor adventure activities for all the family.
Boasting Tarzan swings, tree-top obstacle courses and giant zip lines, Go Ape is guaranteed to be a fantastic day out.
Children need to be a minimum of ten years old to take part with a height of at least 4ft7″.
Check out their website here for more details.
Go Ape Rivington, Rivington Lane, Rivington, Bolton, Lancashire, BL6 7SB
What's On
Famous faces to come to life in ‘groundbreaking’ new immersive National Portrait Gallery exhibition
And it opens this week
The National Portrait Gallery is working with FRAMELESS Creative, the UK’s leading creator of immersive experiences, to create Stories – Brought to Life, the first immersive art experience of a UK national collection.
Opening at MediaCity this Friday, May 2nd, and running until Sunday August 31st, the groundbreaking new immersive, cinematic show promises to redefine the gallery experience.
Visitors will step into a world where the sitters’ stories come alive. This unique experience explores the lives behind some of the most iconic faces from the National Portrait Gallery’s Collection who have shaped the UK’s history and culture.
It will feature people from royalty and cultural icons to fearless leaders and national heroes, including Winston Churchill, Charles Darwin, Queen Elizabeth II, Audrey Hepburn, Nelson Mandela, Emmeline Pankhurst, Grayson Perry, Mary Seacole, William Shakespeare, Amy Winehouse, Oscar Wilde, Virginia Woolf and Malala Yousafzai.
NPG x131784 Emmeline Pankhurst addressing a crowd in Trafalgar Square by Central Press, October 1908 –
© National Portrait Gallery, London
For its premiere in Manchester, Stories – Brought to Life will be presented in a specially designed 10,000 sq ft state of the art, immersive digital gallery in the heart of MediaCity.
Ryan Atwood, Creative Director for FRAMELESS Creative, said: “Working with a cultural institution like the National Portrait Gallery has been a unique experience, especially having the opportunity to draw upon the deep knowledge and passion of the curatorial team.
“But the magic has also come from studying the sitters and working with the families, estates and the sitters themselves to understand more about the individuals behind the portraits.
“Being able to delve deep into the life stories of the individuals and then bring them to life through the power of emotional, immersive storytelling has been a very special experience and we’re excited to share this with the public when we open in Manchester in May.”
NPG 1 William Shakespeare by John Taylor, circa 1610 – © National Portrait Gallery, London
Rab MacGibbon, Cross-Collections Curator at the National Portrait Gallery, added: “The National Portrait Gallery is home to the largest collection of portraits in the world and hanging on our walls are some of the most remarkable people to have ever lived.
“Working with the team from FRAMELESS, and through exploring new technologies and creative approaches, has allowed us to look at the Collection in a completely new light. We are embarking on a journey of discovery, which we hope will inspire and entertain a new audience.”
The experience will open to the public on May 2nd and run until August 31st at MediaCity, before going on a UK tour (dates to be announced). Grab your tickets HERE.
What's On
Ornella’s Kitchen and more coming to Freight Island as part of huge summer programme
There’s something for everyone…
Freight Island has announced its upcoming spring and summer programme for 2025, and there’s something for everyone.
This includes the arrival of one of the most difficult-to-book restaurants in Manchester, coming to the city centre for the first time.
Denton-based Ornella’s Kitchen will be joining three other new food and drink vendors at Freight, alongside their already comprehensive dining offering.
Freight Island
Ornella’s Little Kitchen will be the Italian spot’s second location, and will be music to the ears of fans, as the original venue is often booked up for months in advance.
Other new additions include authentic ‘shaokao’ Chinese barbecue from MOREJOY, delicious bakes from Gooey, and Hello Dezato, a new offering from Hello Oriental dishing up soft serve ice creams and desserts.
They’ll be joining established Freight Island vendors like Patterson’s, Mia’s Arepas, Burgerism and Voodoo Ray’s pizza.
Freight Island
And if that’s not enough, the ever-popular Kantina supper club series will be returning soon with yet-to-be-announced guest chefs and traders.
Jamie from Ornella’s Kitchen said of the move: “We’re incredibly excited to bring Ornella’s Little Kitchen to Freight Island and be part of such a dynamic food and entertainment space.
“Our pasta-deli specials have found a loyal following in Manchester, and we can’t wait to share our authentic Italian flavours in this new setting.”
Freight Island
You’ll also find a wealth of world-class DJs over spring and summer, including the likes of David Rodigan, DJ Paulette, Congo Natty, A Love From Outer Space, UK garage icon Wookie, Luke Una’s É Soul Cultura, Rich Reason’s Ghosts of Garage, and Huey Morgan.
The Sports Bar will host official takeovers and celebrations across major tournaments, including the UEFA Women’s Euros 2025 and the Woman’s Rugby World Cup, as well as Premier League fixtures, Champions League, Formula 1 and more.
Freight Island
Dan Morris, managing director at Freight Island, said: “Freight Island was always imagined as a place for innovation and pushing boundaries and this year’s update is about taking us closer to that original vision.
“With the incredible new food, a refreshed dining experience and our biggest Spring/Summer festival line-up yet, we’re set for an unforgettable season.”
Freight Island is re-opening on Thursday April 3rd. Get yourself booked in HERE.
What's On
Manchester to transform into HUGE interactive playzone for free family festival this February half term
Manchester will be transformed this half term
Manchester is launching The Super Duper Family Festival in February, a new free un-ticketed family event spread over four days.
There’ll be various activities that will transform the city into a giant, interactive playground from Saturday February 15th to Tuesday February 18th 2025.
Families can explore unique play zones scattered across Manchester, with everything from giant mazes and steam-powered carousels to retro video games and family raves.
The family festival will feature six key zones across the city, including The Garden in Exchange Square, featuring an 18m x 18m real hedge maze reaching two metres high.
Then there’s The Carnival in St Ann’s Square, a steampunk spectacle of old-school carnival games, including a traditional Victorian Carousel, a mind-bending Hall of Mirrors, and Test of Strength stand.
Other zones include The Playground with Waterloo Road, where popular schoolyard games come to life on New Cathedral Street in collaboration with BBC’s Waterloo Road, gaming at The Arcade in the Printworks, The Sports Hall at Great Northern Warehouse, and The Party at Aviva Studios.
Then there’s The Rave, bringing family raves and parties featuring a world-class sound system and dazzling lighting displays to the Great Northern Warehouse.
Venues like the National Football Museum, Stoller Hall, People’s History Museum and Castlefield Viaduct are also set to host their own exciting activities.
And families can experience the launch of CBBC’s Operation Ouch: Brains, Bogeys and You at the Science and Industry Museum.
Supported by the city’s hoteliers, Manchester Accommodation BID, the festival has been created in partnership with Manchester City Centre Business Improvement District, Manchester City Council, Marketing Manchester, Aviva Studio, Great Northern Warehouse and Printworks.
Manchester Accommodation BID Chairman, Kumar Mishra said, “This festival is a fantastic opportunity to draw families into the heart of Manchester, showcasing the city’s vibrant culture, creativity, and its status as a world-class destination.
“With iconic attractions like the National Football Museum, the Science and Industry Museum, and the breathtaking Castlefield Viaduct, Manchester offers an unparalleled mix of history, innovation, and entertainment.
“By transforming the city into a playground of creative experiences and offering free fun for children of all ages, we’re not only celebrating the best of Manchester, but also inspiring families to explore, stay, and create lasting memories in one of the UK’s most dynamic and exciting cities.”
The festival is a free un-ticketed event, find out more HERE.
Find something to do in Manchester
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Famous faces to come to life in ‘groundbreaking’ new immersive National Portrait Gallery exhibition
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Ornella’s Kitchen and more coming to Freight Island as part of huge summer programme
Manchester to transform into HUGE interactive playzone for free family festival this February half term
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