Museum · 10:00–11:15 (1h15m)
The Story Museum
Book a Small Worlds session; under 1s go free.
An indoor museum in Oxford, aimed at ages 4 and up.
- Café on site
- Good on a rainy day
Photo: TheStoryMuseum

Oxford city centre
The Story Museum · Photo: TheStoryMuseum
A short, buggy-friendly morning built around a 60-minute Small Worlds session at the Story Museum, made for under-5s. Then walk up to the natural history museum, where dinosaur skeletons stand under a glass roof and there are specimens little hands are allowed to touch.
Museum · 10:00–11:15 (1h15m)
Book a Small Worlds session; under 1s go free.
An indoor museum in Oxford, aimed at ages 4 and up.
Photo: TheStoryMuseum
Museum · 11:35–12:45 (1h10m)
Free; look for the touchable minerals in the main court and eat at the museum café.
An indoor museum in Oxford, aimed at ages 0–12.
Photo: Ethan Doyle White
Brighton seafront
Start under the Victorian arches of the oldest working aquarium in the world, then climb up to a quiet Kemptown park with a playground and duck pond for lunch. Finish back on the seafront with rides, ice cream and a long walk out over the waves on the Palace Pier.
SEA LIFE Brighton → Queen's Park → Brighton Palace Pier
Whitstable
A low-cost morning on the north Kent coast: a play park and tearoom in the gardens of Whitstable's little castle, then a short drive east to the twin towers standing in the remains of a Roman fort on the shore. Bring a kite for the clifftop grass at Reculver.
Whitstable Castle and Gardens → Reculver Towers and Roman Fort
Dover
See a 3,500-year-old boat in Dover's free town museum, then drive through a tunnel in the cliffs to Samphire Hoe, a seaside park built from Channel Tunnel spoil. End on Folkestone's Harbour Arm for a picnic or street food and a walk to the lighthouse.
Dover Museum → Samphire Hoe Beach → Folkestone Harbour Arm