Nature & gardens · 10:00–12:30 (2h30m)
Formby Nature Reserve
Quiet feet for red squirrels, then dunes and the beach; bring a picnic.
An outdoor beach in Formby, aimed at ages 0–12.
Photo: Andrew Woodvine (awo…
Formby / Crosby
Formby Nature Reserve · Photo: Andrew Woodvine (awo…
Look for red squirrels in the Formby pinewoods before running down through the dunes to the beach. After lunch, head south to Crosby to find Antony Gormley's cast-iron figures standing along the shore.
Nature & gardens · 10:00–12:30 (2h30m)
Quiet feet for red squirrels, then dunes and the beach; bring a picnic.
An outdoor beach in Formby, aimed at ages 0–12.
Photo: Andrew Woodvine (awo…
Nature & gardens · 13:30–15:00 (1h30m)
Count the iron figures; check the tide and keep to firm sand.
An outdoor beach in Crosby.
Photo: Nilfanion
North WestNorth Manchester
Manchester's largest park gives you farm animals, playgrounds and a boating lake without paying for entry. After lunch, swap the outdoors for a hangar full of old buses and trams, where accompanied children get in free.
Heaton Park → Museum of Transport
Manchester city centre
Three free museums and galleries that keep everyone dry and busy, from steam engines and science in Castlefield to dinosaurs and live animals on Oxford Road. Finish with a calm hour among the art and trees at the Whitworth.
Science and Industry Museum → The Manchester Museum → The Whitworth
Chester
Give the zoo the whole day: it is huge, and there is plenty under cover if showers pass through. If legs allow, finish with a short stretch of Chester's ancient walls to see the Eastgate Clock.
Chester Zoo → Chester City Walls