8 hours ago
I've found the cheapest annual passes for top attractions across UK – from just £6 a year
FOR 13 weeks a year, parents with school-age kids scramble to find enough activities to fill the endless holiday days... without also breaking the bank.
My sons are seven and nine, and I am always on the hunt for ways to occupy them in their time off.
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If you're planning to visit attractions in the UK this summer, it's worth stealing this tip to future-proof your family fun days - and save a lot of money!
Sometimes admission prices can be eye-watering, but that doesn't always have to be the case.
As well as some brilliant, cheap days out that cost pennies, some of the more expensive attractions sometimes have an annual pass that is virtually the same cost as the one-day admission.
Sometimes, that means after just one extra visit, you can go as many times as you want for a year.
House of fun
I love a bargain and think I might have found the cheapest annual pass for my family, right here on my doorstep.
The 1620s House and Gardens near Coalville is a medieval manor house run by Leicestershire County Council, with adult tickets that allow you entry for a year costing just £6.65.
Children can get in free with their Blue Peter badges, so if I take my three boys twice a month during its open season of Easter to the end of October, each visit costs less than 50p.
Parking is free, so that's another huge bonus.
We love doing the children's trails around the gorgeous gardens, with a new hunt introduced each school holidays.
The perfect Haven holiday park for a kid-friendly break - with direct beach access, indoor waterpark and neighbouring seaside theme park
The attraction also hosts outdoor theatre productions and is a glimpse into Jacobean life, with the family who lived here linked to one of the Gunpowder Plotters.
The old barn is now a tearoom, which often offers children's craft activities and fun for families.
Our favourite is dressing up for Pirate Day in August, when families sing sea shanties, learn how to handle a pretend cutlass and finish up with a huge wet sponge fight around a cardboard box pirate ship on the lawn.
Some activities do cost a bit extra and are not included with your annual ticket, but we never spend very much.
This underrated place is such a find and there are places just like this all around the UK.
If you don't live in the Midlands, here are some of the best spots around the country where families can get an annual pass for next to nothing.
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Cardiff Castle
This impressive building should be a must-see for anyone spending time in the Welsh capital.
I was fascinated to find out how hidden tunnels were used to keep locals safe during the Second World War - with special ramps knocked through the thick walls so up to 1800 people could take shelter when the air raid sirens sounded.
If you live or work in the city, you're entitled to a Key to the Castle, which gives you free access for three years.
There's a £7.50 admin charge for adults, but it's free for children, so a one-adult family visiting twice a month would cost about 10p per visit.
Preston Park, Stockton-on-Tees
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At Preston Park, one adult and three children can get admission all year round for £10, so if I took my boys twice a month, it would cost 42p a visit, as it's open all year-round except most Mondays.
This is a fun way to spend a day, with loads to do for kids.
Head to the skatepark to watch or test your balance, let kids loose in the adventure playground or have a mini adventure on one of the designated woodland walks.
There's also a Victorian street where visitors can buy sweets or find out about the lives of ironmongers, printers, grocers, drapers, chemists, police officers and blacksmiths.
The museum has galleries about local life and the families who lived at the park, while the walled garden is due to reopen this summer Parking is free on site.
SeaCity Museum, Southampton
I can highly recommend a visit here. I had almost as much fun as the kids.
There is a whole area about about the Titanic Story and it was interesting to discover the impact the disaster had on the city.
We all enjoyed the immersive nature of the exhibition about the 'unsinkable' ship, which made its maiden and final voyage from Southampton Docks.
An annual pass costs £25.65 when booked online in advance for one adult and three children, so if you visited twice a month, it would cost £1.07 per visit.
There's also a great cafe downstairs where you can get snacks and drinks and it's lovely to see an old building being repurposed.
Scottish Wildlife Trust
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It's easy to overlook the wildlife trusts that we have across the UK, but they can offer great value for money if your annual membership includes car parking on multiple sites.
Up in Scotland, wildlife trust family membership is £5 a month and includes access to visitor centres, which is usually £6.50 per adult and free for children.
Or, if your child has a Blue Peter badge, you may be better off using that as badge-holders, accompanying children and up to two adults get in free.
If you do plump for family membership and use it twice a month, it will cost £2.50 per visit.
London Transport Museum
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There are loads of great free museums in London, but they can get very busy in the summer months.
Instead, opt for one with an annual pass, like the London Transport Museum.
My boys love it here and it's packed with vintage vehicles, activities like a train simulator and interactive rooms.
For young train-obsessed kids, it's a good call if you're going to be able to make multiple visits within 12 months.
Its location in Covent Garden is good for those visiting the West End as it's a short stroll away from several theatres, unlike the free museums in Kensington, which feel quite isolated.
Adults pay £25 and kids go free, so if you visit twice a month, it will cost you £1.04 each trip.
Jewry Wall, Leicester
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This museum based around the nine-metre high remains of a city centre bathhouse has been closed since 2017 and will reopen next month in time for the school summer holidays.
History fans can boast they have seen one of the tallest surviving sections of Roman masonry in Britain.
It dates from about AD 160, although younger kids might not appreciate how unique it is.
While it's no longer free to visit, the Roman Explorer Pass means you can pay once and visit all year round.
A family of four will cost £32, so if we visit twice a month, it will be £1.33 per trip.
City of Norwich Aviation Museum
If you have a fan of flying in the family, aviation museums can be great for a day out, especially as they tend to offer a good mix of indoor and outdoor exhibits.
This museum in Norwich even has free entry for children aged under eight, so you could save money if your little one is still tiny.
There has also been a 'kids for a quid' scheme over the last couple of school holidays, so keep a lookout in case that makes a return over the summer.
The annual pass is only £40 for two adults and three children aged 8-16 years anyway, so if I took my family twice a month, it would be £1.66 per visit.
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Roald Dahl Museum, Bucks
Little bookworms who are fans of Roald Dahl will love a visit here to immerse themselves in the wacky worlds and crazy characters created in his stories.
The centre, which is in Buckinghamshire, has digital games, painting and crafts and children's workshops. Ideal for children under 10.
At £42 for one adult and three children for the year, two visits a month would cost £1.75 per trip.
British Motor Museum, Coventry
With two buildings packed full of motor vehicles, there's plenty to keep everyone happy for hours here - especially kids who love cars.
There's a playground next to the car park and extra kids' activities during the school holidays, so you'll definitely want to make a return visit or two if you live close to Norwich.
At £46 for a family of four or £52 for a family of five, getting an annual pass for my boys and me would work out at £1.92 per trip if we visited twice a month.
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Murton Park, York
Spread across 14 acres of countryside, you're bound to find something to keep everyone happy, whether you like playgrounds, farm animals, trips on a miniature railway or living history.
Just outside York is home to the Yorkshire Museum of Farming, the park also hosts immersive reenactment events and a monthly kids' club – all included in the price.
At £48 for an annual pass for two adults and three children, visiting twice a month would cost £2 per trip.
The Story of Emily, Liskeard
This one might not seem an obvious choice for family-friendly fun, but if you've got older children interested in history, this could be a good call.
The attraction in Liskeard, highlights the work of Cornish humanitarian Emily Hobhouse, who saved the lives of thousands of Boer women and children at the end of the 19th century.
Set in the rectory where she grew up, the museum's recently opened War Rooms give a glimpse into the world she experienced during the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa.
The new family pass is £45 for one adult and two children, with the option to add extra children for £5 each.
Two trips a month for my three kids and me would be £2.08 per visit.
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Crich Tramway Museum, Derbyshire
My boys love riding the heritage trams around the site and visiting the Victorian sweet shop to check out all the goodies in tall glass jars.
There's an indoor play area for kids under 10, as well as an outdoor playground for youngsters of all ages to enjoy.
Tickets for a family of five booked online in advance cost £52, so that would work out at £2.17 per trip if visited twice a month.
Ironbridge Valley of Invention, Telford
This World Heritage Site boasts multiple museums, including Blists Hill Victorian Town and Enginuity, which offers hands-on science and engineering fun.
You can buy day tickets or pay to visit the museums separately, but an annual pass covers all the attractions for the whole year.
At £61 for one adult and up to four children, it would cost £2.54 per trip to go twice a month.
It just goes to show that you don't have to fork out hundreds to get annual memberships to historic houses, museums or nature reserves.
While spending more for the likes of National Trust or English Heritage passes gets you access to lots of sites with great facilities, supporting small and local can also pay off for both your pocket and protecting the heritage in your area.
The Big Summer Theatre Event
SUN Club members can enjoy the cheapest tickets in town and save up to 60 per cent on theatre shows with The Big Summer Theatre Event!
London Theatre Direct's Big Summer Theatre Event is a must for all theatre fans.
The event includes all your favourite West End musicals and plays – including Tina, Back to the Future, Clueless, The Play That Goes Wrong, Stranger Things, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and more.
How to book
Step 1: To book your London Theatre Direct tickets head to the Offers Hub.
Step 2: Select the Theatre Tickets tile, click 'Book' and you will be taken to The Sun & London Theatre Direct website.
Step 3: Choose your theatre show and look for the dates marked with stars to check out our exclusive sale prices. Prices show the exclusive Sun Club member savings.
Step 4: Your exclusive 10 per cent additional discount will be automatically applied.
Step 5: Enter your details in the checkout and pay. You will then receive an email with your tickets.
Offer is open to UK residents aged 18+ only. Save an additional 10 per cent off tickets. Offer ends at 23:59pm on Monday, July 7, 2025. Full T&Cs apply, see below.
