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The Independent
22-04-2025
- The Independent
The best family-friendly UK holiday destinations for kids and adults of all ages
Sometimes you can't beat a staycation. Thanks, in part, to the temperamental weather, the UK has a huge array of indoor activities to entertain families. Step outdoors, meanwhile, and there are pretty, pastoral scenes and rugged landscapes to explore – from the Lake District and Cornwall to Northumberland and Devon. Not forgetting our varied coastline, characterful towns and historically important cities. There's plenty to excite all members of the family, no matter if they're two or 82. The UK offers gorgeous walking and hiking, beautiful wild swimming spots and plenty of trails for activities like mountain biking and running. Head to one of the major cities like London or Manchester and you'll be spoilt for choice with child-friendly galleries and theatres, as well as restaurants that cater for all ages. Whether you want to show the children a world-class museum or simply go for a romp in the hills, read on to discover our favourite family holiday spots, then choose your own adventure. 1. Jurassic Coast, Dorset Best for: Coastal walks Best time to visit: May to September Combine traditional seaside fun with monster appreciation on the fossil-lined Jurassic Coast. Lyme Regis has become a quietly stylish spot and makes a splendid base. It is flanked by two beaches: one sandy and the other (Monmouth) made up of grey pebbles, with a section of ammonite pavement at one end. The town's Dinosaurland Fossil Museum has more than 12,000 specimens on show, including a collection of Ichthyosaurs. Explore old-fashioned seaside resorts at Swanage and Weymouth, or venture onto the South West coastal path for a blustery clifftop walk. Branscombe to Beer is a picturesque section – try a mackerel fishing trip from the shore at Beer. Prior to this, the Undercliffs National Nature Reserve also deserves exploration, with vegetation so thick and luxuriant, kids will be transported to another world. Stay The genial Alexandra Hotel, Lyme Regis, has sea views, a large lawn, a range of bedrooms and two self-contained apartments ideal for families. 2. The Lake District, Cumbria Best for: Outdoor activities Best time to visit: June to August The natural beauty of The Lakes appeals to all ages, while Windermere is ideal for families with younger children. The tourist town of Bowness has facilities for little ones as well as access to the lake for boat rides or walks along its gravelly shores. Brockhole is a country house with boat and kayak hire, treetop swings, archery and an adventure playground. Popular too are the fluffy characters that bring Mr McGregor's garden to life at the World of Beatrix Potter Attraction – or introduce children to Wordsworth's daffodils at Dove Cottage in Grasmere. An easy, family walk near Ambleside is the trail around Blea Tarn; Ullswater is easily reached from Windermere too. Another family highlight is the easy walk up to the Aira Force waterfall beside Ullswater and, if you've energy left, Gowbarrow Fell, behind, offers views of the lake. Stay Linthwaite House Hotel has an elevated position above Windermere, standalone suites for families, bikes to borrow and its own tarn with a rowing boat. 3. London Best for: City breaks Best time to visit: May and October England's capital has enough to wow children for endless repeat visits. Broaden young minds by strolling past Parliament and the guards at Buckingham Palace or by marvelling at the Natural History Museum, the British Museum and the Science Museum. Stretch their legs at Kew Gardens or any of London's parks – such as Hyde Park, where there's boating on the Serpentine, or Crystal Palace, with its stylised dinosaur statues. You will never be short of stimulating activities in the city where simply riding the Tube can be an experience for little ones. A whole weekend to spare? Head north on the train for a Harry Potter Studio Tour. End your day in song, being dazzled by a world-famous show in the West End. The Resident in Kensington is close to the big museums and Earls Court station. Deluxe rooms can sleep four and have mini-kitchenettes with a fridge and microwave. 4. Cornwall Best for: Seaside stays Best time to visit: May, June and September If your children love waves and bodyboarding, head to the north coast of Cornwall, where Newquay is popular with teens and Bude attracts all ages. Otherwise, the Fowey area and the emerald headlands of the Roseland and Lizard Peninsulas appeal to families. Cornwall's most famous attraction – the Eden Project – hosts the largest rainforest in captivity in its biomes, plus sculptures, outdoor gardens and a canopy walkway. Just west of here, the Lost Gardens of Heligan became overgrown after WWI, then were rediscovered and restored to their former, captivating beauty. St Ives has eye-candy beaches and art at the Tate. Otherwise, there is fun to be had jumping waves in hidden coves or imagining life as a smuggler in villages like Polperro that seem to tumble down to the harbourside. Fowey Hall Hotel has undergone a major refurbishment. As part of the Luxury Family Hotels group, expect free childcare, outdoor games, kids' menus, babysitting and even a child-friendly spa with two pools once the second opens in late April. 5. York Best for: Teens Best time to visit: September to October Older children and teens will revel in the vivid history underpinning this city. To get a measure of it, walk a section of York's 13th-century walls, of which nearly two miles have survived. Further back in time, the Jorvik Viking Centre remembers the Jorvik Vikings, offering a multi-sensory ride in 'time capsules' that take you through 10th-century streets, along with live interpretations and galleries. Jorvik DIG, meanwhile, gives younger children the chance to get their hands dirty in four excavation pits littered with finds that resemble actual archaeological digs in York. Finally, take teenagers with a strong constitution to The York Dungeon, for live re-enactments of York's more gruesome historic periods. The National Railway Museum has easier-to-digest charms, if your children are into vintage trains. Stay No.1 by Guesthouse has stylish rooms, pantries with complimentary snacks, bedrooms with pre-erected tipis, record players and Instax cameras that kids can borrow to take their own photos. 6. Pembrokeshire, Wales Pembrokeshire contains the UK's only coastal national park and its vast stretches of undeveloped golden sand offer plenty of space for beach games. Families can walk beside impressive cliffs, visit traditional seaside towns and go on wildlife-spotting boat trips too. Barafundle's small bay is one of the most picturesque to visit, though its clear waters are a 15-minute walk from Stackpole car park. Expansive Whitesands Bay is good for bodyboarding but Broad Haven's beach – further along from Barafundle – is the best all-rounder, offering the safest swimming, paddleboards, kayaks and rockpools. There is a wide choice of holiday parks to stay and play in or Tenby is a perennial favourite for a base, with its town beaches, colourful houses and fishing boats sheltering in the harbour. The Park Hotel in Tenby has sea views, family rooms and an outdoor swimming pool. 7. Giant's Causeway, County Antrim Best for: Landscapes and learning Best time to visit: April to June Perhaps Northern Ireland's most well-known landscape, and a natural World Heritage site, the hexagonal basalt columns that form stepping stones here are great fun to hop over and photograph. They are owned by the National Trust, which offers visitors guided audio tours. Children can learn about the legend of giant Finn McCool, ancient geology and coastal erosion. There are fairy tale rock formations to spot plus the wider coastline along the Causeway Coastal Route offers other activities such as sea safaris, medieval Dunluce Castle and the hair-raising Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. Teenagers can play Indiana Jones (you'll probably have to explain it to them) by crossing the bridge as it wobbles nearly 30m above the raging Atlantic. The Lodge Hotel in Coleraine on the Causeway Coast has smart family rooms with bunk beds. 8. Yorkshire Dales Best for: Biking Best time to visit: June to August The Dales is a region of velvety fells, pikes and postcard-pretty villages that will appeal to families who enjoy fresh air and gentle walking. In the south, the numerous footpaths around the romantic riverside ruins of Bolton Abbey and Fountains Abbey are good for an amble. There are waterfalls to discover too: one at Malham Cove, a large limestone crescent, and others for older children to find along the four-mile Ingleton Waterfalls Trail, past spectacular Thornton Force. White Scar Cave (England's longest show cave) is nearby, featuring underground cascades and an ice-age cavern filled with stalactites. Family mountain biking is possible in many places too. The Lister Arms is a friendly boutique inn with tasteful, homely rooms – some of them family-sized – near Malham Cove. 9. Edinburgh Best for: History Best time to visit: April to August Edinburgh impresses with its fascinating castle, looming over the city, and daily cannon firings. Children can explore the dungeons, see the crown jewels and hear exciting tales from the fortress's past. There's a lot to take in, so leave plenty of time for a visit. Down on the Royal Mile, teens might enjoy a humorous ghost tour, or check out the Real Mary King's Close, a tour that retells frightening stories in passageways below ground. At the Camera Obscura, holograms, illusions and light shows play tricks on the mind while also teaching kids a bit more about the city. Burn off any remaining energy by climbing Arthur's Seat or wandering around Edinburgh's Royal Botanic Gardens. The Scotsman Hotel has a central location in a heritage building, a pool, children's menus, fridges in rooms and babysitting. 10. Windsor Best for: Attractions Best time to visit: March to May Either as a side trip to a visit to London or as a destination in its own right, Windsor has two main attractions: its castle and Legoland. The 11th-century castle – the Queen's weekend residence – is easy to spot, just step out of the train station and the stone walls and turrets are right there. Its grandeur is best appreciated however from the three-mile-long avenue of trees that cuts a line through the Windsor Great Park. The following day can be spent at Legoland, a theme park certain to inspire creativity in kids. As well as the tiny, brick-built replicas of famous destinations, you'll find fairly tame rollercoasters, a 4D Ninjago experience and a submarine ride. Awesome, as a plastic, cylindrical-headed man might say (though you can expect queues). De Vere Beaumont Estate is a country pile with rooms that take kids beds, ample gardens and a scenic location close to the Thames.
Boston Globe
04-04-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Owners of long-empty Alexandra Hotel hope the fourth time's the charm to revive historic property
'This is one of the most beautiful buildings in Boston, arguably, and it really deserves to be restored, brought back to its original grandeur,' Calus said. The building's historic facade. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff The Victorian Gothic property, which dates to 1875, has seen a long stretch of unsuccessful redevelopment plays. In 2008, the Church of Scientology bought the dilapidated building for $4.5 million, planning a restoration that was to eventually house the church's local headquarters. By that time, Calus and Bhogal had already been involved in the Alexandra Hotel for a year. In mid-2018, Advertisement 'Due to decades of neglect and extensive water infiltration, the existing structure is no longer viable and will accordingly be replaced,' Advertisement But then came the COVID-19 pandemic, which clobbered the hospitality and tourism industry, and there wasn't much appetite for a new hotel. So Calus and Bhogal in mid-2021 came back to the city with a new plan: condominiums. A few months later, Shortly after the approval, federal interest rates — which had long been near zero — began shooting up. Construction financing, which had been readily available for years, quickly became much more expensive and made projects harder to pencil out economically. Bhogal and Calus considered switching to apartments, but the hotel market had begun showing new signs of life. The pair reverted to their original plan: a hotel built behind a restored facade, a 13-story, 150-room structure with rooftop bar and restaurant. The BPDA board 'Construction costs were through the roof, and we weren't able to make the project work as a larger hotel,' Calus said. 'So we decided to rethink the project.' A rendering of the ground floor, which would include either a retail store or a restaurant. Embarc Amid the rethinking came a big stroke of good fortune: Governor Maura Healey's $3.5 billion economic development bill — signed into law in November — The developers Advertisement A view of the empty lot next to former Alexandra Hotel where the addition is planned. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff An added bonus? Removing the 'controversial' tower above the existing facade — long the subject of neighborhood ire — has renewed community excitement about a restoration, Calus said. 'Most people in the community, and Boston as a whole, really want to see this building restored the way it is, without having to add a tower,' Calus said. 'We like the scale of it. We like the design of the new building and how it connects with the old building. We're just happy to move this project along.' The project team has donated to community benefits, as many developers in Boston do. And an advisory meeting at the Boston Landmarks Commission saw an 'overwhelmingly positive' response and a few minor design tweaks, said Marc LaCasse, an attorney representing the developers. 'The big bone of contention in all the prior approvals was the height of the tower,' LaCasse said. 'The fact that the tower is gone — everyone says, 'We love it. ... When can you start?'' Bob Minnocci, a board member of the Worcester Square Area Neighborhood Association, said several community members who had previously opposed the project due to the additional height were now fully in support. Minnocci, who himself lives a few doors down from the Alexandra, said he was 'thrilled' at the potential of something actually happening on the dilapidated property. 'It's just been falling into greater disrepair as the years have gone on,' he said. 'You're looking at a blight on the community — your eye just can't go further when you look at that blight. Now you're going to see a fresh, brand new project that's just going to be beautiful, cleaned up, and really be an important part of the gateway from this area.' Advertisement At its smaller size, the project can move more quickly through the Planning Department's review. LaCasse said he expected the BPDA board to vote on the proposal as soon as next month, and then South End Landmarks Commission needs to give its final sign-off before work can begin. 'Our heart is attached to it at this point, so we want to take it through,' Calus said. 'I'm not going to say there haven't been moments where we lost hope and faith. This new iteration feels right, and we're very happy with it, and we're excited for this, so it's kind of giving us some new energy. We're not giving up. This one's going to work. This one's the one.' Faded architectural details of the building's exterior. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff Catherine Carlock can be reached at
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
One of Southampton's oldest pubs getting back to its best under new ownership
One of Southampton's oldest pubs is being given a new lease of life under new owners who are promising to bring it back to its best. The Alexandra Hotel on Bellevue Road, affectionately known as The Alex, has been a pub since the 1870s and now the team behind an award-winning pub on the edge of Hampshire are making it their second venue. Tom Compton and his business partner Chris Young have had huge success the last 18 months with their country pub The Sussex Brewery in Emsworth and felt The Alex was the perfect city location, their second of a planned six within their independent group. (Image: The Alexandra Hotel)READ MORE:Take a look inside The Chilworth Arms after refurbishment Just a week into his new tenure, Tom told the Daily Echo: "I like a pub being a pub and that is what we are going for with The Alex. "People are already getting to know my face behind the bar and everyone is assured of a warm welcome and a great atmosphere. "In the short time we've been open, we're already hearing that people feel like The Alex is back to how it used to be. If you can get that in the space of a week, then I think you're onto a winner." (Image: The Alexandra Hotel) A full refurbishment is planned in around six months time but, for now, it's full steam ahead with plans for plenty of live entertainment at The Alex with live music every weekend, including tributes and retro bands. Tuesday night is quiz night with an open mic event on a Thursday and there are drag brunches and bingo in the pipeline at the LGBTQ+ friendly venue, which has its own pool table and will show some live sport. Tom is looking forward to meeting Saints fans on the next two sell out Saturdays match days at St Mary's and has a vision for a music and beer festival in the garden in the summer and a roaring fireplace in the winter. (Image: The Alexandra Hotel) Drinks include Cruzcampo, Birra Moretti, Guinness, Inch's Cider, Beavertown IPA, Heineken, Thatcher's Haze, and various spirits and wines with a selection of ales and freshly made cocktails from next week. The kitchen will launch its home cooked mini menu this weekend with dishes including steak and black pudding, with vegan choices also available. (Image: The Alexandra Hotel)
