Days Out Guides
For a fun filled family day out, jump on the train and head down the Great Western Railway to one of the exciting attractions below!
Check out our handy days out guides for all the information you need on 15 fantastic attractions and a variety of attractions for you and your family to visit within the region.
Explore each location and download the full guides for our top suggestions, including useful facts and logistical information to help make sure your day out is an unforgettable one.
Featured Attractions
Science Museum and Natural History Museum
These two are a must for a family day out. They’re free and almost right next to each other! Most famous for its dinosaur skeletons, the Natural History Museum houses life and earth science exhibits that span billions of years. Just along the road, the Science Museum has everything from robots to rockets and steam irons to steam trains. If you’d like to know how everything you can think of works, this is the place to go. You’ll get some exciting glimpses into the future too!
Sea Life Adventure Park
You can’t go wrong with a day trip to an aquarium; children are just fascinated by fish! Spend a few hours at the Sea Life Adventure Park and you’ll see creatures you didn’t even know existed – like the curious Mexican axolotl. In fact, you’ll be able to get up close and personal with over 1,000 amazing creatures and watch them being fed. You can also take part in an interactive rock-pool experience and walk through a spectacular underwater tunnel to get a crab’s-eye view.
Dr Who Experience
An exciting and scary journey through 50 years of Dr Who’s adventures in space and time! A stone's throw from the BBC studios where Doctor Who is filmed, the Doctor Who Experience is an interactive experience that starts in the Gallifrey Museum and journeys to the heart of the TARDIS. This is your chance to get even closer to the iconic TV show – see all the props, costumes and artefacts used in the series from 1963 right up to the present day. Just watch out for any Daleks and Cybermen!
All locations
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Bath
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Bristol
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Cardiff
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Cheltenham
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Exeter
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London
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Oxford
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Penzance
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Portsmouth
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Reading
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Salisbury
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Swansea
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Swindon
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Taunton
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Weymouth
Bath
A chic UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city of Bath packs it in when it comes to contemporary culture, food and entertainment.
Bristol
Bristol is full of exciting attractions and bursting with events and festivals throughout the year, from waterfront regattas to ballooning spectaculars.
Cardiff
If you’ve never been to Cardiff, now is the time to go. The city and its waterfront have been totally transformed in recent years. People are friendly, the transport is excellent and the local cuisine absolutely top-quality.
Cheltenham
Cheltenham came into being when its natural springs were discovered in 1716 and the elegant Regency town was specifically designed as a pleasure health resort for wealthy visitors.
Exeter
Devon’s county town of Exeter is a vibrant, friendly city first established by the Romans back in AD55 and you can still walk on top of the Roman walls today if you’re feeling brave!
London
London is a capital city like no other. With excitement at every turn and the greatest concentration of attractions in Britain (238 of them free of charge), deciding just what to do is a challenge!
Oxford
The ‘City of Dreaming Spires’ is sure to inspire – the halls, courtyards and towers of the 38 colleges of England’s oldest university are stunning and many are free to visit!
Penzance
Penzance means ‘holy headland’ in the Cornish language, and it’s famous for being the most westerly major town in England, not to mention being the setting for Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic ‘Pirates’ opera.
Portsmouth
The UK’s only island city is practically overflowing with reasons to visit. From HMS Victory and the Mary Rose ‘celebrity ships’ at the Historic Dockyard, to the towering Spinnaker Tower, world-class museums and outstanding arts.
Reading
Founded way back in 800AD by the Saxons, you’ll find over 850 listed buildings around the town, including the famous Reading Abbey, medieval churches and old coaching inns. It’s also not far from the magnificent Windsor Castle.
Salisbury
With timbered buildings and a Gothic cathedral set amidst some of England’s most beautiful landscapes, Salisbury is known as ‘the city in the countryside’. It’s a thriving market town with more than its fair share of museums and historic places.
Swansea
Swansea, the second-largest city in Wales, sits in a fantastic setting on a sweeping bay with stunning coastal scenery and beautiful sandy beaches.
Swindon
Swindon, once a small market town where two Roman roads crossed, was completely transformed by the arrival of the Great Western Railway. So what better way to celebrate its locomotive heritage than arriving by train?
Taunton
The first wonderful thing you’ll notice about visiting Taunton is the stunning scenery as you approach by train!
Weymouth
Weymouth’s beautiful, safe, sandy beaches, rich heritage and spectacular coastline make it a firm favourite.
Bath
A chic UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city of Bath packs it in when it comes to contemporary culture, food and entertainment.
Bristol
Bristol is full of exciting attractions and bursting with events and festivals throughout the year, from waterfront regattas to ballooning spectaculars.
Cardiff
If you’ve never been to Cardiff, now is the time to go. The city and its waterfront have been totally transformed in recent years. People are friendly, the transport is excellent and the local cuisine absolutely top-quality.
Cheltenham
Cheltenham came into being when its natural springs were discovered in 1716 and the elegant Regency town was specifically designed as a pleasure health resort for wealthy visitors.
Exeter
Devon’s county town of Exeter is a vibrant, friendly city first established by the Romans back in AD55 and you can still walk on top of the Roman walls today if you’re feeling brave!
London
London is a capital city like no other. With excitement at every turn and the greatest concentration of attractions in Britain (238 of them free of charge), deciding just what to do is a challenge!
Oxford
The ‘City of Dreaming Spires’ is sure to inspire – the halls, courtyards and towers of the 38 colleges of England’s oldest university are stunning and many are free to visit!
Penzance
Penzance means ‘holy headland’ in the Cornish language, and it’s famous for being the most westerly major town in England, not to mention being the setting for Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic ‘Pirates’ opera.
Portsmouth
The UK’s only island city is practically overflowing with reasons to visit. From HMS Victory and the Mary Rose ‘celebrity ships’ at the Historic Dockyard, to the towering Spinnaker Tower, world-class museums and outstanding arts.
Reading
Founded way back in 800AD by the Saxons, you’ll find over 850 listed buildings around the town, including the famous Reading Abbey, medieval churches and old coaching inns. It’s also not far from the magnificent Windsor Castle.
Salisbury
With timbered buildings and a Gothic cathedral set amidst some of England’s most beautiful landscapes, Salisbury is known as ‘the city in the countryside’. It’s a thriving market town with more than its fair share of museums and historic places.
Swansea
Swansea, the second-largest city in Wales, sits in a fantastic setting on a sweeping bay with stunning coastal scenery and beautiful sandy beaches.
Swindon
Swindon, once a small market town where two Roman roads crossed, was completely transformed by the arrival of the Great Western Railway. So what better way to celebrate its locomotive heritage than arriving by train?
Taunton
The first wonderful thing you’ll notice about visiting Taunton is the stunning scenery as you approach by train!
Weymouth
