Ideas for weekend away with a toddler in tow

[HollieES]

We're looking to go away for a weekend at the end of April. Somewhere within about 2 hours of London, so we'll drive there on Saturday morning and back Sunday evening. We don't want to spend too much - ideally staying in a pub that does nice food, or something like that. There also needs to be something to keep our 2.5 year old son entertained - i.e. a nearby daytrip. Currently thinking of something like LegoLand or the Mid-Hants railway. Any tips or thoughts greatly appreciated.

[SarahG]

If you can wait until 4th-6th May, Kentwell Hall in Suffolk is an old moated manor house which will be brought to life for May Day celebrations full of Tudor people acting as though they are in the 1500s! So much to see and do for children, parades, baking, cooking, archery, a forge, may tree, dancing and music. It's in the village of Long Melford and I can recommend the Cock Inn in Glemsford for decent accommodation super close to Kentwell.

I'll be there as one of the Tudors!! (I'm an ED nanny in 'real life') so if you have any more questions feel free to ask. Myself and my boyfriend take part in the re enactments at Kentwell all through the year and its a stunning area of the country. The drive should be about 1 hour 45 mins but obviously that's traffic dependant.

If you do end up coming, I'll be making waffles over a fire somewhere- let on who you are and I'll let you try one ;-)

Www.kentwellhall.co.uk

Also if you don't make it this time- the main event for 3 weeks from the end of June to early July is when the most Tudors are there so a must see, there's often 300-400 of us there then or high summer in August, Michaelmas in September or if Victorians are more your thing there the Garden Party in August, Christmas in December or if you like a bit of everything then there's the mad hatters tea party (date tbc) or the multi period event at the end of May!

Sarah

[alieh]

We've had good weekends at both the Ebrington Arms pub with rooms in the Cotswolds (near Chipping Camden). It had an amazing pub and restaurant and only 3 rooms right above the restaurant so we felt comfortable leaving our son asleep and brought the baby monitor down.

We also did a spa break at the Charlton House hotel - the spa/pools/hot tub area is totally amazing (kid-free, but my husband and I took turns using it), they were very welcoming of my son who was a toddler at the time, and we were able to use the baby monitor in the restaurant/bar area in the evening. We got a very good weekend package at the time but it may be a bit pricey at the normal rate.

[pilsbury]

maybe try the qhotels chain of hotels - there's about 15 of them I think dotted around England so I#m sure you could find one close to an "attraction" and they're v child friendly and not too pricey at all - most of them have pools with dedicated times for kids' spashtime and you can get extra beds/cots put in the rooms fine... we went to the one near oxford last year with our, at the time, 1 year old and it was great; planning a trip to another one in the near future. don't expect anything glamorous, but just easy with kids :)