Where To Stay
With children in tow, it can be preferential to stay in an apartment or aparthotel, giving your family a bit more space, as well as cooking and washing facilities. Good options in Cambridge include Citystay, which has high quality, serviced apartments across the city, and Yourspace, which offers a range of luxury self-catering apartments with all mod-cons. For the best bits of a hotel and an apartment, Turing Locke’s ‘aparthotel’ in the northwest of Cambridge is brand new, offering a sleek home-from-home with onsite restaurants and amenities.
Parks & Pools
When the weather’s good, you can entertain kids on a shoestring by heading for a picnic at one of the city’s parks. Good options include spacious Cherry Hinton Hall, which has a fantastic play area, tennis courts and a padding pool – as well as opportunities for a dip in the river – and Lammas Land, which has a paddling pool and café. Milton Country Park, which boasts pathways, playgrounds, and lakes, is another sure-fire winner. Jesus Green Lido, one of the largest open-air pools in Europe, is a big hit too. Pack a picnic and you can spend the day there while the children splash about.
Cambridge Leisure Park
There’s plenty of entertainment on offer for all ages at Cambridge Leisure Park, which is especially handy if you find yourself filling time on a rainy afternoon. The complex itself has a bowling alley, amusement arcade, cinema and numerous eateries, while just around the corner you’ll find Cambridge Science Centre and Clip ‘n Climb.
Shepreth Wildlife Park
Meet otters, owls, tarantulas and even a tiger at Shepreth Wildlife Park, which is around 25-minutes from central Cambridge, just outside Royston. As well as lots of animals, there are regular talks and experiences to enjoy, plus a safari train, outdoor play area, café and gift shop, making it a great day out with the family.
Lockhouse Escape Games
If your kids enjoy a challenge, try Lockhouse Escape Games on Regent Street. A fully immersive experience, teams use their wits to solve puzzles and achieve the goal, be it saving humanity from an asteroid crashing towards earth, finding your way out of an Egyptian tomb, or busting codes as a secret agent. Games need at least two players, and if your kids are under 12 you’ll need to accompany them in the escape challenge.
