What to do with grandchildren in the North West of England

The North West of England boasts a whole host of attractions and activities which are great for children and with the summer holidays just around the corner this guide takes you through some of the best.

Older people who have mobility problems and need to use aids like stairlifts or a walk in bath needn’t worry as there are lots of really accessible attractions you can visit. Check out some of the places you can visit with your grandchildren below.

Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Location: Blackpool

Website: https://www.blackpoolpleasurebeach.com/

Opening Times: 10am-6pm

Best for: Thrill seekers

Blackpool Pleasure Beach really is the world’s most ride intensive amusement park. With 10 amazing rollercoasters to choose from, whatever your taste in thrills, there is a ride for you.

A spokesperson from Blackpool Pleasure Beach, adds: “Our younger thrill seekers can enjoy the ups and downs of the Blue Flyer before they progress onto the classic Nickelodeon Streak. If you have a head for heights, the UK’s tallest rollercoaster, The Big One, offers high-speed drops and breathtaking views. If you like your world to be turned upside down, take your pick from Revolution, Infusion or our newest addition to the line-up, ICON.

“For those looking to enjoy action-packed family fun, a visit to the UK’s only Nickelodeon Land is ideal. Loaded with 12 rides and attractions, youngsters can meet their favourite Nick characters including Paw Patrol and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.”

In 2018, the ICON ride was launched and became Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s newest ride and the UK’s first double-launch rollercoaster. ICON launches visitors on an exhilarating journey where they will feel the same acceleration as a Formula 1 driver before twisting and turning at high speeds across the park, interacting with other rides. A second boost of speed will then launch riders to heights of 88.5ft, with drops of up to 82ft, giving even the bravest of thrill seekers an unforgettable experience.

Older adults with mobility issues can benefit from a range of helpful facilities such as disabled parking, accessible toilets, wheelchair hire as well as accessible rides and attractions.

World Museum

Location: Liverpool

Website: http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/wml/

Opening Times: 10am-5pm

Best for: History buffs

The World Museum is a family-friendly venue and is free to enter, so it makes a great day out. The most popular attractions are the aquarium, the Dinosaur gallery, the Planetarium, which has shows for all ages including under 5s, and the hands-on Natural History Centre, where visitors can come face-to-face with animal skulls, rocks and insects. At weekends and school holidays, there are a variety of craft activities and workshops suitable for children and grandparents.

Speaking about the accessibility of the World Museum, a spokesperson for the museum says, “It is accessible, with a flat entrance into the Museum, lifts to all floors, a changing places toilet on Floor 1 and accessible toilets on all floors. We also have friendly staff on hand to help visitors get around, and we have wheelchairs available for visitors to the museum.”

Museum of Liverpool

Location: Liverpool

Website: http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/mol/

Opening Times: 10am-5pm

Best for: Little Explorers

The stunning Museum of Liverpool reflects the city's global significance through its unique geography, history and culture.

A spokesperson for the museum, says, “Grandparents can take their grandchildren for a fantastic, free family day out to explore how the port and its people have shaped the city through the museum’s free activities, trails, exhibitions and films.

“Highlights include ‘Little Liverpool’ - a hands-on fantasy world on the ground floor especially for children under the age of six to play and learn. ‘When I was little’ developed by ‘House of Memories’ – National Museums Liverpool’s dementia awareness programme, is a free activity for children aged three to seven to visit the museum, explore museum objects and share stories and memories with their grandparents or older relatives. Borrow a backpack from the welcome desk and follow the trail around the museum.

“The grandchildren can write what they’ve seen and talked about in the ‘When I was little’ album and take the album away as a keepsake of the day. Younger visitors will marvel at the life-size Liver bird, and enjoy much-loved favourites like ‘Blackie’ the rocking horse in ‘The People’s Republic gallery’.”

The Museum of Liverpool has six blue badge parking spaces, a flat main entrance for visitors with mobility issues, wheelchair hire, accessible toilets and plenty of seated areas throughout the museum.

National Football Museum

Location: Manchester

Website: https://www.nationalfootballmuseum.com/

Opening Times: 10am-5pm

Best for: Football fans

You can experience the world’s greatest sport at the National Football Museum and if your grandchildren are football fans, then this is a must-visit attraction in the North West of England.

Here you can visit the Hall Of Fame and meet the greatest players, managers and teams in the English game, relive your clubs greatest moments as heard on BBC Radio, learn about the competitions in English football, explore the different stadiums, learn about the football media, great players who’ve played in the UK and the country’s best clubs.

The grandchildren can even test their goalkeeping ability, penalties, one-two and passing technique as well as learning freestyle skills.

There are six floors at the museum but there is a staffed lift to all floors, ramps to all raised areas, disabled parking and accessible toilets on floors 1, 2 and 4. Visitors can even hire wheelchairs and go on guided tours, although these will need to be booked in advance.

The World of Beatrix Potter

Location: Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria

Website: https://www.hop-skip-jump.com/

Opening Times: 10am-5.30pm

Best for: Book lovers

MINI TREASURE HUNT

On Easter Sunday and Easter Monday every child’s entry ticket will include a mini treasure hunt to complete in the garden. There’s a mini chocolate treat and sticker to be won for every child, so get yourself down for some Easter fun! pic.twitter.com/wIg8efs2pv

— Peter Rabbit (@peterrabbitnews) April 21, 2019

If you or your grandchildren love books then you will really enjoy a visit to the World of Beatrix Potter, which is located within the beautiful Lake District.

It was the region’s natural beauty and abundant wildlife that inspired Beatrix Potter to write her much-loved stories and here visitors can come and explore this wonderful landscape where the tales are brought to life.

It’s recommended that visitors spend around 45-minutes to an hour to walk through the exhibition and garden, but you can also enjoy some time to buy a souvenir in the shop or try a treat in the tea room.

Check out some of the attractions at the World of Beatrix Potter below:

•Jemima Puddle-duck's woodland glade and Mr Tod's underground home

•The Peter Rabbit Garden

•Mrs Tiggy-winkle's Kitchen

•Mr Jeremy Fisher on his lily-pad boat

•The Virtual Walk

Inside the attraction, it is fully accessible, and a lift gives access to the Tea Room and toilets for visitors with mobility problems. The main entrance of the attraction does have a slope, but there is a ramp with handrails.

Chester Zoo

Location: Chester

Website: https://www.chesterzoo.org/

Opening Times: 10am-5pm

Best for: Animal lovers

Chester Zoo is home to over 21,000 endangered and exotic creatures in 125 acres of islands and habitats, making the attraction really great for grandchildren.

Some of the animals you can see include the orangutans and Sumatran tigers, but something the grandchildren and grandparents will both enjoy is the experience of visiting the plains of Africa to see the iconic painted dogs and then exploring the rainforests of Indonesia or the sands of Panay to see the Visayan warty pigs.

Thee are daily talks at the zoo and hands-on experiences are available. Other attractions include the boat trip, the monorail ride and the junior rangers training camp.

The zoo is very accessible as there is free disabled parking available, accessible pathways, free wheelchair and electric scooter hire, accessible toilets, a wheelchair lift at the Realm of the Red Ape zone and access to the boat trip and monorail attractions.

Lakeland Motor Museum

Location: Backbarrow, Cumbria

Website: https://www.lakelandmotormuseum.co.uk/

Opening Times: 9.30am-5.30pm

Best for: Motor enthusiasts

The Lakeland Motor Museum, which celebrated its Ruby Anniversary in 2018, is one of the North of England’s best-loved heritage attractions as it has welcomed more than 1.5 million visitors since it opened.

Now there are an impressive 30,000 individual exhibits, including well over 140 classic cars and motorbikes. Visitors can take a trip down memory lane to feast their eyes on the collection of vehicles and artefacts, all set in the context of a time-specific period.

From one of the world’s most popular and biggest-selling cars – the 110-year-old Ford Model T, to high-performance cars like a TVR, every visitor will enjoy their experience. The museum isn’t just about cars as there are exhibitions about the war and the history of the local area.

The museum is for everyone, regardless of age, gender or disability and attracts visitors of all backgrounds. The museum’s large free car park is located immediately opposite the museum and there are bays reserved for Blue Badge holders. The attraction is flat, there is lift access to the first-floor display area and there are accessible toilets available.

There are so many attractions that are perfect to visit with the family and here we’ve rounded up our top grandchild-friendly attractions in the North West:

•Blackpool Pleasure Beach

•World Museum

•Museum of Liverpool

•National Football Museum

•The World of Beatrix Potter

•Chester Zoo

•Lakeland Motor Museum

Image credits: Museum of Liverpool © Robin Clewley

READ ALSO: Tips and advice for grandparents