Thank you for subscribing!
When planning your next family day trip, weekend away or holiday, finding somewhere with plenty to keep the children entertained is a must. Luckily, new research has found some of the best places to do this.
Devon has been named the number one area in England for a family-friendly staycation, according to the data.
This is according to a study by outdoor play equipment specialists outdoortoys, which analysed areas across England using factors including holiday search demand, the number of things to do with children, free-entry activities, and average three-star hotel prices.
Devon achieved a school holiday score of 9.1 out of 10, putting it just ahead of the West Midlands and Kent.
Top English staycations for families
Devon offers more child-friendly activities than any other area included in the study, with 610 things to do with kids and 664 free-entry activities.
TRAVEL NEWS
Holidaymakers get easier route to tropical paradise as same-day flights return to UK airports
Wizz Air announces extra flights to European hotspots ahead of key English football matches
Three holiday hotspots where you can stay All-Inclusive for less than the price of a B&B — save 20%
The county also recorded 60,400 annual holiday searches, while the average price of a three-star hotel was £108.
Families looking for a full day out in Devon can find plenty of highly rated attractions, with Tripadvisor favourites including Babbacombe Model Village and Gardens and The Milky Way Adventure Park. Both attractions score an impressive 4.6 out of five from thousands of reviews.
The South West performed particularly strongly in the research, with Devon, Cornwall and Dorset all making the top 10.
Together, the three counties offer 1,511 things to do with children and 1,591 free-entry activities. This gives families plenty of options for keeping children busy without necessarily having to spend money on every day out.
The research also suggests coastal destinations could be a guaranteed winner for families looking to keep children entertained, with half of the top 10 being by the sea.
Cornwall was found to be England's most searched-for holiday destination in the study, recording 271,000 annual searches. Despite this, its overall score of 8.53 placed it joint sixth alongside Hampshire.
The research also highlighted areas that ranked lower down the table. Herefordshire ranks lowest overall.
Product designer at outdoortoys, Alex McMullan, said: “Holidays can put a lot of pressure on parents to fill every day with something exciting, but children do not always need expensive days out or long journeys to have a memorable time.
"What matters most is variety. Mixing bigger days out with simple outdoor activities at home can help keep children active and entertained without making the holidays feel overwhelming or unaffordable.
"It is also worth giving children some choice. Letting them help plan a few activities, even small ones, can make holidays feel more exciting and gives them something to look forward to.”
