An NHM Reader recently asked “My daughter wants to go on bus/train but I don’t know of anywhere from Basingstoke to really go that has something at the other end worthwhile doing with 2-3 children. Good way of avoiding some of the wet weather!!”
Thank you to the NHM Community for your responses, listed below in no particular order:
NHM Readers Recommend: Bus and Train Journeys for Kids
Victoria said “We like going to Bramley on the train and the bakery-simple but the kids love it. The other place is Whitchurch silk mill but it’s a little trek from the station to the town-my 3 and 6 year old walked it though”
Wendy said “You could feed the swans on the Thames at the back of Reading station or there’s this 10 min walk from Southampton parkway http://www.steamtrain.co.uk/ You could also just get the bus to Chineham and go to the library.”
Holly said “There’s the new WWF centre in Woking https://www.wwf.org.uk/…/living-planet…/plan-your-visit”
Mo said “You could take the Newbury bus and go to 4 kingdoms – as bus stop right outside entrance..”
Stacey said “Only a short journey but you could take the purple bus from town to the leisure park – lots to do there – Milestones, bowling, skating, swimming, food etc”
Lianne said “Little Street in Frimley is really good. I think you have to change trains though to get there from here”
Katie said “We quite enjoy getting the bus to/from Sainsbury’s and popping into Sainsbury’s cafe. Or you could just choose something from Sainsbury’s to take home?”
Lindsey said “Train to Winchester…loads of coffee shops, the library, the cathedral, there are usually buskers on the high street.”
- Becky replied “I was going to suggest Winchester!”
Karen said “Milestones.(or swimming/ice-skating/bowling/cinema) Get the shuttle bus from town. Hatchwarrren Sainsbury’s and go to pets at home or beggarwood park. Train to winchester – the library is a few mins walk or there’s the water mill you can visit. Little street frimley although the train to the weybridge one is more direct. To Andover and it’s about 10 minutes walk to the shops and there’s a play place inside (role play sorry I forget the name) Bus to chineham park (6) and walk behind Lidl and you’ve got playdays on stewart road or change to the number 4 and go to chineham for the library they’ve got crafts from 10-12 today.”
Colleen said “If you’re looking for a big day out, Portsmouth is direct train from Basingstoke and you have the spinnaker tower and historic dockyard right next to the train station. Eastleigh lakeside railway is short walking distance from Southampton airport parkway station, and has a miniature train, country park and a v reasonably priced cafe.”
Kim said “Look up the Watercress line. Some lovely journeys on it and you can take a picnic on the train.”
Sasha said “We take the bus to town and do the discovery centre or play den at the sports centre or go and get eggs from the market on a Friday. Keep it simple and have fun”
Joanna said “We love getting the train to Winchester, it’s a really pretty train ride and there is a really nice library and play park in Winchester”
- Colleen replied “And the sweet shop… mine like a trip there.”
Amanda said “We used to do train trip to reading just to do Disney store, it’s not there anymore but for the kids it’s more about the trip than anything. As long as we visited the sweet shop in the Harris arcade before getting the train back they were happy.”
- Pauline replied “There is a pop up Disney store in the Oracle at the moment.”
Larissa said “Winchester is lovely to wander about and the sweet shop near the train station always a winner”
Ruza said “Start your your day of exploration off by bus to the train station. Children are so excited by this because. We have then been to London just to walk along the embankment, the London eye was a bonus. Highly recommend SeaCity museum which is a short walk from the station.”
Samantha said “Train to Bramley and there is a lovely little coffee shop just next to the train station. Drink and a biscuit and then back home!”
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