A great day out in the UK, whether it's exploring a majestic stately home or treating the grandchildren to a new adventure, can create lasting memories. But with the cost of entry fees, travel, and food quickly adding up, a fun-filled excursion can feel like a strain on your budget.
But what if you didn't have to compromise? With some savvy planning and a few insider tricks, you can unlock a world of brilliant days out for a fraction of the price. From slashing your rail fares to gaining free access to top attractions, this guide will show you how to enjoy the best of the UK without breaking the bank.
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Travelling by rail is often more relaxing, and sometimes cheaper if you do it right. You don’t need to worry about the cost of petrol and parking, and if booked in advance can be a significant saving when travelling across the country.
Kelvin Goodson, consumer writer at MoneySavingExpert, says Trainline has a free price prediction app showing when cheap tickets are likely to rise in price or sell out.
Beware of booking fees though, as some retailers charge up to £1.75 for advance bookings. “London North Eastern Railway (LNER) is a good place to start as it sells tickets for all routes and doesn't charge booking fees,” adds Goodson, reminding people to compare prices on platforms such as TrainPal, Splitmyfair and Megatrain before booking.
Don’t forget to buy a railcard if you can – you’ll quickly recoup costs if you travel by train regularly. If you’re over 60, a Senior Railcard costs £35 but saves the average user £112 over the year and typically pays for itself after three journeys, according to National Rail.
You can buy a three-year Railcard for £80, which makes travel even more cost-efficient, and it comes with other benefits including half-price theatre tickets too.
Pete Chatfield, blogger at Household Money Saving, has saved more than £3,000 in entry to English Heritage sites over the past decade through his membership of not-for-profit organisation CSSC.
Originally only open to civil servants and public sector workers, CSSC is now open to anyone – provided an existing member adds them.
Membership costs £4.99 a month, but Pete says one family trip to a castle justifies the cost for a whole year. "As a family of five, we can pay more than £70 just for entry. However, CSSC membership gives us free entry to all of their sites.”
If you're currently working (or have retired from) the public sector or civil service, Boundless is another popular choice. Membership costs just £40 a year and includes unlimited access to places such as Kew Gardens and Wakehurst.
Vicki Sciberras, 52, from Norbury, London, and husband Robert save up to £800 a year on entry fees through their Boundless memberships. “We’ve been everywhere in all seasons and take our godchildren, Olivia and Beatrice, who are 14 and 11.”
Another option is the Blue Light Card, which costs £4.99 for two years’ membership and is available to healthcare workers, teachers and others. We explain more here how the Blue Light Card works.
If you enjoy visiting stately homes, Senior Travel Expert has voucher codes and discount offers on memberships of English Heritage, National Trust and Historic Houses. English Heritage itself is currently offering 25% off annual memberships on its website, when you use the discount code MYTH42.
English Heritage also has a list of historic sites that people can visit for free, from prehistoric monuments to Roman ruins and mighty medieval castles.
Money blogger Leo Smigel, who believes he’s saved more than £10,000 on trips out in the past decade, scours the web for special deals such as “two-for-one Tuesdays" at local attractions. “This way I double up on my savings,” he says.
“I also look for open houses and free evening events too. I've enjoyed stately homes during special admission-free periods. Likewise, many towns host walking tours or talks led by people passionate about the area.”
Check the balance of your Tesco Clubcard, as you might be surprised how many points you’ve built up. “Using these vouchers is a great way to help cover the costs of holiday fun,” says personal finance expert Lynn Beattie, who runs the Mrs Mummypenny blog.
“Points can be exchanged for double their value for family days out at theme parks such as Alton Towers and the London Eye, or exchanged for restaurant vouchers at places like Pizza Express or Prezzo.”
If you travel by train, check out the 2-for-1 or one-third off discounts on offer at big attractions before booking a pricey trip – this can yield big savings quickly.
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You don't need to spend a lot to entertain grandchildren on a budget. If you have a National Trust membership, you can take under-5s in for free, or a membership to English Heritage allows you to take up to six children without cost.
But don’t forget that a little planning can open up new ways to see the world that cost nothing.
Getting outdoors is always a good idea whatever the weather. Instagram mum Rebecca Lawrance suggests doing a scavenger hunt by making a list of seasonal things to find or spot. “Collect leaves, twigs, unusual stones or shells from a beach.”
You could give geocaching a try by downloading the free app, and use GPS to find hidden containers of treats and goodies hidden in specific locations. “For further savings, remember to take a packed lunch,” she adds.
Outdoor volunteer activities can help forge bonds with the grandchildren, Smigel says: “Keep an open mind and you're sure to uncover delightful discoveries.”
Species surveys, improving habitats, community gardens and tree planting are just some of the things you can do. Look for local groups to see what’s out there on sites like The Conservation Volunteers or The Wildlife Trusts.
Beattie points to the searchable list of free museums and galleries from Money Saving Expert as another good place to look.
“There are scores of free museums and galleries to visit, from the Science Museum or Natural History Museum in London to the smaller places more local to you,” she says.
A cinema trip is also great for a rainy day, she says. “Vue cinemas run Mighty Mornings every Saturday and Sunday with £2.49 tickets for children and an accompanying adult.
“On rainy days we also love RAF Hendon, London’s Natural History Museum and the V&A. Take a packed lunch to save even more. And avoid the gift shop at the end!”
If you're signing up for an annual membership for any stately home or garden association, it's always worth searching online to see if there are offers available – it’s as simple as combining the name of the place you’re looking to visit with ‘discount code’.
Look out in particular for money-off codes and extra months added on as part of the deal when paying by direct debit. Be ready to try a few discount codes as you’ll likely find they don’t all work. But you can really save well if you time it right.
Some attractions offer discounted entry - search online for the name of the attraction with ‘cheap ticket offer’. It’s always worth checking if you’re thinking of somewhere you’d like to have a fun day out.
You can also use services like Honey or Hotukdeals, which are installed as an add-on to your internet browser. When you’re about to check out, you’ll see if there are any discount codes on offer.
A word of warning on these vouchers though: a discounted annual price is often an introductory rate for the first year of membership. So once the money is taken from your account, you should cancel the direct debit if you want to avoid automatically being charged for a full-price membership the following year.
You can also cut costs on annual memberships by buying through cashback websites like Topcashback and Quidco. The concept behind these is simple: each will pay a cash reward when you visit one of their retail partners via the site. All you do is sign up and provide your bank details.
As examples, these sites currently offer 2% cashback on Legoland Windsor tickets, 2.4% cashback at the National Trust and 3% cashback at various Sea Life centres, including Birmingham and Manchester. So, if you’re going to be spending anyway, these can be smart ways to save.
The retailer typically pays a commission into your account at your cashback site. You wait for the cashback to become payable, and then ask for it to be sent to your bank, or you can choose vouchers with a slightly higher face value.
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