Family Fun. Information-Gathering

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Sybil Hart
5 years ago
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1 Family Fun Below you will find shared insights and experiences that might help ease your adjustment to life in the U.K. Please note that these are by no means a complete list of resources, activities, organizations, or travel options and represent no endorsement from TASIS England or PIRC. Information-Gathering Web sites & Newspapers/Magazine/Subscriptions The Guardian The Times Tattler Restaurant Guide guides/2012 Facebook Group: Expats of Surrey London Apps: Tube Map; SW Trains; London City Guide; Museum of London Family Grapevine Magazine (pick up at local library, at schools, etc.) Time Out London (available on newsstands & in newsletter format), Official London Theater (register for updates) Mayor s Website for Young Londoners london/kids/things- to- do/index.jsp\ Kids Love London London for Kids London Kidz London Town Day Out with the Kids About.com United Kingdom Travel Local Clubs & Associations American Women of Berkshire & Surrey American Women of Surrey

2 Travel Plan ahead and book early Look for last minute deals Consider tour operators Plan around England/European school holidays Search the web Talk to a travel agent and other families Sample Local Activities/Days-Out Touring London London Walks Duck Tours in London Borough Market Gastro Tours Theme Parks & Leisure Centers Merlin Pass (also includes London Eye, Sealife Aquarium, Madam Tussauds, Warwick Castle, etc.) Chessington World of Adventures Thorpe Park Legoland Coral Reef Big Apple Woking birthday parties (Laser) Jake s indoor play space Guildford Spectrum ice skating and bowling Bracknell Ski Slope & Ice Rink Castles & Museums Old Operating Theater The National Trust walks, visits, days out, Historic Royal Palaces - English Heritage heritage.org.uk/ Brooklands Museum (Weybridge) The Lightbox (Woking) Hampton Court Palace (Richmond) Windsor Castle & Eton (Windsor) Animals & Nature Look Out Discovery Center Go Ape in Bracknell - ziplines Savill Gardens/Virginia Water Park PIRC Walks Bocketts Farm Park Kew Gardens Pick your own fruit and veg: Gray s (Berkshire), Garsons (Esher)

3 Sports, Fitness and Entertainment Local Teams/Leagues TASIS England intramurals, Ascot United Football, Abbey Ranger in Chertsey, Lyne Football Club, other football/soccer, Windsor Rugby, Weybridge Vandals, London Youth Baseball League, cricket teams, etc. Walk/Ride Chobham Commons, Virginia Water Park, Windsor Great Park; Bracknell Forest, Thames Path- Weybridge to Hampton Court to Kingston; Races Bushy Park 5K, BUPA 10K, Windsor ½ Marathon, Hyde Park 5K; Bike to Brighton, Woking Gymnastics Center Ice Skating: Hampton Court, Ice Skating: Somerset House rink Local Fitness Centers or TASIS; below are also good for social, golf, kids activities Foxhills (Chertsey) David Lloyd (Weybridge) Royal Berkshire (Bracknell/Berkshire) St. Georges Hill (Weybridge) Wentworth (Virginia Water) Leisure Centers (Various) Sporting Events Not to be Missed Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, etc. Premier League Cricket (Various) Twickenham Stadium (Rugby) Ascot Races, Wimbledon, Royal Henly, Queen s Polo Theater, Venues & Cinemas O2 New Millennium Center in London lots of concerts Royal Albert Hall West End theaters & theater tours, the Globe, Regents Park Open Air Theater New Wimbledon Theater, Ambassadors Theater Woking, Windsor Theater, other IMAX by Waterloo Staines Vue Cinemas, Woking Ambassadors Cinemas, Bracknell Odeon, Esher Odeon

4 Sample Day/Weekend Trips (by car, southwest trains, Eurostar, eurotunnel, and/or ferry) Bath Royal Crescent Hotel; Cheddar Gorge (where the cheese was first made, can watch, views); Can stop by Stonehenge on way home Bath Longleat Safari Park; Centerparc; Forest Woburn Safari Park Boat Cruise on Thames (Hampton to Richmond) Tea at Great Fosters Runnymede Memorial Winter Wonderland Hyde Park London Zoo & boat ride london- zoo/ Brighton, Portsmouth, West Wittering, other beaches Cotswolds Ellenborough Inn Devon, Cornwall Dover Castle & White Cliffs of Dover English Heritage Properties Isle of Wight Leeds Castle New Forest & Beaulieu Oxford or Cambridge Stonehenge, Salisbury, Avebury - Stratford- Upon- Avon Landmark Trust rent a period property Oxford rent bikes, punting on the Thames Centre Parks Frommers Best Day Trips From London Blenheim Palace; Highclere Castle; Aylesbury; Cadbury Factory in Birmingham Harry Potter Studio Tours Warwick Castle York Belgium Brugge, Brussels France Calais, Paris Venice (Orient Express) Wales Pembrokshire Coast; Museum of Welsh Life

5 Public Holidays and Sample Event Calendar January/February/March Bank Holiday (First of January) April/May London Marathon (late April) Bank Holidays (Good Friday, Monday after Easter, First Monday in May and Last Monday in May) June/July Ascot Races (Royal Ascot in mid June) Wimbledon (late June, early July) Henley Regatta (early July) August/September Bank Holiday (Last Monday in August) Theater Kids Week (end of August, beginning of September) Windsor Half Marathon and Women s 8K (late September) Ascot Arts Festival/Family Day at the Races (late September) October/November Halloween (Trunk or Treat get lots of candy) Guy Fawkes Day (early November - fireworks) Thanksgiving (no one else in Britain has the day off) and St. Paul s Cathedral service Fete de Noel at TASIS England, AWBS Holiday Fayre and Tea, Holiday Greens December Christmas Markets (Bath, Salzburg, Vienna, others) Pantomimes (London and Local Theaters) Bank Holidays (Christmas Day and Day after Christmas) Disclaimer: Please remember that this information does not represent any commercial endorsement from TASIS England or PIRC. We are sharing our insights and experiences with you in the hopes of easing your adjustment to some of the "nittygritties" of living in England. PIRC Committee members are always pleased to have you phone with any questions.

Sunday, 31/5 Monday, 1/6 Tuesday, 2/6 Wednesday, 3/6 Thursday, 4/6 Friday, 5/6 Saturday, 6/6. Salisbury Cathedral Tour International Quiz Night

Salisbury Afternoon Evening FD - Full-day trip HD - Half-day trip Homestay Schedule 31 may - 22 August 4 3 2 1 Sunday, 31/5 Monday, 1/6 Tuesday, 2/6 Wednesday, 3/6 Thursday, 4/6 Friday, 5/6 Saturday, 6/6