Bank Holiday Monday Ideas & Events — 25 August 2025
Make the most of the long weekend with family‑friendly days out, free local events, and cosy at‑home plans if the weather turns.
Quick ideas (pick one & go)
- Theme park, zoo, or historic castle day trip.
- Low‑cost picnic in a local park.
- If the forecast is poor, run a movie marathon at home with blankets and popcorn.
Bank Holiday events & special activities
Create a Fairy Door — Warmley, Bristol
Decorate a wooden fairy or pixie door with glitter and sequins at Kingswood Heritage Museum. Explore the air raid shelter and gardens while you’re there.
Ammerdown Family Fun Day — Radstock
Afternoon fun at the Ammerdown Conference & Retreat Centre with a bouncy castle, drumming workshop, and stalls.
Summer Daze Family Day — Eastington
The Badger pub hosts a family day with a surf simulator, bouncy castle, coconut shy, and live music.
Open Farm Day — Newton St Loe, Bath
Newton Farm Shop & Café features live music, tractor rides, a straw pool, and local stalls. Entry free; parking £5.
Bore Fest — Minsterworth, Gloucester
The Severn Bore pub puts on a festival with live music, great food, a gin bar, and a bouncy castle.
Bank Holiday Garden Party — Clearwell, Gloucestershire
Clearwell Castle hosts a garden party with food, games, and music in a stunning setting.
Family Fun Day — Winterbourne, Bristol
Mercure Bristol North opens its grounds for games, stalls, food, and music — perfect for families.
Fun‑filled days out
Zoos & animal parks
- Marwell Zoo (Winchester): Hundreds of exotic animals and five adventure playgrounds.
- Peak Wildlife Park (Staffordshire): Endangered penguins and lemurs; feed friendly farm animals.
- Woburn Safari Park (Bedfordshire): UK safari adventure with lions, tigers, and bears.
Historical & heritage sites
- Warwick Castle (Warwickshire): Gardens, Falconer’s Quest, and the Zog trail.
- Ironbridge Gorge (Shropshire): Victorian Town, Enginuity science centre, and outdoor play.
- Alnwick Castle (Northumberland): Harry Potter filming location with broomstick training and dragon quests.
Thrilling adventures
- Diggerland (multiple): Drive real diggers in Kent, Yorkshire, Devon, and Durham.
- Zip World (Wales): High‑speed zip lines, bouncing nets, and underground golf.
- Alton Towers (Staffordshire): Big coasters plus a David Walliams‑themed area.
- LEGOLAND (Windsor): 55+ rides and Miniland with 42 million LEGO bricks.
Museums & exhibitions
- National Museums Liverpool: Free entry across several family‑friendly museums.
- National Space Centre (Leicester): Spacesuits, moon rocks, meteorites, and the UK’s largest planetarium.
- Science Museum (London): Free entry with hands‑on galleries from robots to circuits.
Indoor & at‑home ideas
- Creative day: Set up a crafting station for painting, drawing, or collage.
- Movie marathon: Turn the living room into a cosy cinema with blankets and popcorn.
- Baking & cooking: Cookies, cake decorating, or homemade pizza together.
- Family game night: Board games, jigsaws, and card games for friendly competition.
Outdoor activities
- Go for a walk: Explore a local park, countryside trail, or nature reserve.
- Picnic in the park: Pack sandwiches and snacks; bring a gazebo if showers threaten.
- Geocaching: Try a GPS treasure hunt via a smartphone app.
- Gardening: Plant flowers, veg, or herbs and get little hands helping.
