School breaks and weekends can feel overwhelming for many parents, with over half (53%) admitting they worry about how to keep their children entertained during these times.
The unpredictable UK weather can further add to this stress, with the majority (64%) feeling anxious in case it rains on the planned day out.
With this in mind, mother and baby retailer JoJo Maman Bébé has conducted a new study to reveal the UK’s top family-friendly activities, highlighting outdoor and indoor activities so parents can plan for all weather eventualities.
The attractions were ranked using Google Maps, analysing lists from 50 of the most populated cities in the UK. From this, a weighted rank was created using the venue’s star rating, the number of reviews and its suitability for families – creating an overall outdoor or indoor score.
The top 10 outdoor activities for dry days ranked:
| Rank | Activity | Average Rating | Number of Reviews | Outdoor Activity Score |
| 1 | Holyrood Park – Edinburgh | 4.8 | 12,182 | 94.3 |
| 2 | Brunel’s SS Great Britain – Bristol | 4.8 | 8,995 | 94.0 |
| 3 | St James’s Park – London | 4.7 | 56,089 | 92.4 |
| 4 | Royal Albert Dock Liverpool | 4.7 | 50,296 | 92.4 |
| 5 | Chester Zoo | 4.7 | 42,042 | 92.4 |
| 6 | Kensington Gardens – London | 4.7 | 27,558 | 92.3 |
| 7 | Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh | 4.7 | 21,158 | 92.2 |
| 8 | Battersea Park – London | 4.7 | 20,484 | 92.2 |
| 9 | Colchester Zoo – Essex | 4.7 | 19,137 | 92.2 |
| 10 | Portsmouth Historic Dockyard | 4.7 | 14,952 | 92.1 |
Perfect for milder days, Edinburgh’s Holyrood Park is officially the UK’s best outdoor activity, with an average rating of 4.8 out of 5 across 12,182 reviews giving the green space an outdoor score of 95.8 out of 100. This city park holds an extensive history and is home to Arthur’s Seat.
Closely followed in second place is the historical Brunel’s SS Great Britain in Bristol with an outdoor score of 94 based on 8,995 reviews averaging 4.8 out of 5.
St James’s Park in London follows in third place with an average rating of 4.7 across 56,089 visitor reviews, giving an outdoor score of 92.4. This vast green space is the perfect opportunity to connect with nature and explore the location’s royal history.
The 10 indoor activities for rainy weather ranked:
| Rank | Activity | Rating | Number of Reviews | Indoor Activity Score | |||
| 1 | Immersive Gamebox- Manchester Arndale | 4.9 | 4,651 | 95.8 | |||
| 2 | Immersive Gamebox – London Southbank | 4.9 | 3,349 | 95.3 | |||
| 3 | Escape Hunt Birmingham Central | 4.9 | 2,907 | 95.2 | |||
| 4 | National Museum of Scotland – Edinburgh | 4.8 | 46,664 | 94.9 | |||
| 5 | Oxford University Museum of Natural History | 4.8 | 10,474 | 94.2 | |||
| 6 | The Chocolatarium – Edinburgh | 4.9 | 1,841 | 94.1 | |||
| 7 | Mary Rose Museum – Portsmouth | 4.8 | 5,805 | 93.6 | |||
| 8 | The British Museum – London | 4.7 | 151,411 | 92.5 | |||
| 9 | Victoria and Albert Museum – London | 4.7 | 56,681 | 92.4 | |||
| 10 | National Railway Museum York – York | 4.7 | 26,842 | 92.3 | |||
For less fortunate weather days, the study has ranked Immersive Gamebox in Manchester as the best rainy day activity, with an indoor score of 95.8, based on a rating of 4.9 across 4,651 visitor reviews. Located in Manchester Arndale, this virtual reality centre hosts a variety of child-friendly digital activities.
For families living closer to London, Immersive Gamebox’s Southbank location takes second place, with 3,349 reviews averaging a 4.9 rating, giving this location an indoor score of 95.3.
Escape Hunt Birmingham Central follows in third place with an indoor score of 95.3. This attraction has an average rating of 4.9 and 2,907 reviews – making it an ideal pastime for children of all ages on a rainy day.
For more details on the UK’s top family-friendly for all weather and to see the full study visit: https://www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk/most-entertaining-cities-for-families
