30 Family Days Out in Staffordshire for Under £30

Let’s face it there’s no getting away from the rising cost of living and keeping the kids entertained during the Summer 2023 school holidays could well be a challenge for many UK families.

At Enjoy Staffordshire we think everyone deserves the chance to escape, and as the UK’s biggest and best playground, Staffordshire is the ideal place to do so.

So read on for a whole host of ideas, including free days out in Staffordshire!

Budget days out Summer 2023

To help you make the most of Summer, we’ve put together a handy list of 30 different family friendly places to visit and things to do in Staffordshire, that won’t break the bank – in fact they all cost less than £30* for 2 Adults and 2 Children to get in, and some are free family days out!

Our popular #30Under30Pounds campaign aims to fill your Summer with fun, whether your family is active, creative, curious, looking for adventure or simply loves wildlife, we’ve plenty of ideas and inspiration for you.

Each of our suggested attractions is either free admission, or costs no more than £30* for a family of four to enter, so start planning your family Summer days out in Staffordshire now!

Active family days out in Staffordshire

Burn off some energy in Staffordshire’s great outdoors.

Choose from easy family walks, safe off-road cycle routes and brilliant adventure playgrounds. For best value bring your own bikes, or you can hire some (additional cost) Sites are free to enter, parking fees may apply and some offer extra paid-for activities.

1. Baggeridge Country Park, near Wombourne – fish at Island Pool (£5 adults, £3.50 child/concessions), visit the well-equipped play area, or tackle the free family mountain bike trail

2. Cannock Chase Forest, near Rugeley – Zog Activity Trail pack £4; Bike hire from £15 child, £28 adult. Full day parking £10.

3. The Churnet Valley Way, Oakamoor to Denstone

4. The Manifold Track, Hulme End to Waterhouses – Bike hire from £13 child, £17 adult

5. Tittesworth Water, near Leek – parking £3.50 to £7

6. Stafford to Newport Cycle Route

Ideas for Adventurous families

Step-back in time, and literally let off some steam, at our heritage steam railways, all located in beautiful countryside with walks and activities nearby.

Explore a WWI trench, take on an Outdoor Escape Challenge or re-enact your own Mercian battle.

7. Churnet Valley Railway – With 50% off tickets for selected days and timetables in August and September a family can travel for as little as £27.50, use code CVR107! And for the August Bank Holiday Weekend (28th-30th August), it's adults £12, child (aged 4-15) £1, and free for the under 4s.

8. Apedale Valley Light Railway – Family ticket £23.00 for two adults and up to four children. Day tickets £4 return (adult), £2 return (child). And the stunning Apedale Country Park is next door!

9. Chasewater Railway – Family ticket £22 (adjacent Chasewater Country Park), adult day ticket £7.50, child day ticket £4.95

10. National Memorial Arboretum – Free admission; several free talks and trails, land train tours £7.50 adult, £3.75 children, and Outdoor Escape Challenge £12-15 per group. Parking £6 on the day, £4 in advance.

11. Leek & Rudyard Lake Steam Railway – 2 adults + 2 Children £29.00 (adjacent Rudyard Lake), adult day ticket £9, child day ticket £5.50

12. Staffordshire Regiment Museum – Family ticket £15.00, adult day ticket £6, child day ticket £4

13. Tamworth Castle Pleasure Grounds – Free admission to grounds. Castle family ticket £37.50 (up to 5 persons)

Things to do in Staffordshire for Creative families

Head for Stoke-on-Trent the World Capital of Ceramics for some seriously creative hands-on pottery fun.

Have a go on the Potter’s wheel, get clever with clay, paint & decorate pottery and be inspired by our famous designers and makers.

14. Emma Bridgewater Factory – Free admission; Decorating session £2.95 pp + cost of pottery.

15. Gladstone Pottery Museum – Family ticket £25.50. Annual pass 2 adults + 2 children £47.74, adult day ticket £8.50, child day ticket £5.95.

16. Middleport Pottery – Free admission to site; Heritage Trail £6-7pp, Factory Tour £11pp

17. Potteries Museum & Art Gallery – Free admission

18. World of Wedgwood – Free admission to site; Decorating session £5pp, 15-mins clay session £10 pp, Factory Tour £12.50 per adult (kids free)

Staffordshire has plenty of options for Curious families

Stir their imaginations and feed their curiosity with a peek into Staffordshire’s history and heritage.

All the below sites are free admission, parking fees may apply and some offer extra paid-for activities and events.

19. Ancient High House, Stafford

20. Brampton Museum & Park, Newcastle-under-Lyme

21. Lichfield Cathedral - The Beach is back (22nd July-3rd Sept), and there are free craft activities and water play

22. Museum of Cannock Chase, Hednesford

23. Royal Air Force Museum, Cosford - Horrible Histories Up in the Air Adventure (22nd July-3rd Sept) £25 for five people, or £7.50pp

24. Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum, Lichfield

More to explore for Wild families in Staffordshire

Who doesn’t love learning about wildlife, animals or farmyard friends?

Get back to nature and discover the amazing flora and fauna flourishing in rural Staffordshire. Budding conservationists will love the Wildlife Trust events like pond dipping and mini beast hunts.

25. Billy’s Farm Barn at Amerton Farm, near Stafford – 2 adults + 2 children £29.96; adults £5.99pp, children £8.99pp

26. Branston Water Park, near Burton on Trent – Free admission

27. Dorothy Clive Garden, near Newcastle-under-Lyme – 2 adults + 2children £26.00. Annual Pass £22 adult, £44 family.

28. RSPB Coombes Valley & Consall Woods, near Leek – Free admission

29. Staffordshire Wildlife Trust’s Wolseley Centre, near Rugeley – Free admission

30. The Animal Zone at Rodbaston, near Penkridge – Family ticket £28.00; adults £8, child £6

Other ways to save money on Staffordshire days out

Annual passes, season tickets and memberships and are the ideal way to save money on admission fees, particularly for local residents and regular repeat visitors.

Some of the UK’s biggest and best attractions are located in Staffordshire, and most of them offer great value for money annual ticket deals which pay for themselves within 3-4 visits.

• Alton Towers Resort – Annual Pass £129pp. Savings available by booking in advance.
• Drayton Manor Resort – Annual Pass £99pp adult, £115pp (age 4+), £85 pp (age 2-3). Savings available by booking in advance.
• Peak Wildlife Park – Annual Pass £54.95 adult, £49.95 child. 
• Play@ Lower Drayton Farm – Annual Membership from £140 pp.
• Tamworth Castle – Annual Pass £29.75 adult, £22.50 child, £100 family (up to 5 persons).
• Trentham Estate – Annual Membership £60.35 adult, £13.60 child, £134.30 family. Savings available by booking in advance.
• Trentham Monkey Forest – Annual Membership £35 adult, £25 child, £120 family. Savings available by booking in advance.
• Weston Park – Standard Membership £35 adult, £85 family (two adults, three children)
• The National Trust – Annual Membership £84 (1 adult family), £146 (2 adult family)
• English Heritage – Annual Membership £69 (1 adult family), £120 (2 adult family)

Look out for special offers and loyalty schemes too, such as Tesco Clubcard, day ticket upgrades and multi-visit discounts which help to make cheap family days out.

For day trips, book your attraction and theme park tickets online at least 5 days in advance of your visit to get the best prices & discount deals.

• Go Ape! Cannock Chase – Families save 15% on the Treetop Challenge course. Use code FAMILY15.
• National Forest Adventure Farm – Advance day tickets £15.99pp.
• Play@ Lower Drayton Farm – Advance day tickets £7.50-£16pp.
• Waterworld & Adventure Mini Golf – Advance combo ticket deal £28pp.

^{_{*prices correct at time of publication, July 2023.}}

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