We headed off in our car and took the Irish ferries from Holyhead to Dublin and then drove Dublin to Belfast.
We noticed how one minute you see lots of Irish registered cars when in Ireland and then almost suddenly the cars are British registered as you go into Northern Ireland.
The museum sits in the dock area of the city pretty much on the site where Titanic was built.
It is an impressive museum which starts with taking you back to Belfast in the 1920s when ship building was the city’s lifeblood. To be building Titanic really was a huge event for the city and thousands turned out for its launch. At the time a lot of Irish people were emigrating to America in search of work and a new life.
The museum takes you through the whole process of how the ship was built through to how it would be to actually be on the ship. There are lots of interactive features and the latest technology, including a film of where the Titanic lies on the ocean floor.
It is also important to remember that the ship is also now a graveyard and so it is a memorial to those who lost their lives on that fateful day.
Outside the museum we popped to a bar and had a pint of the black stuff whilst listening to dine traditional Irish music played by two blokes. It was brilliant!
With your ticket for the museum you also get entry to the ships tender boat. This has had an eventful life since being the actual tender boat that carried the passengers to the Titanic; as a nightclub, restaurant and helping out in wartime. It has been immaculately restored to how it was
Giant’s causeway is a stunning natural phenomena where basalt columns cut out of the sea. Perfect for climbing on!
Of course there is a great tale about a giant called Finn McCool to go with this and all of this is brought to life in the visitors centre run by the National Trust.
The drive from Belfast to Ballintoy along the Antrim coast is full of stunning coastline and beautiful views. We stopped off a couple of times to break up the journey and get some fresh air. There were a few play areas for the kids or just to us to scrabble on.
This rope bridge is on the site of what was once a bridge where fishermen would carry their haul across. Then it was a lot more flimsy than the sturdy, reinforced bridge that is there today. It goes from the mainland to a small island where you can see a tiny gushing boat moored up.
It’s a short walk from the car park down a path to the bridge. We went early and there was no queue but I can imagine at busy times there can be quite a wait as only a few people are allowed on the bridge at a time.
If you watched Game of Thrones you will know this as a filming location when Arya Stark was travelling disguised as a boy. It is a beautiful tunnel of trees and very atmospheric.
We then headed to the new Center Parcs at Longford Forest in Ireland and had a relaxing few days after such a busy time exploring! It was all wonderful!
When we were in New York we had a list of attractions we wanted to see. The cheapest way of doing them really was to get some sort of attractions pass. I chose the Sightseeing Pass Flex for six attractions. It cost £245 for four of us and I’m sure it worked out we saved about 50% on admission costs! It also opened our eyes to things we may not have chosen to do if we didn’t have it!
Cycle tour in Central Park
It was a beautiful bright sunny day and we were up early!
We took the cycle tour with Central Park bike tours. It took us on around an hour bike ride around the major attractions of Central Park such as Bethesda Terrace, The Reservoir, Strawberry Fields and loads more. It was a whistle stop tour but the guide was knowledgeable and friendly and in my opionion it was the best thing we did in NYC!
Backstage tour of Madison Square Gardens
Madison Square Gardens is a major concert and sporting event in the centre of Manhattan. It is located just next to Penn Station a stone’s throw from Times Square.
At the top you get a bird’s eye view of Manhattan- I was shocked how small the Statue of Liberty looked.
Next to the One World Observatory is a memorial site to the people who died at 9/11. It was another emotional experience!
Seats are laid out along the length of the bus so everyone is looking the same way out of the side windows. Our hosts introduced us to the ride of our lives as we travelled through midtown from The Empire State Building to Central Park and back again, captivated by street entertainers, ballet dancers, musicians and comedians all disguised as regular passers by! It was an incredible experience and a definite highlight!!!
Top of the Rock
We went to the top of the Rockerfeller Centre at night as to see New York from up high at night is a must do! It was stunning to see the Enpire State building lit up and I just love the Chrysler too!
Airport transfer to JFK
This is such a boring one but we didn’t have time to do any more attractions!
So the sightseeing pass was well worth it in experience and opened us up to so many amazing opportunities! There are still lots of things I’d like to do but these can wait till our next visit!
Treasure trails are downloadable treasure hunt maps for places around the country suitable for children aged from around 7 years
We put the murder mystery trail located at Ironbridge Gorge to the test. It costs £6.99 for each map.
The trail was easy to download and I received a pdf file to print out. You can also ask for it to be printed out and posted to you for a additional £1.49 or you can personalise the front cover for £9.99 plus £1.49 delivery.
The instructions are clear and straightforward and even the postcode for the start of the trail is given (in our case a car park in Ironbridge). All trails take a circular route so you get back to where you parked the car. You won’t need to pay extra admission for anywhere along the route so really this is a very good value way of seeing lots of hidden parts, off the beaten track, you perhaps wouldn’t normally visit.
The Iron Bridge, the first ever built in the world, was closed for restoration but the surrounding beautiful scenery and history more than made up for it.
Our task was to find the murderer of Sid “Smelter” Smith from a suspect gallery of 20 potential culprits and the weapon, from a selection of six choices.
We had to follow the clues that are given to work out from fixed landmarks the answers and eliminate suspects and potential weapons. The answers were hidden in anagrams, street names, house signs, information boards and on monuments and involved careful deduction!
The trail took us up some steep hills, given amazing views of Ironbridge and surrounding areas.
It was a hot day so it is a good idea to take water and snacks in case of fatigue and to keep tired legs going!
If you get stuck with some of the clues you can use the free text service to get up to three answers (there were a total of 24 clues on our walk so we did need this!). Make sure you type in the clue number correctly as they are very strict on this limit!
It took us around two hours to complete the trail and we all really enjoyed it. The clues were challenging enough for it to be interesting but straightforward enough to be fun. We were very impressed by how the boys used their cryptic skills to work some of the clues. You also need to be observant and notice all the details on the monuments making sure you read instructions carefully so very educational too!
We managed to work out the murderer and the weapon and entered into the monthly draw to win £100 so fingers crossed for that!
Next time we will try one of the Spy Mission trails to try something different. There are also Treasure Hunt trails to do. It really added something to your standard walk and was great family fun. It would also be perfect to do with friends.
Have you tried a Treasure Trail? How did you get on?
Efteling is a theme park located in Holland. Before visiting, I admit to not having heard of it, although I had heard really good things about Holland as a place to go on holiday. What makes Efteling different from other places is that is steeped in nature and stories, with every ride having a tale behind it – many of them Dutch myths and legends as well as traditional stories.
So here is the whistle-stop tour of our two nights in Efteling where we were thrilled, over the late May bank holiday, to visit the Blog House with the lovely Penny and children from Parentshaped!
Getting there
We flew with Flybe to Amsterdam from Birmingham. The boys enjoyed looking at the flight board for news of our gate – and also checking out the other destinations and guessing where they were. Traveling is so educational Here are some great tips for flying with children.
This is the shortest flight the boys have ever been on at just one hour and they loved it. The plane was also the smallest they have flown on so that was met with much excitement!
Efteling is a bit of a hike from Amsterdam but the rail and bus networks in Holland are so brilliant and we loved this timetabling website which was invaluable in planning our journey.
We arrived into Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport around 6.30pm on Monday evening. The train station is within the airport terminal which was very handy!
We had some instructions of where to head and (without even having to ask anyone!) we found the train we needed, bought our tickets from the yellow machines and boarded our train within thirty minutes of landing! Pretty impressive! We were all very excited to be on our first ever double-decker train (of course we had to sit on the top deck)! With comfortable seats and free wifi, everyone was happy as we set off on our journey to s-Hertogenbosch.
You can change trains at s-Hertogenbosch or at Tilburg to catch the 300 bus which takes you to the gates of Efteling. On our return journey, we went to Tilburg on the bus and then changed to catch the train to Schipol (we also had to change trains at Rotterdam Central). Both ways were straightforward and it took around two hours each way.
Eventually, we arrived at Efteling Bosrijk which is located behind the entrance to the theme park. The welcome was enchanting and magical with pretty lights and friendly staff. We wandered wide-eyed through the trees to our village house home for the next two nights but bed beckoned as we had a very busy day planned for Tuesday!
Thrill rides
With two adrenaline seeking 11-year-olds and two slightly more cautious nine-year-olds to entertain we wanted to make sure there was a balance.
The stories behind the rides are fascinating, and usually very dark! The newest, and possibly most frightening, ride is the Baron 1898. The story behind this is of a Baron who wanted to mine precious gold deposits from a cave that were guarded by spirits who would cause terrible consequences on anyone who touched the gold. The Baron enlisted the poor of the local town to work in the mine and suffer their fate whilst he took the profits, that is until one day when he has to go down the mine himself and is attacked by the vengeful miners. You can imagine the ride is pretty fast paced!
Of course this was the ride the older two wanted to go on! Once they did we were surprised to find that the younger ones weren’t interested in anything but the big rides as well! Peer pressure or sibling rivalry? Or just getting into the spirit of things? Who knows but these daredevils had a wonderful time!
The queue for the rides was good and we never waited more than 30 minutes to get on any ride. The Efteling app was very handy for checking out how to get to rides and also how long the wait was.
By the end of the day, they were desperate for more and it is always good to leave on a high!
Nature and Relaxation
The fun didn’t stop when we were out of the park.
Our accommodation, Efteling Bosrijk, was a short walk from the theme park.
These, typical style, Dutch houses are located amongst trees, around a pretty lake which is beautiful to stroll around.
Check out the tour that the very talented Penny put together..
There are also play areas dotted about amongst the trees and houses so plenty to keep children busy for hours.
We joked that we didn’t need the theme park and they would play here all day!
With weary limbs and a journey ahead of us we skipped the parks on our last morning and hit the pool after a chilled our breakfast. With a lazy river, jacuzzi and lots of splash areas for little children, it is a great way to unwind.
Being with friends
Now, these kids see each other every now and again but they never forget each other. It was lovely to see the bond growing stronger between siblings and between friends. Efling is a great place to meet up with friends with villages houses sleeping from 6 people up to lodges for famiy and friend groups up to 24!
The Fairytale forest, one of the oldest parts of the theme park, provides something for all ages with different tales brought to life for childen to play in or peek inside.
Here they are with Sleeping Beauty’s castle providing the backdrop.
So, overall views!
We had such an amazing adventure! Holland is beautiful – so clean and neat (and efficient)!
Penny has put together this cool video.. check it out!
The journey was smooth and hassle free and we were so impressed. The children also learnt lots about navigating their way aroud the train and bus systems they will be confident travellers as they get older.
The rides are great quality, captivating and clearly an adrenaline buzz yet there is plenty for the less ambitious or younger visitor too. The combination of nature and thrill gives a fantastic laid back yet buzzy atmosphere.
We can’t wait to go back and have left a few rides for the younger ones to battle their fears against next time.
For more details on our fun two nights have a look over at Parentshaped’s post..
Have you visited Efteling? Would you like to?
Holland has some brilliant family attractions. Beekse Bergen Safari Park looks amazing – this is definitely one on our to do list! Love the post from Giving Up Normal.
Villa holidays are the answer to so many family holiday dilemmas.
Although staying in a hotel is nice, having your own villa offers much more flexibility in terms of your own space, a kitchen area (I do love having a fridge!) sometimes a washing machine as well as the freedom to live as a local.
Villas also often have the option of your own private pool and outdoor area to relax in.
Clickstay have over 44,000 villas around the world to choose from – in 80 countries – including Spain, Portugal, Italy, USA, Cyprus, Turkey, France, Thailand, Greece and also, of course, the UK.
There is an easy to use Search facility and there are honest reviews from previous guests so you can get an idea if the property will meet your requirements.
After browsing many of my dream destinations, I took a look at the properties in Italy.
I love how most of the living space is outdoors and with a pool and a hot tub, some great memories can be made. From each of the terraces, you will enjoy stunning views, virtually a 180-degree view of the sea and mountain, towards the sunset direction.
It is just 500 metres from a beach and also near to the other beautiful towns in the area such as Amalfi and the Amalfi Coast and Ravello. There is space for a car or there is a bus stop close by. With all those tiny roads I would be opting for the latter!
Rustic charm and thermal baths!
Another option I spotted is a villa located in Contursi Terme, which is somewhere on our list for visiting when we are in the area in April.
Further inland, located in the mountains, this property is close to hotels where (for a small fee) you can languish in naturally occurring thermal baths. As it will be Spring when we are visiting I think we will appreciate a bit of heat!
Again there are beautiful views – especially from the bedrooms – and it also has a pool to cool off if visiting in the Summer months. It has plenty of rustic charm and character and looks like a great place for two small families to get together as it sleeps up to 8 people.
If you have your own property to rent out Clickstay offers great options too. For just a £1 listing fee you can add your property! They also take just 10% fee everytime they rent out your property. With over 12 years experience in villa rentals, you have the confidence they know what they are doing.
Where is your dream destination? Would a villa holiday suit your family needs? Check out the Clickstay website for more details.
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