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Embarking on exciting adventures and creating lasting memories doesn't have to break the bank! As we step into 2024, the pursuit of affordable and enjoyable days out takes centre stage.
In this blog, I'll be your compass to discovering the most budget-friendly ways to have a blast in 2024. I've curated a treasure trove of top tips to ensure your days out in the Midlands are memorable without leaving a dent in your wallet. These tips include things I do and take advantage of every year for cheaper days out.
Top Tips for Cheaper Days Out in 2024
Let's dive into the Top Tips for Cheaper Days Out in 2024 and make every outing more affordable!
Sun Savers Superdays
The Sun Superdays is a promotion that offers free tickets to major UK attractions throughout the year. With Sun Superdays you can get two FREE tickets for days out at Chessington World of Adventures Resort, Alton Towers Resort, Thorpe Park Resort, Warwick Castle, and The Bear Grylls Adventure. All you have to do is collect nine codes from The Sun newspaper during the promotion that is advertised throughout the year.
Although the specific dates for The Sun Superdays code collection are yet to be announced, the schedule for 2024 looks like this:
Sea Life Centre (Starts in February)
Alton Towers Resort (Starts in March)
Chessington World of Adventures Resort (Starts in April)
Thorpe Park Resort (Starts in May)
Warwick Castle (Starts in June)
The Blackpool Tower (Starts In July)
The London Eye (Starts in August)
The Bear Grylls Adventure (Starts in September)
The Dungeons and Shrek's Adventure (Starts in October)
Madame Tussauds (Starts in November)
Cadbury World (Starts in December)
Last year, we visited Alton Towers Resort, Thorpe Park Resort, Warwick Castle, and Chessington World of Adventures. It's such a great way to cut costs on these big days out!
Do keep an eye out on my social media channels and sign up to be notified when I post as I will be posting when these offers are available.
National Lottery Days Out Campaign
Throughout the summer of 2023, the National Lottery Days Out campaign proved extremely popular. For this campaign, you could purchase or use any pre-bought National Lottery Ticket, Scratchcard, or Instant Win Game (bought from 1 January 2023) to get a £25 voucher to put towards a fun day out!
Last year, some of the participating Midlands attractions included:
Cadbury World
Warwick Castle
National SEA LIFE Centre (in Birmingham City Centre)
Dudley Castle & Zoo
It's definitely a promotion to keep an eye out for this year!
National Lottery Open Week
National Lottery Open Week is an annual promotion that has been running since 2017.
The idea is simple: during National Lottery Open Week (the next one takes place from Saturday 9th – Sunday 17th March 2024), National Lottery-funded venues and projects across the UK make a special offer available to National Lottery players, which can be redeemed with a National Lottery ticket, scratchcard or proof of play online.
Although this list is not exhaustive, last year saw free entry to the following attractions in the Midlands:
Black Country Living Museum
Aston Manor Transport Museum
Baddesley Clinton
Coughton Court
Attingham Park
Biddulph Grange Garden
Coalport China Museum
Jackfield Tile Museum
Severn Valley Railway
Heritage Open Days
Every September thousands of volunteers across England organise events to celebrate our fantastic history and culture. It's your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences – all of which are free to explore.
Heritage Open Days returns 6-15 September 2024.
Groupon and Wowcher
Every year, I check Groupon and Wowcher for deals on days out and activities. New deals are regularly uploaded so it's best to check every week or so. Deals that are currently available (as of January 2024) include:
Five Vue Cinema Tickets for £22 (Groupon)
Dudley Zoo Family Entry Ticket (2 Adults 2 Children) for £34.95. Valid until 29th February 2024 (Groupon)
Hoo Zoo & Dinosaur World Family Entry (2 Adults & 2 Children) for £29 (Wowcher)
Karen's Diner: Burgers, Fries, and a Drink for 2 people for £28.95 (Wowcher)
Conkers: Family Ticket (weekends in January) for £22.50 (Wowcher)
Last year, there were also regular deals for Gulliver's Theme Parks on Wowcher, which we will also take advantage of this year when the offer is available again.
*Please check the T&Cs on Groupon and Wowcher before booking. There are often restrictions on dates you can visit certain attractions.
2for1 Days Out
When traveling by West Midland Railway train, you can get 2-for-1 admission to the following places in the West Midlands:
National SEA LIFE Centre
LEGOLAND Discovery Centre
Cadbury World
The Bear Grylls Adventure
Warwick Castle
Free Return Visit
The offer of a free return visit (or yearly pass) when you pay to visit an attraction once is a compelling incentive that enhances the value of the initial admission. In the Midlands, many places offer this incentive such as:
Dudley Zoo & Castle: If you visit Dudley Zoo & Castle at the moment, you can get a free return visit to use in January or February.
Black Country Living Museum: When you buy a full-priced general admission ticket for just one day, BCLM give you a ticket to return as many times as you would like for a whole year at no extra charge. The free return ticket is called an UnChained Annual Pass. Free returns are not valid during special events.
West Midland Safari Park: Guests booking tickets on the WMSP website are entitled to a Free Return Visit, within 6 months from the date of their visit. Free Return Codes are not valid during any school holiday dates, during any special events or evening events, nor on any Bank Holiday dates.
British Motor Museum: When you buy a full-priced general admission ticket for just one day, you can visit for 12 months for free. When buying your ticket choose 'OK' to donate your entry fee and agree to Gift Aid. In return, the museum will convert your ticket to an Annual Pass.
Mother and Father's Day Offers
During Mother's and Father's Day weekend, many attractions offer free admission to mothers, fathers, and grandparents with a full-paying child ticket. Last year saw the following attractions offer free admission to mums, dads, and grandparents:
Dudley Zoo and Castle
Gulliver's Theme Parks
Twycross Zoo
Chester Zoo
Burntwood Alpacas
Churchfields Farm
Hoo Zoo and Dinosaur World
Lower Drayton Farm
National Forest Adventure Farm
Peak Wildlife Park
Tattershall Farm Park
Hopefully, 2024 will have a similar line-up of fab attractions to visit.
Winter Day Out Deals
During the off-peak winter months, families can take advantage of enticing days-out deals. Many attractions offer special winter promotions, providing an excellent opportunity for budget-friendly adventures. Here are some current deals:
Hatton World: 2-4-1 weekday tickets during term time.
National Forest Adventure Farm: February half-term tickets are cheaper than 2023. And if you book tickets for the February half term's "New Life on the Farm" event, you can visit during Easter for half price!
Gulliver's World Early Season Special: Tickets are just £15 per person with the Early Season Special (from February 10th to March 17th). You must book at least two days in advance.
Matlock Farm Park: Up to 2 children go free per full-paying adult in January. Book online or simply buy tickets ‘on the door’ on the day.
Peak Wildlife Park: Use code WINTER50 at checkout for half-price tickets until January 31st.
Rodbaston Animal Zone: Kids can visit for £1 throughout January.
Gardeners World Magazine
Every year, the May issue of the Gardeners' World Magazine includes a 2-for-1 entry guide and card that gives you 2-for-1 entry to 416 gardens across the UK! Last year,
the magazine could be pre-ordered online via Mags Direct (£8.50 excl. postage) or the magazine could be bought from local newsagents in mid-April.
Other Tips:
Here are my other tips for securing a cheap day out in the Midlands in 2024:
A Day Out With The Kids VIP Pass gives you discounts to attractions across the UK.
Throughout the year, newspapers like The Daily Mirror, The Sun, and In Your Area offer free National Trust family day passes.
Many attractions offer discounts and even free admission for Blue Light card holders.
If you can visit an attraction during term time and mid-week, there are a whole host of places that offer parent and toddler deals.
Make sure to sign up for attraction newsletters. Not only will you be the first to know about new events and when tickets go on sale, they often include discounts, especially for local zoos and attractions.
Annual passes are a great (and often cheaper) way to enjoy an attraction for a whole year. Popular annual passes and yearly memberships include National Trust Membership, Ironbridge Gorge Museums Annual Pass, Merlin Annual Pass, and a Drayton Manor Annual Pass. Lots of local attractions and soft plays offer yearly memberships too.
Some attractions and activities offer discounted or free entry in certain weeks throughout the year for those who live locally and share certain postcodes. For example, Coventry residents with a valid Go CV card are eligible for free entry to Coventry Transport Museum.
Take advantage of free family attractions such as The Royal Air Force Museum (RAF Cosford) and Sandwell Valley Country Park in West Bromwich is also great for an afternoon out.
In certain weeks in 2023, some attractions offered free or discounted admission for those in receipt of Universal Credit. As soon as more information is available about attractions in the Midlands offering this in 2024, I will post it on my social media channels.
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