Basingstoke is a vibrant town bursting with a rich heritage and a remarkable past. And its fantastic variety of showstopping family attractions laced with one-of-a-kind experiences will make you want to come back again and again.
A stone’s throw from London, you won’t struggle to get to this bustling Hampshire town. Once you’re there, your kids’ imaginations will run riot, and you won’t miss out either!
Whether your family comprises of explorers, thrill seekers or creative minds, Basingstoke is the perfect place for your next family outing. To help get you inspired, here are 6 of our favourite unmissable family adventures in Basingstoke for the whole family to enjoy:
Butser Ancient Farm
A few miles from Basingstoke town centre, you’ll discover the groundbreaking Butser Ancient Farm. Now in its 50th year, this unique experimental archaeology site is home to Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman Britain and Anglo-Saxon buildings inspired by real-life finds found within the UK. It’s as authentic as it comes to travelling back in time!
You can see prehistoric crops up close and rare farm breeds too!
But that’s not all. Butser offers a fantastic range of events and activities throughout the year that will leave you all amazed.
Face the mesmerising Romans in Residence: Butser IX Legion! Let your kids take part in the brilliant Crazy Celts Day Camp. Or feast around the campfire as you listen to the Winter Soltice-inspired Tales of Winter Magic. From experiencing a realistic Viking ship burning to close encounters with all of Butser’s animals, this is the perfect family day out!
Exciting Escapes
Encounter the past, uncover dark secrets and put all your senses to the test in Basingstoke’s escape room, Exciting Escapes. Placing you right in the heart of the action, this is a family adventure like no other!
Will you discover important enemy secrets before time runs out in 1950s-inspired A Hidden Past? Can you stop a fiendish British banker from funding the Germans in WWII-based Banking on Trouble? Or will you solve a mysterious disappearance in the 1800s themed The Disappearing Duchess – Chapter 1?
Want to take your child’s experience to the next level? Why not invite all their friends along for their next birthday party? Perfect for kids aged 6-13, there ain’t no party like an Exciting Escapes party!
Are you ready to throw the rule book out the window? Enter the game master’s lair and see if you and the whole family has what it takes to beat the room before it’s too late!
Milestones Museum
Stroll along Victorian cobbled streets, peruse decades-old shops and look at their wares, and discover what life was like for the people who lived, worked and shaped Hampshire into the beautiful county you see today.
Milestones is no ordinary museum. It is a museum of living history that immerses you in the past as you journey through the Victorian age to the 1940s.
Petrol heads will enjoy wandering through the vintage vehicle shed. You’ll see examples from the three big local car manufacturers: Basingstoke’s own Thornycroft, Wallis & Stevens and Taskers of Andover.
Kids (and grownups!) will love walking along the traditional Milestones Pier and having a go on the vintage amusement machines and the well-loved penny arcade! Don’t forget to swing by the 1940s-style sweet shop to get your hands on a ration of penny sweets before sitting in the Victorian-replica schoolroom.
Never miss an event at Milestones! Check out their diverse programme of activities, from 1940s vintage weekends to enjoying all the frolics at Christmas time.
Pot To Doodle Do Pottery
It’s time to get crafty at Pot to Doodle Do Pottery! Children can create their next masterpiece as they explore a kaleidoscope of colours, sponges, stickers and more.
The whole family can get stuck in, let your imaginations run wild and learn how to express yourself regardless of how much mess you make. The studio’s friendly team will help you throughout the creative process by offering handy tips and advice for the perfect finish.
Whether you’re more of a finger painter, a sponge painter or an artist extraordinaire, no artistic ability is required to enjoy this explosion of colour experience!
Planet Ice
Basingstoke’s premier ice rink, Planet Ice, is ideal for family adventures in Basingstoke. They offer fantastic family sessions, disco evenings, open skating and a brilliant Parent Toddler session to get your tiniest tots on the ice!
More serious skaters can push themselves to the max and access lessons in figure skating, ice dancing, ice hockey and speed skating with scope for every child (and grownup) to develop a long-lasting interest. Each discipline offers a variety of benefits that will boost their balance, confidence and fitness levels to boot!
If you want a casual skate during the holidays, Planet Ice likes to put on seasonal special events and extra fun activities throughout the season.
The Vyne
The Vyne is one of Basingstoke’s worst-kept secrets. Over the centuries, it has housed Tudor royalty (King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn!), stood up against the English Civil War and acted as a refuge for WWII evacuees.
Delve into the ancient woodland and stunning grounds, and you’ll stumble across a medieval fishpond and a perfect spot to build your personal Gruffallo house.
Children can burn off all their extra energy in The Hidden Realm adventure play area. Inspired by fantasy and legend, kids are encouraged to explore the wooden fort, crawl through the tunnels, slide down grassy banks and play around with the stream’s water supply!
Tolkien fans will get a kick as they wander through the house. Amongst The Vyne’s many treasures and period pieces, you’ll find the Ring of Silvanus – a 4th-century Roman ring. When you see it, you’ll understand its significance right away. After all, it’s said to be the ring that inspired “the ring of power” in Tolkien’s definitive masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings!
Basingstoke needs to be on your radar. It’s home to an abundance of unmissable family adventures that will make you want to visit again in the future! Did any of our favourite family adventures in Basingstoke top your list?