Entertain the Kids - Harrogate Style!

With thoughts turning towards the Spring term break, here at Harrogate Holidays we thought we'd share with you some of our favourite things that we enjoy doing with our children.

Valley Gardens - Just moments from the hustle and bustle of Harrogate town centre, Valley Gardens is a great place to while away and afternoon. There are fantastic landscaped gardens and a great coffee shop but the main attraction for the kids is the recently renovated playground. Children of all ages will love the wooden adventure castle, the aeroplane and zip wire. In the warmer months there's a large paddling pool so bring their swimming trunks!

Harlow Carr Gardens - A really pleasant 1 mile walk or bike ride from Valley Gardens are the world renowned Royal Horticultural Society gardens. There's something for everyone, without going into the gardens there's a fabulous gift shop with extensive children's section and Betty's café, which is really family friendly (probably more child friendly than the café in town), great for mini hot chocs and "fat rascals" (a great big scone that could feed a family!). Once inside the garden's (Admission charges £7.00 per adult and £2.50 for children over 6 years) there's "eye spy" to keep the children entertained, the "log ness" monster to scramble over a maze and of course stunning horticultural spectacles. In the school holidays and on certain weekends there's further fun with special days - see their website for more details.

"Pots2Go!" - Every town has a pot painting place and Harrogate is no exception. Located on the picturesque Montpellier Parade, "Pots2Go!" offers a wide selection of biscuit ceramic objects to paint. Children always enjoy making souvenirs or gifts to take home for the grandparents, just ensure that you go early in your break so there's time to fire and glaze their creations. Tel. 01423 524797 to book a slot or just call in.

Knaresborough Waterside - this is a real holiday destination. There are lovely flat walks along the riverside, boats and canoes to hire - which are great fun. (In the winter season this may be restricted to the weekend only). There is a good variety of café's on Waterside either set into the side of the gorge or right by the water's edge.

Brimham Rocks is the perfect destination for all those budding rock climbers! Around 15 minutes drive from Harrogate, set within the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this fascinating moorland is filled with strange and fantastic rock formations and is rich in wildlife. It's a "little hairy" for children under five unless they are safely strapped into a back pack or buggy but a great adventure for older children. It's a National Trust managed site so parking is free for National Trust Members and £4 for non members.

This is just a flavour of the things that we enjoy with our children, we hope that when you visit Harrogate you'll give a couple of them a try.