We live in a little town in Somerset called Frome which is a little bit of an arty, hippy, lovely little town about 13 miles south of Bath and 25 miles to Bristol.
I think it’s well worth a visit and if you do ever find yourself here with your family, here are a few places to check out in and around.
KID THINGS
LONGLEAT SAFARI
We love Longleat and have annual passes. They have loads more than just the safari. Trains, Deadly 60 adventure thing, feeding the Sea Lions of the boat in the lake on route to ‘Gorilla Island’, walking through meerkats and penguins and stingrays you can touch. It has a maze, an adventure playground, soft play and a bird of prey show.
The thing I really like about it as most of the animals are not enclosed in boxes or cages.
Longleat have also always got something going on. At the moment they have got an amazing dinosaur thing going on with loads of MASSIVE moving dinosaurs dotted about, next will be some great spooky Halloween fun, then fireworks and then, this Christmas the AMAZING Chinese festival of light returns which is so good! Here is a few pics of last year. There is loads more, but you can go see for yourself!
There is also a Santa train which is quite fun if you have little ones. You get on and then travel to Santa’s grotto where he is there in all his glory complete with his REAL reindeer and elves and possibly not so real snowmen
Longleat isn’t cheap. If you live nearby you can get reduced rate annual passes and I think they are well worth it, as we do go all the time.
If you are in the area, you can get a ticket and spread it over two days which I think is a really good idea as there is so much to do.
One piece of advice.. if you want to do the safari. GET THERE EARLY. It is SO much better being the first people around. All the animals are just waking up and not so bored by the constant traffic that you will experience if you leave it till midday. ESPECIALLY in the summer.
HOPE NATURE CENTRE
A lovely little nature park on the way to Trowbridge which is about £3 to get in and has lots of little animals, some pigs, horses, sheep, owls, emu’s, goats etc and a play area. You can buy animal food at the desk and feed them as you go around. It has a really nice cafe too when you get hungry!
http://www.hopenaturecentre.org.uk
WHITE ROW FARM
Farm shop and Resturant with kids play area/sand/diggers and pigs, rabbits and chickens to torment. I mean look at. They do nice food and roasts if you fancy a roast somewhere your kids can play too. (outside mind). Also, there is a chip shop up there which is AMAZING!
SOFT PLAYS
If it’s raining, your kids are driving you mental and your feeling brave these are the soft plays I know about
Frome
Warminster (never been so I can’t comment)
http://www.little-urchins-softplay.co.uk
http://www.funwayswarminster.com
Shepton Mallett
Good for a 2 and 4-year-old because they can roam all about it
http://www.hullabaloojungleplay.co.uk
Writhlington
Really good but the bigger bit is in a separate room and a bit too big for a 2-year-old to roam freely and mine wants to go where his sister goes, so I am waiting till he is a bit bigger before I go back there. It has a separate baby bit which is great for 0-18months.
http://www.writhlingtonleisure.co.uk/activities/soft-play-centre/
PARKS
There are few little parks in Frome, but these two are the main ones.
There is a park in town with a sandpit, next to the skate park. If you park in the cheese and grain you can walk behind it, along the river, you will hit the skate park and its just beyond it.
There is Victoria Park, (park road) which is a big park just out of town with another skate park and climbing frames etc.
OTHER CULTURAL THINGS INIT
Westway Cinema
One screen vintage cinema with a small selection of films. Also sells booze!
http://www.westwaycinema.co.uk
Merlin Theatre (currently showing Avenue Q) http://www.merlintheatre.co.uk
Memorial Theatre http://www.fmt.website
There is also the monthly independent market on the first Sunday of the month. See my review here https://supermumandotherdisguises.com/2015/08/05/frome-independent-market/
LIVE MUSIC
Wheatsheaves
Cheese and Grain
Griffin
supermum and other disguises 