National Railway Museum, York

We've been here twice now - once when our kids were very small (and a little uninterested in anything apart from the toy Thomas's in the giftshop) and more recently as our 4 year old son was just starting to get into his train set. There are lots of trains to look at, although most of them you cannot climb into. At age 4, I still found our son got a little bit bored of looking at gigantic trains after a while (it was more Daddy and Grandad's cup of tea!) so we went and tried other things as there is enough to do here. Even the footbridge caused a lot of excitement with our little boy. There are hands on activities where we can press buttons to make model trains move and other things work, including an old-fashioned signal box. You can also lean over a balcony to view trains the museum are currently working on and restoring. The restaurant is FAB - there are always home cooked options. Last time we had a fantastic beef stew and vegetables, which was great as it was a cold winter's day. The kids selection is great too, with hot meals to choose or sandwiches. There are toilets dotted around the concourse, so you're never more than a few minutes away for an emergency toilet break. Last time we visited there was a victorian funfair outside too, but it isn't there as a permanent fixture. We all had a go on the old fashioned merry-go-round, and the helter-skelter which despite skinning my elbow took me right back to my childhood and caused a lot of laughter. The kids loved it. Definitely one to keep Dads and Grandads entertained, but our two enjoyed their day out and I feel the older they get the more interested they will become.

We loved our day out at the National Railway Museum. I never thought I'd say that- Trains aren't really my thing, but the look on my three year olds face when he first set foot in the Great Hall and saw all the beautiful polished trains was unbelievable. Entrance to the museum is free but you can buy a visitors guide for approx £5 as a donation to the museum. We also paid £5 for the 3 of us (2 adults and a child) to take a short ride on a steam engine and £5 for the 3 of us to use the little train to take us back into the city centre. There is so much to do and see in the museum, as well as checking out all the trains there are also play areas, a restaurant and gift shops. We did not eat in the resaurant but I must say the smell of the food as we walked past was almost dragging me in. It smelled delicious. There are various picnic points around the museum both inside and out if you wanted to take your own food and drink. Rory's (aged 3) favourite part- The Great Hall and Station Hall. He was in awe of the size and beauty of the trains and loved the fact you can stand on some of them. He was also a big fan of the Thomas The Tank Engine Gift Shop which we had to drag him out of!! The National Railway Museum has lots of family activities and special exhibitions at various times throughout the year. When we visited the whole museum was decorated in a British Summertime theme, and had sand sculptures, a old fashioned fairground and picnic areas with garden games (eg. Giant Jenga) A great day out overall for a bargain price- we spent a total of £15 whilst here however this was optional and you could go and not spend a penny

Such a great day out and really well located in the heart of York just minutes away from the train station but there is also ample car parking too for a small fee. There is so much to see and do and most of it is under cover too so good for those all too frequent rainy days. There are places to eat there but there is also really good picnic areas too - inside and out - so they really do cater for everyone which is particularly good if you are trying to have a day out on a budget. So many exhibits to see but be warned - some of the train carriages have manequins sat aboard that will make you jump out of your skin (or is that just me..?) Such a great day out and I found that it engaged all of my little ones - and us big ones too!

The National Railway Museum York is a great FREE day out for all the family. There are all the obligatory trains as you would expect, but a visit to the museum is so much more than just trains. For younger children there is a great wooden play park outside. There is also a fantastic indoor picnic area, although the restaurant serves a good range of both hot and cold food. On certain days they have steam events and you can rise an engine outside. Children can do brass rubbings etc and throughout the summer holidays there are lots of special events. Free road train to York Town centre You do have to pay for parking

We actually only went into the museum because it was such a wet morning, but were pleasantly surprised because it just happened to be a day on which there was a special event with a whole range of different arts and activities on offer. We spent longer than we had intended in the museum and watched dance displays, flower arranging and floor sand art to name a few. The children were able to take part in drop-in activities and really enjoyed themselves. My son in particular loved the old steam engines, and we learnt a lot about the history of railways! Unexpectedly enjoyable visit!