Interested in seeing more of the United Kingdom? Want to visit interesting and historical sites off the beaten track? Looking for family friendly places?

Then, the National Trust might be for you as it was for us. During our three month trip around the United Kingdom, we joined the National Trust and we were very pleased as our membership allowed us access to so many places.

When you join, members are given a car sticker, so you are able to park for free at their sites and sometimes even in specially allocated lots. They also have an app that is useful as it will let you know of National Trust properties within your vicinity and their amenities. It is also updated to show special activities or events on the properties. Keep an eye out for the National Trust cafes as they were lovely. Delicious tea and scones with clotted cream- yum. And, we found the prices of the cafes to be reasonable.

See and Do

There are over 300 properties included that are well cared for and have wonderful staff to assist you. A number of the stately homes and castles we visited also included children activities. Some provided the children with a map of the home and then the kids would have to find hidden objects. Others had special events, many of these are included in the visit. Others are for a small price, so our children were able to have a mini-lesson on how to use a bow and arrow at one of the castles. These activities provided us with not only more time to enjoy the sites, but also an opportunity to chat with friendly and informative staff. Some places we spent the day in while others were just a stopover.

Top National Trust Places

Stonehenge (with English Heritage) and Avebury
St. Michael’s Mount
Greenway (Agatha Christie’s summer home)
Hadrian’s Wall and Housesteads Fort
Stourhead
Cliveden
Hill Top - Beatrix Potter Home
Bodiam
Wray Castle
Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland.

Great Value

We were able to afford to visit more homes and castles thanks to the membership and it made us feel more connected to the United Kingdom. The National Trust offers yearly membership for families (£114.60) . They also have a 7-day (£58) and 14-day (£73) touring pass.