WHEN it comes to day trips some places leave you disappointed – but one place that has never let me down whatever the weather is Cambridge.
From tucking into sticky Chelsea buns to exploring the famous colleges and free museums, you can easily spend a day here – so here are my top tips for a half-term staycation.
Out & About
Depending on whether you want a day bracing the outdoors, or tucked up inside, there’s so much you can do Cambridge.
And one thing the city is so famous for is punting – which you can do year-round.
So if you want to head out on the water, you can opt to go with a guide (which I’d recommend), or have a go yourself.
Lots of different companies offer tours, but if you book through Cambridge Punt Company you can join a shared tour which takes you along the Cambridge Backs.
Experts talk about the colleges, share stories and it only lasts around 50-minutes.
Prices for shared tours start at around £15 per adult – if you book online you can save 15 per cent on morning tours.
If you want to go it on your own at your own pace then you can go for a self-hire punt which with Punting in Cambridge are priced at £32 per hour.
Just a warning for the self-conscious, a favourite pastime of tourists and locals is to watch first-timers attempt punting and get stuck – so you might spot some giggling onlookers.
If you’re around the punting area, then you may as well take a look around the colleges.
Cambridge is well-known for its prestigious university, and it does no harm that it looks like a set from Harry Potter either.
You can book an official tour with college alumni – although it might not be the most interesting for small children.
If you want to poke your head in, lots of the colleges offer free entry to the public like Pembroke, Christ’s, Magdalene, and Peterhouse.
While you’re there, have a look at the very strange-looking Corpus Clock with a grasshopper on the top.
From there, head into the centre for a walk around the market which is open everyday with stalls selling street food, clothes, jewellery and books.
For some shopping, head into the Grand Arcade or walk across the park to the Grafton Centre.
Free Activities
There are some great places in the city where you don’t have to spend any money at all.
If the weather holds out, the parks are lovely places to go and there are some huge ones in Cambridge like Parker’s Piece and Jesus Green.
Christ’s Pieces is a Victorian park and yes, kids can run about in the open space – but they can also try their hand at table tennis.
On the green are three outdoor tables and you can collect bats and balls from the neighbouring coffee kiosk – free of charge.
Lammas Land has a huge adventure playground with lots of swings, slides and climbing frames to play on.
If it’s a bit chilly then parents can warm up with a hot drink at the cafe which is usually open until 6pm in the winter.
If punting isn’t your thing, but you still want to wander by the water, you can easily take a walk along the River Cam.
You can pick how long you walk for but trails go for miles – some good routes are Magdalene Bridge to Silver Street.
Or the riverside trail through Midsummer Common to Jesus Green.
Sadly there won’t be any cows grazing on the commons in February – but if you return later in the year, you’ll be able to spot them usually near Mill Pond.
Usually they’re there from April until October.
If the weather doesn’t play ball, Cambridge has plenty of museums to take a gander around – and most are free entry.
I remember going into the Fitzwilliam Museum on a school trip and it’s filled with all sorts of artefacts that span across three floors.
It’s currently got an exhibit on Ancient Egypt too (although you’ll have to pay from £14.50 to see this).
The Museum of Zoology is also free and a great one for fans of the Natural History Museum.
Here you can see skeletons of a 21-metre long fin whale, an Asian elephant, Komodo dragon, Goblin shark and even a giant clam.
Check the ‘what’s on’ page as they often hold events and workshops through the year.
Food & Drink
The only struggle you’ll have in Cambridge is deciding where to eat because there are so many good cafes and restaurants.
There are lots of your classic chains that are a hit with kids like Las Iguanas, Zizzi, Honest Burger and Bill’s (who I have to say do a great brunch).
Of course, the city is filled with plenty of fab pubs too.
The Eagle is possibly the most famous as it’s where the finding of the DNA was first announced by Francis Crick and James Watson in 1953.
They serve up food like Chicken Kyiv, mac and cheese, fish and chips, burgers, as well as lighter options like salads and toasted sandwiches.
Head to The Mill for a fishfinger, sausage or brie sandwich.
A little outside of the city centre is the Milton Arms which has special offers on Pie Tuesdays, Pizza Wednesdays, and Burger Thursdays.
If you get peckish and want something sweet, I cannot recommend Fitzbillies enough.
There are three bakeries around Cambridge and they’re known for their enormous and delicious Chelsea Buns.
The original bakery is the one on Trumpington Street opposite the Fitzwilliam Museum with the other two on Bridge Street and King’s Parade.
You can pick up an original Chelsea bun for around £4.
But there are plenty of other flavours to try like blueberry cheesecake, Nutella, and cinnamon buns.
Or even savoury choices like cheese and marmite, or tomato, basil and pesto.
Getting There
When it comes to getting into Cambridge, if you’re heading there by car it can be very busy with car park prices being extortionate.
The worst by far being the Grand Arcade – if you’re there for over five hours it will set you back £36.10.
A great option, and one I used to go all the time as a child is hop on the Park and Ride.
My family would park the car at Trumpington and hop on the bus.
It’s free to park for up to 18 hours and then it’s £4 to the city centre and back for adults.
Up to four children (under 5) go free with each fare-paying adult.
Otherwise, for children aged between 5-15 years it’s just £1 for a return ticket.
The bus will drop you right outside the Grand Arcade shopping centre in the middle of the city too.
There’s also a train station – but for families be warned it’s around a 20-minute walk into the city centre.
But there are buses and taxis you can hop into – or request an Uber.
For more on Cambridge, check out this pretty hotel that’s perfect for city exploring with a beautiful bar and free walking tour.
And here’s a quiet village just 15 minutes from Cambridge that’s the backdrop of an ITV drama.