20 things to do in Lincolnshire before you die
Looking for things to do in Lincolnshire? We’ve compiled 20 top county gems for a must-do tick list. Here are the top places to visit in the county before you die.
Frampton Marsh Nature Reserve, Boston
Photo: Neil Smith, RSPB Website
Opening Times:
Monday – Friday: 9.30am-4pm
Saturday-Sunday: 9.30am-5pm
Bank Holidays: 9.30am-5pm
Price:
FREE
Frampton Marsh Nature Reserve is surrounded by a network of public footpaths along grassy seabanks, perfect for walkers and sightseers alike. The visitor centre overlooks the reserve and also benefits from three hides and numerous outdoor benches which overlook freshwater scrapes and other scenic views.You can get really close views of birds from the visitor centre, where telescopes for visitors to use are provided.
Travel information and more online here.
Boating Lake, Cleethorpes
Photo: Visit Cleethorpes Website
Opening Times:
Monday – Sunday: 10am-5.30pm
Open during the summer period only
Price:
FREE
The boating lake offers a number of facilities, including a pedalo and rowing boat rides, a sandpit for younger children, a shipwreck adventure playground and paddling area. There is also the choice of two cafes and the opportunity to look out at sea from the ABP observatory.
Travel information and more online here.
Old Hall, Gainsborough
Opening Times:
Monday – Friday: 10am-5pm
Saturday – Sunday: 10.30am-5pm
(The hall itself may be closed some days due to weddings so it is advised you contact the hall before attending.)
Price:
Adults: £7.40
Children (5-17): £4.20
Unders 5s: FREE
Concessions: £5.90
Described by its visitors as Lincolnshire’s ‘hidden gem’ this attraction offers a variety of events and exhibitions throughout the year. Gainsborough Old Hall is a large, late-medieval manor house, built in 1460. The house itself boasts a grand hall, original medieval kitchen and a ghost corridor for those who feel brave enough to take a look.
Travel information and more online here.
Belton House, Grantham
Photo: National Trust Website
Opening Times:
Monday – Sunday: 9.30am-5.30pm
(The house itself opens at 12pm-5pm with the last tour at 4.30pm)
Price:
Adults: From £11.40
Children: From £7.70
Family: From £30.50
Belton House is a Grade I listed country house which is surrounded by formal gardens and a larger wooded park. Set in its own extensive deer park, the area is owned by the National Trust and was built in the late 17th century. The house benefits from an adventure playground, gardens, shops, restaurants and guided tours of the house basements.
Travel information and more online here.
Fishing Heritage Centre, Grimsby
Photo: BBC Website
Opening Times:
Monday: CLOSED
Tuesday – Sunday: 10am-5pm
Bank Holidays: 10am-5pm
Price:
Adults: £6
Children: £2
Concessions: £4
The Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre gives visitors the opportunity to take in Great Grimsby’s history, enabling you to experience the sights, sounds and smells of the ‘world’s premier fishing port.’ The award-winning attraction aims to take you back 60 years to discover the life of trawlermen and their families with a number of different activities and attractions in the Centre.
Travel information and more online here.
Lincoln Cathedral, Lincoln
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Opening Times:
Monday – Saturday: 7.15am-6pm
Sunday: 7.15am-5pm
(Between July and August the Cathedral is open until 8pm on weekdays and 6pm on weekends)
Price:
Adults: £8
Children: £4.80
Under 5s: FREE
Concessions: £6.40
(There is no entrance charge before 9am and after 4.30pm)
Lincoln Cathedral has been described as “the finest gothic building in Europe.” Around the Cathedral there is information available about its history, present activities taking place and the Cathedral’s hopes for the future. You will also have the opportunity to search for the Lincoln Imp, which hides in the walls of the Cathedral and take part in a tour by an experienced guide. Tours are available for both the roof and tower.
Travel information and more online here.
Rushmoor Country Park Farm, Louth
Photo: Rushmoor Park Website
Opening Times:
Monday – Sunday: 10am-5m (April to September)
Price:
Adults and children 2+: £6.75
Children 0-2: FREE
Concessions: £6
Rushmoor Country Park Farm is a friendly venue, set in six acres of Lincolnshire countryside, just outside the market town of Louth. The farm opened in 2001, with the aim to provide a hands on and up close animal experience. There are hawk and owl demonstrations everyday, pony rides, animal feeding and activities throughout the day.
Travel information and more online here.
Normanby Hall Country Park, Scunthorpe
Photo: Normanby Hall Website
Opening Times:
Open daily: 10.30am-5pm
(The Hall and Farming museum are open daily from 1pm-5pm, the park itself is open all year round from 9am until dusk)
Price:
Adults: £6.50
Children: £3.30
Seniors: £5.90
Normanby Hall Country Park is a 300 acre estate, set in the heart of North Lincolnshire. The park itself is open to the public every day of the year and boasts beautiful scenery and the perfect backdrop to your day out. The Hall and Farming museum within the grounds are open only in the summer months and provide information about the estate and farming life. There is also award winning gardens to explore, events throughout the year and ample wildlife to spot.
Travel information and more online here.
Beach, Skegness
Photo: The Beach Guide
Opening Times:
All day
Price:
FREE
Skegness’s award-winning beach boasts a number of activities across the sands, including donkey rides, a paddling pool and a pier. The Fairy Dell paddling pool, which re-opened in 2006 following extensive refurbishment, is perfect for the younger ones. The beach also has a nearby Fantasy Island theme park and indoor butterfly conservatory at Natureland. The beach itself has also been awarded with the Blue Flag Award, making this a gold standard beach.
Travel information and more online here.
Burghley House, Stamford
Opening Times:
Monday – Thursday: 11am-5pm
Friday: 11am-5pm (House CLOSED)
Saturday-Sunday: 11am-5pm
Price:
Adults: From £8.50
Children: From £5.50
Concessions: From £7
Built between 1555 and 1587, this house was mostly designed by William Cecil, Lord High Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth I. The property boasts 35 major rooms to the house, with 80 lesser rooms. Visitor’s facilities include a restaurant, gift shop, beautiful gardens and walks around the historic parkland, which is still occupied by a herd of fallow deer. Guided tours are also available around the house, with the view of the teddy bear’s picnic in the gardens of surprise for children.
Travel information and more online here.
Moulton Windmill, Spalding
Photo: Moulton Mill Website
Opening Times:
Monday – Wednesday: CLOSED
Thursday – Sunday: 10am-4pm
Bank Holiday Monday: 10am-4pm
Price:
Adults: £4
Children (5-16): £2
Under 5s: FREE
Concessions: £2.95
Moulton Mill is the tallest windmill in the country, which stands at 100ft high. The tower mill is also the largest surviving windmill in the country. The mill benefits from a shop, tea room and grinding days, in which visitors have the opportunity to witness first hand how the mill works. There is also the opportunity to buy flour produced by the mill itself, along with a number of souvenirs and work from local artists.
Travel information and more online here.
Hall Farm Park, Market Rasen
Photo: Hall Farm Park Website
Opening Times:
Monday – Tuesday: 10am-5pm
Wednesday: CLOSED
Thursday – Sunday: 10am-5pm
Price:
Adults: £5.90
Children 2+: £5.90
Under 2s: FREE
Seniors: £5
Hall Farm Park is set on the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds, which opened in 2006. The park is family run and a rural backdrop, with a real working farms and activities throughout the year. There are tractor rides throughout the day, with seasonal activities including lamb feeding and goat walking. There is also a play area for younger children and a tearoom and gift shop.
Travel information and more online here.
Seal Sanctuary and Wildlife Centre, Mablethorpe
Photo: Mablethorpe seal sanctuary and wildlife centre video screenshot
Opening Times:
Monday – Sunday: 10am-5pm
(Opening times may depend on weather conditions and checking before you go is recommended)
Price:
Adults: £8
Children (3-15): £5
Under 3s: FREE
Seniors: £7
The sanctuary and wildlife centre has a wide variety of rescued animals including primates, reptiles, birds of prey, meerkats, birds and seals. The centre has a time walking cave facility, in which you have the opportunity to search for 80 hidden fossils and gain information on prehistoric creatures.
Travel information and more online here.
Lincolnshire Aviation and Heritage Centre, East Kirby
Photo: Lincolnshire Aviation and Heritage Centre Website
Opening Times:
Monday – Saturday: 9.30am-5pm (Last entry 4pm)
Sunday: CLOSED
Price:
Adults: £7.50
Children (6-15): £3
Under 5s: FREE
Seniors: £6.50
Please note: These are prices for normal days. Prices for event days may vary.
Relive a World War II Bomber Airfield at the Lincolnshire Aviation and Heritage Centre in East Kirby. You are able to experience the sights, sounds and smells of a bomber airfield and witness the Lincolnshire Bomber on its original wartime airfield. There is also the opportunity to look inside the memorial chapel, which contains 848 names of personnel who gave their lives in the war.
Travel information and more online here.
Woodside Wildlife and Falconry Park, Newball
Photo: John Aron, Daily Mail
Opening Times:
Monday – Sunday: 10am-5pm
Price:
Adults: £9.95
Children: £8.45
Under 2s: FREE
Seniors: £9.45
Woodside Wildlife and Falconry Park is a fun-packed visitor attraction, suitable for the whole family. The site boasts a Tropical Paradise area where younger ones can play in the sand and swing around in the adventure play area. There is also an opportunity to meet racoons, reptiles and monkeys. Eagle, hawk and falcon flying displays are set daily, with the chance to hold snakes and grab a coffee in the cafe.
Travel information and more online here.
Grimsthorpe Castle, Bourne
Photo: Grimsthorpe Castle Video Screenshot
Opening Times:
Monday – Thursday: 11am-6pm
Friday – Saturday: CLOSED
Sunday: 11am-6pm
Price:
Adults: From £6
Children (5-18): From £2.50
Concessions: From £5
The castle, built by architect Sir John Vanbrugh in the 13th century has a large quadrangular house with a central courtyard. The castle boasts a collection of paintings, furniture and tapestries dating back as early is the 1500’s. The grounds also has a formal gardens and a play area for children to enjoy. There is also a 3000 acre park that is home to an abundance of wildlife and a gift shop and tea room.
Travel information and more online here.
Elsham Hall Gardens and Country Park, Brigg
Photo: Roy Briggs
Opening Times:
Monday – Friday: CLOSED
Saturday – Sunday: 11am-5pm
Price:
Adults: £5.75
Children: £4.75
Concessions: £5
Elsham Hall Gardens and Country Park offers walks along lakeside gardens, a contemporary walled garden and much more. The park has an adventure playground for children, with a variety of animals and birds to go and see. There are regular family events held throughout the season including a circus and magic acts, car shows and an open air theatre. The hall also benefits from a courtyard tea room for snacks and refreshments.
Travel information and more online here.
Heckington Windmill, Heckington
Photo: Heckington Mill Website
Opening Times:
Monday – Sunday: 12pm-5pm (School holidays only)
Price:
Adults: £3
Children (5-18): £1.50
Under 5s: FREE
Heckington windmill is a fully operational mill, which has six floors and eight sails. The working mill has a number of facilities, including a mill house tea room, guided tours around the mill and a mill shop selling flour from the mill itself and gifts and souvenirs to take home.
Travel information and more online here.
Lincolnshire Wildlife Park, Friskney
Photo: Lincolnshire Wildlife Park Parrot Video Screenshot
Opening Times:
Monday – Sunday: 10am-5pm (Last entry 4pm)
Price:
Adults: £9.95
Children (3-15): £8.50
Under 3s: FREE
Seniors: £8.50
Lincolnshire Wildlife Park is one of the UK’s largest animal sanctuaries, with animals from all over the world making a home there. The park is the largest parrot sanctuary in the UK and houses over 2000 re-homed parrots and parakeets, covering over 100 species. The park boasts a snack shack for refreshments and the new Bengal Gardens (opens Friday, July 29), which showcases the park’s family of 11 re-homed Bengal tigers.
Travel information and more online here.
Gunby Hall and Gardens, Spilsby
Opening Times:
Monday – Sunday: 11am-5pm
(The Hall itself is closed on Thursdays and Fridays)
Price:
Adults: £7.50
Children: £3.75
The country house, which is dates back to the 1700s is set within Victorian walled gardens and boasts domestic sized rooms which are filled with furniture and artwork. Facilities at the halls and gardens include walks through the grounds, picnic spots and the opportunity to play a game of croquet on the lawn. There is also an activity pack available, boasting ‘50 things to do before you’re 11 ¾’ , with a number of activities for young ones around the grounds.
Travel information and more online here.
