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How to Save Money on Family Attractions & Days Out
Family days out can get expensive surprisingly quickly. You start with the attraction tickets, then add transport, parking, lunch, snacks, drinks, souvenirs and a few unexpected extras, and suddenly your “little day out” costs far more than planned.
The good news is that you don’t have to stop taking the kids to the places they love. With a little planning, there are plenty of ways to save money on family attractions and days out without making the experience feel cheap or restrictive.
Here are some of the strategies we use when planning family attractions, along with the costs families often forget to include.
1. Compare Attraction Ticket Prices Before Booking
One of the easiest ways to save money is simply to avoid buying the first tickets you see.
Before booking a family attraction, compare:
- Official online prices
- Gate prices
- Family tickets
- Child and adult ticket prices
- Third party ticket deals
- Combination tickets
- Annual passes
- Off-peak tickets
- Discount codes or promotions
Many attractions charge less when tickets are purchased online in advance. Don’t automatically assume a deal is cheaper, though. Compare the final family price, including booking fees and extras.
Quick Tip
Work out the total cost for your entire family rather than comparing individual ticket prices. A £2 saving per person might not sound exciting, but for a family of five that’s £10 saved before you’ve even arrived.
2. Check Whether Children Go Free
Age rules can make a surprisingly big difference to the cost of a family day out. Some attractions allow babies or toddlers to enter free, while others have discounted child tickets or special family packages.
Before paying, check:
- What age children start paying
- Whether toddlers enter free
- Whether proof of age is required
- Whether there are family ticket options
This is particularly useful when comparing two similar attractions.
3. Visit During Off-Peak Dates
If your schedule allows it, avoiding the busiest dates can make family days out on a budget much easier. Ticket prices at some attractions vary depending on the date. Weekdays and quieter periods can sometimes cost less than weekends, school holidays and major events.
There is another benefit too; smaller crowds can mean shorter queues and more time actually enjoying the attraction. Always check school attendance requirements before planning a term time visit with school age children.
4. Create a Family Day Out Budget Before You Go
Tickets aren’t the only expense.
A realistic family day out budget should include:
| Expense | What to Budget For |
|---|---|
| Tickets | Adult tickets, child tickets, family tickets and attraction add-ons |
| Transport | Fuel, train, bus, taxi, rideshare or rental car |
| Parking | Attraction parking, hotel parking or nearby car parks |
| Food | Breakfast, lunch, dinner or meal deals |
| Snacks & Drinks | Snacks, treats, bottled drinks and refillable drinks |
| Accommodation | Hotel, apartment or overnight stay if needed |
| Extras | Lockers, photos, fast-track passes and additional activities |
| Souvenirs | Gifts, toys, keepsakes and children’s spending money |
| Emergency Money | Unexpected food, transport or other last-minute costs |
| TOTAL | Add everything together to find the real cost of your family day out |
This is where planning makes a huge difference. If you only budget for admission tickets, everything else feels like an unexpected expense.
Use Our Family Attraction Planner
Our Family Attraction Planner is designed to help families organise the entire day, including tickets, travel, food, spending and the smaller details that are easy to forget. Instead of trying to remember everything in your head, you can plan your attraction visit and see the bigger financial picture before you leave home.
5. Check the Cost of Getting There Before Booking
A cheap attraction isn’t necessarily a cheap day out. Imagine finding tickets for £50 but then spending another £35 on transport and £20 on parking. Another attraction charging £60 for admission but located closer to home could actually be cheaper overall. Before booking, compare the total trip cost.
Look at:
- Driving
- Parking
- Public transport
- Family rail tickets
- Bus fares
- Rideshare costs
- Walking distance from stations
For attractions further away, accommodation may also need to be included.
6. Check the Food Rules Before You Visit
Food is one of the easiest places for a family budget to disappear. Four or five meals, several drinks, snacks and a couple of “Can I have one?” moments can add a significant amount to your day.
Before visiting, check whether the attraction allows visitors to bring:
- Packed lunches
- Refillable water bottles
- Snacks
- Baby food
- Cool bags
If outside food is allowed, bringing even part of your food can reduce your spending. You don’t necessarily have to pack an entire picnic either. Bringing drinks and snacks while buying lunch inside can still save money.
7. Set a Souvenir Budget Before Arriving
Gift shops are positioned where excited children can see them for a reason. Instead of deciding what to spend while standing inside the shop, agree on the budget beforehand.
For example: “You each have £10 to spend. You can choose one thing within your budget.”
This gives children some independence while keeping spending under control. It can also turn the gift shop into a useful money lesson. If something costs £14 and their budget is £10, they have to decide whether to choose something else or use any spending money they’ve saved.
8. Don't Automatically Buy Every Add-On
Attraction websites often offer extras during checkout.
These might include:
- Digital photographs
- Printed photos
- VR experiences
- Fast-track access
- Souvenir packages
- Activity upgrades
- Meal deals
Some can genuinely improve your visit. Others may add £20, £30 or considerably more to your total without adding much value for your particular family.
Ask one simple question: Would we have specifically wanted this if it hadn’t appeared during checkout?
If the answer is no, you probably don’t need it.
9. Compare Annual Passes If You'll Visit Again
Sometimes the cheapest option isn’t the cheapest ticket. If your family loves a particular attraction and you’re likely to return, compare the price of individual visits with an annual pass.
For example, if: One family visit costs £90 and A family membership costs £180. Then visiting three times would normally cost £270. The membership could potentially save £90.
But only buy an annual pass if you’re genuinely likely to use it. A £200 membership you use once isn’t a bargain.
10. Search for Combination Tickets
If you’re visiting a city with several attractions, look for combination tickets. These sometimes allow families to visit multiple attractions for less than purchasing each attraction separately.
Before buying one, check:
- Which attractions are included
- How long the pass remains valid
- Whether reservations are required
- Whether children need separate passes
- How many included attractions you’ll realistically visit
A city pass isn’t automatically good value. It only saves money if you actually use enough of what’s included.
11. Look for Family Attraction Discounts
Before paying full price, check whether you’re eligible for any family attraction discounts.
Depending on the attraction, discounts may be available through:
- Membership schemes
- Loyalty programmes
- Supermarket rewards
- Rail promotions
- Employer benefit schemes
- Local resident offers
- Family passes
- Seasonal promotions
Always check the conditions before purchasing. A heavily advertised discount isn’t necessarily the cheapest option once restrictions and booking fees are included.
12. Plan Your Meals Around the Day
You don’t always need three expensive meals during a family day out. Think about your timings.
Could everyone eat breakfast before leaving?
Could you bring snacks?
Could you eat dinner after leaving the attraction?
Even changing one meal can reduce the cost considerably for a larger family. This is especially useful at theme parks, zoos, aquariums and other attractions where food prices can be higher than outside the venue.
13. Give Children Their Own Spending Budget
Older children can benefit from having a fixed amount of spending money. Instead of repeatedly asking; “Can I get this?” They have their own budget to manage.
For example: Day Out Spending Money £15 They could spend, £5 on a snack and £10 on a souvenir Or save the entire £15 for something they really want. It’s good for your budget and gives children real world experience of making choices with money.
14. Keep a Small Emergency Budget
Not every unexpected expense is avoidable.
You might suddenly need:
- An extra drink
- Children’s medicine
- Replacement clothing
- A taxi
- A phone charger
- An unexpected meal
- Extra transport
Rather than treating these costs as budget failures, include a small emergency allowance when planning. If you don’t use it, even better.
Our Simple Family Day Out Money Formula
Before booking, calculate: Tickets + Transport + Parking + Food + Snacks + Extras + Souvenirs + Emergency Money = Real Cost of Your Family Day Out
That final figure is far more useful than simply looking at the ticket price. A £40 attraction can easily become a £120 day. Once you know the real cost, you can decide where you’re happy to spend and where you want to save.
Make Family Days Out Easier to Plan
Saving money isn’t about removing everything fun from the day. It’s about deciding where your money goes before the day decides for you.
Our Family Attraction Planner helps you organise your tickets, budget, transport, food and family plans in one place, so you can arrive prepared instead of trying to work everything out along the way. Whether you’re planning a theme park, zoo, aquarium, museum, indoor attraction or another family adventure, having a plan can make the day easier to manage.
FAQ's
- How can I save money on family attraction tickets?
Compare official online prices, family tickets, off-peak dates, combination tickets and reputable ticket offers before booking. Always compare the final family price rather than just the advertised discount.
- Are family tickets always cheaper?
No, calculate the cost of buying individual adult and child tickets before choosing a family ticket. Depending on your family size and children’s ages, individual tickets can occasionally work out cheaper.
- How can I have cheap family days out?
Look beyond the admission price. Free attractions, packed lunches, public transport offers, off-peak tickets and setting a spending budget can all help reduce the total cost of a family day out.
- Should I buy family attraction tickets in advance?
Often, yes. Many attractions offer cheaper online prices or guarantee entry when you book ahead. However, check cancellation and date change policies before paying.
- How much should I budget for a family day out?
There isn’t one amount that works for every family. Calculate tickets, transport, parking, food, snacks, extras and souvenirs, then add a small emergency allowance. This gives you a much more realistic budget.
- Are annual attraction passes worth the money?
They can be if you’ll visit enough times. Divide the annual pass price by the normal cost of one family visit to see approximately how many visits you’ll need before the pass starts saving you money.
- What costs do families often forget when planning a day out?
Parking, transport, drinks, snacks, lockers, photographs, attraction add-ons and souvenirs are some of the easiest costs to overlook. Planning these expenses beforehand can prevent your budget creeping up during the day.