The East Midlands often gets a bit of a hard time.
Regularly overshadowed by its more populated, better-connected sibling to the west, the region can sometimes feel like the motorway equivalent of a flyover state — somewhere to be driven through on the M1 rather than to be stopped in and enjoyed.
The presence of several of its towns on various ‘most boring places to live’ rankings over the years hasn’t helped. Grantham, the home of Margaret Thatcher, is one that regularly attracts the mirth of such list compilers, and arguably adds to the East Midlands’ reputation.
But, as I found out during a trip to the region during half-term, the East Midlands is a fantastic place to spend the week with your family, and one that is sorely overlooked.
The Doyle family adventure to Leicestershire began in Snarestone, a rural village on the edge of the National Forest. In amongst the green field and winding lanes nestled our accommodation for the next two nights: a gleaming, modern lodge bordered by the Ashby Canal, a beacon of wildlife and tranquillity where villagers hold an annual fund-raising rubber duck race (£150 for the winner!). You could spend your time taking a stroll, visiting the wharf or eating the unexpectedly excellent fare at The Old Crown Inn , though our 5- and 7-year-old kids simply wanted to play with the two resident dogs, Theo and Fred, while we drank coffee on the verandah.
Despite feeling far away from the hustle and bustle, we were only a 10-minute drive from some big attractions. The historic market and spa town of Ashby de la Zouch , including the ruins of Ashby Castle, is just five miles away. Also nearby is Conkers , 120 acres of indoor and outdoor pursuits, a train, aerial adventures, a 4D cinema and more.
We opted for Twycross Zoo , having heard there is a new snow leopard in residence. We’d booked a mobility scooter in advance for my wife; it’s a great option for anybody who wants to explore the whole Zoo without walking distance being a factor.
We began our visit in The Gruffalo Discovery Land, an interactive trail through ‘the deep, dark wood’, with animatronics, scenery straight from the page and plenty of photo-worthy moments.
Also new for 2025 is Close Encounters, a tropical habitat for some of the world’s most endangered spiders and reptiles. It’s a close-up look at fascinating creatures who scuttle, slither and hop, such as the panther chameleon with its goggly eyes and skin that gets red when annoyed.
Nuri the snow leopard never did make an appearance but with so many other wonderful animals to see – special mention for the rainbow lorikeets and zebras – we left feeling like we’d had a brilliant day.
The next stage of our trip took us from the lush countryside to the centre of Leicester city. Bewildering road system aside, the approach to the city was full of visually stunning murals and street art that made us feel excited about the cultural landscape that awaited.
We dropped our luggage at The Gresham Aparthotel, where we stayed in a fresh 2-bed serviced apartment, which is a good alternative to a hotel family room when you’re staying with young kids.
If (when) you visit Leicester, make sure your first stop is the Visit Leicester Information Centre or visit www.visitleicester.info in advance. You’ll be stunned by the sheer number of events on offer, many of which are free. You can find historic trails, itineraries based on interest, and a whole host of attractions.
Leicester certainly loves a festival, and there are lots of free options to choose from. There’s the big weekender of Leicester Riverside Festival in early June, which spans sites and includes music, cinema, a fun fair, and watersports on the River Soar. There are also festivals celebrating cultures and interests from Mela, Pride, and the Caribbean Carnival, to walking, jazz and food. Take a look at the Leicester Festivals & Events Facebook page to keep up to date with the full list.
Leicester Visitor Centre is also home to the King Richard III Visitor Centre , which includes the royal’s grave site and two floors of fascinating exhibits about his life and the search for his final resting place. It’s a paid attraction but well worth it for fans of both history and science, as our kids loved having a go at archaeology, DNA sequencing and facial reconstruction. We also really appreciated being offered ear defenders for our autistic daughter.
Directly opposite is Leicester Cathedral , which also hosts cultural events and exhibitions and is currently displaying Luke Jerram’s Mars: War and Peace, a giant planetary sculpture enhanced with light and sound. From there it was a walk down the tree-lined promenade of New Walk to the Leicester Museum & Art Gallery , home to dinosaurs, Egyptian mummies, international art and local history. Both are free to enter, but can be supported with a donation.
If we’d been there on any other day than a Sunday, we could have made use of the Leicester Hop! , a free electric bus that takes a circular route around the city and stops close to all the places we visited.
We finished the day at one of the many independent hospitality venues, doughWHAT , which is the only spot in the Midlands to make fresh Neopolitan and deep-dish pizzas in-house. The food was amazing and the staff were brilliant. When you have children with restricted eating, it can be difficult to eat out anywhere decent. But, with 24 hours’ notice, the team at Dough What will accommodate any off-menu requests for kids in your party. And yes, that includes chicken nuggets.
Next, we visited the Great Central Railway , where you can explore four stations by steam train that have been restored to their historical heyday of the 1910s, ‘40s and ‘50s. The Loughborough station has been the backdrop of numerous period films, and the children were especially interested to learn which cast members of the Paddington film had been there. Run by volunteers, the vintage train line offers events such as ‘40s weekends and dining experiences; you can even make a model Gromit with Aardman model makers.
If history is your thing, then Leicester is a great choice all round. There is Leicester Guildhall , a Tudor-style Grade I listed building that promises ‘600 years of drama’. Bradgate Park hosts outdoor events and has the ruins of what is believed to be the birthplace of Lady Jane Grey. And opening in July is the Jewry Wall Roman experience , offering Roman finds and a multi-media exhibition.
Leicester isn’t just about the past; it’s also home to The National Space Centre , where our activity-packed trip ended. It’s a must-see for any space nut. Your ticket includes a show in the UK’s largest planetarium dedicated to Sir Patrick Moore, an immersive orbit around Earth aboard the Terastar Spaceport, and a trip up the 42-metre-high space port to see the Blue Streak and Thor Able rockets – and a real piece of the moon – at close quarters.
The Space Centre shares a car park with Abbey Pumping Station Museum , reminding you that, in Leicester, you’re never that far away from the past, be it industrial or ancient.
We loved the variety of things to do in Leicester and will definitely be back to see more. And to say hello to Theo and Fred.