Spring is finally here, it’s time to get out and discover some of the most exciting places around. From breath-taking nature trails to historic landmarks, there are plenty of destinations that have been on our bucket list for a while now. Get ready to discover the wonders of BBC Earth Experience, let your little ones marvel at The lost garden at Blenheim Palace, and hike along Pier to Pier Way in Somerset. Here are 10 places we can’t wait to visit this Spring – let’s go!
BBC Earth Experience
See the spectacular light show created by fireflies in North America, watch snub-nosed monkeys huddling together to stay warm in Asia, and be amazed by hungry hamsters in Europe fighting to keep their food. It’s all part of the 360-degree audiovisual journey at BBC Earth Experience, in which you can experience remarkable landscapes and watch the world’s most mesmerising creatures – without having to fly anywhere. Narrated by David Attenborough, and projected on multiple multi-angle screens, the immersive show follows the BBV TV programme Seven Worlds One Planet.
Location – Earl’s Court. Tickets cost £28.50 for adults, £22 for children,
Manchester Museum
Reopened after a £15 million facelift, this museum aims to tell the city’s diverse story, and includes a South Asia gallery and a Chinese culture gallery. A new exhibition hall will hold ambitious shows, opening with the ‘Golden Mummies of Egypt’. Also new is a dinosaur display, and the Belonging Gallery, reflecting on what it means to belong.
The Lost Garden at Blenheim Palace
While adults marvel at Sir Winston Churchill’s birthplace, the kids will love the new outdoor play area in the garden. With interactive water features, play trails and winding walkways on the ground, it also has aerial features, including rope bridges, raised walkways and triple racing zip lines, with views over the Capability Brown parkland.
The Petworth Park Antiques & Fine Art Fair
Everything from a pair of silver travelling candlesticks to a £52,000 Harold Harvey oil painting will be on show at Petworth’s antique fair in May. More than 60 exhibitors will gather to sell a variety of ceramics, sculptures, jewellery, artwork and furniture. One newcomer to this year’s fair is W. Shanshan, whose pottery includes a Han dynasty Sichuan terracotta dancer (£12,500). The fair, normally held at the beginning of May, has been pushed back until 19–21 May as a result of King Charles’ coronation. Tickets cost £10 but entry is free to National Trust members.
Cairn Distillery
It’s been worth the wait – more than a century has passed since a distillery was built in Scotland’s Cairngorms National Park. Now, this cutting-edge modern building (with sedum roof to encourage insect life) blends Gordon & MacPhail’s Scotch in a spectacular spot on the banks of the River Spey.
The Wild Drovers’ Way
Follow the winding roads and take in the foothills of the Cambrian Mountains and swathes of sand on the coast on this 180-mile circular route once used by drovers. A new online guide details where to stay and eat, as well as places to recharge electric cars or to hire e-bikes.
Frameless, London
Frameless elevates the art experience to a level never experienced before. Unique interpretations of masterpieces from artists including Canaletto, Cézanne, Dalí, Kandinsky, Klimt, Monet, Rembrandt and Van Gogh are displayed using the very latest interactive projection technology in a series of four spectacular galleries, each dedicated to a different theme. Be uplifted by the art surrounding you in the 30,000 square feet space as it connects you with the artist’s imagination. Located just a few short steps from Marble Arch, this immersive, multi-dimensional experience is the biggest of its kind in the UK set to become a major new landmark and cultural destination for visitors in the capital. Be sure to have your camera ready – Frameless is a place where art breaks free from the frame.
Pier to Pier Way
Opening at Easter, this new 13-mile cycling route will link the Weston-super-Mare and Clevedon piers. Be sure to enjoy fish ‘n’ chips, rides and arcade games at the former, and to appreciate ‘the most beautiful pier in England’ according to poet John Betjeman, at the latter.
Bacchanalia Restaurant, London
For a side serving of theatre with your food, you can’t go wrong here. One of London’s hottest new restaurants, Bacchanalia in Mayfair was curated by flamboyant interior architect Martin Brudnizki and it’s breathtaking from the moment you walk through the gilded door. Damien Hirst’s equine statues gallop across a ceiling painted with scenes from classical myths. A floor-to-ceiling mural on the back wall depicts the Last Supper, albeit one where iPhones and the Golden Gate Bridge existed. The Greek- and Italian-inspired food, served by toga-clad staff, is part of the show – it’s finished at the tables for that extra wow factor.
Royal Pavilion
While the final preparations are made for King Charles III’s coronation in May, Brighton’s Royal Pavilion is celebrating a more lavish affair. George IV’s coronation in 1821 was extravagant, colourful and contentious: the Queen Consort was refused entry to the ceremony and remained uncrowned. The exhibition, dubbed ‘A Right Royal Spectacle’, is on show from 11 March to 10 September.
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