There are quite a few play cafés in Bristol and portico play is one of the only ones I hadn't…read morevisited until last week. It's lovely, a nice big (but not too big) main play area with 2 other smaller rooms, the toys are really fantastic, my 16 month old especially loved playing in the room with the small slides and climbing frames, she loves climbing and these toys were small enough so that if she did fall she wouldn't fall very far and it would be a soft landing. Around the outside of the main play area there are tall seats around so parents can sit there enjoying a tea or coffee and watch the children play. There are lots of snacks hot and cold drinks and things like paninis and sandwiches, I had a cheese and ham panini and it was delicious ! The staff were really friendly and I shall definitely be going back very soon

I've been meaning to go to Portico for ages as everyone I know with small children raves about it!…read more My time finally came on Friday and it didn't disappoint. My only grumble came from trying to find some where to park, so if you are able WALK!! I sadly didn't have that option and had quite a stressful 10mins with a screaming child trying to park. Once inside I ordered a coffee and some lunch and found my friends. The menu is simple but nice. I had a panini which was fine and the coffee was really good. The children's menu is perfect and simple. Once we'd revitalised ourselves with refreshments we hit the play area. Most indoor play places I've been to have a soft play and a few toys but this is so much more. The play area is full of great toys, there is a whole kitchen and shop which kept my son entertained on his own for far longer than any other play. This is also closed in with seating around so you can sip coffee and chat with your eyes on your little one. Genius! It's 3.75 for the day and worth every penny if you want to meet friends and chat while your child is entertained.

Opened in 1990, Peterstone Lakes Golf Club is situated in open countryside on the Gwent Levels, on…read moreland reclaimed from the sea more than a thousand years ago. It's easily accessible from both Cardiff and Newport, and once you're there it's a fairly flat course - great for those who don't want to climb any hills! To compliment the 6,000 metres (6,600 yards) par 72 course there is a practice field, putting green, nets and practice bunkers - plus a golf pro shop. The club house also doubles as a venue for weddings and other celebrations. They have a casual/smart dress code which all members and visitors are asked to observe while they are playing on the course - and this bans denim jeans, track suits, garments displaying slogans such as football and rugby shirts, shirts without collars, and trainers. In the clubhouse, the dress rules are relaxed as casual visitors are allowed in the golfers' bar. Once you've dug out the appropriate attire, you may still have time for a game of golf...

Have you been watching the Olympics? Are you astounded by the emergence of all these new 'sports'…read morelike synchronized diving, coxless tiddywinks and so on? I was wondering whether they had a section for Underwater Golf, because I reckon I could make the 2012 Team after playing here. We've had so much rain in Wales recently that outdoor sportspeople are beginning to go stir crazy. Three of us ventured out at Peterstone last week, between the showers. The course is long and flat, residing on marshlands beside the Bristol Channel; at one point only a sea wall protects you from the lashing waves. The course is nicknamed The Wetlands. It is crossed, scarred, riven and riddled with ditches, canals, dikes, gullies, meres and streams. The good news about this is that the bird life is magnificent; the bad news is that I spent a great deal of time wading about with aforesaid feathered friends. I am now on personal terms with a heron, a pair of Canada Geese, and a small family of mallards. Opened in 1990 and complimented by a nice clubhouse, Peterstone Lakes (to give it its official name) has been under family ownership since 1998 and since then extensive changes and improvements have taken place in the Club house and on the course. It is today an excellent 6,000 metres, par 72, course. The fairways and greens are maintained to a good standard. There is a practice field, putting green, nets and practice bunkers, a well stocked Golf Shop, and golf buggies and trolleys for hire. The Mens' Changing Rooms are a little cramped and not very well appointed. The bar has a nice terrace overlooking the 18th hole. The food arrangements are random and scant. There is, somewhat improbably, an Indian Restaurant annexed to the Club, but in 3 visits I have never seen it open. The Members' bar just offers rolls and a couple of chippy things. In summary, a good course to visit if you like an undemanding walk, don't need to eat, and possess the kind of game that can keep you out of water.

If you like flashing lights, loud noises ranging from people cheering to arcade games beeping and…read moreelectronically celebrating to kids running around your feet then you'll probably wonder why St Peter isn't guarding the entrance to Hollywood Bowl. This is a place parents come on kids parties with a gang of kids who are high on sugar and excitable to the point of explosion. So if you're not the parent of any of these kids and you just want a few games of ten pin bowling with your mates if I were you I'd go late in the evening and you can be the big kid without real kids getting on your nerves. It's a bowling alley - by now surely we all know what to expect - accept that sometimes there maybe a long wait to get a lane at busy times so as soon as you get into the building register to bowl then get to the bar and sink a few and you'll probably bowl better. Last time I went there I asked for the biggest sized shoes - they gave me a size 15. Why? It was funny and they were brand new - no chance of getting a varuca there then!

I absolutely love bowling until I go bowling. Right now I want nothing more than to go bowling. But…read moreI know that after one game I'll be bored and want to just spend all of my money in the arcade. It can be expensive on the weekend to bowl but if you fancy a midweek dabble and there's a few of you then it can work out pretty inexpensive. It's always worth booking just in case because even though there's a million lanes, you never know in Cardiff. The bar is nice aswell with quite a modern feel to it. It's totally soulless and overpriced as you'd expect but it does a job if you're waiting for a film in the cinema nearby. It's also got some of the nicest pool tables in Cardiff outside of Riley's. I love going here though and it's got that typical hustle and bustle that you always get in bowling alleys. It's the same kind of background noise and fun atmosphere that you get in a good casino, except it's great for kids and you might just have some money left at the end of the night.

What a fantastic day out. This place offers a lot for family's…read more Great value for £8 per adult and £5 for children over two, under twos are free ! The grounds are fantastic lots of open space for the children to wonder and explore and also paths that follow through the trees and gardens. There's a big adventure playground full of lots to explore, zip wire, slide climbing frame etc. There were also blow up slides and a paddling pool. There was a separate area with Wendy houses, trampolines and a climbing frame for the smaller children which was in a really nice relaxing area. You can get up close with pigs, rabbits, guinea pigs and chickens in Pet's Corner. There is 66 acres of beautiful gardens and woodland walks, the views across the River Severn and Wales and spectacular ! There's also a cafe and shop. The cafe is really nice I had a caramel latte with a cheese and chutney sandwich came to £5.50 wich Is good value. Plenty of parking available. Overall a fantastic day out which was really enjoyed by all.

Old Down Country Park is not your typical stately home. It is a farm/zoo/park/house. Great for the…read morewhole family too. They have large lawn areas for picnics, a café for those who didn't pre-prepare food, and lots and ltos of animals. Expect to find your typical farm animals. Goats? Check. Pigs? Check. Sheep? Check. Ponies? Check. Wallabies????check!!! Entry is only a fiver and you can spend the whole day there (weather permitting) walking along the Victorian walls and cooing at all the cute animals.

The courts are very central to Bath so perfect for a lunchtime game of tennis. They have outdoor…read moreand indoor courts. I recommend the indoor ones (inside 'bubbles') as the outdoor ones can get a bit slippery. There is a great cafe overlooking the courts if you fancy some lunch after your game. Or the crazy golf is right next door if you fancy more fun. Prices are reasonable, coaching is available and they run lessons throughout the week. Book in advance.

This is a perfect place to take young family members who like to run around and make noise!…read more I recently took a young niece here, and she absolutely loved it - an added bonus was that she was so tired out by the end of it her mum said she slept like a log! I remember going to something like this when I was really young too, it offers a ideal mix between being able to see and touch animals like rabbits and pigs, to an adventure playground with those big slides that probably aren't so big when your a grown up but are huge when your little that you sort of drop off almost vertically, with your bum hardly touching the slide! There's also a nature trail. The park is great in nice weather, not so good in the rain but there are still inside things to do. It is also quite reasonable priced - £7.00 adult and £6.50 child, check their website for special offers.

This is a large, leafy recreational area covering 50 acres just outside Bristol with an animal…read morefarm, riverside walks, playgrounds and picnic areas. With stacks to entertain children, it's also a pleasant space for adults, and even when it's sunny and busy there seems to be plenty of space for everyone. For kids, the play arena has trampolines, slides, rope climbing structures and go karts, plus mini golf and the Strawberry Line miniature train. The six or so shire horses kept at the park are a big attraction, and there are lots of smaller animals to see, and even handle (under supervision). The park has falconry displays at the weekends (and during school holidays), plus a nature trail along the river (with a junior assault course running parallel to it). Adults cost £7.50, children (and OAPs) £7, and little ones under 2 go free. The park's open every day from April - end of October, then the indoor play barn is open on weekends and school holidays.

How lucky are we to have a handful of expansive and beautiful Victorian parks dotted around the…read morecity? I didn't even know about this one and it's just around the corner from me really. So, I wrapped up warm and stepped through the impressive (and original) wrought iron gates on Church road. It was rather like stepping from the bustle of the modern city with all its traffic and noise into a tranquil Victorian landscape. An avenue of trees, lawns on which to give the dog a good run and a large duckpond/small lake (I can't quite decide which it is - man made whichever!). That's about it, but a refreshing change from walking on concrete. The gates are is open 24 hours (although I wouldn't recommend using it as a cut through to anywhere late at night). There's also a car park nearby. Recent developments to the greenery is that the park is part of the 'TreeBristol project' and 70 new trees were recently planted by people from the local community. Yay!

It's great to find Park's of this size very near to City centre's. Especially considering the area…read moreit is in. As it is not in the best area of Bristol it does give young people an area to not only play a bit of football, bit there is also a skate park. For young families as well there are a couple of playgrounds so you can keep your little angles(brats!) entertained for a few hours as you catch a quick restbite on a bench. You don't hear much traffic when you are in the park which is nice, and it is great to see everyone treats it with repect.

There's not much to get excited about here. It's a small park with a reasonably good children's…read moreplayground (only a few years old so in good nick), a MUGA (multi use games area) and a pretty uneven football pitch that's used throughout the season at weekends. There are plenty of blackberry bushes which don't really get picked so I make use of those. The place is frequented by dog walkers, kids and the occasional drug dealer which is a big shame. The hillfields area doesn't have the best reputation and this park kind of lives up to it. I use the park daily as it's at the end of my road and I have dogs and my child enjoys the playground, but I wouldn't go out of your way to check it out!!

Hillsfield Park is situated about 20 minute walk from Fishponds. There is a wide open space perfect…read morefor dog walking, and a couple of goal posts for a game of football. The actual playground is separated off with a fence making it very secure for children. The equipment provided in the park is clearly very new and is colourful and vibrant. There is a lot more to play with than most parks I have seen, and the difficultly ranges from being suitable for very young toddles to being challenging enough for 12 year olds. The park is also near a youth centre, nursery and church, therefore seems to be in the centre of this largely residential area. However, in relation to Fishponds this park is a bit too far for anyone further afield to visit.