Photo: Tilman2007 (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons
Things to do in Lincolnshire
Wondering what to do in Lincolnshire? This guide lists the area's attractions — zoos, museums, theme parks and more — with distances, so you can plan every day of your trip.
🎟️ This weekend near Lincolnshire
Events from
Skiddle
Fri 13 Nov · 11:00
Bang Face Weekender
Butlins Family Entertainment Resort, Skegness · 23.4 mi
Tickets on Skiddle ↗
Fri 13 Nov · 12:00
Lincoln Audio Tour: Unveiling History's Treasures
Lincoln Drill Hall, Lincoln · 16.6 mi
Tickets on Skiddle ↗
Fri 13 Nov · 12:00
Lincoln Audio Tour: A Timeless Journey Through History
High Street, Lincoln, Lincoln · 16.6 mi
Tickets on Skiddle ↗
Sat 14 Nov · 16:00
Bed By 10pm - Lincoln
Circle Lincoln, Lincoln · 16.6 mi
Tickets on Skiddle ↗
Aquariums
22.8 mi from Lincolnshire
Skegness Aquarium
Skegness Aquarium sits on the seafront in Skegness, East Lindsey, Lincolnshire, and takes you on a pirate-themed journey through an Aqua Theatre, Wet Lab, Sea Caves and Sunken Hold...
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Museums & Galleries
3.7 mi from Lincolnshire
The Cottage Museum
The Cottage Museum in Woodhall Spa lets you step into a real Edwardian family home, exploring the rich history of the Wield family, who lived here from 1887 until the 1960s. The ho...
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6.6 mi from Lincolnshire
Metheringham Airfield Visitor Centre
Metheringham Airfield Visitor Centre is a volunteer-run museum telling the story of RAF Metheringham and 106 Squadron through original wartime buildings, artefacts and displays. Yo...
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7.3 mi from Lincolnshire
North Ings Farm Museum
North Ings Farm Museum is a small museum on the edge of the Lincolnshire Fens, specialising in agricultural equipment. Here you'll find a collection of tractors, agricultural machi...
8.7 mi from Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre
Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, in East Kirkby, East Lindsey, is a living wartime airfield museum built around the Avro Lancaster NX611 'Just Jane', the only place in the UK...
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8.7 mi from Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre
Military aviation museum in East Kirkby, Lincolnshire
11.3 mi from Lincolnshire
Boston Guildhall
Boston Guildhall is a former municipal building in Boston, Lincolnshire. Built in 1390 and altered through the centuries, in the early 21st century it was restored and now serves a... — Wikipedia
12.9 mi from Lincolnshire
Cranwell Aviation Heritage Centre
Cranwell Aviation Heritage Museum tells the story of Royal Air Force College Cranwell, from its early days as a Royal Naval Air Service base to the present. Inside you'll find inte...
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13.5 mi from Lincolnshire
Mrs Smith's Cottage
Mrs Smith's Cottage offers a step back into the daily life of Hilda Smith, whose humble home has remained largely unchanged since the 1800s. You can wander through 'the room' kept...
16.7 mi from Lincolnshire
Lincoln Museum
Lincoln Museum and the Usher Gallery bring together Lincolnshire's archaeology and art collections, with galleries tracing life in the county from the Stone Age through Roman, Saxo...
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17.9 mi from Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire Road Transport Museum
Transport museum in North Hykeham, United Kingdom
19.2 mi from Lincolnshire
Alford Manor House
The Manor House is a Grade II* listed building which can be found on West street within Alford, Lincolnshire, England. It is believed to be the largest thatched manor house in Engl... — Wikipedia
19.7 mi from Lincolnshire
The Pinchbeck Engine Museum of Land Drainage
The Pinchbeck Engine is a drainage engine, a rotative beam engine built in 1833 to drain Pinchbeck Marsh, to the north of Spalding, Lincolnshire, in England. Until it was shut down... — Wikipedia
Theme Parks
10.3 mi from Lincolnshire
Evergreens Miniature Railway
Evergreens Miniature Railway is a model engineering club based near East Keal, East Lindsey, running an extensive 7.25" gauge ground-level track alongside a 5" gauge raised track a...
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23.5 mi from Lincolnshire
Fantasy Island
Fantasy Island is a theme park in Ingoldmells, on the Lincolnshire coast near Skegness, with over 30 rides and roller coasters split into Discovery, Adventurer and Little Explorer...
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25.5 mi from Lincolnshire
Mablethorpe Funfair
Manning's Family Funfair is a traditional, family friendly fairground at the end of the High Street, right next to Mablethorpe's sandy beach, with rides, stalls, and food and drink...
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29 mi from Lincolnshire
Sundown Adventureland
Children's theme park in Rampto, Nottinghamshire, UK
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Water Parks
22.8 mi from Lincolnshire
Skegness Water Leisure Park
Skegness Water Leisure Park sits in Ingoldmells, East Lindsey, Lincolnshire, where the coast meets the countryside. It's a camping and touring park built around three fishing lakes...
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Zoos & Wildlife
8.2 mi from Lincolnshire
ARK Wildlife & Dinosaur Park
ARK Wildlife Park is a Lincolnshire zoo and exotic animal rescue in Stickney, East Lindsey, combining rescued wild animals with a dinosaur park. You can walk around Jurassic Ark's...
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13.8 mi from Lincolnshire
Lincoln Zoo
Lincoln Zoo describes itself as Lincolnshire's top wildlife destination, offering a day out built around animal encounters and family-friendly fun. Alongside general viewing, you c...
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14.4 mi from Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire Wildlife Park
Lincolnshire Wildlife Park is a family-friendly zoo and wildlife sanctuary near Skegness, Lincolnshire, set within 25 acres and home to one of the world's largest parrot rescue cen...
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22.9 mi from Lincolnshire
Natureland Seal Sanctuary
Skegness Natureland is a seal sanctuary and small zoo in Skegness, best known for rescuing and rehabilitating orphaned and injured seal pups from the Lincolnshire coast. You can wa...
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23.2 mi from Lincolnshire
Hardys Animal Farm
Hardy's Animal Farm is a family-friendly attraction set in over 7 acres of Lincolnshire countryside near Ingoldmells, East Lindsey. You can meet, feed and interact with the farm's...
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Where to stay near Lincolnshire
Places to stay within easy reach of these days out.
More around Lincolnshire
Itineraries
- A weekend in Skegness: an accessible itinerary · 2 days
- A weekend in Skegness with the kids · 2 days
- A weekend in Skegness · 2 days
Haunted Britain
From the blog
Lincolnshire does days out in a straightforward, unfussy way: a long coastline with proper seaside towns at Skegness and Cleethorpes, castles and country houses inland, and enough indoor play barns and small museums to rescue a washout. Here's how to put it all together without spending the day in the car.
Family days out
Skegness is the obvious base for younger children. Natureland Seal Sanctuary is the one most families come back from talking about — seals, feeding times and a sense that the place exists for the animals rather than the gift shop. Nearby, Fairy Dell Paddling Pool is free-spirited, shallow seaside fun for toddlers on a warm day, and Captain Kids Adventure World covers the indoor-soft-play-and-slides end of things when small legs have had enough of the beach.
For a bigger, louder day, Fantasy Island is the county's theme park, and it suits children who are past the paddling pool stage. Skegness Water Leisure Park adds another option on the water side. Over at Cleethorpes, Play Factory Louth is the sensible choice for a couple of hours of indoor energy-burning, especially if you're travelling with a mixed-age group.
- Under-5s: Natureland Seal Sanctuary, Fairy Dell Paddling Pool
- Primary age: Captain Kids Adventure World, Play Factory Louth
- Older children and teens: Fantasy Island, Skegness Water Leisure Park
Rainy day plans
The Lincolnshire coast catches the weather, so have a wet-weather plan before you need one. The Gordon Boswell Romany Museum is a genuinely distinctive collection covering Romany life, wagons and traditions — the sort of place where an hour turns into two because someone starts talking to you. The Chadwick Centre is another modest, local museum that rewards an unhurried visit. Pair either with an indoor play session at Captain Kids Adventure World or Play Factory Louth and you've filled a day without once standing in the rain.
Outdoors
The county's outdoor appeal is mostly big skies, flat walking and a lot of coastline. Skegness and Cleethorpes both give you long beaches that are easy going with a pushchair or a dog, and both are the sort of places where a morning walk and an afternoon on the sand counts as a full day. Gunby Hall, a National Trust property, is worth it for the grounds alone if you want greenery rather than sand — gardens to wander, and somewhere to sit when you've run out of steam.
Heritage and history
Lincoln Castle is the county's heavyweight: walls to walk, long views and enough history to keep adults interested while children enjoy the sheer scale of it. Tattershall Castle is the other one to earmark — a tall brick tower that is far more impressive in person than in photographs. Somerton Castle and Folkingham Manor House fill out the picture for anyone who likes quieter, less-visited places with a story attached. Gunby Hall rounds off the list if you'd rather see how people lived than how they defended themselves.
Grouping it into a sensible day
Keep each day to one area rather than crisscrossing the county.
- Skegness seaside day: Natureland Seal Sanctuary in the morning, lunch on the front, then Fairy Dell Paddling Pool or Captain Kids Adventure World depending on the sky. Fantasy Island if you want one big day instead.
- Castles day: Lincoln Castle for the morning and most of the afternoon — it deserves the time — or pair Tattershall Castle with Somerton Castle for a slower, quieter version.
- Mixed day: Gunby Hall for the gardens, then the Gordon Boswell Romany Museum or the Chadwick Centre if the weather turns.
- Cleethorpes day: beach in the morning, Play Factory Louth in the afternoon.
Where to eat
We don't have verified food hygiene ratings to point you towards specific places here, so treat this as a method rather than a recommendation. Both Skegness and Cleethorpes have the usual seafront mix of chip shops, cafés and pubs, and the ratings are displayed on the door or searchable on the Food Standards Agency site before you commit. Inland, around the castles, you're more reliant on whatever the attraction itself offers, so check before you set off and pack a flask and something to eat in the car if you're heading to Somerton Castle or Folkingham Manor House.
Turning it into a short break
Three nights is about right: one seaside day, one castle day, one flexible day held back for whatever the forecast allows. There are 777 places to stay in Lincolnshire on BritStays, and basing yourself near Skegness gives you the widest range of family attractions within easy reach, while somewhere more central works better if castles and gardens are your priority.
Before you go
Check opening days directly with each attraction — coastal places in particular run reduced hours outside the summer. Book Fantasy Island and any indoor play sessions ahead in school holidays, take cash for parking, and carry waterproofs even in July; the beaches at Skegness and Cleethorpes are exposed, and the wind does most of the talking.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best things to do in Skegness with young children?
Natureland Seal Sanctuary is the standout for small children, with seals and feeding times. Fairy Dell Paddling Pool is good for toddlers on a warm day, and Captain Kids Adventure World gives you an indoor option. Skegness Water Leisure Park and Fantasy Island suit slightly older children.
Where can we go in Lincolnshire if it rains?
The Gordon Boswell Romany Museum and the Chadwick Centre are both good indoor options for a couple of hours. For children, Captain Kids Adventure World in Skegness and Play Factory Louth in Cleethorpes are the obvious wet-weather choices.
Which castles can you visit in Lincolnshire?
Lincoln Castle is the largest and the one to give a full day to, with walls to walk. Tattershall Castle is a tall brick tower that is more impressive in person than in pictures, and Somerton Castle is a quieter option. Folkingham Manor House is a stately home if you want something different.
Is there a National Trust property in Lincolnshire?
Yes. Gunby Hall is a National Trust property, and it is worth visiting for the gardens and grounds as much as the house itself.
Can you recommend restaurants in Skegness or Cleethorpes?
We don't have verified food hygiene ratings for places in this region, so we can't recommend specific ones. Both towns have seafront chip shops, cafés and pubs; check the rating displayed on the door or look it up on the Food Standards Agency site before you order.
How many nights do you need for a Lincolnshire short break?
Three nights works well: one seaside day in Skegness or Cleethorpes, one castle day around Lincoln Castle or Tattershall Castle, and one day kept flexible for the weather. There are 777 places to stay in Lincolnshire on BritStays.
More ways to explore
Not booked yet? See the best places to stay in Lincolnshire.