ANOTHER Bank Holiday, followed by a week of half term. Time to get out and about. But where to? And how much? The cost of a family outing can come as a shock, hitting the wallet hard, but by the time you get to the turnstiles and your children are happily excited, it's a bit tricky to have to say No.

So, forewarned is forearmed, and we've asked many of the leading attractions in the region how much they charge.

REMEMBER - CHECK the ages at which you start paying. Many people admit under fives for free. Others start charging as young as two.

Some of these places may look horrendously expensive, but if you can spend all day there, they can represent good value. However, if you have young children, check their height to make sure they are allowed on the rides they want. And even if Granny is going to do nothing more than take charge of the bags, she'll have to pay to get in. Other ways to cut costs are:

l Take a picnic. Many attractions make a sizeable chunk of their profits from the catering, but many also provide pleasant picnic areas, so make the most of them.

Even if you don't take food, take drinks, saves money and time queuing and will keep a grizzly child quiet for a while.

l Get there early. You can have places almost to yourself. And if it's a theme park, the family can have two or three rides in the time it would take to queue for one, later in the day.

l Many stately homes have separate charges for house and gardens. Do you really want to pay extra to drag your children round the precious displays?

l Family tickets. Most offer discounts for two adults and two children, some up to three or even four. If you're a single parent, then teaming up with someone else means money saving.

l Many give concessions to students and unemployed - but you'll need to be able to prove it.

BEAMISH NORTH OF ENGLAND OPEN AIR MUSEUM

Tel: 0191-370 4000

www.beamish.org.uk

The North-East as it used to be, complete with town centre, Co-op, drift mine, pub and manor house.

NB Due to foot-and-mouth restrictions, Home Farm is still closed until further notice.

Open 10am to 5pm every day. Last admission 3pm

Adult: £12, Senior Citizen: £9, Child 5-16 £6, under fives free.

BEDE'S WORLD,

Jarrow. Tel: 0191-489 2106. www.bedesworld.co.uk

Monastery and re-created Anglo Saxon life.

Open daily, Mon to Sat 10am to 5.30pm; Sun noon to 5.30pm.

NB Because of foot-and-mouth restrictions, the Anglo Saxon farm is closed. Consequently, admission prices have been reduced.

Adults: £2.25; Children £1.25.

CAPTAIN COOK MUSEUM

Middlesbrough.

Closed because of foot-and-mouth restrictions.

CASTLE HOWARD

Malton. Tel: (01653) 648333. www.castlehoward.co.uk

Open daily (but see below): Gardens 10am to 6.30.pm; House 11am to 5.30pm (last admission 4.30pm)

House and gardens: Adults £7.50; Senior Citizens and Students £6.75; Children £4.50.

Gardens only: Adults £4.50; children £2.50

Castle Howard house and grounds will be CLOSED to the public on Saturday June 9 - they're having a wedding.

CRAGSIDE HOUSE

Rothbury, Tel: (01669) 620150. www.ntnorth.demon.co.ik/index.htm

First house to be lit by hydroelectrcity.

Open Tues to Sun (and Bank Hol Mons). Gardens 10.30am to7pm; House 1pm to 5.30pm (last admission 4.30pm)

House and gardens: Adults £6.70; Children £3.40 Gardens only: Adults £4.20; Children £2.10; Family ticket £10.50. NB Play area not open until July

EDEN CAMP,

Malton, North Yorkshire. Tel: (01653) 697777

www.edencamp.co.uk

The story of civilian life during World War Two.

Open: 10am to 5pm every day.

Adults: £4; Children, Senior Citizens £3. No credit or debit cards accepted.

FARNE ISLAND BOAT TRIPS

Daily from Seahouses. Tel: (01665) 720308

www.farne-islands.com

Either take a trip and land on the Farne Islands, or take a one-and-a-half-hour cruise around the islands.

Trips leave:10,11am, 1, 2pm. Adults £9, Children £7 plus a £4.20 landing fee on the islands. Cruises leave at 10.30am, noon, 1.30pm and 3pm. Adults £8, Children £6.

NB all sailings depend on the weather.

FLAMINGOLAND THEME PARK AND ZOO

Malton. Tel: (01653) 668287 www.flamingoland.co.uk

Open daily 10am to5pm (6pm weekends).

Admission: £13. Children under three free.

Family ticket: £46 for four people

HARTLEPOOL HISTORIC QUAY

Tel: (01429) 860077.

Back to the days of fighting ships and press gangs.

Open 10am to 5pm every day.

Adults: £5.50; Concessions: £2.75 (children, senior citizens, students, unemployed)

Family Ticket: (2 adults, 3 children) £14.50.

Plus Key Card season ticket scheme.

JORVIK VIKING CENTRE

York. Tel: (01904) 643211.

www.jorvik-viking-centre.co.uk

Open daily in the summer 9am to 5.30pm.

Adults £6.95; Senior Citizens and students £5.95; Children £4.95. Family ticket (2&2) £21.

KILLHOPE LEAD MINING MUSEUM

Tel: (01388) 537505. www.durham.gov.uk/killhope/index.htm

Explore lead mines, pan for lead ore, see how miners lived.

Open daily 10.30am. Last admission 4.30pm.

Adults: £5 (with mine tour); £3.40 (without mine tour)

Children: £2.50; £1.70

Family Ticket (2 adults, 2 children), £12.50, £8.50.

LIGHTWATER VALLEY

North Stainley, Ripon Tel: 0870 458 0070

www.lightwatervalley.net

Open daily from tomorrow. Gates open 10am, rides from 10.30am. Park closes 5pm.

Because so many rides are done in height rather than age, ticket prices go by height.

Over 1.1m (3ft 7ins) £12.95

Under 1.1m (3ft 7ins) £10.50

Under 0.9m (2ft11ins) Free

Senior Citizens, Disabled Guests and Carers £5.95

Family Ticket: two adults and two children £42.00

NATIONAL GLASS CENTRE

Sunderland. Tel: 0191-515 5555

Open daily 10am to 5pm.

Adults £5, concessions and children £3.

NATIONAL RAILWAY MUSEUM,

York. Tel: (01904) 621261, www.nmsi.ac.uk/nm

Recently extended and award-winning.

Open daily 10am to 6pm.

Adults: £7.50. Children and Senior Citizens free.

NATURES WORLD AT THE BOTANIC CENTRE,

Acklam, Middlesbrough. Tel: (01642) 594895. www.naturesworld.org.uk

Environmental demonstration centre.

Open daily. Mon to Sat 9am to 5pm; Sun 10am to 6pm.

Adults: £3.50; Children under five £1.50; OAPs/Students£2.50

Family Ticket (two & two, £8.50)

NEWCASTLE LIFE INTERACTIVE WORLD

Tel: 0191-2438 223. www.lifeinteractiveworld.co.uk

Open daily. Mon to Sat 10am to 6pm; Sunday 11am to 6pm.

Adults: £6.95; Children £4.50.

Family ( two & two) £19.95

PRESTON HALL MUSEUM,

Stockton. Tel: (01642) 781184.

Period street of shops and rooms in large riverside park.

Open daily 10am to 4.45pm

Adults £1.20; children 60p.

WASHINGTON WILDFOWL AND WETLANDS TRUST

Tel: 0191-4165 454. www.washington.co.uk

1,200 wildfowl of 105 species.

Open daily 9.30am to 5.30pm

Adults £4.50

Children four to 16 £2.90

Concessions £2.90

Family ticket £12.

WET 'N' WILD WATER PARK

North Shields. Tel: 0191-2961 444

Open daily 10am to 10pm.

Prices here depend on how tall you are and whether it's school holidays or not and also the time of day.

Weekends and holidays: Over 1.2m (3ft 11ins) £6.95; Under 1.2m, Over 60, Disabled £3.85; Spectators £2.60; Under 2s free.

Term-time weekdays: Over 1.2m £5.65; Under 1.2m £2.95

Evenings after 6pm: Over 1.2m £4.75; Under 1.2m £2.95.

WHORLTON LIDO,

Barnard Castle. Tel: (01833) 627397.

Picnic area, putting green, miniature railway.

Open daily.

£1.50. Under threes free.

We have tried hard to ensure all these prices and opening times are accurate but if you are travelling a long way, please check first. Have a nice time...

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