The October half-term can be difficult to navigate for parents, particularly if the weather isn’t favourable.
It might be only a week, but keeping your children occupied is often a challenge.
Days out during half-term can be expensive, especially if you’re paying an entry fee to get in somewhere.
But here in Nottinghamshire there are so many different places to explore that either charge a small entry fee or don’t charge anything at all.
By thinking outside the box and exploring one of the county’s little-known landmarks, museums or historical sites, you can save yourself a pretty penny.
Sounds good? Well, we’ve got you covered!
Here are 12 quirky Nottinghamshire attractions that you should think about exploring during the October half term 2025:
1. Hemlock Stone
Standing at 28-feet-high, the Hemlock Stone cuts a dominant figure beside the busy A6002 near Stapleford and has been confusing motorists for decades. How the huge sandstone pillar came to be has caused huge debate over the centuries. In the Middle Ages it was claimed that the Devil threw the stone there from Castleton, Derbyshire, because the church bells annoyed him. Photo: Alan Murray Rust / Geograph
2. Archway House - Archway Rd, Kings Clipstone, Mansfield NG21 9HF
The suitably-named Archway House was built in 1842 upon the instruction of the Duke of Portland. These days the house is privately owned, but the adjacent footpath is open to the public. Photo: Neil Theasby
3. Newark Air Museum - Drove Ln, Winthorpe, Coddington, Newark NG24 2NY
Located at the former RAF Winthorpe airfield, just outside Newark, the museum is just under an hour’s drive from Nottingham. Since opening in 1973 the museum has accumulated more than 90 aircraft, including iconic former RAF jets such as the Avro Vulcan Bomber, Hawker Hunter, and de Havilland Tiger Moth. Around 50 aircraft are housed in two hangars, while others, including the famous Vulcan, are kept outside. Photo: Roland Turner
4. Felley Priory - Underwood, Nottingham NG16 5FJ
Built on the site of a 12th century monastery, Felley Priory is located just off the M1, near Kirby-in-Ashfield. The priory itself isn’t open to the public, but the main attraction very much is. To the rear of the impressive country house are 2.5 acres of lush gardens, described on the priory’s website as “one of Nottinghamshire’s best kept secrets”. Photo: Trevor Rickard