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Family friendly activities for £10 or less in Cambridge this summer

The summer holidays can often feel stressful when you’ve got six weeks constantly looking for ways to beat the boredom without the high costs, that's why we've put together this little guide of 10 activities in Cambridge this summer for £10 or less and a couple are even free!

The Cambridge Book Bench Trail

Explore every nook and cranny of our wonderful city as you follow the trail to discover 12 completely unique book benches across Cambridge from the historic core to shopping centres and parks.

This summer Cambridge BID in partnership with Wild in Art has installed 12 individually designed Book Benches across the city, and all the artwork has been created by UK designers.

The perfect opportunity to grab a good book, have a wander, find your favourite bench, and soak up the sun.

Download the trail map here.

Our Place in Space

An 8.5km sculpture trail of the solar system has landed in Cambridge.

Stretching from Midsummer Common in the heart of Cambridge along the River Cam to Cow Hollow Wood in nearby Waterbeach, you can marvel at scale models of our solar system’s planets and the Sun, recreated as a contemporary art sculpture.

This very cool science art trail runs until 29 August with events such as interstellar tours, silent disco stargazing, live music, film screenings, yoga, and building a Minecraft planet.

We highly recommend checking it out for an out of this world experience!

Find out more on their website here.

Cambridge University Museums are all FREE to enter

One of Cambridge’s best-known free things to check out are the fantastic Cambridge University Museums; from travelling back to prehistoric times at the Sedgwick Museum to discovering the history of science at the Whipple; the museums always host a variety of free family-friendly activities over the summer.

Check out the Cambridge Wildlife Safari Trail at the Zoology Museum or if creepy crawlies are more your thing they also have the Insect Time Machine Trail, just pick up a map and begin your journey back in time to find the insects that lived in Cambridgeshire 200 years ago.

It’s also your last chance to see the Hockney’s Eye exhibition at the Fitzwilliam, ending on 29th August this is a must-see for when visiting Cambridge.

All museums are free to enter, please see the links below for the museums and trails mentioned.

Cambridge University Botanic Garden

Take a step back from the hustle and bustle of the city and breathe in the fresh smell of nature at the Cambridge University Botanic Garden. Only a 5-minute walk from the train station and a 15-minute walk from the city centre, it’s perfect for stopping by on your way in or out of the city.

There is also the opportunity to join the Bee School Summer Adventure and follow a trail around the garden to learn all about bees.

Children up to 16 years old can enter the Garden for free and tickets cost £7.50 for adults.

Bee School Summer Adventure

Music in the Parks

Enjoy a variety of free live music at different parks in and around Cambridge this summer including at Jesus Green on the 18th September and Graduate Hotel Cambridge on the 25th September.

Check out the full line-up here.

Cambridge Central Library

If you’re looking for an indoor activity to keep you out of the heat for a while, there is always Cambridge Central Library in Lion Yard and with the Summer Reading Challenge in full swing across UK libraries right now, it’s the perfect opportunity for the little ones to delve into some great new stories.

Find out more here about Cambridge Central Library here.

Lion Yard have also brought the beach to the city with their fun new sandpit located inside the atrium of the shopping centre, open daily from 10am-4pm. Find out more here.

Swimming for just £1

Go for a dip in the pool for just a quid with Better Leisure Centres in Cambridgshire, under 16s can swim for £1 between 9am and 10am Monday to Friday, at Parkside Pools and the Abbey Leisure Complex in Cambridge.

Anglesey Abbey

If you’re looking for a great day out with the family which is not in the city centre, there is the beautiful Anglesey Abbey. With family tickets costing £37.50 and tickets for 1 adult and up to 3 children priced at £22.50, you can enjoy this National Trust property and gardens for less than £10 per person.

This summer Anglesey Abbey is running lots of fun sporty events for the little ones, just pick up a ‘Come out and play’ card any day up until 29th August to explore the range of activities. You can also join them every Saturday during the school holidays for The Anglesey Races.

Find out more here.

Where to eat for £10 or less

After a long day of walking some delicious food is an absolute must and there is a huge variety of options in Cambridge.

Fancy a pizza with a twist, Amelie inside the Grafton Centre serves their iconic Flam-kuche (skinny pizza), pick up a Margherita or three cheese pizza and more for under £10.

If you’re around in Cambridge on a Wednesday or Thursday be sure to head down to De Luca for their Pasta Wednesday and Pizza Thursday deals, where all their pasta dishes and pizzas are only £10.

If you’re in need of a sweet treat, we highly recommend trying the famous super sticky super sweet Chelsea Buns from Fitzbillies, for just £3.70 we guarantee you won’t regret it.

Looking for something to cool you down on these hot summer nights, pop round to Jack’s Gelato for a double scoop for £4.50.

Green spaces

Or why not DIY teatime and pack up a picnic to enjoy at one of the many green spots in Cambridge such as Mill Pond, Jesus Green or Parker’s Piece or head up to Castle Hill for a picnic supper and watch as the sun goes down and the city turns to night.

Visitors at the Cambridge University Botanic Garden (photo credit: Howard Rice) and the 'Lemur Conspiracy' Book Bench near the train station.

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