If you’re planning on visiting Newmarket and surrounding areas this half-term there are plenty of things to do especially when it comes to great family days out.
This is one of the best times to go around The National Stud given that they have welcomed loads of new foals in recent weeks. It’s a great time of the year to be going on a TOUR OF THE NATIONAL STUD and while there might still be a bit of a chill in the air, there’s still lots to see and do during your time on this fabulous 500-acre property. Let the children take part in our interactive quiz and follow the map as you go around and explore the Stallion Unit, the Foaling Unit, spotting some of the landmarks and points of interest as you go. There’s nothing better than spending some time with the mares and foals and watching them in the paddocks. After all that, a stop in at the Wavertree’s Coffee Shop for a light lunch or delicious slice of cake is another reason to stay a little bit longer.
Thinking about taking a tour of The National Stud? Click here to book your places.
There’s always something to see and do when visiting PALACE HOUSE but this half-term there’s even more for you and the family to enjoy as they put on an ART DETECTIVE TRAIL around their Skating Exhibition. This wonderful collection is on until the 28th April and includes 30 works covering the last 400 years.
There will also be loads of art and craft workshops for the kids to to take part in and these will take place on Monday 18th, Tuesday 19th and Wednesday 20th between 12.30pm and 2.30pm. There’s also an extra special event taking place on the 20th February and the best part is that it is a FREE event for families! TWILIGHT AT THE MUSEUMS will see Palace House open its doors from 4.30pm-7.30pm. Bring your torch and explore!
A brand new collection opens at Palace House on the 14th February. 100 FIRST WOMEN PORTRAITS BY ANITA CORBIN features contemporary photographic portraits of celebrities and famous personalities from across the decades in this special exhibition. Featured among the portraits is Hayley Turner, who became the first woman to win a British Group One race outright as a jockey with her famous victory in the July Cup at Newmarket’s July Course aboard Dream Ahead back in 2011. This is one of the must-see exhibits at Palace house this year.
To go with the exciting new collection and the half-term fun, there will still be the daily demonstrations by the RETRAINING OF RACEHORSES charity. These take place in the Rothschild Yard at 11.30am and 2.30pm.
The RACEHORSE SIMULATOR will also be in action and this is a wonderful chance to get a taste of what it’s like to ride in a race as a jockey. Take a go at designing your own set of racing silks, or dress up in some of the famous silks in the simulator room and pretend you’re winning a big race! To book your day out at Palace House, click here.
The town of Newmarket is perfectly placed to allow you to enjoy the best of what both Cambridgeshire and Suffolk have to offer as well as being close enough that London is not that far away either. If you find yourself planning a road trip to include more than one stop then why not take the kids along to the STAINED GLASS MUSEUM in Ely for their half-term activities and crafts or the WILD WINTERY ART ADVENTURE at Wicken Fen. For a full list of what’s on in Ely then head here.
Suffolk is spoilt with some wonderful destinations and Bury St Edmunds, which is only a 20-minute drive or short train ride away from Newmarket, is one of them. They’ll be hosting the SUFFOLK SCIENCE FESTIVAL from Tuesday 19th February until Saturday 23rd February. One of the highlights of this event is the MUSEUM OF THE MOON taking place at the Apex which features a wonderful installation by artist Luke Jerram.
A new interpretation board and commemorative plaque have been unveiled at Newmarket railway station, marking the town’s rich railway heritage as part of the national Railway 200 celebrations.
Ely Cathedral is delighted to announce the return of peregrine falcons to its historic West Tower, marking another exciting chapter in the life of one of the region’s most iconic landmarks.
As generations of fine-limbed thoroughbreds pranced on and off the trains at Newmarket’s original railway station, almost unnoticed, their working class cousins were shifting around the waggons which carried them to racecourses all over the country.
The Ipswich to Cambridge rail line, which includes 11 stations including Newmarket, is to be promoted as St.
Spring has finally arrived, and Easter is looking to be packed with egg-citing adventures for families looking to make magical memories.
Whether your car is temporarily off the road, you are planning a weekend escape, or you simply need flexible access to a second vehicle, Plug in Suffolk Car Clubs are aiming to transform the way residents think about travel.
The tourism body Discover Newmarket is launching a new initiative with Newmarket Racecourses, extending a warm welcome to the first 100 new residents to move into the town this spring by offering an all-access, behind the scenes tour of the town’s historic racing landmarks.
As we celebrate International Women’s Day (8th March 2025), we’re taking the opportunity to look back at a definitive time in history when Ellen Chaloner, a trailblazing trainer became the first woman to be given a permit to train horses by the Jockey Club in 1886.
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