October half-term Sports Tours 

With many kids (and adults) having new-found sporting passions after the exciting summer of sport we’ve had, National Rail has created an audio series that captures the fantastic sporting locations across Britain where you can learn about, experience and enjoy sports in the real world, by train, for less.

Below is a list of the Top 10 British sporting locations mentioned within the guides that parents can take their kids to this October half-term, plus how you can enjoy them for less thanks to the savings that can be made when you book through the National Rail Days Out Guide.

National Football Museum

Nearest Station Manchester Victoria. The National Football Museum is based in the Urbis building in Manchester city centre and covers the history of the game in England, along with some international coverage. The museum preserves and displays important collections of football memorabilia, including vintage boots, historic footballs, and other artefacts related to the beautiful game. Both of the two balls used in the first World Cup Final in 1930 are displayed there, along with a replica of the Jule Rimet Trophy, which was made in secret by the FA in 1966 after the original was stolen, and it was then paraded by the England players at the 1966 World Cup final. The Museum is just a 20 minute bus journey from Manchester’s Piccadilly Train Station.

The National Football Museum is available for 20% when you travel by train and purchase through National Rail’s Days Out Guide:

Liverpool Football Club Stadium Tour & Museum

Nearest Station Liverpool Fans can take the interactive and immersive stadium tour at one of the world’s most iconic and historic clubs. There is an “Anfield Abseil” in which visitors can abseil down the stadium wall, with stunning views of Liverpool city and passing the Club’s huge official crest. There are also Legend Q&As where fans can hear the personal memories, funny anecdotes and stories of what it was like to play for the Club from their chosen Liverpool FC Legend.

The Liverpool Football Club Stadium Tour & Museum is available at 2 for1 when you travel by train and purchase through National Rail’s Days Out Guide:

World Rugby Museum

Nearest Station Twickenham  The World Rugby Museum at Twickenham Stadium showcases the history of rugby, featuring memorabilia, interactive exhibits, and insights into the sport’s development. The Museum is the most extensive collection of rugby football memorabilia in the world, including JH Clayton’s jersey from the first ever international in 1871 and a selection of 19th century international caps. Both the Twickenham Stadium and World Rugby Museum are just a 15 minute walk from Twickenham Station. The World Rugby Museum is also available on the Days Out Guide from National Rail, offering 2 for1 on the attraction when travelling by train:

National Horseracing Museum

Nearest Station Newmarket The museum is built in the remains of Charles II sporting palace and racing stables. It covers the long history of the sport, and includes artefacts such as Red Rum’s bridle and Frank Buckle’s riding crop. Buckle was known to the British horse racing public as “The Governor” and has been described as the man “who brought respectability to race-riding” in the opening quarter of the 19th century.

The National Horse Racing Museum also houses paintings from the British Sporting Art Trust, clothing worn by other famous jockeys, as well as a racehorse simulator. Documents on display include record books from the early eighteenth century. Newmarket also has many stables and other equestrian buildings that are listed by English Heritage.

The National Horseracing Museum is available on the Days Out Guide from National Rail, offering 2for1 entry when travelling by train:

Wembley Stadium Tour

Nearest Station Wembley Stadium The Wembley Stadium’s tour includes football along with many of the other events that were held at the old and new Wembley stadiums.  Wembley can hold up to 90,000 fans, making it Britain’s largest sporting venue. It is World famous as the home of the National England football team and host to the FA Cup final every year since it began. The ground recently hosted UEFA Champions League final 2024 (as well as numerous previous UEFA finals). Wembley has also hosted the Women’s FA Cup finals and Women’s EURO 2022 final along with the London 2012 Olympic Games football event, including the final gold medal winning match.

A footballing highlight in the Wembley Museum is the crossbar from the goal that was used in the 1966 World Cup Final. This is the bar that Geoff Hurst’s shot famously hit before bouncing down and then away from the goal. The linesman gave it as a goal – no VAR in those days – though it remains hotly disputed to this day. The goal put England 3-2 up in extra time and they went on to win 4-2. There are two national rail stations serving the arena; the main station, Wembley Stadium, and Wembley Central station.

The Wembley Stadium Tour is available on the Days Out Guide from National Rail, offering 2for1 entry when you travel by train:

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Nearest Station Stratford  The London Stadium (formerly and also known as the Olympic Stadium and the Stadium at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park). This venue hosted the athletics events during the 2012 Summer Olympics and continues to host major athletics events. The stadium is just an 11 minute walk from Stratford Station. At the Olympic Park you can visit the ArcelorMittal Orbit, the UK’s tallest piece of public art. The view from the top allows you to see skyline views of up to 20 miles across London through floor to ceiling windows. What’s more if you’re at least eight years old and over 1.3 metres tall, you can descend via The Slide – the UK’s tallest and fastest tunnel slide. Roof East is another amazing reason to visit, a bar, event space, open air cinema and community space in the old shopping mall. More here 

All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club Tour

Nearest Station Wimbledon The All England Lawn Tennis Club Museum and Tour, Wimbledon, showcases the history of tennis. It features a vast collection of artefacts, including trophies, equipment, clothing, and memorabilia from tennis legends. Flick through the pages of Arthur Ashes’ diary, sit on the bench used by Roger Federer in the Gentleman’s Dressing Room, and witness the power of Martina Navratilova, including a bronze sculpture of Navratilova in action. Exhibits cover the history of tennis from its origins to the present day, with a particular focus on the Wimbledon Championships. Visitors can enjoy interactive exhibits such as the “CentreCourt360,” which provides a virtual tour of the iconic Centre Court. There are also touch-screen consoles and audio-visual displays that offer engaging insights into the sport. Guided tours provide exclusive behind-the-scenes access to areas not typically open to the public, such as the Press Interview Room, the Players’ Entrance, and the Aorangi Terrace (also known as ‘Henman Hill’). Knowledgeable guides share fascinating stories and insights about the tournament and its history. The nearest major train station is Wimbledon Station, which is well-connected to central London and the surrounding areas. The station is approximately 1.5 miles from the All England Lawn Tennis Club.

Ascot Racecourse

Nearest Station Ascot The Royal Ascot has been taking place in Ascot, Berkshire, since 1839. The event is attended by around 70,000 people including celebrities and members of the royal family. The race also has the most valuable prize fund sitting at £7.3 million. Sculptor David Roper-Curzon has captured Frankie Dettori in his flying dismount pose in a state at Ascot, the site of his most famous victories. Dettori was British flat racing Champion Jockey three times and rode the winners of 287 Group 1 races including 23 winners of the British Classic Races. Ascot railway station is only a 7-minute walk from the racecourse, with trains to Reading, London Waterloo and Guildford.

The Ascot Racecourse is available on the Days Out Guide from National Rail, offering 2for1 entry when you travel by train: 

Sloggers Cricket

Nearest Station Stoke-On-Trent Indoor virtual cricket simulator where you will face the likes of Ishant Sharma, Ravi Ashwin, Deepak Chahar and Shakib Al Hasan. A great place for cricket enthusiasts to practise their game, you can play various game modes such as Target, Sixes Challenge and Match Mode. The venue is just a 20 minute walk from Longton station in Stoke-on-Trent.  More here 

Kennington Oval

Nearest Station Oval   The Oval is the birthplace of modern English sport. In 1880, it became the first ground to host Test cricket in England. Following on from this in 1882, it became the birthplace of the Ashes, when England famously lost to Australia, which led to the Obituary of English cricket in the Sporting Times. The Oval also hosted the first ever FA Cup final, the first international football match in England in 1870 as well as the first ever rugby union international.

If not able to make it to a match, you can follow in the footsteps of cricketing greats with access to some of the most exclusive parts of the ground by doing a ground tour – you simply have to book in online.

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