The National Trust have over 500 locations to visit in the UK, many of which are free to enter but plenty which aren't. We recently finished our 1 year family membership, and decided not to renew again immediately, but would certainly consider it in the future. We might use the money for something else this year, like maybe the group of gardens that includes The Eden Project and Kew Gardens, just for a change.
Whilst we had our National Trust membership though, it was really good. If you live somewhere with a few locations to visit on your doorstep, then I'd highly recommend it, as they do events and kids activities all year around which can make each visit different. For us, we have the amazing Tyntesfield near by but otherwise we've got an hour or so to drive to other properties, so we used our membership mostly when we were in Devon. My Auntie however, in South Somerset, has about 3 large properties within 10 - 45 minutes of her so she gets a lot of use out of it when she has a membership. Another friend alternates each year between the National Trust and English Heritage, to mix things up a bit, which I think is a great idea.
A years membership for the National Trust, for 1 adult, is currently £91.20 a year, whilst a family membership (with 2 adults) is £159 a year (£99 a year with one adult).
On days when we did use our membership, after years of paying to visit, it really did feel like you were getting a sneaky free treat. And it means you can give into the kids nagging for a drink or a cake in the tea room because, if you take a picnic, it hasn't actually cost you anything else for a day out. And National Trust locations - especially ones you haven't been to before - can certainly be a full day out. When a day out at a zoo or certainly a theme park can cost over £100, it doesn't take long for £159 to feel like it's been accounted for (as painful as that is) and that subsequent days out are a freebie bonus.
However, if we start a membership again, there's one thing I'd do differently. I'd investigate getting a National Trust for Scotland membership, because whilst it still gets you into National Trust properties around the world, it's cheaper than it's English equivalent. An adult membership with NTfS is £74.40 a year (a £17.20 saving), or a family membership for 2 adults is £144 a year (a £15 saving). A 1 adult family saving is £90 a year, which is only £9 cheaper but if it gets you all the same stuff, it's worth having.
A friend let me know about this money saving hack, as they do it every year, but whilst the NTfS website confirmed you can get into National Trust properties around the world, it doesn't categorically say you can park in National Trust car parks for free... but it also doesn't say you can't. I was just looking for a catch! But if you've got a membership card and have been told you can access worldwide National Trust locations then I think you'd have a strong argument if anyone questionned it. One thing they do recommend is that if you're hoping to use a 2 adult family card, then both adults take their cards to prove their membership, rather than just relying on one.
Article photo courtesy of K. Mitch Hodge.
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