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A UK city that's been described by Brits as 'Satan's Lay-By' and 'hideous' has been named the nation's most underrated staycation gem.
Having been dragged on social media for its sculptures of "concrete cows" and called an "ugly overgrown town" on X – formerly Twitter – people often dismiss Milton Keynes.However, it appears that those who label the city as being filled with "hideous, dystopian developments" might be missing out.
Milton Keynes has been labelled the UK’s most underrated city by holiday home website Independent Cottages. Both local residents and tourists have spent years slamming the "new town" which was founded in 1967 due to its Americanised grid system, concrete buildings and many roundabouts. One review even labelled it a “dismal London commuter belt town” and "a symphony in the superficial and a concerto of concrete".
READ MORE: Tourist slams UK as 'tatty, poor and grim' after being unimpressed by 'signs of decay'
READ MORE: Check out our travel section for more holidays, travel news, hacks, flight secrets and more…
Even comedians like stand-up Bill Bailey labelled Milton Keynes "Satan’s Lay-by". However, the poll – which looked at UK cities that have lots of attractions but which re rarely covered in guidebooks or travel pages – found there’s a lot to do in old MK.
TripAdvisor named Bletchley Park as the top attraction in the city – if you’ve never heard of it then you might be surprised at its fascinating background. The house was used as the secret home of the codebreakers in World War II who cracked the enigma code including Alan Turing. The geniuses were featured in blockbuster The Imitation Game featuring Benedict Cumberbatch. You can take a tour of the historic building and imagine yourself cracking codes and saving your countrymen just like they did.
But, there are other fun attractions in Milton Keynes too – and they’re not all based on history. You can hit the slopes in the Snooze – and indoor ski and snowboard centre where you can learn tricks (or just try to stay stood up) while gliding down real snow. It seems that sports a major part of Milton Keynes as there’s also Big Rock Hub – an indoor climbing centre where you can go rock climbing whether you’re a beginner or a pro. The centre is massive compared to most other British indoor climbing hubs – with dozens of walls and climbing types to choose from.
There are museums on offer too – from The National Museum of Computing which is next door to Bletchley Park and gives an insight into the history of these incredible machines to the Milton Keynes Museum which offers plenty of interactive play for adults and children alike. You can pretend to be a wartime telephonist connecting important calls, enter a vintage school room, toast bread in an ancient fireplace, check out old blue police boxes and essentially learn all about Milton Keynes from before it became a new town in the 1970s.
On top of this, there are multiple go-karting tracks which are well rated and include both indoor and outdoor options. An Aquapark lets kids get strapped up in life vests and jump into the water or have fun on inflatables like the "moon jump". For those looking for a great day out for small children there’s Thrift Farm – rated the fifth best attraction in the area – is an activity park filled with a beautiful garden, playgrounds, piddly go-karts, a rip wire and even a pet corner where you can cuddle with animals.
Otherwise head to theme park Gulliver’s Land where there are rides for the whole family – including rollercoasters, crop rides, carousels, spin rides and an indoor play centre with pall pools and soft play. Plus, you don’t have to pay for parking according to TripAdvisor.
For adults, there’s the Milton Keynes Theatre where one review says "you don't just watch pantos there you could also watch West End shows with the same actors. Superb." Plus, the Stables Theatre which offers live music from jazz and blues to rock, folk, classical and pop.
There are plenty off scenic walks in the area rom Campbell Park to Emberton Country Park plus the Stadium MK for football fans and an ice rink for the best winter days out. You can even go fishing or shooting at Alders Farm Fishery.
Milton Keynes is starting to sound pretty good right now to us… there’s even a skydiving centre for thrill-seekers and a Virtual Reality games space called Vertigo where you’ll feel like you’re living in the future of gaming. Sign us up!
- Staycation
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