Days out in the UK

• Even if you're not travelling abroad for the holiday weekend, you can still get your fix of maritime fun in Portsmouth. The International Festival of the Sea (08705 505040). takes place in Portsmouth from 24-27 August. The largest maritime event in the world will have dis plays from the Royal Navy, the Army and the RAF, as well as fleets upon fleets of ships, both modern and classic. If ships aren't your thing, nightly concerts, an eighteenth-century street market and 400 actors in costume should keep you entertained. Open from 10am until 10pm.

• Play the clown by learning to juggle or walk on stilts. Hampton Court Palace (020 8781 9500) is running a Fool School every Saturday and Sunday throughout the summer during which the Kings' Fools will teach juggling and stilt-walking. Two sets of workshops are held three times a day; one for the eight to 12 age group and one for the over-13s. The Fools put on a show at 3.15pm, which includes fire-eating, something unfortunately not taught at the classes. Adults will enjoy the guided tours, held four times daily. Trains to Hampton Court Palace leave from Waterloo and the journey takes just 30 minutes. Open Tuesday to Sunday 9.30am to 6pm and Monday 10.15am to 6pm.

• Notting Hill isn't the only place to have a carnival next weekend. Potternewton Park (0113 293 4231) in Leeds is hosting a West Indian carnival and reggae concert on Sunday and Monday. Starting with a free concert at 2pm on Sunday, some of reggae's biggest stars such as Lee 'Scratch' Perry will perform throughout the day. On Monday, a carnival kicks off in the park with lots of people in costumes, stalls and food and drink. It leaves the park and parades around the surrounding streets before finishing up in the park again. The event usually attracts around 80,000 people.

• It's going to be a long, cold winter, so get out into the Scottish Borders and enjoy what might be one of the last opportunities to exercise in the fresh air. Glentress Forest Park near Peebles has some of the best mountain bike routes in Scotland as well as some beautiful walks. The routes include two Family Trail Quests suitable for younger cyclists. Phone Forest Enterprise on 01750 721120. Information on bike hire is available from the Scottish Borders tourist Board.

Short breaks in the UK

• Go back to your youth and enjoy a cheap holiday by taking advantage of the Youth Hostels Association's (0870 870 8808) range of special summer offers. Three nights' bed and breakfast at YHA Norwich, for example, costs just £31.10 per person and includes a free three-month trial membership pack. Don't be deterred by the idea of waking up with a stranger's snores wafting up from the bunk below you - hostels have come a long way and couples and families get a free upgrade to a private room. The YHA has teamed up with Anglia Railways to offer a special 'kids go free' pass, enabling parents to take up to four children on a day excursion from any hostel in East Anglia free.

• Though the foot and mouth crisis has hit Cumbria particularly badly, this has advantages for people planning short breaks in the area. Cottages are usually only available for a minimum of one week, but now many are becoming free for shorter periods of time, ideal for bank holiday breaks. Cumbrian Cottages (01228 599960) is offering cottages in Keswick sleeping eight people for only £350 for a Friday to Sunday let, reduced from £500. Cumbrian Cottages' entire range will have discounts of up to 50 per cent for last-minute bank holiday breaks. With Cumbria's parks, lakes and boating for children, there will be no shortage of things to do.

• Visit the Lake District at a bargain price. Sunvil UK (020 8232 9788) is offering a break in the three-star Langdale Hotel and Country Club. Set in 35 acres of woodlands and waterways, it will take almost no effort to get out and explore the Lake District. Or if you've ground to a halt, stay in the sauna or the Jacuzzi. There is a play area for children and babysitting is available. A three-night break starting on 24 August, is £225 per adult including bed and breakfast. Children under three stay for £10 per night and under 14s stay for £20 per night (sharing a family room).

• If you've always envied the children their summer camps, this is your chance to join in with the fun. 3D Active Family (0800 169 9783) is a residential activity centre in Torquay, offering abseiling, archery, fencing and an exhaustive and exhausting list of other sports for parents and children. There are 40 to choose from, including off-site Discovery Days in Dartmoor. Prices start at £99 per adult, with children at half price for three nights including en suite accommodation, all meals and all activities with expert instruction.

Short breaks abroad

• Europe can be a real problem at this time of year, but it's possible to enjoy a fix of France without the hassle of finding a place to stay. A day trip to Calais starts at £19 with Seafrance (08705 711 711) and there's lots to do once you get there. Boulogne is only 24 miles (38 km) from Calais port and Le Touquet, 42 miles (68km) away, is a coastal town with lots for children to do such as the water adventure park Aqualud. Seafrance produces a booklet outlining the attractions of all the main destinations in the North France region.

• For a city break at a more relaxed pace than the usual European destinations, take a ferry to Cork. Departing 25 August, Irish Ferries (08705 171717) is running a two-night break in the city centre at the three-star Commons Inn Hotel with breakfast for £174 per person, including ferry crossing. The price is based on two people travelling. Children under 16 travel free, while children under 12 can share a room with their parents, though meal charges are made. In Cork, you can visit Cobh Harbour, the last port of call made by the Titanic, or catch up on Cork heritage at the Cork Heritage Park.

• Scandinavian children go back to school much earlier than their British counterparts, so there's good availability there this bank holiday weekend. In the West Jutland area of Denmark, country inns have availability for couples, and there is a range of cottages that sleep bigger groups. These are usually available for a minimum of one week, with prices starting at £165. The weather should still be warm and the area has miles of deserted beaches. Ryanair has daily flights from London Stansted to Esbjerg. Return fares including tax are from £84.78. Danish Tourist Board (09001 600 109).

• Keep the family happy in Tenerife. Four nights in the Riu Adeje apartments in Playa de las Americas is available from Travel Choice (0870 900 5833) for £349 per person on a self-catering basis. The apartments are new and feature a mini club for the eight to 12-year-olds and babysitting. Teenagers will be kept busy by the Playa de las Americas nightlife, but the complex is quiet, with plenty of gardens, a gym, tennis and a whirlpool. The flight departs from Manchester on 24 August.