persimmondeb

We are in the very early stages of planning a very, very strange driving itinerary that involves both the Bovington Tank Museum and the Dad's Army Museum in Thetford. Any ideas for add ons?

Particularly ones in the general vicinity of either of these, plus I'm suspicious that Dad's Army isn't a full day even for DS.

I wouldn't quite say we like everything, but it's pretty close, and we're easily amused. We will be on a budget, and we have a couple of big ticket items planned already. We are planning to join the Royal Oak society which I understand gives us admission to National Trust and English Heritage properties.

We will mostly be in the south and possibly midlands, and at least some part of Wales.

In addition to "everything", we particularly like history, wineries, breweries, engineering stuff, and small random shiny things. I'm the only member of the party with much more than a passing interest in art, and we're quite susceptible to the lures of amusements of various kinds. We're not much for capital "C" culture.

Right now our target is late spring.

Heimdall

Make sure to go to the Dad's Army Museum on a day that it is actually open:
Dad's Army Museum

Although I live nearby I have never been there, despite being a fan of the television series. I suspect it is very small, so not sure it will be worth a trip up to Norfolk. If you are in the area you could also visit the Imperial War Museum at Duxford, near Cambridge, or visit the historic town of Bury St Edmunds, and maybe even fit in a tour of the Greene King brewery.

hetismij2

Monkey World is just down the road from Bovington. You may remember it from the TV series. It is worth a visit whether you do or not.
The Jurassic coast is also worth a visit.

ribeirasacra

With regard to Bovington try and plan your trip on one of the event planned for next year.
Nothing like hearing that Tiger tank!
https://tankmuseum.org/whats-on/events

Fra_Diavolo

You will be near T.E. Lawrence's (Lawrence of Arabia) cottage, Cloud's Hill https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/clouds-hill, also his effigy in the church in St Martin's Church, Wareham.

Haven't been to either, myself, but have long wanted to visit.

Megdorset

About 5 miles from Bovington in Dorchester there is a great military museum - The Military Keep.

On the coast near Lulworth there is Tyneham - a village which was evacuated in World War 2 so that the area could be used to practice the D Day landings. The villagers never returned

National Trust properties in the area include - Hardy's Cottage, Max Gate & Kingston Lacy.

persimmondeb

Both the Imperial War Museum and the Greene King Brewery are excellent suggestions, and right up our alley.

Dad's Army is an absolute must, since DS's fandom borders on obsession. He pulls up their website and looks at it lovingly with some frequency. It's been fairly apparent that we need to plan that visit carefully due to somewhat infrequent hours, especially since we must see Jones' Van, which I understand sometimes goes other places.

He's flexible enough so that it's not a disaster if something unscheduled interferes with the agenda, but we'll never be forgiven for poor planning.

persimmondeb

We're not familiar with the TV series, but yes, that is very much the kind of attraction we like. Great suggestion!

persimmondeb

We're not sure our dates line up for that, but DS has been lobbying heavily for this. It does sound cool. Thanks!

persimmondeb

Thanks!

persimmondeb

Awesome suggestion! That's also very, very much our kind of thing (especially DS). Thanks!

Heimdall

If you are determined to visit the Dad's Army Museum you had better plan your trip to be there on a Saturday, then. As I read the website that's the only day it is open except for Tuesdays in July, August, and September plus a few Norfolk school holidays.

By the way, if you are from the USA you may be interested in knowing that Thetford was the birthplace of the American revolutionary Thomas Paine:
Thomas Paine

persimmondeb

I did not know that. That is interesting.

Dad's Army is an absolute must, and I am kind of resolved to planning around it. It's possibly not even the strangest item on our itinerary.