My husband & I, w/ our two children (7 & 13 ),want to spend 2 night is the Lake District. We like quaint but not dead - w/ the kids. I was thinking Keswick but I'm hearing mixed reviews as to how pretty it really is. Any thoughts re: Grasmere? Any advice is greatly appreciated.

I think Keswick is a fine place to stay, lots of B&B's in old Victorian houses, close by lakes and fells for walking, cute in town for killing a few hours shoping, Keswick Pencil Factory if you want to know how pencils are made, a stone circle not far. I thought that Keswick was quieter than further south such as Windermere.

Do go down to the Windermere Steamboat Museum, kids love going out on their launches if you are there on the right day. http://www.steamboat.co.uk/

Something else you might enjoy in the Lake District:

http://www.lakedistrictletsgo.co.uk/...muncaster.html

We like Keswick a lot--nice little shops, wonderful tea and pastry shop, near lots of good hiking. Our favorite place to stay is the Lodore Stakis Hotel--a bit out of town, but very elegant and English, and they have family rooms that will accomodate 4. You dress for dinner which my boys actually like in England.

Thank you, Rachel, for coming up with that name. We stayed there many years ago and loved it, but couldn't remember the name of the place, except that there is a waterfall near by with the same name.

That's the place where we had drinks in the bar before dinner and the waitress kept wanting to take our dinner order. We kept politely saying we'd order once we got to the dining room. Little did we know that's how they did it there. Order in the bar, and when your first course is ready, they take you to your table. So civilized!!!

Rick, BR, Rachel & Patrick - THX so much for your input. Really appreciate it....... Lynda