Brisbane Road

Brisbane Road is home to Leyton Orient, one of London's longest-running football clubs, and if you're a proper football fan or just after a proper matchday atmosphere, it's worth timing a visit around their fixtures. The ground itself sits in Waltham Forest, about five miles northeast of central London, and has been the club's home since 1937. Walking up on match day, there's genuine energy - nothing fancy or corporate about it, just honest football supporters heading in.

The stadium tour, when available outside of fixtures, gives you the full backstage run: the tunnel, dugouts, and a look at how a Championship-level club operates on a relatively modest budget. It's not Stamford Bridge or the Emirates, but that's rather the point. You get a real sense of the club's character and history, which spans back to the 1880s.

For families with kids who eat and breathe football, this works well. Younger children might find a full 90 minutes a bit much, but the atmosphere on the terraces keeps most engaged. Matchday tickets vary depending on opposition, and the club's website will have current pricing.

If you're based at Lee Valley Camping and Caravan Park up in Edmonton, Brisbane Road is genuinely close - barely a 20-minute hop away. It breaks up a park holiday nicely, especially if you've got football-mad teenagers in tow who'd otherwise complain endlessly about being stuck in a caravan.