I've always adored an early start when travelling. Sunlight piercing through the sky's dawn ochre, the unique stillness and the lack of traffic all hit that note of excitement that you're off to (hopefully) sunnier climes.
The morning we left for Denmark was no expectation, except that we would be returning the next day. It was the first time I'd ever tried a journey like this with our children, but with no holiday days left to book, doing this jaunt over a weekend was our only recourse.
The journey
I do appreciate that trying something like this over a weekend implies both luck and also a complete disregard for travel sustainability. We did look at the greener alternatives and both are possible via train and ferry. However, with the latter taking 21 hours, sadly flying was our only recourse. I did however offset our carbon emissions.
Driving from London to Stansted took just under an hour, hitting the road before 6 am. We boarded our flight just after 9 am, ensuring we would land in Billund around 11.30 am and hopefully be admiring the marvel of the LEGO House soon after.
Boutique Billund
What struck us immediately about Billund was its cleanliness and the compact nature which this Danish conurbation holds. It originally was the home of Ole Kirk Christiansen's workshop (where it all started) and also home to the Campus HQ of the humble brick. The airport is conveniently located a seven-minute drive from the town and a taxi will get you anywhere in minutes. There are also buses and you could in theory walk, but with suitcases in tow, I wouldn't recommend it.
We were through security, ferried to our accommodation, checked in and ready to explore within an hour of leaving the airport - a family first. The LEGO House is easily walkable from most of Billund so we opted to traverse the stunning Skulpturpark. Admiring the modern works of art, we were suitably inspired to craft some colourful brick-shaped ones ourselves.
LEGO House
As you enter Billund, the new-build homes are stacked on top of one another like a homage to the brick, the LEGO House suddenly appears in front of you, a white tiled wedge cut into the 'Bymidte' or town's centre.
The children sprinted ahead of us through the doors and as we lumbered after them as only parents can, then we were almost bowled over by the design and enormity of the open-plan area which greeted us as we arrived.
A LEGO statue of Ole himself kneels on a bench whilst play sets and a LEGO brick-making machine adorn the ground floor. Having grabbed our passes, we were advised to head up to the top and work our down which we duly obliged.
LEGO, LEGO Everywhere
Before ascending the giant white staircase (there are lifts too), we managed to adorn the enormity of the Tree of Creativity which guides you up to the first play zone. There are plenty of intricate details to admire as you walk up and our kids loved seeing all the little worlds perched upon each LEGO leaf.
Awaiting you at the top of the tree are the friendly yet gaping jaws of the huge dinosaurs in the Masterpiece Gallery, which are meticulously crafted out of both DUPLO, TECHNICS and LEGO. This is your introduction to the zones, colour-coded to easily guide you on your creative journey. If losing your way or your bearings is common to you then don't fret, there are handily placed booths nearby that will remind you of your progress. Just tap your wristband on the reader and you can monitor your progress on the screen.
Brick by brick
We traversed each zone within a good few hours and queues were at their minimum for some of the experiences. Driving technic robots in the Robo Lab was a highlight for my son, whereas my daughter happily dived into a pit of DUPLO and built whatever her imagination threw at her.
As a family, you are hard-pressed to do things separately and this is one of the primary charms of coming here. I witnessed adults building extraordinary things inspired by the intricate LEGO worlds they had seen in the green zone. A waterfall of bricks cascades from the red zone and you can find both children and adults gleefully grabbing handfuls of bricks, thought processes running wild in the art of creation.
One day of play
We managed to experience the house within five hours, which left us time to bounce to each of the outside terraces where the kids experienced the very unique playgrounds. I personally would have loved to have spent more time in the basement area where the history of LEGO has been perfectly curated.
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Spent on hefty servings of colour and creativity, we left for our hotel. The next day we woke early to enjoy walking around Billund, before departing for the airport and home. Surprisingly, it felt like we'd been away longer. It could be argued that venturing to another country for a weekend is a tall order with younger children, but I was surprised at the flight time. Therefore, if you happen to have a free weekend and want to try something unique without the arduous travel plan, then the LEGO House is definitely worthy of your time.