England Family-Friendly Sightseeing, Attractions & Activities

200 acres of world-renowned 19th century gardens, now restored after decades of neglect, offering secret corners and stunning displays

The Eden Project is an ecological wonder, featuring massive biomes housing diverse global plant species, educational exhibits, and sustainability-focused initiatives.

Island home to a medieval castle, reached by causeway, with Norman church and sub-tropical gardens.

set just outside Stratford-upon-Avon, the world famous cottage, with much original furniture, where Shakespeare courted Anne Hathaway

magnificent late Victorian country house, with the feel of a wealthy but unpretentious family home, including a rare book collection

hailed as a quintesssentially, English garden, this 'Great Garden of the World' boasts over 2000 different roses and over 1/4 million tulips, all set beside the 12th Century Abbey Church in the centre of Malmesbury

a fine Georgian villa designed by William Kent with a rich collection of Old Master Paintings and fine furniture. Free entry to the 65 acres of Grade I listed gardens with grand vistas, architectural delights, water features and a children's play area

herbaceous borders, over 80 heritage pear and apple trees, over 100 varieties of snowdrops, display of antique garden equipment, children's garden and a garden trail for younger visitors. Truly, something for everyone

lose yourself in the world's longest hedge maze, visit the Elizabethan stately home or drive through the world famous safari park

set in a magnificent deer park, the ancestral home of the Russell family for nearly 400 years has many attractions, including a famous wild life reserve

dating back to the fourteenth century and closely associated with many historical events. Now best known as one of the locations for the Harry Potter films

ancestral home of the Spencer family since the sixteenth century with a fine collection of antiques. Diana, Princess of Wales was laid to rest here

a wealth of architectural history, with buildings dating from the 14C and a superb 30-acre garden famed for its rhododendrons and unique quarry garden

displaying exhibitions of contemporary and historic art in the spacious Saloon Galleries. The gardens are experiencing a renaissance with new planting schemes, enhancing the herbaceous borders

situated in the beautiful parkland of the Blaise Estate at Henbury, the Museum is housed in a late eighteenth century mansion. Here you can see all sorts of familiar - and not so familiar - items from homes through history

little changed since completion in 1583 - wide variety of paintings - tapestries - porcelain - 17th century needlework - rare James I carpet - period furniture - tea barn

the first house in the world to be lit by hydroelectricity crammed full of ingenious gadgets – most of them still working and with one of the largest rock gardens in Europe

a secret, wartime airbase now a museum and visitor centre, restored parkland great for walking and with the 18th Century mansion at its centre

stretching across 3,000 acres of ancient woodland, steeped in history, but with delightful contrasts from the picturesque dingle to the remarkable pieces by Moore and Matisse

60 acre woodland garden with carpets of named snowdrops in early spring followed by rhododendrons, magnolias and camellias and rich autumn colours finish the season. School holiday entertainment for the children

former home of Agatha Christie with a relaxed 1950s style with a large romantic wooded garden and a shop selling her novels

Beautifully situated on the banks of the Thames. Step back in time, walking on the original marble floors and admiring the re-imagined 17th Century garden

a classic lat 18th Century mansion with political, wall paintings by Sir Jame Thornhill and extensive, relaxed gardens and parkland

step into this 125 acre oasis with peaceful tree lined riverside paths, picnic spots, a wetland boardwalk, and open air theatre and cinema in the summer months

a lovely 18th Century house with an unusual drawing room pained by Rex Whistler, a permanent 20th Century art collection and magnificent gardens

historic house and grade 1 Cornish gardens with the national camellia collection within 865 acre park on Rame Peninsula

with a world class collection of furniture, textiles and wallpaper and priceless paintings inside and room to explore outside - including cycle trails -

a welcoming house on the River Rye including a collection of high quality, miniature rooms and touring art exhibitions throughout the year

surrounded by 250 acres of park and farmland with year round seasonal walks and a colourful Victorian formal garden accompanying the mansion

Queen Victoria's palatial holiday home offering a treasured insight with a visit to the private apartments and the Swiss Cottage where the children played

a suburban palace caught between town and country with a lake, magnificent house, elegant gardens and a natural play trail with rope swings and steppingstones

with 12 individual gardens depicting countries from around the world, fantasy and culture and Greek mythology. Rare plant fairs, Christmas Food and Craft Market with summer theatre productions. Home grown produce used in the excellent restaurant

discover the world of science behind the botanical collections, with over 50,000 living plants to be found in a variety of settings

the much loved country retreat of HM Queen Elizabeth ll. Explore objets d'art collected by the Royal family, or browse the classic cars in the Transport Museum

extensive garden of varied colour, perfume and sound with winding paths, majestic trees with self led family activities

the ancestral home of Patrick Lichfield, the fashion photographer, a glamorous estate mansion with sweeping parkland and a natural play area for children

designed by Sir Roy Strong and his late wife, stretching over 4 acres, these innovative gardens reflect their interest in the arts and weaves the story of their marriage and lives into them. Picnics are welcome

an outstanding example of the Regency fashion for creating landscapes in a picturesque alpine style. Also boasts a collection of vintage aircraft and vehicles. Craft activities and trails for children during school holidays

the house, home of the quirky Museum of Curiosities, is surrounded by an informal landscape of lawns, lakes, woodland, parkland and farmland

lose yourself along the 200ft long herbaceous border, formal knot and rose garden, waterlily canal or riverside walk. Has a wide range of year round events, including arts and crafts and gardening courses

rare and exotic plants from world-wide locations with a mixture of formal and informal gardens with world famous camellias and magnolias

a place of enormous character, charm and interest. Visitors are frequently struck by the warm and intimate atmosphere and the feeling that Arley is a much-cherished family home with beautiful landscaped gardens

a handsome Georgian mansion with a fine collection of antiques and objets d'art, including the Charles Paget Wade Costume Collection

this beautiful stately home houses a vast collection of antiquities, chapel, library, sculpture gallery, laboratory, costumes, adventure playground & beautiful woodland gardens

once the home to Sir Francis Drake with contemporary furnishings and artefacts, an impressive medieval Great Barn and extensive gardens

holiday home of the D'Oyly Carte family built in the Arts & Crafts style with a joyful atmosphere enhanced by music and a 30 acre garden

set in classical parkland landscaped by Capability Brown, now with an adventure playground, this period mansion is also a world class art gallery

where Jane Austen lived and wrote some of her finest work with letters, memorabilia, illustrated books and other contemporary artefacts

with paintings by world famous artists Rembrandt and Vermeer, this hidden gem offers a unique look at an elegant Georgian mansion

set in over 6000 acres of woodland, a welcoming Georgian house, holding the National Trust's largest fashion collection with interactive displays

the Gothic Revival house is surrounded by gardens which are a masterpiece of architectural planting, home to one of the most outstanding botanical collections in the country

20th Century gardens with hidden pathways and colourful borders using Mediterranean style planting, which takes advantage of the southerly location

with spectacular river and sea views, this Edwardian house boasts a rare collections of exotic plants. Generations of children return to hunt for Fred the ghost

set in a picturesque location surrounded by a deer park with family heirlooms in the castle and extensive grounds to explore

lived in by the same family since the fourteenth century with armour and portraits of the family down the centuries and extensive gardens and parklands. Picnics permitted

a magnificent Georgian house which has been a family home for nearly 300 years with extensive grounds with year round interest

the home of artist and architect Charles Wade, this Manor House houses an eclectic collection of curios, celebrating colour, craftsmanship and design

late 17th Century house with sumptuous interiors including the Museum of Childhood. Explore childhoods of times gone by, play with toys and share stories

set in a magical landscape, an exciting garden created by the Duchess of Northumberland containing a 120 water jet Grand Cascade

medieval Manor House which was the ancestral home of George Washington, with a tranquil garden and a 'nuttery' - a haven for wildlife

birthplace and family home of Sir Isaac Newton and visit orchard where the apple tree gave him inspiration including a 'hands on' Science Centre

unique 16-sided house dating from the late 18th century, containing many quirky objects & mementoes, including a fragile shell gallery

stunning gardens encompassing the ruins of the abbey with different themed sections including a herb garden and children's play area. An ideal spot for a picnic

the rooms all display original furniture alongside paintings and portraits that bring to life the story of the house and its occupants including an important 17th Century, played by Handel. Explore the extensive gardens and challenging maze

beautiful medieval house is part of the story of King Henry VIII and his divorce settlement with his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves. Highlights include atmospheric furnished rooms and a Tudor garden with traditional plants

intimate Regency mansion with many treasures, Victorian garden and a Carriage Museum showcasing vehicles for every occasion

surrounded by a beautiful landscaped deer park, this elegant country house has had its fortunes rise and fall; this is still visible in the building today

a fine example of a country house estate built in the late 17th Century surrounded by beautiful gardens and with a large outdoor adventure playground

medieval manor house - still a family home - set in riverside meadows & woodland - unspoilt & relaxing -

a fine Elizabethan mansion refurbished in the 17th Century with extensive collections of paintings and objets d'art

ancient and peaceful, this tranquil Tudor manor house is far from today's busy lifestyle and is surrounded by rare terraced gardens

the ‘Great House’ referred to in Jane Austen’s letters, now sensitively restored and find inspiration in the lives and works of our women writers

a surviving example of a family home built in the 13th century and then modernised in 1618 including period enactments throughout the year

atmospheric Tudor house with medieval roots, working mill on historic quay with a restored Tamar Sailing Barge and glorious gardens

modernised in the 19th Century to become a lavish country house with Mediterranean planting in the garden and a working water mill

awarded the national Green Flag Award, a peaceful garden left as a legacy from the Fox family including many varied species

described as a "small piece of heaven on earth" by their founders, these gardens cover three valleys leading to the Helford River

dating back to the fourteenth century with a recent up date in the twentieth, this majestic castle is surrounded by lovely gardens

an elegant Palladian stately home, with a magnificent walled garden, extensive parkland with cycle routes and children's play areas

country home of Benjamin Disraeli, housing a fascinating collection of his memorabilia. Also Second World War rooms, with interactive exhibits and eye-witness accounts

the Italianate rotunda houses paintings by Gainsborough and Velasquez with a fine collection of silver surrounded by rolling parkland

moated, Tudor manor with fine furniture and paintings, surrounded by period gardens and offering a variety of hands on Education Days for children

bought in 1888 for the princely sum of £3,120. Originally created in 1841, they are now home to a surprising variety of plants, shrubs and trees

this stately home spans the centuries with a colourful history and reputed ghost. There is also a Hawk & Owl Centre with a wide range of birds

a must see for any horticulturist with over 6000 labelled plants set in different garden zones including a Japanese Garden

A Grade 1 registered landscape with acres of parkland and the national plant collection of rhododendron, magnolia and camellia species

tropical and traditional planting with stunning views fo the sea and estuary, shell grottoes and an Edwardian bandstand

beautiful gardens that tumble down to the sea with a superb collection of sub-tropical plants and a water garden. Children's play area and picnics are welcome on the sheltered and secluded beach

Jacobean country house with many fine artefacts including rare clocks, set in fine formal and informal gardens including a working watermill

11 acres if gardens landscaped by Capability Brown. The history of the ruined 18th Century house is depicted in the Gate House Museum

the house dates back to the early fifteenth century and has had many refurbishments down the centuries, the museum portrays the history of the local fenland and the spacious gardens include an eighteenth century ice house

set at a point where the River Derwent is at its widest with all manner of bird life including swans, herons, Canada geese and a variety of ducks and moorhens. Location of a number of film and TV productions

all year round enjoyment for everyone with landscaped parks and gardens set in a picturesque valley. Includes historic glasshouses, a countryside museum, woodland railway, indoor and outdoor children's play areas

botanical heritage and stunning landscapes make Borde Hill the perfect day out for horticultural enthusiasts, country lovers and families alike

Originally opened in 1874, these Victorian gardens are bursting with floral splendour and colourful displays. Winding through the park is the garden’s lake and a multitude of pathways

for 28 years, the home of John Ruskin, scientist and art collector, with many personal artefacts, including his extensive geological collection

one of the UK's largest zoological collections in the grounds of Bradwell Grove, in an impressive garden setting showcasing plant diversity

an impressive, Tudor, merchant's house boasting an attractive garden and some ornate internal panelling and carvings

set in a beautiful and diverse garden, this Elizabethan castle is still a family home displaying portraits, alongside contemporary photographs

a fine example of vernacular architecture with the personal touch of the family who lived there including their well used library

tranquil haven in the city with a traditional Victorian bandstand where summer concerts are held and with a small water garden dating from the original gardens

from the home of Augustinian friars in the C12th to a country club in the C20th, the land known as Caversham Court Gardens has a long recorded history. Volunteers give illustrated talks