England Family-Friendly Sightseeing, Attractions & Activities

recommended places to visit and things to do with children in England


  • historic house
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  • garden
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  • place of worship
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  • viewpoint
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  • family-friendly
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  • seasonal opening
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  • National Trust
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  • café
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  • shop
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  • antiques
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  • architecture
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Island home to a medieval castle, reached by causeway, with Norman church and sub-tropical gardens.

  • fortress
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  • historic house
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  • museum
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  • viewpoint
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  • family-friendly
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  • all-weather attraction
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  • open year round
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  • English Heritage
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  • café
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  • guided tours
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  • shop
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  • architecture
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  • history
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  • military history
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  • World War II
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  • medicine

spectacular setting atop the White Cliffs of Dover, this large fortress includes a Roman lighthouse and secret wartime tunnels

  • natural landscape
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  • viewpoint
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  • family-friendly
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  • open year round
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  • café
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  • shop
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  • walking

stunning scenery and natural beauty at Cornwall's most westerly point with cliff top walks, the First & Last House, famous signpost

  • battlefield
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  • place of worship
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  • viewpoint
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  • family-friendly
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  • seasonal opening
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  • English Heritage
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  • café
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  • shop
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  • visitor centre
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  • history
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  • military history
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  • nature
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  • royalty
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  • walking

ruins of Norman abbey, built on the site of the 1066 Battle of Hastings, with battlefield views, visitor centre and Victorian walled garden

  • something different!
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  • viewpoint
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  • family-friendly
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  • all-weather attraction
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  • open year round
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  • pre-booking advised
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  • café
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  • photography

designed by the creators of The London Eye, glide up to 450' in this futuristic glass viewing pod for a birds' eye view of Brighton and the South Coast

The London Eye

London SE1

  • viewpoint
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  • family-friendly
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  • open year round
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  • pre-booking advised
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  • shop

world's tallest observation wheel, offering spectacular views across London's landmarks during a 30-minute "flight" in a climate-controlled capsule

Tower Bridge

London SE1

  • editors' choice!
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  • something different!
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  • viewpoint
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  • family-friendly
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  • all-weather attraction
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  • open year round
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  • guided tours
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  • history
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  • industrial heritage

Iconic bridge in the City of London, with spectacular views from the high-level walkways and visits to the original steam-powered engine rooms

  • archeological site
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  • viewpoint
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  • family-friendly
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  • seasonal opening
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  • English Heritage
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  • shop
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  • archeology
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  • history
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  • social history
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  • nature
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  • walking

remains of 2,000 year-old settlement with traceable village street and houses, with an underground passage, known as a 'fogou'

Fell Foot

Newby Bridge

  • park
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  • viewpoint
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  • family-friendly
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  • open year round
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  • National Trust
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  • café
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  • shop
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  • nature
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  • photography
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  • sport
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  • walking
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  • wildlife

7 hectare park with mountain views across Windermere, wild play area and multiple activities on and off the lake for all ages and abilities

  • something different!
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  • viewpoint
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  • family-friendly
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  • open year round
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  • visitor centre
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  • history
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  • transport
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  • boats

initially constructed in 1875 to aid the passage of commercial river traffic, the current lift stopped work in the 1960s. Today visitors can learn how the lift worked & other background information at the visitor centre

  • viewpoint
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  • family-friendly
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  • seasonal opening
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  • visitor centre
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  • history
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  • industrial heritage
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  • nature
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  • walking
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  • wildlife

lauded as "Britain's most beautiful waterway", the canal runs through unspoilt countryside in the heart of North Hampshire. The Visitor Centre provides a history exhibition & information point

  • landmark
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  • viewpoint
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  • family-friendly
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  • all-weather attraction
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  • open year round
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  • café
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  • shop

The Tower is one of Blackpool's landmarks, and most popular attractions, including the Tower Eye and famous Tower Ballroom.

  • viewpoint
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  • family-friendly
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  • National Trust
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  • nature
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  • walking
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  • wildlife

overlooking what is still one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, where Marconi undertook some of his pioneering radio experiments

  • natural landscape
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  • viewpoint
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  • family-friendly
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  • National Trust
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  • history
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  • military history
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  • nature
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  • walking
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  • wildlife

commanding views across the Fal estuary and beyond. Famed for its military history for centuries, there are big guns, batteries and fortifications to discover. With level paths from the car park to the headland

Ashton Windmill

Stone Allerton

  • something different!
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  • viewpoint
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  • family-friendly
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  • all-weather attraction
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  • free admission
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  • limited opening
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  • history

this is a unique 18C flour mill standing on the "Isle" of Widmore. The mill was restored in 1958 to a working condition , with further renovations in 1979

  • fortress
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  • viewpoint
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  • family-friendly
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  • seasonal opening
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  • English Heritage
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  • shop
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  • architecture
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  • history
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  • military history

well-preserved and elaborately decorated coastal artillery fortress designed to mount heavy 'ship sinking' guns with audio tour available and picnic area