England Family-Friendly Sightseeing, Attractions & Activities

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


  • editors' choice!
  • -
  • fortress
  • -
  • historic house
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • guided tours
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • royalty

the world's oldest and largest continuously occupied fortress, one of the Queen's main residences, with impressive state rooms and chapels

  • garden
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • social history
  • -
  • nature
  • -
  • walking
  • -
  • wildlife

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

  • editors' choice!
  • -
  • fortress
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • World Heritage Site
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • guided tours
  • -
  • virtual tours
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • military history
  • -
  • jewellery
  • -
  • politics
  • -
  • royalty

Europe's best preserved medieval fortress, inextricably linked with centuries of British history and home to the British crown jewels

  • editors' choice!
  • -
  • garden
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • visitor centre
  • -
  • nature

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

  • editors' choice!
  • -
  • museum
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • free admission
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • guided tours
  • -
  • virtual tours
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • architecture
  • -
  • geology
  • -
  • nature

magnificent building housing 80 million specimens from across the natural world, arranged in four zones around a giant central hall

Flambards

Helston

  • museum
  • -
  • theme park
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • seasonal opening
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • social history

major family-friendly attraction with walk-through historic street scenes, theme park rides and special exhibitions

  • editors' choice!
  • -
  • place of worship
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • free admission
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • World Heritage Site
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • guided tours
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • architecture
  • -
  • art
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • religion

set on a rocky promontory next to the Castle, one of the great Norman buildings of Europe, boasting a magnificent rose window

  • museum
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • free admission
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • social history
  • -
  • transport
  • -
  • trains

well-presented railway museum, largest in the world, with a wide-ranging appeal beyond the railway enthusiast

Science Museum

London SW7

  • editors' choice!
  • -
  • museum
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • free admission
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • virtual tours
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • industrial heritage
  • -
  • social history
  • -
  • medicine
  • -
  • science
  • -
  • technology
  • -
  • transport

famous for its interactive exhibits, this museum has seven floors of exhibits covering the development of science and technology

  • historic house
  • -
  • garden
  • -
  • place of worship
  • -
  • viewpoint
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • seasonal opening
  • -
  • National Trust
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • antiques
  • -
  • architecture
  • -
  • art
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • nature
  • -
  • religion
  • -
  • walking
  • -
  • wildlife

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

  • film/tv location
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • pre-booking advised
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • visitor centre
  • -
  • film
  • -
  • Harry Potter
  • -
  • TV

walk in the footsteps of Harry Potter and explore the wonders of the Wizarding World

  • editors' choice!
  • -
  • fortress
  • -
  • museum
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • guided tours
  • -
  • virtual tours
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • antiques
  • -
  • architecture
  • -
  • art
  • -
  • furniture
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • nature
  • -
  • wildlife

packed with over 1000 years of history and set in splendid grounds, there is plenty to see and do including State Rooms, dungeons and falconry

  • theme park
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • shop

the most visited theme park in the UK with thrilling rides, an indoor and outdoor waterpark, 2 nine hole themed crazy golf courses and much more

Anne Hathaway's Cottage

Stratford-upon-Avon

  • historic house
  • -
  • garden
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • guided tours
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • antiques
  • -
  • furniture
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • nature
  • -
  • Shakespeare

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

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

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

  • archeological site
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • free admission
  • -
  • seasonal opening
  • -
  • English Heritage
  • -
  • archeology
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • social history
  • -
  • walking
  • -
  • wildlife

largest, best-preserved of several mysterious tunnels associated with Iron Age settlements, thought to date from 5th or 4th century BC

  • archeological site
  • -
  • museum
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • virtual tours
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • archeology
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • social history

multi-media ride through a realistic reconstruction of the sights, sounds and smells of the 10th century Viking settlement on this site

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

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

  • historic house
  • -
  • garden
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • seasonal opening
  • -
  • National Trust
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • guided tours
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • antiques
  • -
  • architecture
  • -
  • art
  • -
  • furniture
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • nature
  • -
  • walking
  • -
  • wildlife

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

  • museum
  • -
  • something different!
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • pre-booking advised
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • film
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • politics
  • -
  • royalty
  • -
  • sport
  • -
  • TV

famous waxwork museum, displaying effigies of celebrities, royalty, historic figures and sports stars, with photo-ops alongside your favourites

Show more