England Family-Friendly Sightseeing, Attractions & Activities

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


Madame Tussauds

London NW1

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

Alnwick Castle

Alnwick

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  • Harry Potter
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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

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a living working experience of life as it was in the early 1800s and 1900s complete with shops, pubs and horse drawn carriages and trams

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  • National Trust
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collection of thatched buildings - date back more than 200 years - set in a valley that reaches down to the sea - working forge & mill - see the blacksmith in action - enjoy a traditional cream tea in the Old Bakery - explore the woodland or beach

Brighton i360

Brighton

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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

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local graphite mining led to the growth of the pencil industry. The museum gives an in depth guide to pencils and pencil making down the centuries

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a 45,000 square foot indoor attraction of the National Fairground Collection of vintage exhibits, rides and engineering and artwork displays

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  • maritime heritage

carefully crafted sets and original preserved trawler interiors capture the atmosphere and essence of a remarkable way of life

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a family run living heritage attraction with one of the last horse-drawn barges in Great Britain

Museum of Cider

Hereford

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founded in 1973 to preserve the history of cider making. The extensive collection includes cider mills, presses and advertising memorabilia

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go 140m underground to England's last deep coal mine, with 14 galleries to explore and blacksmiths to chat to and an adventure playground for children

Snape Maltings

Saxmundham

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  • all-weather attraction
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  • collectibles
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set in Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this is the home of the world famous Aldeburgh Music Festival, with many craft shops and art galleries

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sanctuary and working farm home to 500 donkeys in need of care, where visitors can meet the donkeys

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a family interactive experience where the visitor can learn about cheese, watch demonstrations and try out some cheese

The Workhouse

Southwell

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built in 1842 as the last resort for the destitute, the stories of the people who lived and worked here help tell the poignant history

West Wycombe Village

High Wycombe

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historic village with many buildings of architectural interest including the Hellfire Caves (not National Trust), shops and cafés

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the oldest model village in the world with a wealth of miniature architecture from the 1930s rural England, including a model railway

Chiltern Open Air Museum

Chalfont St. Giles

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focusing on vernacular buildings – the past houses and workplaces of ordinary people that are gradually disappearing from the landscape

Finch Foundry

Sticklepath

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The doorway to Dartmoor's industrial past with the sights, sounds and smells of three thundering water wheels powering massive hammers, shears and sharpening stone

Snowshill Manor

Gloucestershire

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

A la Ronde

Exmouth

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

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providing on site information about the canal and sightseeing trips on the historic working boat during the warmer months

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discover surprisingly cosy homes carved into the rock. Walk across Kinver Edge, buzzing with wildlife. Quirky tea room inside a rock house

Muncaster Castle

Muncaster

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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

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home to over 1000 gnomes and pixies, wildflowers, herbs, grasses and ferns with a family picnic area

Bibury Trout Farm

Cirencester

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try to 'catch your own' trout at this working trout farm, where all the stages of development of the fish can be seen. Also a chance to buy a variety of plants

Porteath Bee Centre

St. Minver

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informative displays about bees with educational talks & videos on beekeeping and beeswax candle making - beehives are kept behind glass

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