5 things to do in Cardiff with kids
Cardiff is a city oozing with culture, heritage and activities for the whole family to enjoy. It’s also a very compact city so you don’t have to travel far to find something new and interesting to keep your kids entertained. Here’s so of the brilliant things to do in Cardiff with kids.
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Top things to do in Cardiff for families
Here’s five Cardiff family attractions I can recommend you see next time you’re in this vibrant city:
1. Cardiff Castle
If you wander through the city centre it won’t be long before you stumble across Cardiff Castle. It’s one of the truly unmissable things to do in Cardiff.
There’s more than 2,000 years of history within its walls, from its first use as a Roman fort to a Victorian extension and 20th Century wartime shelters. Open air events, such as jousting and theatre products, are held regularly within the castle grounds.
On a previous visit with Mr Tin Box I remember having to wind our way through crowds of Medieval characters on our way to climb the Keep.
There are two dedicated audio guides for younger visitors and a children’s area with hands on activities and costumes to try on. Kids will also love walking around the battlements and I can recommend taking a tour of the opulent castle house, which is something out of a fairytale.
Families with young children need to be aware that the steps up to the Keep are steep and there are some steps within the Castle.
Cardiff Castle is open every day except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day.
For the latest opening times and admission prices check the website.
2. Techniquest
This top Cardiff attraction is packed full of science experiments designed to help little people explore and discover the world around them. There’s 120 hands-on exhibits in total and they’re not just of interest to kids.
I witnessed quite a few mums and dads spinning wheels, firing tennis balls and squirting water. Don’t tell Tin Box Tot, but I did too!
If you’ve ever been to the The Garden at The Science Museum in London you’ll have some idea of what’s on offer. But think bigger, much bigger!
And there’s activities that will inspire toddlers, children and early teens, including a Planetarium with science shows throughout the day.
If you’re looking for things to do in Cardiff on a wet day it’s hard to beat.
Techniquest is at Cardiff Bay, a short train or bus ride from the city centre. It is open weekends, bank holidays and seven days a week during local school holidays.
Visit the website for opening times and admission prices.
3. St Fagans National History Museum
If I didn’t know better I would have said that St Fagans was a charming Welsh village that time had forgotten. In reality it has been pieced together brick by brick from sites all over Wales.
Each building was been identified as a prime example of its time but due to modern developments was set to be demolished.
Since 1948 a school, chapel, church, numerous houses from different time periods, and even an entire workmen’s institute have been re-erected in the beautiful grounds of St Fagans Castle on the outskirts of Cardiff.
It is now an extraordinary open air museum sharing the story of how the people of Wales lived, worked and spent their leisure time over the centuries.
As you walk around each of the 40 buildings there are knowledgeable staff available to answer your questions. I found it fascinating and also enjoyed a stroll around the picturesque 16th Century castle gardens.
Families with pushchairs will find it easy to navigate around the site but be aware that buggies are not allowed in the historic buildings.
St Fagans National History Museum is a short drive from the City Centre or buses also run there. It is open daily and entrance is free but there is a charge for parking.
Check the website for opening times and other visitor information.
4. National Museum Cardiff
Looking for cultural things to do in Cardiff with kids? This free museum is home to the largest collection of impressionist art outside Paris thanks to works gifted to the nation by the Davies Sisters.
You could easily lose a few hours drifting around the exhibition.
If your brood doesn’t include any budding Monets then head for the natural history exhibition on the ground floor where you’ll be confronted with all sorts of amazing beasts.
From a four tonne Basking Shark to the World’s largest ever recorded Leatherback Turtle and skeletons of dinosaurs that once roamed the Welsh landscape, there’s plenty to widen the eyes of your young explorers.
There are also touring exhibitions, so there’s something new to see each time you visit.
The National Museum is in Cardiff City Centre, just a short walk from the Castle. It is open Tuesday to Sunday and most Bank Holiday Mondays. Entrance is free.
See the website for the latest exhibition information and opening times.
5. Taff Trail
If you prefer a more energetic way to see the sights and South Wales countryside, then cycling the Taff Trail is for you. This would be particularly good if you are visiting Cardiff with older kids or teens.
This activity came recommended by my expert tour guide Noel of South Wales Tours. Most of the trail is traffic free once you get out of the city, so it’s ideal for family cycling.
If you want to avoid the city part of the trail all together you can hop on the train and rejoin the route a bit further north. The trail starts at Cardiff Bay, where you’ll see the iconic Wales Millennium Centre, all the way to the town of Breacon, roughly 55 miles away.
However, if you’re thinking that a 100+ mile round trip sounds a little bit too much like hard work then you can easily hop on the train back to Cardiff.
Here’s some more family-friendly places to visit in Cardiff and in Bristol.
More things to do in South Wales
We’re lucky to have visited South Wales a number of times for family holidays and breaks. Here’s some more posts about things to do that you might like:
- Things to do in Swansea Bay with kids
- A caravan holiday in Wales
- A weekend in Glamorgan
- Things to do in Carmarthenshire with kids
Find more days out in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in my big round up of 101 UK attractions for families.
Disclosure: I was given a tour of Cardiff’s family-friendly attractions courtesy of Visit Wales as part of its Year of Adventure. All views are my own.
Wondering what are the must see places when visiting Cardiff with kids? Use Pinterest to save this post about things to do in Cardiff.
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I’ve just stumbled across your blog – what a great review of what Cardiff has to offer. Cardiff also has some great parks too, Roath Park in Cardiff, or the park just behind the Castle are great for little ones. In the summer you can also take boat trips at Cardiff Bay, not far from Techniquest. We love the museum, what with two boys who love dinosaurs we go quite a lot! Great blog!
Thank you! I’ve been to Cardiff a couple of times now without my girls but I”m really keen to take them back. There’s so much to do and I think they’d enjoy the boat trips too.
Great tips Claire!! I will make sure to remember those attraction when I visit Cardiff 😀
Thank you for linking up with #MondayEscapes
I’ve been thinking about hopping on a train to Cardiff (I’m in Swansea) with my 5 year old, maybe we’ll brave it this summer and visit some of the places on your list! x #KCACOLS
OOH, you’re so close. It’s definitely worth it. There’s lots within easy reach of the station or if you hop on a bus x
We visited St Fagans last year and lived it. We’d only allowed a couple of hours so didn’t get to see all of it, definitely needs at least half a day. #Mondayescapes
Christine recently posted…Backpacking the Lambourn Valley Way, Berkshire
*loved it* – although I’m guessing we could have tried living in one of the houses!
Christine recently posted…Backpacking the Lambourn Valley Way, Berkshire
Ha! Yes, some of them look quite cosy 🙂
Wow, Techniquest looks so cool! Can’t wait until my two are older to go to things like this. Love this post – will be referring back to it in the future I think!x #KCACOLS
My girls are one and three, and I’d take them to Techniquest. There’s lots to do for all ages…even for big kids like me 🙂
I don’t know much about Cardiff but my girls would love the science museum and that castle. Looks like the perfect place to take the family! #mondayescapes
There’s definitely lots of family friendly things to do and loads more that I haven’t mentioned like the Dr Who experience and the National Water Centre.
Great post! St Fagans looks fantastic, and such a fascinating story. I can’t believe I missed it when we were there.
#CityTripping
You should have joined me on my tour 😉 It’s definitely somewhere I’d like to return with the kids. The gardens around by St Fagans Castle were beautiful too.
I live in Cardiff but you’ve written a better post than I could have! So nice to read about these places from someone who doesn’t live here 🙂 I’m so lucky, st fagans is just 5-10 mins away from us! #KCACOLS
Aww, thanks Heledd. That’s lovely of you to say. Yes, you are so lucky to have St Fagans close by. I think we’d be there all the time!
Great photos and tips! Will definitely keep them in mind when I visit Cardiff!
Kate | http://www.petiteadventures.org/
Thanks!
We did all of those things when we went to Cardiff. Rev T also did the Who and Torchwood stuff with me even though he’s not a fan. The Experience is well worth a visit if you are 🙂
We did the Dr Who exhibition before kids and I have to agree it was worth it even though we’re not die hard fans 🙂
I’ve not been to Cardiff before but would love to go. Now that we’ve got Josh it will be great to visit such fun family friendly places as these. Thanks for all the tips. Thanks so much for linking up at #KCACOLS. Hope you come back again next Sunday
It’s a great city. I hope you get to visit soon!
I have never been to Cardiff and I have always wanted to go and now this post makes me want to go more than ever! I would love to do the Taff Trail. It looks like such a fab city with so much to offer. Does it have a secret cocktail bar though 😉 #KCACOLS
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I don’t know! All the bars I saw were very much ‘in your face’. I should have spoken to a few doormen. Who knows?! 😉
I love the idea behind St fagans. It’s such a shame when old buildings have to be demolished. I’ve made a mental note to take the kids there the next time we’re in Wales – I be they’d love it.
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A great list of things to do with kids in Cardiff. We’re going in the autumn so will try and tick off a few of these then. I had no idea there were so many Impressionist paintings there. Been to St Fagan’s though! #citytripping
St Fagan’s is fab, isn’t it!? Have a great time in the autumn!
What a great round up. I must bring the children across as we’ve never been as a family and it’s not far from us.
Jane batt recently posted…The Best Way to Explore Delightful Dartmoor with Kids?
Fab! I’m glad I’ve inspired you 🙂
One of my favourite places to visit in Cardiff is Cardiff Bay. As well as Techniquest it has the Dr Who exhibition which is brilliant. Lobe this post. Cardiff is such a fantastic city.
Mellissa Williams recently posted…Technology And Wi-Fi Access
Mr TB and I went to the Dr Who Exhibition quite a few years back. I’m not a die hard fan but I still thought it was brilliant, as well as a little ‘hide behind the sofa’scary in parts 🙂
Great tips – I loved my child-free weekend there but there’s so much to do with kids. I knew my daughter would love the castle but Techniquest sounds brilliant. #citytripping
Cathy (MummyTravels) recently posted…City Tripping #27
Yes, it’s definitely a great place for kids. I did feel a little out of place wandering around on my tod 🙂
Loved reading about this family friendly side of Cardiff! Some of these attractions, I have visited but others are new to me like the St Fagans museum – I would love to see that, it looks so pretty!!
Yes, I can definitely recommend St Fagans. It’s an amazing place when you think about how far some of the buildings have come and that they have all been re=erected using the techniques with which they were originally built. The church in particular was beautiful inside. I had a few too many wonderful pictures to include them all!
Great list – lots of reasons to go visit Cardiff as a family. I have to admit, I have never probably visited Cardiff (a university open day doesn’t really count!) but clearly I need to. Cardiff castle looks incredible and I would definitely be intrigued by Techniquest. Great advice on buggy access too. Thanks for linking to #citytripping
It’s definitely a city I could keep going back to. Techniquest is a must for little people 🙂
How crazy to think I have never been to Cardiff. I had no idea about the collection of impressionist paintings – that’s enough of a reason for me to visit.
Trish @ Mum’s Gone To recently posted…Fine dining: Noel Corston at NC@EX34
It is an epic collection. And it was a bit of a treat for me to wander around kidless for a little while 🙂
Thanks for the tips – shall put them all on my Cardiff list.