Best city breaks with kids in the UK

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For me, city breaks with kids are an explosion of the senses. All the sights, sounds and in-your-face experiences crammed into a closer than close space can be overwhelming. Especially when you’re trying to keep track of little people and discourage them from touching whatever ‘that brown goo’ is.

Yep, cities bring out the helicopter mum in me!

But they also offer an incredible cultural and learning experience. Plus, there’s always somewhere a bit more open and leafy not far away, should you need to escape the bustle.

If you’re looking for a UK city break with kids let me share some of our recommendations including the places we have stayed and activities to keep the whole family entertained.

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Our favourite city breaks with kids

We’ve got experience of loads of UK city breaks with kids now, so I wanted to share some of our favourite destinations, things to do, and places to stay.

You can also read our top tips for surviving city breaks with toddlers, as well as our top family travel tips.

Looking for recommendations for European cities? Here are our tried and tested European city breaks with kids.

Salisbury – a city break with kids in historic Wiltshire

If you are history fans then we can also recommend a stay in Salisbury in Wiltshire. In the city, there’s a lot to see around Salisbury Cathedral or if you’d like a cinema experience with a difference check out the Odeon, which is housed in a Tudor merchant’s house.

Stonehenge, its neighbour circle at Avebury and Cholderton Charlies rare breeds farm are not far outside the city.

As well as characterful hotels in Salisbury city centre, you can find reasonability priced family camping and glamping close to Salisbury.

Salisbury also makes an easy day trip from London or you could use it as a stop off on a road trip across the Great West Way.

Where to stay in Salisbury with kids

We stayed in a glamping hut at Stonehenge campsite, which also has a camping field and touring pitches. It’s a great spot to escape the busyness of the city.

If you would prefer something more urban here are some more options in and around Salisbury.

Winchester in Hampshire

The capital of Hampshire and once the seat of King Alfred the Great, Winchester is a favourite city of ours. It’s small but beautiful with a stunning Cathedral, a high street dotted with half timbered buildings and its very own castle – or what remains of it.

Explore the Great Hall, get hands-on with history at Winchester City Museum and buy some incredible local produce at the regular farmers’ markets. Visit in the winter and Winchester Christmas market is a must.

Outside the city centre, a great family attraction is Winchester Science Centre & Planetarium. There’s a full day out of interactive science experiments and fun for kids and adults alike.

Or if your kids like animals, take them to Marwell Zoo. Another lovely place to visit is Hinton Ampner – a National Trust house and gardens not far from the city.

Here’s more things to do in Winchester with kids.

Winchester is also just over an hour from London by train from Waterloo, making it super easy to combine with a trip to the capital.

It’s also close to the cities of Southampton and Portsmouth.

Here’s some more ideas for places within easy reach of London.

Where to stay in Winchester with kids

Marwell Hotel is a very family-friendly hotel that we stayed at for a friend’s wedding. It’s outside the city centre but in the perfect position for walking over to Marwell Zoo.

There’s lots of other places that welcome children in Winchester.

Bristol – a city full of family attractions

Bristol is a gem of the South West with plenty of maritime and industrial heritage to keep young people busy during a family city break.

We love visiting SS Great Britain and really rate the free M Shed Museum, which tells the story of the city, its industry and people.

Bristol Aquarium is located in the city centre as are We The Curious and Bristol Museum. A bit further away there’s the Clifton Observatory – just hop on a bus and you’re there in less than 20 minutes.

Outside of the city there’s also The Wild Place Project which is a cross between a safari park and zoo farm.

Where to stay in Bristol with kids

We can recommend a stay at the SACO Broad Quay serviced apartments in Bristol City Centre. Check prices for SACO apartments.

Here’s some more family-friendly places to stay in Bristol.

Bath – a city break with kids in Somerset

Bath is a playground for history lovers. You must visit The Roman Baths and a bus tour of the city is a great way to understand its geography and heritage.

Other things you must do are visit the beautiful 18th Century Royal Crescent, the American Museum, Sally Lunn’s Museum and Bath Postal Museum. A roof top tour of Bath Abbey will also give families with older children spectacular views of the city.

A few minutes down the road there’s Avon Valley Adventure & Wildlife Park, and further afield there’s the Fleet Air Arm Museum, Avon Valley Railway, Wookey Hole and Cheddar Gorge, which are all popular with families.

Where to stay in Bath

We can recommend a stay at Bath Mill Lodge Retreat, which is a luxury lodge resort just outside the city.

Here’s some more family hotels and guest houses in Bath.

Swansea – a city break by the sea

Swansea is a city by the sea with plenty of history, family activities and attractions within easy reach of the Gower Peninsular should you want to escape to the country.

Read about some of the things we got up to during a weekend in and around Mumbles, just outside the city. Visits to Oystermouth Castle and the local beaches were highlights for us.

We also holidayed just down the road in Llanelli where we had a caravan holiday in Wales with plenty of days out in the surrounding Carmarthenshire countryside.

You’re also not far from the Welsh capital, Cardiff, which has so many great places to visit with kids including a tour of the Royal Mint.

Where to stay in Swansea with kids

We can recommend checking out this luxurious dog-friendly cottage in Mumbles. It would be perfect for a multi-generational city break with beds for eight people.

Whether you’re after an apartment or a hotel, there are plenty of options in Swansea.

Truro – a city break with kids in Cornwall

Visit the UK’s most southern city for independent shops and boutiques, and plenty of local history.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The gothic style Cathedral has three spires that make their mark on the city’s skyline. As well as being an impressive piece of architecture, it is also a venue for arts events.

Also in Truro, The Royal Cornwall Museum is the only museum in the county to host a British Museum supported permanent exhibition of Ancient Greek, Roman and Egyptian history.

If you’re looking for more things to do around Truro we found plenty to entertain the kids during our recent holiday there, plus Cornwall is an excellent place for a UK family holiday.

Where to stay in Truro with kids

We stayed 10 minutes from the city centre in a luxury cottage at the The Valley. This resort comes with self-catering cottages, indoor and outdoor pools, and a games room.

Find more family-friendly places to stay in and around Truro.

London – the ultimate UK city break with teenagers and tiny tots

Of course, no guide to UK city breaks with kids would be complete without mentioning London. We first visited London with the girls when they were 11-months-old and three-years-old.

I won’t lie, it had its more traumatic moments, but we were pretty new to the whole experience of family city breaks at that time. We learnt a lot of lessons!

More recently we visited London for a weekend with tweens and aced it. The key was planning our route and not trying to squeeze in too much. We still saw Westminster and Buckingham Palace, visited the Lego Store, China Town and the Natural History Museum – lots of free fun!

Take a look at our easy itinerary for visiting London with kids.

What about London with teenagers?

If you’re visiting London with teens, you’re going to want to hit some of the famous sights for those all important Tik Tok and Insta moments. I can recommend a some easy ways to see the best views of London and exploring the sights of the South Bank for free.

There’s also an opportunity to get a deal on West End show tickets each summer, which would be a brilliant experience upon which to build your UK city break with teens.

Teenagers will also love a visit to the London Dungeons and Madame Tussaud’s or a spin on the London Eye. We visited the wax works during our most recent day out in London and the kids loved it.

Big savings on London attractions

If you’ve got a few days to spend in London, or are visiting on different occasions, why not take advantage of the London Eye’s Multi-Attraction ticket offers?

These give you access to the London Eye and some of the city’s most iconic attractions for a discounted rate. Pick from a combination of attractions that suit you from Madame Tussauds to SEA LIFE London Aquarium or a river cruise.

You can book any combination and use it within 90 days of visiting the London Eye.

Where to stay in London with kids

We can recommend Hampton by Hilton Waterloo for its great location, family rooms and excellent breakfast. It’s also very well connected with the Waterloo transport hub right on your doorstep.

Want something a bit more boutique or budget? Search for more family-friendly London hotels.

Edinburgh – a city break in the Scottish capital

The Scottish capital is packed full of family-friendly attractions. Animal-loving kids will be begging for a trip to Edinburgh Zoo to see the Giant Pandas, while there are great historical experiences to be had at Edinburgh Castle or the National Museum of Scotland.

When tummies start to rumble head to The Meadows gardens for a picnic and to find the playground.

Venture outside the city and you can learn about Scotland’s industrial heritage at the National Museum of Scotland, meet the farm animals at East Links Family Park or go on a sea safari from the Scottish Seabird Centre.

Here’s some more ideas:

If you’d like more inspiration for travel with kids in Scotland and the best UK breaks for kids then take a look at the Monkey and Mouse blog.

Where to stay in Edinburgh

If you want a family-friendly stay that’s super central and stylish check out voco Edinburgh – Haymarket. Its close to the National Museum and a 10 minute walk from Edinburgh Castle.

Find more options for your stay in Edinburgh.

Cardiff – explore the Welsh capital

Cardiff is a compact city making it a great place to explore on foot or by bus.

The Castle is a must for visiting families and if you’re there during the school holidays you’re likely to find special events happening within the grounds.

We can also recommend a visit to St Fagans National History Museum, which is an open air re-creation of a Welsh village, and the National Museum Cardiff, which is full of art and natural history – both are free entry.

If your kids love adventure then take them to Cardiff International White Water for rafting, paddle boarding and an indoor wave experience. Take a look at some more ideas for Cardiff family attractions to visit.

Here’s some more ideas:

Where to stay in Cardiff with kids

Hotel Indigo is in the city centre and gets great reviews. It also has family rooms with twin Queen beds so no one has to sleep on a sofa.

Here’s some more family-friendly places to stay in Cardiff.

Exeter – the capital of Devon and a great city break

This gateway to the South West is the perfect place to stop for a city break before heading to the beaches. Trust me – it’s the capital of my adopted home county, Devon.

In the heart of the city Royal Albert Memorial Museum (RAMM) is a fabulous free museum packed full of curiosities to entertain kids for hours.

Sporty teens will enjoy the challenge of Clip ‘n Climb at The Quay and adventurous over-fives can venture beneath the city to explore the medieval passages.

Outside the Exeter we love the walks at Haldon Forest Country Park where you will also find Go Ape, cycle tracks and segway tours.

Find out more about all the great things to do here on my Devon with Kids website.

Where to stay in Exeter with kids

Stay at Hotel Indigo and you’ll put yourselves right in the heart of Exeter’s historic city centre with the Cathedral and city walls right on your doorstep. This is the perfect location for families who want to drop off their suitcases and explore the city’s museums, shops and independent restaurants.

Hotel Indigo has rooms with two double beds which are ideal for families.

Here’s some more family-friendly options in and around Exeter.

Norwich – a city break in East Anglia

Norwich is one of my old stomping grounds – I did a year of university here. Returning with kids has been a slightly different proposition and, to be honest, allowed me to experience many more of its best bits.

Kids love buses, right? Hop on a City Sightseeing bus tour to spot Norwich’s 12 heritage sites including Norwich Castle, which is now a museum and art gallery.

Stroll around the colourful city centre market or take a free guided tour of Norwich Cathedral, which has history oozing from every nook and cranny.

Not far outside the city you’ll find the magical BeWILDerwood family tree adventure park and the Norfolk Broads for day boat trips.

Where to stay in Norwich

One of the top rated hotels for families in Norwich, Park Farm Hotel is a great choice for families who want to explore by day and relax in a country house setting by night.

Here’s even more options for your city break in Norwich.

Portsmouth

Ahoy there and welcome to the city where married life began for me and Mr Tin Box. We were both brought up just down the road and had our wedding in the Dockyard so Portmouth has plenty of happy memories for us.

No trip to Portsmouth would be complete without a day in the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard where you can board Nelson’s ship, HMS Victory, and see the Mary Rose, which lay at the bottom of The Solent for more than 500 years before being brought to the surface for conservation.

Take the kids to the beach for an ice-cream or whizz around the fun fair rides at Clarence Pier.

For the very best views of the city climb the Spinnaker Tower from which you can see the Isle of Wight, the South Downs and as far along the coast as Worthing.

Where to stay in Portsmouth

I do love a Marriott and if you are going to be combining your city break in Portsmouth with seeing some of Hampshire’s other attractions the Portsmouth Marriott is located at the top of the island with easy access to the motorway and Port Solent Marina.

For something closer to the beach and arcades it’s got to be the Holiday Inn Portsmouth.

Here’s some more places to stay that welcome families.

UK towns to visit with kids

If you’d prefer to start with a UK town we can recommend:

• Halifax and Hebden Bridge in Yorkshire as places to find plenty of culture
• Torquay in Devon as a traditional seaside destination
• Poole in Dorset as a town to indulge in water sports
• and Dartmouth in Devon as somewhere to visit for maritime events and heritage.

Here are some more recommended UK destinations and attractions to check out.

You can also find more family holiday inspiration in my full guide to family travel.

I’d love to hear your recommendations on child-friendly city breaks in the UK. Where have you been that was ultra family-friendly or made for the perfect city escape with children? Leave me a comment below.

We also love European cities. Here are our tried and tested European city breaks with kids.

Planning an urban getaway with your family? Use Pinterest to save this post about UK city breaks with kids.

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