Ideas for fun family days out in Bath

If you’re looking for fun things to do with kids in Bath, you’ll find lots of engaging options year-round. From beautiful parks and scenic overlooks to themed gardens and winding canals, family breaks in Bath can have outdoor destinations aplenty. You’ll also find many museums, art galleries and historical landmarks to enjoy on family days out in Bath, with options suitable for kids of varying ages. Best of all, there are even some free and inexpensive activities around the city.

Family-friendly attractions in Bath

1. Explore the botanical garden at Royal Victoria Park

Royal Victoria Park has loads of options for fun family days out in Bath in a beautiful setting just off the Royal Crescent. Expansive green parkland spaces are perfect for running around, and there’s a botanical garden and aerial walkway to explore. A large children’s playground has climbing frames and zip lines, plus a skate park. The park also offers picnic and barbeque spaces, duck ponds, a park cafe and even a mini-golf course to enjoy. Royal Victoria Park also houses an open-air ice-skating rink during the winter season.

2. Meet farm animals at Bath City Farm

Bath City Farm is an urban farm dedicated to supporting the community of Bath, specifically residents who are facing hardships and adversities. This is a great spot for a day out with the kids in Bath, where you can visit mellow farm animals, enjoy the children’s play park, grab a snack from the cafe and explore walking trails around the beautiful wooded property. The farm hosts lots of events for families and kids, too. Bath City Farm is a registered charity and admission to the farm is free, but donations to support their ongoing community support projects are appreciated.

3. Visit the ancient Roman Baths

The Roman Baths are a famous historic site within the city and feature an incredibly well-preserved thermal bathing complex from around 70 AD. Ancient Romans used the baths’ mineral-rich waters for a variety of purposes, including therapeutically and for socialising. Audio guides provide great tours through the various rooms within the complex, including a special audio guide for children. There are also kids’ activities throughout and costumed characters portraying Roman historical figures. During your visit to the Pump Room, you can purchase a glass of the hot spa water to try – the water’s mineral composition gives it a distinctly unusual flavour.

4. Visit Sally Lunn’s for fresh-baked buns

Visiting Sally Lunn’s for buns and tea is one of the many iconic things to do with kids in Bath. This famous shop has been serving sweetbreads since the 17th century, using their own secret recipe. You can sit in for a meal of traditional dishes in the authentic English eating house, or you can take the buns away and enjoy them in the nearby park. Sally Lunn’s is set in one of the oldest buildings in Bath, and you can visit the actual kitchen where the iconic buns were originally created.

5. Sightseeing on a Bath canal boat tour

Family breaks in Bath are a good time to enjoy the beautiful canals and waterways surrounding the city. Local companies offer different canal boat tours and trips ranging from 1-hour sightseeing cruises to half-day adventures and full weekend escapes. If you’d rather take a scenic stroll or bike ride instead, there are great family-friendly sightseeing areas around the Kennet and Avon Canal.

6. Take a scenic stroll on Bath’s Skyline walk

If you’re looking for fun outdoor things to do with kids in Bath, you can check out the Bath Skyline walk overlooking the city. The path starts on Bathwick Hill at Cleveland Walk and winds through beautiful countryside fields to provide amazing skyline views of the city. You can walk a shorter stretch or the full 6-mile path, passing ancient historic sites and diverse landscapes as you go. Along the path in Rainbow Woods, you’ll even find a shady playground tucked under the trees. The trail is gentle enough for kids, but probably not for buggies and pushcarts, as the path isn’t paved.

7. Catch a kids’ performance at The Egg Theatre

Visiting The Egg Theatre is one of the most unique things to do with kids in Bath. This Victorian-style theatre was built specifically for children, young people and their families. The egg-shaped theatre is purposely cosy in size so there are no ‘bad seats’, and it hosts family-friendly performances and shows as well as workshops and participatory sessions. There’s also a children’s play area and a family-friendly cafe at The Egg.

8. See the animals at Avon Valley Adventure and Wildlife Park

Avon Valley Adventure and Wildlife Park has a ton of children’s play areas, animal encounters and adventures for kids of different ages. There are trails and gardens to explore, climbing structures and slides, rides, games and a mini-train. You can ride a tractor and meet animals on the farm, from goats and chickens to llamas, pigs and sheep, and also check out more exotic animals like muntjac, reindeer and birds of prey. The park also has onsite dining and snack options, and paths are pushchair- and buggy friendly but may be bumpy at times.

9. Splash, jump and play at Bath Sports and Leisure Centre

Family days out in the Bath Sports and Leisure Centre will definitely be memorable, with so many family-friendly activities to choose from. Swimming options include a full-size lap pool and a shallow leisure pool with children’s play features and a flume slide. A trampoline park includes foam pits and dodgeball, and a soft-play arena has climbing and crawling structures for smaller kids. There’s also a sports hall, an 8-lane bowling facility and even an onsite diner for meals or snacks.

10. Explore Bath’s parks and gardens

There are so many beautiful parks and gardens to enjoy with family breaks in Bath, including cosy community spots like Alice Park. This lively park offers a children’s play area with plenty of space to run around, along with tennis courts, boules piste and a family-owned cafe. Alexandra Park, a tranquil wooded park overlooking spectacular views of the city below, sits on a southern hilltop across the river from Bath’s city centre. You’ll find a children’s playground and scenic picnic spots in this hilltop park, plus plenty of opportunities for scenic photos over Bath.

11. Ride in a double-decker bus with Bath City Sightseeing

Bath City Sightseeing tours are a great way to get around the city and see some of the most popular destinations for family breaks in Bath. You’ll ride in a double-decker bus around the city, and the hop-on-hop-off tours allow you to check out the sights you’re interested in and then hop back on a bus when you’re ready to move on.

Museums for family days out in Bath

12. No. 1 Royal Crescent

No. 1 Royal Crescent is a living museum inside Bath’s historic Royal Crescent building, a beautiful example of 18th-century Georgian architecture. The museum offers an immersive experience into life in the 18th century, with period furnishings and home decor as well as film and sound to help guests understand what it would have been like to live there during this time period. A free kids’ trail takes you on a scavenger hunt through the house, with interactive props and engaging activities inside the rooms.

13. Bath Postal Museum

In the Bath Postal Museum, you can explore a historical timeline of the British Postal System, from coach-drawn delivery to airmail, military mail, railway delivery and seamail. Though the museum is small, it’s packed with exhibits and displays that will engage even small children, complete with colouring and fancy-dress opportunities.

14. Fashion Museum Bath

Whether you’re a fashion aficionado or style-clueless, the collections housed in Fashion Museum Bath are worth viewing. You’ll find iconic attire ranging from 18th-century gowns and elaborate historic pieces to vintage and retro styles as well as modern-day and contemporary dress. The Fashion Museum is also incredibly kid-friendly, offering crafts and colouring, a sticker trail and lots of try-on items, including Victorian-period clothing, vintage sportswear and costumes.

15. The Holburne Museum

The Holburne Museum houses a diverse collection of 17th- and 18th-century paintings and other artwork in a historic Georgian building. Beautiful exhibits range from fine arts and bronze sculptures to porcelain and silver pieces and a number of old masters pieces. In addition to the artwork, you’ll find children’s activity drawers and bags, interactive workshops and creative opportunities for kids.

16. The American Museum

The American Museum explores American history between the 14th and 20th centuries in a historic manor with elaborate themed gardens. You’ll find interactive and hands-on exhibits relating to folk art, cultural heritage and Native American history. Kids’ activities include dress-up stations in Americana themes like pioneer or cowboy. Outside, you can enjoy multiple themed gardens, including an interactive children’s garden with diverse play spaces, as well as a cafe.

17. Victoria Art Gallery

The Victoria Art Gallery houses over 1,500 beautiful paintings, sculptures and other decorative arts inside a historic building. In addition to exhibitions and displays, the gallery offers art trolleys stocked with a range of kids’ art materials, word searches, colouring sheets and a children’s trail, so there are plenty of options to keep little ones busy.