Family Days Out Within an Hour of Swindon

Cobbs Play Barn & Farm Shop

Distance from Swindon: (30 minutes, approx.24 miles east of Swindon)

Cobbs Play Barn is an engaging, fun and educational playground with two impressive levels for your little ones to explore and discover.

Their bespoke wooden indoor Play Barn has all the fun and excitement of an outdoor play area and it allows you to have fun even when the weather isn't playing ball.

Alongside their play barn which keeps the little ones entertained they also have a delicious farm shop. Cobbs Farm Shop have been offering an abundance of original artisanal products from local producers. 

They are not only a locally sourced farm shop and a cool play barn but also a café, butchery, delicatessen, fishmonger, florist and a vineyard.

Location: Located within Cobbs Farm Shop,Bath Road, Hungerford, Berkshire, RG17 0SP

Getting there: Parking is free

Opening Times: Monday to Friday: 9am – 6pm, Saturday: 9am - 5pm & Sunday: 10am - 4pm

Accessibility: It's wheelchair and pushchair friendly with disabled parking. 

Westonbirt, The National Arboretum

Where: Westonbirt, The National Arboretum

About: Westonbirt, The National Arboretum is a great family day trip destination with plenty of activities! 

Enjoy a leisurely stroll around their forest trails, go wild in their play ares and end the day with a stop at their cafe! If you're looking for an entertaining event, then Fortest Live, hosted at Westonbirt, is a fabulous live music event!

Forest Live hosts an impressive range of popular musicians throughout the year, view their upcoming events, here.

Address: Tetbury, Gloucestershire, GL8 8QS

Telephone: 0300 067 4890

PAULTONS PARK HOME OF PEPPA PIG WORLD

Distance to Swindon: 1 hour 20 minutes

About: Paultons Park and provides a great day out for toddlers and adults! This theme park has a selection of incredibly thrilling rides for all ages. From roller coasters, water rides, to train rides and flat rides, this amusement park provides an unforgettable day out. 

They have an array of themed worlds but one in particular we think your toddler would love is Peppa Pig World. From Peppa's Big Balloon Ride, George's Dinosaur Adventure, to Grampy Rabbit's Sailing Club and Daddy Pig's Car Ride, your little ones will have a blast in this park.

TGt Recommends: If your little one is a massive Peppa Pig fan and you can see yourself spending considerable time at this part of the park then we highly recommend getting the Peppa's Early Play Pass. 

This then gives you the special opportunity to meet Peppa Pig and George personally before the Park opens between 9.00 - 10.00am on selected dates and enjoy 30 minutes early access to the rides in Peppa Pig World from 9.30am, with Peppa's Early Play & Ride Pass.

Address: Ower, Romsey, SO51 6AL

Tel: 023 8081 4442

Longleat Safari Park

Distance from Swindon: 1 hr 12 min (43.6 mi) via M4 and A350

Embarking on a family adventure to Longleat Safari Park guarantees an enriching and exhilarating experience for all.

Famed as the pioneer of Drive Through Safari Parks outside of Africa, Longleat beckons you to roll up the windows and safeguard those sandwiches, for you're about to embark on an expedition wilder, furrier, and more growl-worthy than your wildest dreams. Tally the cheetah's spots, exchange greetings with wolves, and enjoy a close encounter with a gentle giraffe. Just be cautious of the ever-curious monkeys along the way!

Location: Longleat Safari Park, Warminster, Wiltshire, BA12 7NW

Getting there: Parking is free

Opening Times: View their opening times here.

Accessibility: They provide a queue assist scheme which helps those who have difficulty queuing make the most of their day with Longleat.

Millets Farm

Distance from Swindon: (40 minutes, approx. 23 miles north east of Swindon)

Whatever age you are, Millets Farm is a brilliant all-round fun family day out in Oxfordshire offering a huge range of activities including:

• Play Barn/Play Area – Free entry
• Maize Maze - £7.50 per person
• Animal Walkway – Free entry
• Falconry Centre - £6.95 for adults, £3.95 for children
• Pick Your Own - £2 per person (redeemable against any fruit purchased)
• Phoebe Woods – Free entry

Location: Millets Farm Centre, Kingston Rd, Abingdon OX13 5HB

Getting there: Parking is free – follow SATNAV to OX13 5HB. Regular X15 Stagecoach buses run from Abingdon and Witney to Millets Farm daily.

Opening Times: 9am to 5:30pm (Winter), 9am to 6pm (Summer).

Accessibility: Millets Farm is very wheelchair and pushchair friendly with disabled parking and wheelchairs on site. There are also step-free entrances into the farm shop, restaurants, falconry centre, garden centre and pick your own fields. However please be aware of uneven ground and stones.

Dogs: Welcome on site however unfortunately not permitted in the restaurants, farm shop, pick your own, falconry and maize maze.

Top tip: Check out the farm shop for lots of homemade, fresh produce – the best local meats, tasty fresh fish, superb cheeses, home baked bread, handmade cakes and much more!

Cotswold Wildlife Park

Distance from Swindon: (35 minutes, approx. 18 miles north of Swindon)

Cotswold Wildlife Park is situated 2 miles south of Burford in the Cotswolds, Gloucestershire and is a truly unique and exciting experience for the whole family. Come along and visit the huge range of animals including…

• Birds – Penguins, Flamingos, Owls, Birds of Prey
• Mammals – Giraffes, Camels, Zebras, Lions, Rhinos
• Primates & Small Mammals – Lemurs, Otters, Bats, Meerkats, Sloths
• Reptiles & Amphibians – Giant Tortoise, Crocodiles, Snakes, Lizards, Iguanas

Location: Cotswold Wildlife Park, Bradwell Grove, Burford OX18 4JP

Getting there: Parking is free – follow SATNAV to OX18 4JJ. The park is difficult to access via public transport - the nearest bus stop is 2 miles away on Burford High Street, so you would need to get a taxi from there to the Park.

Opening Times: April to October 10am – 6pm (Last admission 4pm), November to March 10am – dusk or 5pm (Last admission 3pm). Please allow yourself 4 hours to explore the park.

Price: £16 for adults (£14 online), £10.50 for children (£9.50 online)

Accessibility: There is easy wheelchair and pushchair access to all enclosures and windows to enclosures are all viewable from wheelchairs. There are also ramps to access the giraffe house and wolves’ enclosures.

Dogs: Dogs are welcome into the park provided they are kept on a lead at all times and any mess is cleaned up after. Dogs are not permitted in the bat or reptile houses as well as areas with free roaming animals.

Top Tip: Don’t miss the opportunity to watch the penguins being fed at 3pm daily or 11am Monday – Friday and meet the giraffes at 12pm daily!

Bowood House and Gardens

Distance from Swindon: 40 minutes, approx. 20 miles south west of Swindon

Bowood House and Gardens have a rich and fascinating history and is set within 100 acres of beautifully landscaped parkland by Capability Brown – a famous landscape gardener in the 18th century. Family attractions include…

• Adventure Playground
• Life-size Pirate Ship
• Tractor Ted Little Farm
• Soft Play
• Walled Gardens
• Italian Inspired Terrace Garden
• 100 acres of land to explore!

Location: Bowood House and Gardens, Old Rd, Derry Hill, Calne SN11 0LZ

Getting there: Free parking is available opposite the Treehouse Café and main Admission point – use postcode SN11 9PG. Routes 33 and X33 (Chippenham to Devizes) go through Derry Hill village. Route 55 stops on the A4 close to the turning into Derry Hill village. It is approximately 1½ miles from the entrance gate to Admissions for the House and Gardens.

Opening Times: April – November, 11am – 5:45pm

Price: Adults £13, Children £10

Accessibility: Bowood House (Ground floor) and Gardens is very accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs, however more remote areas of the park can be limited as there are some paths with fairly steep gradients. Wheelchairs can also be borrowed (subject to availability).

Dogs: Unfortunately, dogs are not permitted on site (with the exception of service dogs).

Top Tip: Take the little ones along to meet the friendly farm animals including lambs, chicks, piglets and guinea pigs at Tractor Ted Little Farm!

Cotswold Farm Park

Distance from Swindon: 55 minutes, approx. 35 miles north of Swindon

Cotswold Farm Park is situated in the heart of the Cotswolds, just a few miles from Guiting Power. The Farm Park was set up by Joe Henson in 1971 to help protect some of the rare breeds of farm animal and is now run by his son and business partner. Fun activities on offer include…

• Bottle feeding farm animals
• Farm Safari
• Adventure Barn – Play Areas
• Discovery Barn – for making friends with the farm’s smaller residents
• The Maze
• Wildlife Walks

Location: Cotswold Farm Park, Guiting Power, Cheltenham GL54 5FL

Getting there: Parking is free. For SATNAV, use postcode GL54 5UG and then follow brown tourist signs when on the approach to the Farm Park. Due to the rural location, public transport is somewhat difficult as the nearest train stations/bus routes are in Bourton on the Water and Morton in the Marsh.

Opening Times: 10:30am – 5pm Daily

Price: From £9 for adults, £8.50 for children

Accessibility: The indoor barns, visitor centre and cafe are all accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs. However, please be aware of uneven paths leading to the adventure play areas and the ‘Rare Breeds Through History’ walkway.

Dogs: Unfortunately, dogs are not permitted in the farm park, however they are welcome in the visitor centre, The Ox Shed (Shop, Cafe and Bar) and on the wildlife walk.

Top Tip: Visit the Ox Shed for a delicious slice of cake or make a weekend of your visit by staying overnight in the camping or caravan site on the farm!

Sudeley Castle

Distance from Swindon: 1 hour, approx. 35 miles north of Swindon

Sudeley Castle is a historic fortress which scopes the Cotswolds, sitting on the edge of the pretty town of Winchcombe. With 1,000 years of history behind it, this hidden gem is phenomenal and has plenty to offer for a fun family day out. Experience all of the below…

• 10 magnificent gardens to explore
• A range of exhibitions in the castle
• Spot the rare and endangered pheasants in the castle grounds
• Let off steam on the huge adventure playground

Location: Sudeley Castle & Gardens, Winchcombe GL54 5JD

Getting there: Free parking on site – please use postcode GL54 5LP when following SATNAV. A bus service operates between Winchcombe and Cheltenham or Broadway and then it’s just a 10-minute walk to the castle from the town centre.

Opening Times: March to Christmas, 10am – 5pm

Price: Adults £16.75, Children £7.75. *Save 10% by booking online*

Accessibility: There are designated disabled parking spaces at Sudeley Castle and two manual wheelchairs are available at the Visitor Centre (pre-booking essential). The circular route around the gardens is wheelchair and pushchair accessible, however some paths further afield are grassy and gravelly. The Visitor Centre and the Castle Kitchen Pantry café are very accessible.

Dogs: Unfortunately, only service dogs are permitted in the castle and gardens.

Top Tip: We recommend visiting during the summer months and have a good whiff of the variety of roses in the Queen’s Garden – 80 to be exact!

Birdland Park and Gardens

Distance from Swindon: 50 minutes, approx. 30 miles north of Swindon

Birdland Park and Gardens is nestled away in the pretty little Cotswold town of Bourton on the Water, approximately 30 miles north of Swindon. Family friendly attractions include…

• Feeding the King and Humboldt penguins – 2:30pm daily
• Meet the Birds – Cranes, Finches, Penguins, Birds of Prey, Ostrich Family, Owls, Parrots, Pelicans and more!
• Jurassic Journey – Travel back in time to millions of years ago when dinosaurs roamed the Cotswolds!
• Indoor Discovery Zone – come face to face with a whole range of mammals, reptiles and amphibians!
• Meet the snakes, lizards and frogs!

Location: Birdland Park and Gardens, Bourton-on-the-Water GL54 2BN

Getting there: Pay and display car parking can be found adjacent to Birdland on Rissington Road – use postcode GL54 2BN for SATNAV. The nearest train station is Morton in the Marsh where a Pullhams bus runs to Bourton on the Water.

Opening Times: April to November 10am – 5pm, November to March 10am – 4pm

Price: Adults £10.95, Children £7.95. Annual memberships are also available for just £22/£16pp!

Accessibility: Birdland is accessible for disabled visitors and pushchairs. Disabled parking is in the council car park close to the entrance of the park and wheelchairs are available on request.

Dogs: Dogs on leads are welcome in Birdland.

Top Tip: Don’t miss the penguins being fed at the Penguin Shore - 2:30pm daily!

Blenheim Palace

Distance from Swindon: 55 minutes, approx. 35 miles north east of Swindon

Blenheim Palace is a monumental country Palace (the only non-royal country house in England to hold the title of a palace!) where the inspirational Sir Winston Churchill was born back in 1874. It was used as a convalescence hospital during the First World War and offers plenty of history for the whole family to explore…

• Marlborough Maze (and let us tell you, it’s tricky!)
• Miniature Train Ride
• Winston Churchill Exhibition
• Explore the formal and pleasure gardens
• Make friends in the butterfly house
• Extensive estate to roam
• Palace State Rooms

Location: Blenheim Palace, Woodstock OX20 1PP

Getting there: Parking is free – use postcode OX20 1UL. If travelling by public transport, the S3 bus from Oxford to Woodstock runs every 30 minutes from Oxford train station and Oxford's Gloucester Green bus station to the gates of Blenheim Palace. The 7 bus also runs from Oxford train station and George street via Oxford Parkway to Blenheim.

Opening Times: 9am – 6pm, Open Daily

Price: Adults £27, Children £16

Accessibility: The gardens are very accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs, with the option to hire (free of charge) wheelchairs around the gardens. If your own mobility scooter fits in the lift in the palace, it can be used around the house and the formal gardens have an alternative entrance for those who need it.

Dogs: Dogs are welcome in the Park, seating area between the Welcome Desk and the Oxfordshire Pantry, in the Colonnade by the Gift Shop, the East Courtyard and in the area around the Pizza Café outside the Pleasure Gardens. Dogs must be kept on a lead at all times.

Top Tip: When purchasing your ticket, at no extra cost, donate the cost of your entry to the Blenheim Palace Heritage Foundation Charity and convert to a FREE Annual Pass – meaning you can come back as many times as you like for a year for free!