From the time of the Romans, Bathtub has been tempting individuals to go to – and if you happen to suppose that this elegant metropolis isn’t household pleasant, suppose once more as a result of there are many issues to do in Bathtub with children.
accommodates affiliate hyperlinks*
Past the golden Georgian structure which has made it a Unesco World Heritage website, there are museums with actions excellent for kids, a number of probabilities to get outdoors together with the encircling Somerset countryside, and the great Roman Baths.
We final visited as one of many stops on our highway journey alongside the Nice West Manner and are common guests to Bristol, however there’s at all times a brand new cause to return to tick off extra of the highest 19 issues to do in Bathtub with children on my record – together with the newly opened World Heritage Centre as nicely.
The Roman Baths and Museum
The world-famous Roman Baths are one of many largest points of interest of all the metropolis of Bathtub and for good cause!
And after we visited, I used to be impressed at simply how a lot there may be to do for youths, together with a particular audioguide, a few trails to observe and many probabilities to get fairly actually fingers on.
There are additionally actors portraying a few of the individuals who might need visited the baths throughout Roman instances, so it’s even simpler to step again in historical past.
You may even uncover the outdated Roman gymnasium, as a part of the baths complicated.
And youngsters over the age of 6 may even style the waters that have been prized for his or her healing properties – astonishingly my daughter pronounced it ‘not that dangerous’. Not like me…
For extra concepts of historical Roman websites within the UK to go to with children, take a look at this publish
Bathtub Abbey
Attractive Bathtub Abbey will depart younger and outdated alike awestruck – for adults, there’s the historical past and the structure. For youths, it appears like one thing out of a fairy story, plus there are quirky statues to identify.
Each little bit of it from the stained glass home windows to the flying buttresses will encourage their creativeness too.
You too can climb to the highest of the Abbey’s tower for some wonderful views out throughout town… though with greater than 200 steps this isn’t one thing to attempt if you happen to’re visiting with little ones.
No 1 Royal Crescent
Image Bathtub and the Royal Crescent is without doubt one of the photographs that in all probability involves thoughts – a protracted elegant sweeping curve of homes.
Constructed between 1767 and 1774, it’s among the finest preserved examples of Georgian structure within the nation so on the very least take a wander previous as you stroll by way of town.
Higher nonetheless, there’s a museum at No 1 Royal Crescent, displaying late 18th century life, together with trails for youths to observe as you make your method by way of and different occasions throughout college holidays.
You too can attempt Georgian themed video games and take a look at on costumes within the Servants Corridor. In the event you’re visiting with a child, there are child carriers to borrow (and buggy parking however you possibly can’t take your buggy in with you).
There’s additionally inexperienced area simply past the personal gardens, for a picnic or the possibility to shed their greatest Regency manners afterwards.
American Museum Bathtub
Dwelling to the most important assortment of American cultural artefacts outdoors of the US themselves, the American Museum in Bathtub is a must-visit in case your youngsters are learning any American historical past, together with recreations of American houses from the earliest colonial period.
However that’s definitely not the one cause to go to and there’s a lot to maintain even youthful children entertained too: in addition to the youngsters’s space and backyard, there may be loads of interactive enjoyable, further actions referring to the present exhibitions, trails and extra.
Throughout college holidays, there are sometimes further crafts and different actions, a few of which have an additional price.
The museum is accessible by bus from Bathtub adopted by a brief stroll, plus there’s a restaurant and wonderful gardens to discover, additionally themed on American historical past.
Try this evaluation from Tin Field Traveller who visited together with her two younger daughters.
Herschel Museum of Astronomy
For any children who love astronomy and all issues area, the Herschel Museum of Astronomy is about within the very home on New King Avenue the place William Herschel found the planet Uranus in 1781. (No sniggering on the again please!)
Households can observe the Superb Astronomy quiz path (for a small further price) whereas there are numerous actions and workshops to swimsuit households.bristo
Better of all, you will discover a implausible space devoted to Area Lego and the Ladies of NASA Lego in addition to a whole part of kids’s astronomy books within the Star Vault.
Pulteney Bridge
Pulteney Bridge is certainly one of just a few bridges on this planet that has outlets throughout its full span on either side; it additionally occurs to be an important place to get a drink.
Take a wander throughout to begin with, to look again on beautiful arches and the weir in entrance.
Then head again for the view from the bridge itself. There are just a few seats close to home windows within the cafes, so that you’ll simply need to hold your fingers crossed if you happen to hope to refuel whilst you look out onto the water.
Sally Lunns buns
No journey to Bathtub is full with out a journey to the well-known Sally Lunns. Properly… who doesn’t love a bun?
The world-famous tea and consuming home, well-known for the Sally Lunn bun, is about in one of many oldest buildings in Bathtub, inbuilt 1482.
There’s even a small museum connected – which may be finished in about 5 minutes to swimsuit very quick consideration spans. And to allow you to get again to the buns, nonetheless baked to a secret recipe, clearly.
The Sally Lunn bun is to not be confused with the Bathtub bun – that is extra of a brioche type deal with than the fruity teacake type of the Bathtub bun. It’s in all probability greatest to attempt each and select your favorite!
The Holburne Museum
The Holburne Museum was Bathtub’s first public artwork gallery, with common short-term exhibitions of each fashionable and basic artwork alongside its spectacular everlasting assortment.
In the event you’re visiting with children, the museum contains exercise drawers plus common trails for households to assist children take pleasure in their time exploring.
The museum additionally has a separate artistic space, Area to Make, with actions impressed by the museum’s exhibitions and everlasting assortment – excellent for letting your children’ creativity run free.
There’s no entry cost to the Holburne Museum for under-18s, excellent if you happen to’re searching for free issues to do in Bathtub with children.
Victoria Artwork Gallery
The Victoria Artwork Gallery is one other Bathtub museum that’s free for kids – you may as well get mixed tickets with the Roman Baths and Trend Museum, and it’s one other nice choice for wet days in Bathtub with children.
The gathering contains gadgets from the fifteenth century proper as much as the current day (together with a just lately acquired Grayson Perry print).
In addition to household occasions throughout college holidays and common family-friendly exhibitions, you’ll discover artwork trolleys stocked with crafts to attempt together with colouring and a portrait path.
Different trails included the 5 senses household path, designed to encourage children to speak about artwork – as soon as they’ve hunted down the objects in a number of photos – so there’s at all times one thing new to entertain youngsters.
Trip a Canal Boat
For my thirtieth birthday, a bunch of associates and I employed a narrowboat to cruise from Bradford on Avon into Bathtub – child-free on the time, there was a whole lot of prosecco and scones, chatting and chilling out.
However as soon as your children are previous the age if you suppose they’ll fall overboard, a canal boat journey is nice for households too. You don’t need to do the multiday barge journey both, with loads of canal boats to take you on excursions by way of Bathtub.
It’s additionally an effective way to see Bathtub with children with out having to fret about little toes getting worn out.
The vacationer board has options of a few of the completely different Bathtub boat journeys you possibly can attempt, together with varied choices from Bathtub Adventures cruises, together with a strolling tour plus 25-minute cruise choice.
The Trend Museum
Edit: The museum is briefly closed after transferring out of its earlier house within the Meeting Rooms to a brand new location in central Bathtub on the Outdated Publish Workplace – reopening date tbc
With round 30,000 gadgets displaying how costume modified from the sixteenth century to the current day, the Trend Museum is fascinating in case your children love historical past or type (to not point out for adults).
Though realistically, that is going to pale towards the dressing-up space the place you possibly can attempt on reproductions of Victorian and Georgian garments. My daughter can’t be the one dressing-up fiend on the market, absolutely?
There are common short-term exhibitions as nicely, however even if you happen to solely slot in a brief go to, take a look at the Costume of the 12 months assortment with one piece chosen by an professional for annually since 1963.
There are sometimes youngsters’s trails selecting out key historic fashions from the 1700s to the 2000s, in addition to different short-term exhibitions that includes star items from the gathering.
The Bathtub Postal Museum, which was one other of my high household pleasant issues to do in Bathtub, has additionally now closed sadly.
Bathtub Skyline
The Bathtub Skyline stroll stretches for six miles by way of historical woods, fields and tracks across the metropolis with some attractive views again to Bathtub.
Owned by the Nationwide Belief, there are pure playgrounds and fairy doorways for youths to identify alongside the best way, in addition to instructed actions and issues to identify.
We had scooters with us and ambled so didn’t get near ending all of it after we visited, however there are shorter variations of the stroll as nicely and it’s a beautiful place to walk. In the event you’re travelling along with your four-legged pal, it’s canine pleasant as nicely.
There are buses from the centre to get you to varied factors to begin the stroll, or you may as well hop onto the Metropolis Sightseeing Skyline tour bus to see some out of your seat or to hop off part-way (verify the place it stops with the driving force as some factors are request stops).
Metropolis Sightseeing additionally runs a hop-on hop-off bus tour of Bathtub itself, or there’s the Tootbus Bathtub Discovery tour – helpful for Bathtub on a wet day.
Prior Park Panorama Backyard
Not removed from the Bathtub Skyline stroll is Prior Park Gardens, the type of sweeping panorama which mixes pure magnificence, Functionality Brown’s unmatched contact and wonderful touches together with Palladian bridges.
Plus limitless area for youths to run across the Nationwide Belief website, and let their imaginations run free on the identical time. The positioning, which has simply undergone a serious restoration on the historic dams, additionally has common actions and trails for youths, together with its annual creation path.
The easiest way to get there is without doubt one of the buses from town centre – the Metropolis Sightseeing Skyline route has its personal cease for Prior Park, or you may as well take FirstGroup bus no 2 from Dorchester Avenue.
Jane Austen Centre and Meeting Rooms
There’s no author extra intently related to Bathtub than Jane Austen and the Georgian society she depicts. I keep in mind falling in love together with her novels after I was in my teenagers, and in case your children are the identical, the Jane Austen Centre ought to definitely be on the record.
Set in a home courting from the interval when Austen lived in Bathtub, there are costumed Regency guides sharing info alongside the best way – and but extra dressing up right here too.
The exhibition covers the creator’s time within the metropolis and the way it has influenced her books, then you possibly can end with afternoon tea within the Regency Tea Room.
You may get tickets with free cancellation if you happen to guide by way of Get Your Information
You too can go to the unique Meeting Rooms, the center of Georgian society in Bathtub. There’s not an enormous quantity to do – though there’s a cafe right here too – but when they’re open, it’s enjoyable to wander round and picture your self as a woman or gentleman of leisure.
Realistically, except you’re a big Austen fan decided to not miss out, this isn’t one thing to attempt with youthful children who gained’t even start to care concerning the plot of Worth & Prejudice.
Bathtub Youngsters’s Literature pageant
In the event you’re visiting Bathtub with children who love books, however aren’t studying Austen, attempt to time your go to with the Bathtub Youngsters’s Literature pageant within the Autumn.
Play in Royal Victoria Park
There are a whopping 57 acres within the Royal Victoria Park, opened by the longer term Queen Victoria herself in 1830 when she was 11 years outdated. Alas for Bathtub, a resident reportedly insulted the thickness of her ankles and the not amused monarch by no means returned.
There’s a lot to amuse children at present although, together with skate ramps and an journey playground with zipwires, in addition to conventional play areas.
You too can discover the botanical gardens with the Nice Dell aerial walkway, mini golf and earlier than Christmas, there’s additionally an ice rink. Or for an expertise to recollect, you possibly can even take a sizzling air balloon experience over town from right here – appropriate for youths aged seven and above.
Victoria Falls Journey Golf
Close to the tennis courts in Royal Victoria Park, there’s an important 18-hole mini golf course – Victoria Falls Journey Golf that’s excellent for youths who need a break from all of the historical past and outdated buildings.
Set between streams and waterfalls (watch your ball!) with paths main previous flowers and bushes, it’s a beautiful one even simply to stroll round.
In the event you’re visiting in winter, there’s additionally a night-time choice – Glow Golf, with twinkly lights and glow-in-the-dark balls as a twist on the usual loopy golf enjoyable. It solely runs from round mid-November to early January, so it’s nicely price reserving forward if you happen to fancy a sport.
Go on a treasure hunt
I’m a giant fan of the Treasure Trails for varied cities across the UK – we’ve tried them in Salisbury and Greenwich, in addition to Aldeburgh in Suffolk and Topsham in Devon to call just a few.
Not solely is it an effective way to level out a few of the little particulars you’d in any other case miss, and encourage you to discover down streets you wouldn’t in any other case select, it’s additionally an effective way to get children strolling.
Inform my daughter we’re going out for an hour or two to take a look at attention-grabbing structure and we wouldn’t even get previous the entrance door. Inform her we’re occurring a Spy Mission across the metropolis to resolve a thriller, and he or she’s prepared with a pencil in 2 seconds flat.
For one more strategy to discover, take a look at the brand new Bathtub World Heritage app, which helps you to construct an itinerary, gather augmented actuality characters and stickers, whereas hidden golden acorns throughout town allow you to reveal hidden gems – obtain from Google Play or Appstore.
In the event you’re visiting with older children, there are some nice escape-room type video games – half treasure hunt, half out of doors escape room might be the very best description. Preserve an eye fixed out for the occasions from CluedUpp or Clueniversity of Magic out of doors escape room, geared toward age 11+
Go to the Egg Theatre
This award-winning theatre focuses on productions for youths, younger individuals and households, so it’s the right place if you happen to’re searching for a family-friendly efficiency.
The one designated youngsters’s theatre outdoors London, the Egg Theatre has reveals on Saturdays in addition to further ones throughout college holidays plus artistic workshops for youths aged two to 18. There’s additionally an important family-friendly cafe on this website subsequent to the Theatre Royal Bathtub as nicely.
Bathtub Metropolis Farm
Sheep, pigs, ponies, chickens… it’s sufficient by itself to tempt animal loving children for a day trip. And that’s simply the beginning of what you’ll discover on the 37 acres of the Bathtub Metropolis Farm.
There’s a historical past path and nature path, plus a Fort play space, whereas you may as well purchase feed for the chickens. Throughout holidays and sometimes all year long, you’ll discover further actions happening.
It’s additionally nice if you happen to’re searching for free days out in Bathtub with children, though donations are welcomed – and there’s additionally a restaurant and a farm store if you happen to fancy a memento, edible or in any other case.
Farleigh Hungerford Fortress
In case you have greater than a day or two in Bathtub with children, there are some beautiful household pleasant locations to go to simply outdoors town. Farleigh Hungerford Fortress is {a partially} ruined mansion with gardens and a implausible place for kids to discover.
Relationship from the 14th century, it was house to the Hungerford household for 300 years, and you’ll uncover tales of the inhabitants in addition to seeing their tombs.
Sadly the spiral staircases and towers are now not climbable however there’s a free audio tour with some wonderful and typically ugly tales.
For extra inspiration, take a look at my high issues to do in Bristol with children, together with Avon Valley Journey Park between Bristol and Bathtub, plus the very best issues to do in Somerset with children similar to Wookey Gap Caves and the Haynes Motor Museum
PIN FOR LATER: THINGS TO DO IN BATH WITH KIDS
Disclosure: This publish accommodates some affiliate hyperlinks – any purchases you make are unaffected however I’ll obtain a small fee
Roman Bathtub and Bathtub Skyline photographs copyright MummyTravels; American Museum picture copyright TinboxTraveller; Holburne Museum, Jane Austen Competition & Victoria Park copyright VisitBath; all others courtesy Depositphotos