The Castle Rolls
Family-friendly castles.
30 castles that visitors recommend for a family day out - the ones where people specifically said their kids loved it - drawn from publicly available Google reviews across every operator and all four nations.
England - 20
Bodiam Castle
East Sussex
“…n to the age of the group, so making it fun for kids. There are videos running inside the building telling of th…”
Photo: Antony McCallum, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Bolsover Castle
Derbyshire
“…indows, ceilings, walls and tapestries. Fun for kids, with a very good dressing up box for to put on costumes an…”
Photo: Andrew Michaels, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Bolton Castle
North Yorkshire
“…eat cafe and toilets. Parking costs £5. Great for children and adults. Due to the nature of the building not accessibl…”
Photo: ASPope, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Chichester Castle
West Sussex
“…in , many places to eat in or out ,very family friendly, just be mindful of the odd idiot 🙄”
Photo: Simon_Burchell, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Clare Castle
Suffolk
“…Cafe was well priced with lovely food. Kids loved the playground and walking up to the castle to see the view…”
Deal Castle
Kent
“…twear if you're planning to explore it. Family friendly exhibits inside cover the castle's history and stories of t…”
Photo: Lieven Smits, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Dudley Castle
West Midlands
“…otally worth it. Highly recommend for a family day out!”
Photo: Dudley Council, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Eastnor Castle
Herefordshire
“…of toilets at good intervals. Excellent family day out”
Photo: Philip Pankhurst, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Eye Castle
Suffolk
“…in our day and found this tondonajd the kids enjoyed it.”
Photo: Michael Garlick, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Farnham Castle Keep
Surrey
“…nal and well worth visiting. Me and the kids loved this and will return on a Wednesday for the guided tour of…”
Photo: davidhc, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Hadleigh Castle
Essex
“…family picnic and explore the history. Family friendly, lovely for couples and a perfect hang out for teenagers to…”
Photo: Chris Beach from London, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Hever Castle
Kent
“…places, educational aspect and so much fun for kids - mazes, hills, lakes, boats, archery, playground with sand…”
Photo: Christoph Matthias Siebenborn, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Lowther Castle
Cumbria
“…to see. Lovely gardens and grounds too. Kids loved the play area which seemed to have something for everyone.…”
Photo: fuji.tim, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Middleham Castle
North Yorkshire
“…e best ruined castle I’ve ever visited. Kids will love all the little pitch black nooks/rooms and all the rooms th…”
Old Wardour Castle
Wiltshire
“…le and lake to take in the view of. Our kids enjoyed being able to explore the castle.”
Photo: Simon Burchell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Portland Castle
Dorset
“…love this castle, our second visit. The kids loved playing with cannons and dressing up and watching the helic…”
Photo: Ajsmith141, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Tamworth Castle
Staffordshire
“…e to Georgian and Victorian settings. - Family‑friendly exhibits - Interactive displays, narrow staircases to explo…”
Photo: Tanya Dedyukhina, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Tintagel Castle
Cornwall
“Great place to visit. Kids enjoyed it. Great scenery. Lots of history to take in. Be prepared…”
Photo: Mustangbarry, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Totnes Castle
Devon
“…ny times, but we had a great visit! The children loved pretending to be soldiers as we walked around the wall. The…”
Photo: Nilfanion, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Walmer Castle and Gardens
Kent
“…all, a great mix of history, space, and family-friendly fun. Well worth a visit.”
Photo: DeFacto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Northern Ireland - 1
Scotland - 5
Balvaird Castle
Perth and Kinross
“…k for most visitors. It’s dog-friendly, family-friendly, and best of all - free to visit. Tip: Visit around golden…”
Photo: Billbowery, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Edinburgh Castle
City of Edinburgh
“…at experience for the whole family. The kids loved it, and our in-laws and siblings really enjoyed exploring t…”
Photo: Enric, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Edzell Castle and Garden
Angus
“…e able to search without interruptions. Kids enjoyed a run about the wide open spaces. Some of the best gardens…”
Photo: Jonathan Oldenbuck, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Kinnaird Head Castle Lighthouse
Aberdeenshire
“…dels, and maritime artifacts. It’s very family-friendly, and you can explore both indoors and outdoors. The site is…”
Photo: Sagaciousphil, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Tolquhon Castle
Aberdeenshire
“…knowledgeable and friendly staff, too. Great for kids and picnics”
Photo: PaulT (Gunther Tschuch), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Wales - 4
Abergavenny Castle & Museum
Monmouthshire
“A lovely free to visit dog/family friendly attraction this ruins/museum is. Fairly near to the town ce…”
Photo: Ethan Doyle White, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Conwy Castle
Conwy
“…o imagine life in the Middle Ages. The children loved exploring the towers and walkways, while we enjoyed learnin…”
Photo: Andrew Woodvine, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Gwrych Castle
Conwy
“Lovely family day out. Good price. Beautiful views. Amazing event to spend time w…”
Photo: Gwrychcastle, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Newcastle (Bridgend) Castle
Bridgend
“…much left, just the outer wall remains, great for kids to run around as you can keep an eye on them, entrance gate…”
Where this list comes from
Every castle here is listed because a real visitor recommended it for children or a family day out in a Google review - not because it has a car park. It's the castles where families themselves said their kids enjoyed it, so it reflects real visits rather than a marketing claim. The neighbouring question, which castles actually have a playground on site, is answered from the operators' own websites on the castles with playgrounds page.
Always check before you book
What suits one family's ages and stamina won't suit another's, and activities and trails are often seasonal or holiday-only. Check the castle's own page (linked from every entry) for what's on before you plan a day around it.