20 best free family outings in the UK

We've rounded up some of the most exciting attractions across the country where kids go free.

Have you visited somewhere family friendly that you felt offered value for money and had high standards? Why not share your recommendations with other mums on our boards and maybe pick up a few tips for yourself too.

Alnwick Castle
Address: Alnwick, Northumberland, NE66 1NQ.
Telephone: 01665 510777
Website: www.alnwickcastle.com
Admission: Children under 5 go free
About: Alnwick Castle is the second largest inhabited castle in England, and has been the home of the Percys, Earls and Dukes of Northumberland since 1309. It has been used as a film location for Harry Potter, Blackadder and Elizabeth. Facilities: Due to the age and nature of the Castle disabled access is limited in some areas. There is partial access for wheelchairs, pushchairs, sight and hearing dogs.

Amazing Cornish Maize Maze
Address: Smeaton Farm, Pillaton, Saltash, Cornwall, PL12 6RZ.
Telephone: 01579 351833
Website: www.cornishmaizemaze.co.uk
Admission: Children under 3 go free, children 3-16: £4 and adults £5.50
About: Extensive maze where kids can enter the maze and hunt down clues to find 11 ancient symbols and solve the mystery of where Dr Wherezigon has disappeared to.
Facilities: Café, Gift Shop, Farm Trail, Rare Breed Animals, Play Area, Picnic Area

Brighton Pier
Address: Madeira Drive, Brighton, BN2 1TW.
Telephone: 01273 609 361
Website: www.brightonpier.co.uk
Admission: Free
About: It’s hard to beat a traditional day at the seaside and Brighton Pier definitely has lots to offer. Thrill-seekers can try out the rides, there’s plenty for the kids with mini-dodgems and child-sized cars. For a more traditional seaside experience enjoy fish & chips, an ice-cream or some hot donuts on the beach. Brighton also offers great entertainment with live music in the many open air bars.

Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood
Address: Cambridge Heath Road, London, E2 9PA, London
Telephone: 020 8983 5200
Website: www.vam.ac.uk/moc/
Admission: Free
About: The museum is packed full of childhood memorabilia with galleries that are accessible to adults and children.
Facilities: Café, toilets, disability access

Big Pit: National Coal Museum
Address: Blaenafon, Torfaen, NP4 9XP
Telephone: 01495 790 311
Address: http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/bigpit/
Admission: Free
About: Even children who hate museums will love this place because they get to go 92m underground with a real miner and see what life was like for the thousands of men who worked at the coalface.
Facilities: Café, gift shop, free parking

Carsington Water
Address: Carsington Water, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, DE6 1ST.
Telephone: 01629 540 478
Website: www.carsingtonwater.com
Admission: Free. (Activities cost.)
About: For many families, the biggest obstacle to bike riding is finding an interesting route which is suitable for all. The path around Carsington Water is perfect and one of the many offers from Carsington Sports & Leisure. There are tonnes of family friendly activities including sailing, kayaking, canoeing, windsurfing, power boating, raft building, mountain biking and climbing.

Charmouth Beach
Address: Lower Sea Lane, Charmouth, Dorset, DT6 6LL.
Telephone: 01297 560 772
Website: www.charmouth.ukfossils.co.uk
Admission: Free
About: Fossil hunting at Charmouth Beach in Dorset is a brilliant excursion and fun in all weathers. Very popular with kids of all ages - just take a bag and a little hammer and you’ll probably come away with a handful of real fossils. The fossil shop is worth a visit - it’s more like a museum - and there’s always fish & chips on hand to round the day off.

Diggerland  
Address: Kent, Durham, West Yorkshire, Devon.   
Telephone: 08700 344437  
Website: www.diggerland.com
Admission: Under 3’s go free of charge. Anyone aged 3 to 65 pays £15.00 per person and over 65's pay £7.50
About: Children (and adults if they wish) have the opportunity to ride in, and drive, different types of construction machinery including Dumper Trucks, Mini Diggers and Giant Diggers (all under strict supervision). There are great opportunities to take photos, or learn about the workings of the machines from the fully trained Instructors constantly on hand. Diggerland is a day out with a difference: not only can families learn about how these diggers work, they can actually drive them too!
Facilities: Free car park, Food and refreshments, Shop, Toilets, Baby changing

East Somerset Railway
Address: Cranmore Railway Station, Cranmore, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, BA4 4QP.
Telephone: 01749 880 417
Website: www.eastsomersetrailway.com
About: East Somerset Railways is a hidden gem of a preserved railway with regular events for all ages including a Thomas weekend or for the adults a chance to drive a train. Take the five mile round trip, watch the signalman at work and round it all off with afternoon tea at the Whistlestop Cafe. “Bring a Friend for Free” applies from 22 July to 6 September inclusive to all services except Wine and Dine trains. A “Friend” must be 16 or under and may be a brother or sister.

Gloucester Cathedral – home of Hogwarts School!
Address: 12 College Green, Gloucester, GL1 2LX
Telephone: 01452 528095
Website: http://www.gloucestercathedral.org.uk/
Admission: Free, although adults are asked for donations
About: Gloucester Cathedral was one of three locations used for Hogwarts School in the Harry Potter films. The cloisters will be easily recognisable as the gothic corridors of Hogwarts, and as a double bonus, the 2008 Christmas special of Dr Who was filmed in the grounds earlier this year. Entry is free, although adults are asked for a donation.
Facilities: Café, gift shop, 
 
Keswick in the Lake District
Address: Moot Hall, Market Square, Keswick, Lake District.
Telephone: 01768 772 645
Website: www.keswick.org
Admission: Free
About: Pack your picnic, fishing nets & walking boots for a fabulous day in Keswick in the Lake District. A bustling market square brimful of shops, and cafes; parks offering tennis, draughts, bowls, putting or crazy golf; a nature trail to Lake Derwentwater, rowing boat to reach secluded shores for picnics, paddling and a spot of fishing.

Markeaton Park
Address: Kedleston Lane, Derby, Derbyshire, DE22.
Telephone: 01332 343 075
Admission: Free
Website: www.derby.gov.uk/LeisureCulture/ParksRecreation/Markeaton
About: Derby’s largest park plays host to the Mundy Play Centre a children’s paradise suitable for under 13s, offering donkey rides, canoes, crazy golf, bouncy castle, electric cars/bikes and a large paddling pool. Large grassed areas are great for ball games and a visit to Markeaton Craft Centre is also a must with a variety of stalls offering arts and crafts.

National Football Museum
Address: Sir Tom Finney Way, Preston, PR1 6PA
Telephone: 01772 908442;
Website: www.nationalfootballmuseum.com
Admission: Free
About: Discover the history of football in this museum. See the ball from the 1966 World Cup Final, Maradona's shirt from the "hand of God" game, the oldest FA Cup trophy, the shirt from the world's first international and more.
Facilities: Toilets, café, gift shop

Natural History Museum
Address: Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD.
Telephone: 020 7942 5000
Website:http://www.nhm.ac.uk/index.html
Admission: Free
About: A museum of the natural world, explore galleries and exhibitions on everything from plants to dinosaurs to endangered animals.
Facilities: Café, toilets.

Nature in Art
Address: Wallsworth Hall, Twigworth, Gloucester, GL2 9PA.
Telephone: 01452 731 422
Website: www.nature-in-art.org.uk
Admission: Adults £4.50, Under 8s free
About: Dedicated to art inspired by nature, here children get the opportunity to see and touch life size sculptures of animals. Six acre sculpture garden, pond and play area. Regular holiday activities also allow children to try out lots of different art techniques from printing to collage to creating their own jewellery or scary crocodiles.

Salcey Forest
Address: Between Milton Keynes and Northampton, located immediately to the east of the small village of Hartwell. NN7 2HX.
Telephone: 01780 444 920
Website: www.forestry.gov.uk/salceyforest
Admission: Free
About: This oasis of nature, wildlife and history will teach you some unexpected things - including why elephants roamed the forest and where to find a roman road. Try out the Tree Top Way and see Salcey from a completely different viewpoint. There are extensive trails to help you explore the forest, with three walking trails, a five mile family cycle route and a six mile horse riding trail with its own car park for horse boxes.

Science Museum
Address: Exhibition Rd, South Kensington, London, SW7 2DD.
Telephone: 0870 870 4868
Website: http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/
Admission: Free but costs for Imax cinema, simulators and some special exhibitions
About: Making science fun for kids. This interactive museum has galleries on everything from the making of the modern world, Energy Hall, Exploring science, the science and the art of medicine.
Facilities: Café, toilets

St Fagans National History Museum
Address: St. Fagans, Cardiff, CF5 6XB.
Telephone: 029 20573500
Website: http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/stfagans/
Admission: Free
About: St Fagans is a collection of over 40 buildings from different historical periods, housed in the grounds of the beautiful castle. St Fagans explores all aspects of how people in Wales have lived over the centuries, from exhibits of early agricultural tools to audio-visual exhibitions about language and culture.
Facilities: Parking costs £2.50

Towneley Hall Estate & Park
Address: Towneley Park, Burnley, BB11 3RQ.
Telephone: 01282 424 213
Website: www.burnley.gov.uk/towneley
Admission: Children and Burnley residents free, £2.50 for adults
About: Towneley Hall & Park is the jewel in Burnley’s crown - with 70.000 visitors, the majority of them families, coming every year. There are fine art collections and regular events in the park including a wooden mouse trail, family quiz, a sculpture trail in the woods and great new children’s play area, as well as woodland walks and a pitch and putt course.

Woking Lightbox
Address: The Lightbox, Chobham Road, Woking, Surrey, GU21 4AA.
Telephone: 01483 737 800
Website: www.thelightbox.org
About: Whether you’re passionate about the arts and history, want activities and fun, or would just like somewhere quiet to relax and think, you’ll find it all at The Lightbox, Woking’s gallery and museum. Each exhibition has the opportunity for children to draw, read or take part in interactive activities, there are loads of family art workshops and in the local history gallery there are costumes to try on, buttons to press and things to listen to and watch.

Can you recommend anywhere for a fun family day out? Why not share it with other mums in the forums