Blenheim Palace might not spring to mind when you’re thinking of something to do with the kids, but think again! Visiting Blenheim Palace with kids is absolutely worth it – it’s a fantastic family day out.
Whether you’re into history, nature, the royal family or just want a vast expanse of land to let the children run wild, there is something on offer for the whole family.
I had only visited once before, for the Christmas light trail, so really didn’t know what to expect or know just how much there was on offer! I couldn’t believe just how much there was to do, especially for kids. Now we’ve been once, and have an annual pass, we will definitely be returning many more times over the next year.
How much does visiting Blenheim Palace with kids cost?
Visiting Blenheim Palace with kids is definitely on the more expensive side of things when it comes to days out. Adult day tickets cost £31, children day tickets cost £15 or you can get a family ticket (two adults and two children) for £85. Under 3’s are free.
However, if you can stretch yourself, it’s definitely worth upgrading to one of the passes. There are two on offer – the Palace, Park and Gardens pass (£41 for adults, £24 for children, £110 for families) and the Palace and Play pass (£51 for adults, £41 for children, £165 for families). Whilst this is an eye-watering amount for most families, its worth remembering that these passes last all year. That’s right, you get unlimited access for 12 months! When you know everything that’s on offer, that’s a really good deal.
If you pick the Palace, Park and Gardens pass, you get access to all the standard areas of Blenheim. If you go for the Palace and Play pass you also get entry to the exclusive Adventure Play area!
Both passes offer free entry to fun events across the year as well (although sadly not their popular Christmas event, boo!)
What’s on offer at Blenheim Palace?
Before my visit, I really thought that Blenheim was ‘just’ a palace and gardens to stroll through, perhaps have a nice picnic too. How wrong was I!?
Of course, there are the gardens to stroll through – but they aren’t just normal gardens. They are vast and they are stunning! There are a couple of different routes you can take through the gardens, but they all end up taking you past the key features that you might want to see, including the Great Lake, the Walled Garden, The Rose Garden, the Churchill Memorial Garden, the Diana Memorial and so much more. You can find a detailed map with everything to see here.
In addition to the walking routes, there are plenty of fun activities if you’re visiting Blenheim with kids, (although adults will enjoy these activities too!) including:
- The Marlborough Maze
- The Butterfly House
- The Miniature Train
- The Stables Exhibition
- The Rowse Honey Hive
- Adventure Play
Whether you want to let your little ones run wild, delight at the ducks on the river and enjoy a picnic in the sunshine, or learn about the Blenheim Bees, let a butterfly land on your sleeve and burn off endless energy at the Adventure Park, there is truly something to keep the entire family entertained for hours.
Summer fun at Blenheim
This summer, there is actually a brand new attraction to enjoy – the ‘Bee on the Lookout’ Eco Count‘, a fun and educational challenge for little ones to try during the holidays.
This is the first time Blenheim has run a trail like this! It creates the perfect opportunity for little legs to explore the gardens whilst having fun along the way. Using a trail sheet, children are encouraged to record any minibeasts they spot whilst on their exploration as part of an “eco count tally”.
There are two beautiful routes to choose from. One route takes you past the likes of the Cascades, the Rose Garden and the Lower Water Terrace. The other takes you past the Butterfly House, the Marlborough Maze and the Honeybee Hives. This sounds a lot but my two-year-old and five-year-old managed both trails with ease. Well, with a stop for a picnic between to rest their legs!
Participants are encouraged to share their ‘eco count tally’ (the number of minibeasts they spot) online so they can be added to an overall eco count tally that will be revealed at the end of the summer. This grand total will be used to demonstrate just how many different creatures have made a home for themselves in the grounds of the palace! It’s quite a cool thing to be a part of.
You can get your trail checklist and maps on arrival. This is all included with the general admission fee, which is great.
The trail is equal parts challenging and fun. It provides a brilliant opportunity to explore the grounds of Blenheim Palace whilst also keeping little ones enthused, encouraging them to look out for exciting things, be that minibeasts for their checklist or the items highlighted as checkpoints along the trail.
What else do you need to know?
When it comes to visiting Blenheim Palace with kids, here is some more useful info to help you plan your visit:
- Parking at Blenheim Palace is free. It does get busy very quickly, and parking is on grass. There is a short, flat walk from the car park to the entrance.
- There are five different eateries on site, including a more formal restaurant, a more casual, children-friendly restaurant and a snack-shack. You can find more info about each of those here.
- Dogs are allowed in the parkland areas but are not allowed in the Formal or Walled Gardens, the Palace, the Adventure Playground, Stables Cafe or Orangery Restaurant. This excludes assistance dogs of course. All dogs must be kept on a lead at all times.
- A large portion of the grounds and palace are accessible, however there are some parts that are not. There are step free routes signposted for exploring the grounds – this is useful if you have a pushchair too. You can hire a wheelchair or a single-person mobility scooter from the Access Desk. It is best to pre-book these if you can via the customer service team, with as much advanced warning as possible, as availability is limited. There is a lift inside the Palace state rooms for wheelchair and scooter access.
- The train that takes you from the entrance to the walled gardens cost £1 per person, per journey. Under 3’s are free to ride.
- You are welcome to bring a picnic and there are benches dotted around. Alternatively, you can bring camping chairs or blankets and set yourself up under one of the many spectacular trees!
- There are a lot of ducks around, especially by the Cascades – do not feed them!
So is it worth visiting Blenheim Palace with kids?
Yes! A big, definite yes. Both my children loved how much there was to explore within the gardens and parkland. The extra bits, such as the Butterfly House and the train were just bonuses to them! They would have been happy just to run amongst the trees, cross the bridge by the Cascades and complete the trail. The fact there is so many additional extras for children to enjoy really makes this a stand-out family day out for us.
We were there for four hours and could have easily spent much more time there. It’s brilliant that your ticket can be transformed into an annual pass and we know we are going to get so much use out of this over the next year.
If you’re looking for a day out with kids that ticks all the boxes, I’d definitely recommend a trip to Blenheim Palace.
Have you visited before? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below!
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