Child-Friendly Activities In and Around Glastonbury
Here’s my guide to places to go with the family in and around Glastonbury. As I don’t have kids I must admit I tend to think about visitor information in a rather adult-centric way, so I’ve compiled it with the generous help of Glastonbury friends.
Please see the Google map where you’ll find the locations and further info on all the places I’ve listed. If you have a recommendation for a place or activity that’s not on here please do get in touch and I’ll do my best to add it in. Please do check opening times, admission prices etc before you go, as although these are genuine recommendations I won’t be held responsible if you have a rubbish day!
This post was very generously sponsored by The Glastonbury Community Studio, which you’ll find at The King Arthur Pub on Benedict Street, you can find out more at the end of the post.
Free Outdoor Activities in Glastonbury
Glastonbury Tor – nearest parking is at Drapers Car Park (see map) otherwise park in one of the Town Car Parks and it’s a 15-minute walk or so. No toilets or facilities, just a fantastic view over Somerset. Pretty much compulsory if you can manage the walk.
Glastonbury Abbey Park – just past the Abbey, mature trees, fenced play area with slides and swings, climbing etc, basketball hoop, games pitch, good place for a picnic. Lots of squirrels and the occasional badger!
Glastonbury Skatepark – a large all-concrete park with street and transition aspects all mixed in together on the edge of town, urban feel with graffiti and murals.
Cinnamon Lane Park and Playground – large green space with Zip wire, swings, climbing frame, monkey bars and a football goal, nice trees, ideal for picnics. Best accessed from the Actis Estate as Cinnamon Lane is horribly steep!
Glastonbury Mural Trail – a great opportunity to explore hidden bits of the town while looking at some interesting art. The map can be downloaded here.
The Glastonbury Way Walk – This 7.5-mile circular route around the town is an interesting walk around the Glastonbury landscape. Glimpses into the history, myth and legend of our historical and sacred sites are included on interpretation boards along the Way. Find out more.
Free Outdoor Activities Not Far Away
The Avalon Marshes are only 3 miles from Town and you can easily spend a day exploring here. It’s an easy flat cycle or a short drive to the Ham Wall and Shapwick Heath Nature Reserves, where you will find acres of nature to explore, go bird spotting and pond dipping and find out about the long and fascinating history of these Somerset Wetlands.
Visit the Avalon Marshes Centre where you’ll find a family-friendly outdoor cafe, information on the local environment, history and wildlife and an excellent centre selling locally-made crafts
There you will also find Avalon Archaeology featuring wonderful reconstructions of a Saxon longhall, the dining room of a typical Roman villa, a Viking trading vessel with mast and rigging and an Iron Age Roundhouse based on those in the Glastonbury Lake Village. Admission is a very reasonable £12 for a family of two adults and up to 4 children. Sunday, Monday and Tuesday only.
Combe Hill Woods is a 25-hectare area of diverse woodland near Street in Somerset with walks for all abilities and marvellous viewpoints. Find them here.
Collett Park in Shepton Mallet is popular with families, more details.
Compton Dundon, hill fort & woods – it’s a bit of a trek to the top but beautiful when you get up there, last time I went there were wild ponies, an ideal place for a picnic.
Ebbor Gorge – free car park, trails through the woods ranging from easy to strenuous, kids need close supervision as there are sheer cliffs in places! https://www.themendipsrock.co.uk/listings/ebbor-gorge
Wells Recreation Ground has an adventure playground
Cheddar has plenty to keep all ages entertained, though it can get horribly busy in Summer, particularly recommended for kids are: Cheddar pump track, Cheddar Reservoir and Cheddar Skatepark
Steart Marshes is open all year round and it’s free to visit. They have car parks and paths for walkers, wheelchair users, pushchairs, cyclists and horseriders. Steart Marshes
Shopping With Kids
Lots of shops in Glastonbury have stuff that kids will find fun, Kama suggested taking children fairy spotting. For toys and games do check out the excellent Little Imps Toy shop on the Market Place and Jadlam Toys and Models behind B&Q.
Activities with an Admission Cost in Glastonbury
Glastonbury Abbey – Mostly outdoor, lots of kids activities and events, including a medieval fayre, workshops and museum www.glastonburyabbey.com
Glastonbury Rural Life Museum – Pay once and you can visit all year. Kids activities and events, cafe
Lost Projects – Indoor skate park, skate lessons, music studio, murals, ideal for teenagers. www.thelprojects.com
Activities with an Admission Cost Outside Glastonbury
The Bishops Palace, Wells (pay once, enter for a year) has a nice play area. bishopspalace.org.uk
Wells Cinema (small family-owned business) www.wellsfilmcentre.co.uk
Greenbank Swimming Pool, Street. It’s a swimming pool, it’s outside, it’s in Street.
The Square in Wells Soft Play Centre is fab I hear https://thesquarewells.com/
Wookey Hole Caves – pricey for a day out, but the caves are an unforgettable experience and there are plenty of kids activities
Puxton Park is described as ‘the ultimate fun-filled, all-weather experience for the whole family’. Adventure park, miniature railway, petting zoo, indoor soft play, tractor rides, boating lake £55 admission for a family of 4. Puxton Park
The Pier at Weston – Seaside pier with land train, indoor rides, arcade machines plus candy floss, ice cream and tearoom. £1 entry per person, then the price of the rides. (I found it overwhelming and horrible, but I’m 55, not 5 and I went with my Mum). www.grandpier.co.uk
Clare tells me “The Mendip Outdoor Activity Centre is about 40 mins drive but has some fab options. Frisbee golf is cheaper and a way to keep the family busy for an afternoon, tobogganing is fun for smaller ones and then there’s loads of stuff like archery and paddle boarding. Bit late now, but I keep an eye on them for half-price voucher offers in the autumn and save them for the warmer months”. Mendip Outdoor Activity Centre
Places to Stay with Kids in Glastonbury
Paddington Farm campsite has a play area & animals, they are set up for educational groups, so they are particularly kid-friendly
Isle of Avalon Touring Park – friendly local caravan and campsite only a short walk from town, they do bicycle hire too. https://www.avalontouringpark.co.uk/
Middlewick Holiday Cottages – family-friendly accommodation amongst safe green outdoor space, fresh countryside air and their very own farm animals. Farm cafe and swimming pool and a spa for the adults.
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Places to Eat with Kids
I did a shout-out on the NFG Facebook page for kid-friendly places to eat and it was generally agreed that Glastonbury doesn’t cater that well for kids, but I still got lots of ideas, check the map at the top of this article for locations of all these eateries.
Kim suggested the following: “FARA Glastonbury has a great outside area when the weather is good and a toy/book box & high chairs. The Brewers Fayre on the A39 does good kid food deals. Middlewick Farm Shop And Cafe is a really nice option if you wanna combine your meal outing with a walk. And The Old Tannery Glastonbury has a great outdoor bit with an undercover area and garden and a very acceptable kids menu”.
Matt too gave a shout-out to Brewer’s Fayre “Brewers Fayre in Glastonbury have a children’s menu- kids eat free too at the moment, small beer garden but no play area however they have games and colouring you can take to your table as well as a toy machine and teddy grabber thing”.
Kassie had this to say: “Street is much more kid-oriented for eating out, the Street Inn, the Bear and the King Alfred all have kid-friendly outdoor areas (they all used to have kids’ play equipment, you may have to check if they still do). The Fondo Lounge in Steet and the Fosso Lounge in Wells have good kids menus with colouring and board games available”.
The Riflemans Arms is a traditional 16th-century pub, the closest pit stop to Glastonbury Tor, dog and child-friendly with a large terraced garden. Food is served from Thursday to Sunday afternoons and during the school holidays. high chairs and baby change mat available Kids eat free from 12-3 pm (one child meal per adult main ordered) The family room has a new supply of board games and a toy box, along with colouring sheets to keep little ones entertained. The pool room has a pool table that children can use with adult supervision and a chalk doodle board for aspiring artists. Children are to be supervised at all times and dogs kept on leads.
Kirsty said: “We have visited Gigi’s twice in Glastonbury for lunch when we’ve been on holiday with 2 young children. There’s pizza/pasta, plenty of space inside and the staff are so attentive and helpful. Plus there’s a big fish tank which they enjoyed looking at.” Gigi’s Italian Restaurant
I’ve also heard that kids love the vegetarian food in Blue Note Cafe.
For food and more, I suggest the Art Bank Cafe in Shepton Mallet – very family-friendly, veggie menu, kids activities and lots of interesting art.
Events for Kids
There are far too many events for me to possibly list them all, but here are a few websites to keep an eye on for family fun.
Children’s World is a fantastic local charity that put on regular events for kids. Find them on Facebook
There are Family Fun Sessions at Street Library Gardens on Tuesday and Wednesday 22nd and 23rd and 29th and 30th August 2023
The Red Brick Building have lots of events, some child-friendly, and they have a youth club (term time only)
Yeast Scrap Store in Glastonbury has creative workshops for kids
The Mendips Rock have a useful guide to local holiday clubs.
Glastonbury Town’s Regular Events
Also, kids enjoy many of our seasonal events in the town – particularly the Zombie Walk, May Day, Tor Fair, Carnival and Frost Fayre. Most kids love dressing up and playing make-believe, so they are bound to enjoy it in a town where adults do that too!
I hope you whether you’re a visitor or local you will find this guide useful. Once you’ve worn the kids out will all these activities you deserve a pint in the pub, where you’ll most likely come across a great band too.
Glastonbury Community Studio at the King Arthur
This post was very generously sponsored by the King Arthur Pub on Benedict Street. A pub may seem a strange choice to fund this piece, but they have exciting plans to foster the talent of local young musicians. They have opened ‘Glastonbury Community Studio’ a project to support local musicians and their music. They’re currently working with those 18+ to develop their art and improve their knowledge of recording, rehearsing, and releasing music. However, they plan to open up to those under 18’s soon, to teach and develop future talent and to keep Glastonbury Community music alive.
You’ll find them on Facebook and Instagram. The King Arthur website is here.
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