The Ultimate Cotswolds Family Travel Guide

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Do your kids love wandering around pretty villages? No? Neither do mine.

However, as a local, I can tell you there’s a lot more family appeal to the Cotswolds than you might initially imagine.

If you know where to look, you can mix family-friendly Cotswolds experiences with those iconic honey-coloured villages to create a trip the whole family will enjoy.

One minute you might be wandering through a picture-perfect village like Bourton-on-the-Water, and the next you could be climbing castle towers, spotting giraffes at a wildlife park, or heading off on a countryside adventure.

Young aspiring witches and wizards will also love discovering Harry Potter filming locations scattered across the region, adding a little movie magic to your trip.

We hope our guides help you experience the beauty of the Cotswolds in a way that the whole family will enjoy.

If you’re visiting the UK for the first time, you might be wondering exactly where the Cotswolds is in England.

Rather than being a single town or city, the Cotswolds is a large rural region in south-central England, famous for its rolling countryside, honey-coloured stone villages and historic market towns.

The Cotswolds is located in south-central England, around 90 minutes west of London.

The region stretches across five counties—Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire and Worcestershire—and covers almost 800 square miles of countryside.

The city of Oxford, with its dreaming spires, sits just outside the eastern edge of the Cotswolds, while the beautiful Georgian city of Bath lies on its southern edge. Both make excellent bases for exploring the region, especially if you’d like to combine city and countryside sights. To the west, you’ll find the elegant Regency streets of Cheltenham, while Cirencester—a large and attractive market town—makes a fantastic central base.

Despite its peaceful rural feel, the Cotswolds is surprisingly easy to reach. Many of the most popular villages are just 90 minutes to two hours from London, making it ideal for a weekend break or longer escape.

To help you get your bearings, we’ve created a map showing some of the most popular villages, attractions, food stops and places to visit in the Cotswolds.

Click into the map for a mini description of each place.

If you only have one day, then I’d recommend visiting the area around Broadway if you’re travelling by car. There are lots of brilliant family-friendly attractions close together.

Alternatively, there are lots of excellent one-day tours of the Cotswolds, which will show you the highlights without the stress – perfect if you’re short on time.

Choosing one base and exploring nearby villages usually makes for a far more enjoyable trip than constantly moving around. We wouldn’t recommend trying to see all the highlights in a weekend. You’ll spend most of your time in the car and likely come away feeling rushed.

A weekend gives you enough time to explore one area of the Cotswolds, taking in a couple of famous villages, some countryside scenery and one or two family-friendly activities.

If you’re planning a short trip, try one of our suggested itineraries:

• A Family Weekend in the Eastern Cotswolds (villages, lakeside fun and an epic wildlife park)
• 2-Day North Cotswolds Itinerary (castles, towers, countryside and famous villages)

With 3-4 days, you can explore a couple of areas, and include a selection of family-friendly activities and day trips around the Cotswolds. Our favourites include Cotswold Wildlife Park, Dyrham Park and Sudeley Castle.

You could combine our two itineraries above, or add on Bath or Oxford to mix countryside and city into a short break.

With a whole week you can see a great selection of what the Cotswolds has to offer, and allows plenty of time for relaxing and enjoying a slower pace of life.

Try combining the east and north Cotswolds itineraries, with a couple of family days out and one or two days in the city of Bath, visiting the Roman Baths, Prior Park landscape and city centre sights. Add on a trip to nearby family-friendly Oxford, which is packed with free museums, historic colleges and great parks.

Whether you’re popping by for a quick visit or staying for longer, you can’t miss visiting a honey-coloured Cotswold village or two. But which ones should you choose?

Below are a few of our favourite Cotswolds villages and towns to visit. We’d recommend picking one or two and spending some time there, rather than rushing through several.

Northleach

Northleach is right in the heart of the Cotswolds and surrounded by countryside paths. It boasts an excellent café in an old prison and a wonderful pub, The Wheatsheaf, with one of the best pub gardens around. It’s a local secret, so keep this one quiet please!

Castle Combe

Castle Combe, often billed as the ‘prettiest village in England’, really does live up to its name. The village itself is tiny, and the car park outside is often full. However, it’s a great place to arrive early and head off into the surrounding countryside. You can find details of a lovely family walk (including a fairy door!) in our handy Castle Combe guide.

Lacock

Lacock, which is technically just outside the Cotswolds, has the same charm and frozen-in-time feeling as nearby Castle Combe. The village is home to an abbey used in multiple films and is also the birthplace of photography. You’ll find a good play park, plenty of cosy pubs and cafés, and charming doorstep honesty boxes. You can find out more in our guide to visiting Lacock as a family.

Broadway

Broadway is no secret and attracts plenty of tourists, but it’s large enough to accommodate both locals and visitors. This beautiful village is the starting point for countryside walks (it sits on the Cotswold Way) and has two museums. Broadway Tower stands high above the village and is a must-see stop. You’ll also find the stunning villages of Stanton and Snowshill nearby.

Burford

Burford is one of the larger towns in the Cotswolds—and it’s a beauty. The long, sweeping high street is perfect for a slow wander, with plenty of pubs, shops and an interesting market square. Don’t miss the grand church, which has a fascinating history, and the excellent riverside café next door at Thyme and Lovage. Burford is very close to family-favourite Cotswold Wildlife Park.

Minster Lovell

Minster Lovell is tiny and utterly charming. The village centres around a wonderful pub and hotel (The Old Swan & Minster Mill) at the end of a delightful high street lined with thatched cottages. Head up the hill to the atmospheric ruins of Minster Lovell Hall and dovecote, perched on the banks of the River Windrush.

Charlbury

Charlbury has so much going for it. It’s a gorgeous village with all the traditional Cotswolds features: excellent pubs, honey-stone cottages and peaceful countryside walks. It’s also connected by train to both London and Oxford, making it perfect for car-free adventures. There’s even a community centre with a library, café and excellent play park that might make you want to move here immediately.

Eating or sleeping in a Cotswolds pub should definitely be on your list of things to do during your visit. Many towns and villages have a choice of pubs, all with their own unique style. We love a pub with a great garden, special setting and friendly service.

Some of our favourites to visit with kids are:

• The Wheatsheaf Inn, Northleach – The best pub garden with a pizza bar and cosy indoor seating areas. Classic food done beautifully.
• The Snowshill Arms, Snowshill – A traditional pub with a warm welcome in a beautiful location.
• Sign of the Angel, Lacock – Low ceilings and roaring fires in summer and a hidden garden in summer. Great quality food, service and ambience.
• The Red Lion, Lacock – A large pub with quality food and plenty of space for families.
• The Kings Head Inn, Bledington – Right on the village green and serving highly-rated, locally sourced produce.
• The Trout, Wolvercote, Oxford – A historic pub on the river near the ruins of Godstow Abbey. The food and decoration are top-notch and there’s a large riverside garden for fine days.
• The Swan, Minster Lovell – A traditional village pub with a riverside terrace. Freindly service and an enviable location.

Visiting the Cotswolds by car gives you the maximum freedom and ability to see several places in a single day if you wish. There are a few tips to make your experience a pleasant one. For car rental we always use Discover car rental.

Narrow Lanes

The main roads through the region are A roads which will usually get you fairly quickly from place to place, unless there are roadworks. Be careful when using google maps or sat nav, as it will often route you down extremely narrow country lanes, where you will need to frequently pull over into a passing place to allow cars through from the opposite direction. Despite what it may tell you, this is usually a much slower and more frustrating way to travel.

The narrow country lanes are beautiful, particularly in spring and summer when the trees are full of blossom and fields full of sheep and gently waving wildflowers.

Currently there are many pot holes on the smaller roads, so take your time and drink in the scenery (when you’re not avoiding the pot holes). As a popular region for cyclists and horse riders, be sure to keep a close eye and travel slowly to ensure safety for all. You will also often encounter walkers on the minor roads, so again take great care.

Parking

Car parking is likely to be your biggest challenge if you visit at peak weekends or during the summer. 

The larger towns generally have large car parks. I’ve listed a few helpful ones below that we usually use.

The Cotswolds villages generally have limited parking due to their small size and popularity. Parking is usually easier before 9:30am or after 4pm.

It can be a good idea to pick one base and explore it in depth, rather than spending a day waiting for parking spaces in multiple towns. As a local I would never, ever try to visit Bourton-on-the-Water or Castle Combe in the middle of a summer’s day unless I fancied sitting in a traffic jam.

It is probably obvious, but please don’t park in front of driveways, on double yellow lines or blocking roads. Inconsiderate parking is one of the biggest issues local residents face. With a bit of careful planning and timing, you will be able to find space to park thoughtfully.

Visiting Without a Car

Exploring the Cotswolds without a car is a lovely way to travel. You won’t see quite so many places in a short trip, but you’ll get to know the places you do visit in a slower, more meaningful and less stressful way.

The main forms of public transport are car and train.

Train-accessible towns and villages

• Cheltenham
• Bath
• Stroud
• Chippenham (use for Lacock and Castle Combe)
• Stratford-upon-Avon
• Oxford
• Hanborough
• Charlbury
• Kingham 
• Moreton-in-Marsh

Bus services and The Robin Bus

Travelling by bus is a great way to avoid parking issues across the Cotswolds. The following is a starting point.

The S2 bus service connects from Oxford to Cheltenham via Witney, Northleach and Burford

The S3 bus service connects Oxford to Chipping Norton via Woodstock (for Blenheim Palace) and Charlbury

The 801 Pulhams coach connects Moreton-in-Marsh and Cheltenham via Stow-on-the-Wold, Northleach and Bourton-on-the-Water

The Robin Bus is a bookable bus that you book in advance, connecting some of the more rural Cotswolds locations. It’s worth checking out the Robin bus website if you can’t find reglar services in the villages you want to visit.

Best time to visit the Cotswolds

The Cotswolds is a great place to visit in any season. Some of the highlights of each season include:

This is the busiest season, but often the loveliest. With the trees in full bloom, sheep in the fields and long grasses covering the rolling hills it often feels like the quintessential English scene.

Local favourite Cotswold Lavender opens for its short summer season.

There are several summer festivals, many of which are perfect for families. The Big Feastival and Wychwood festival both have lots geared to visiting with kids.

Blenheim Palace host a programme of events including a flower festival in June and a music festival at the end of June and early July. Sudeley Castle usually have additional activities like knight training or Falconry displays, which run throughout the summer holidays.

Most of the Cotswolds National Trust properties include summer events, including the excellent ‘summer of play’ which adds an extra dimension and kid-friendly appeal to visiting.

This is also a great time of year to get out on the water, either at the Cotswolds Lakes or Beach, punting in Oxford or in Lechlade where you can rent all manner of water-going vehicles. Alternatively pick a pub with a waterside garden and relax there.

Westonbirt Arboretum have a series of outdoor concerts and look out for local outdoor cinema screenings in various locations.

My favourite summer tradition is a visit to the fabulous Gifford’s Circus, which tours the region from April to September.

Autumn brings changing leaves and crisp days perfect for family walks. Don’t miss a visit to Westonbirt Arboretum in autumn. It can be a little quieter than summer, which makes it a good option if you prefer a gentler pace. Prices also drop slightly.

Most of the bigger properties have Halloween events for families, including Blenheim palace, Westonbirt Arboretum, National trust properties and Cotswold farm park where you can pick your own pumpkin.

Winter in the Cotswolds is all about crisp walks and cosy fireside pubs. The region is generally much quieter and prices tend to drop, meaning you can find hotel stays for a fraction of the price.

There are lots of Christmas events in the Cotswolds, from festive light trails and ice-skating to santa visits, pantomimes and Christmas markets. If you’re visiting Bourto-on-the-Water you won’t miss the enormous ‘floating’ Christmas tree.