A family guide to Broadway, Cotswolds with Kids
Planning a family trip to the Cotswolds? The charming village of Broadway — often called the “Jewel of the Cotswolds” — is one of the best places to visit in the Cotswolds with (or without) kids. Picture honey-coloured cottages lining a tree-framed high street, a traditional village green with fluttering flags, and a hilltop tower with sweeping countryside views.
What might surprise you is how family-friendly Broadway is. From countryside walks to fascinating historic sites and plenty of open space for children to play, this village is a brilliant base for exploring the region. Whether you’re planning a Cotswolds day trip or a weekend stay in the North Cotswolds, you’ll find plenty of things to do.
Broadway makes a wonderful base for families exploring the Cotswolds. There are excellent family-friendly walks starting right from the village centre, and several top attractions are just a short drive away — including Sudeley Castle (our favourite Cotswolds day trip), the quirky Snowshill Manor, and the delightful Cotswold Lavender fields in summer
While you’re here, don’t miss our guides to the best things to do in Castle Combe (often called England’s prettiest village), Lacock and our family guide to visiting Oxford.
You’re also within half an hour’s drive of some of the Cotswolds’ loveliest villages – Chipping Campden, Stow-on-the-Wold, Bourton-on-the-Water, and the Slaughters.
Broadway really does offer the perfect mix of relaxation, adventure, and style in one beautiful location.
This guide shares everything you need to plan your family visit — from free activities and family walks to the best cafés, hotels, and nearby attractions. Let’s get started planning your Broadway adventure.
Broadway, Cotswolds with Kids – Quick Facts
🏡 Best for: families of all ages.
🚶 Top activity: walk to Broadway Tower.
☕ Don’t miss: cream tea at Morris & Brown Café.
🗓️ Perfect for: a weekend, day trip or base for exploring the North Cotswolds.
Free Things to Do in Broadway, Cotswolds with Kids
Visit Broadway Tower Grounds
Whilst visiting Broadway Tower itself isn’t free, you can visit the grounds and surrounding countryside for one of the best and most affordable experiences in the Cotswolds. Sitting high on Broadway hill, the tower is the second highest point in the Cotswolds. It’s a great place to relax and take in the scenery – on a clear day you can see up to 16 different counties from the tower.
We love walking up from Broadway village (see the family friendly walk below) and rewarding ourselves with a cream tea and a view – it’s one of my favourite spots in the Cotswolds. At the Morris and Brown Café, you’ll find excellent cake, light lunches, and even a small play park for the youngest visitors.
There is a small cost to park and access the area directly next to the tower. However, public footpaths pass nearby. We think it’s well worth the parking charge for one of the best family days out in the Cotswolds.
Walk to Broadway Tower (Family-Friendly Route)
One of our favourite family walks in the Cotswolds is the circular route from Broadway village to Broadway Tower. It’s scenic, moderately challenging, and full of variety.
You can choose between a 6km loop passing St. Eadburgha’s Church, or a slightly longer 8km route through meadows, National Trust farmland, and a small forest. Both offer exceptional views and stop by Broadway Tower and the café along the way.
Parts of the walk are steep, so sturdy shoes are essential, and it can get muddy after rain. Allow at least three hours for the walk, including time to enjoy the views and refreshments at the top.
Play at Broadway Activity Park
Broadway village has an incredible playpark with equipment for all ages and plenty of space for playing games. You’ll find the usual swings, slides and climbing frames, plus lots of other play equipment like zipwires. There are public toilets here too. It’s a great place to entertain the kids if they need to run off some energy after wandering the village.
To find the park, turn left into the next lane after the Broadway Museum.
Watch the Sunset from Broadway Hill
If you are visiting in the evening, the sunsets from Broadway Hill are often spectacular. This is one of the best sunset spots in the Cotswolds due to the expansive views. There are great photo opportunities with the tower silhouetted against the sunset. Be aware that the tower car park usually closes at 5:15pm, so plan your travel accordingly.
Relax on the Village Green
Broadway has a wide, elegant high street full of independent shops and cafes. When everyone needs a break, the village green at the end of the High Street is a lovely place to stop for a rest with a takeaway coffee. This is also a good spot for a picnic.
Map of family attractions in and around Broadway
Other Things to Do with kids in Broadway
Tour Broadway Tower or Explore the nuclear Bunkers
Tickets: Adult £14.67, Child between £0 and £6.29 depending on age
A visit to Broadway Tower itself is a great family day out. We were surprised by how much we enjoyed visiting the tower, which has plenty to discover despite its small size. The tower is actually a folly – the creation of architect James Wyatt and renowned landscape designer ‘Capability Brown’.
Inside you can pick up an audio tour (always a favourite with our children) which kept our whole family engaged. The tour guides you around the opulent interiors as you move up the tower. Once you arrive at the top and step out onto the roof, you are treated to incredible views across the gently rolling Cotswold hills. Originally built as a folly, the tower has had many uses including housing a printing press and as a particularly grand farmhouse. Its famous visitors include world-renowned designer William Morris.
On selected dates between April and November, you can visit the underground nuclear bunker, a remnant of the Cold War. This looks fascinating, but we haven’t visited yet as children have to be 10 years old.
Immerse yourself in wildflowers and pollinators at Cotswold Lavender
Tickets: Around £20 for a family of 4.
Open: Mid-June until the first week of August.
Just 3 miles from Broadway, you will find Cotswold Lavender, a working lavender farm in the heart of the Cotswolds. It may surprise you to find that this is a brilliant place to visit with children. There are acres of lavender buzzing with wildlife. Our children spent hours watching butterflies, bees, ladybirds and other insects gathering nectar as they flitted between the purple blooms.
The site also has wildflower meadows with wide paths, which are the perfect backdrop for stunning family photos. There are plenty of picnic benches around the site and a kiosk selling drinks, snacks and locally made ice cream. Of course, you can purchase all manner of lavender infused items too. At the edge of the site in the woods you’ll find an adventure trail for kids, with animal trails for younger children.
We spent about 2 hours here but with a picnic could easily have stayed for much longer.
Top tip: Follow @cotswoldlavender and look out for their evening opening weekend. This only happens once a year and is a very special time to visit the farm.
Visit Broadway Museum & Art Gallery
Tickets: Adults £11, Children (under 15) Free.
Open: Monday – Saturday 10am – 4:30pm
Broadway Museum does a brilliant job of catering to families. Curious kids will be delighted by the exhibitions which cover fossils, the wool trade, local history and an intriguing ‘cabinet of curiosities’. Alongside this, the museum offers family play spaces, a creation area and a sensory area. This is one of the best family friendly museums in the Cotswolds and definitely worthy of your time. The Broadway Activity Park is very close to the museum too.
Top tip: Check before your visit for any seasonal family activities, which sometimes include museum nights and creative workshops.
Stop for a Drink in Child-Friendly Cafes and Pubs
You are spoilt for choice with places to eat in Broadway. Try the Leaf and Bean Cafe, Hunters Tea Rooms or Tisane’s Cafe for an informal bite to eat. Guilt Trip gets great reviews for the coffee and donuts!
Alternatively, stop for a drink in the garden of The Broadway Hotel, next to the village green. This area has a great buzz around it on busy days. The Swan Inn (opposite side of the road) or the Crown and Trumpet (near the church and car park) are also good options.
If you’re after a picnic, Broadway Deli is a foodie heaven (and a good photo stop). They have beautiful displays of fresh fruit and veg, as well as a huge range of tasty deli treats and gifts.
Browse Independent Shops
If you wander along Broadway High Street, you’ll find plenty of tempting places to part with your cash. Whilst this is not a traditionally family friendly activity, kids love Rikki Tikki toyshop and Tea Ink, who create quirky cards, prints and comics. Older kids love The Man Cave, who modestly describe themselves as ‘probably the best shop ever’ – great for wall art, motor themed items and unusual items. For a more sedate offering, we love browsing the shelves at Blandford Books, an independent bookshop. If you love a charity shop try Snowdrops.
Family Day Trips Near Broadway, Cotswolds
There are plenty of options for a family day trip near Broadway. These four options are ones we have returned to time and time again and can whole-heartedly recommend. As a larger family ticket prices can add up, and we are very selective about where we spend our money. All of these options, in our opinion, are worth parting with your cash for!
Sudeley Castle
Tickets: Family £58.
Open: 10am – 5pm March – November (check ahead as there are occasional dates when the castle is closed).
Best for: All ages
Distance from Broadway: 8 miles, 16 minute drive
Time: A full day
Sudeley Castle is a brilliant day out in the Cotswolds. There’s so much to do here it’s worthy of a separate blog post (coming soon)! To tickle your appetite, there is an enormous adventure play area, a castle museum with over 1000 years of history, a chapel which is the previously undiscovered resting place of Katherine Parr (6th wife on Henry VIII), lavishly decorated family rooms, over ten gardens including a knot garden, atmospheric ruins and a wicker animal trail!
Fortunately, the entrance ticket is valid for 30 days! If you visit with children, they will definitely want to return to the impressive play park.
Top tip: Sudeley Castle Christmas Lights trail is our favourite seasonal light trail and is much more reasonably priced than others in the area. It’s one of the best Christmas events in the Cotswolds.
Snowshill Manor & Gardens
Tickets: Family £37.50 or included in National Trust membership.
Open: Hours vary, usually opens at 11am and closes between 4pm and 5:30pm. Check the website for dates, particularly in winter.
Best for: Age 8+
Distance from Broadway: 2.5 miles, 7 minute drive
Time: 1 – 3 hours
I have loved visiting Snowshill Manor and Garden since I was a child, fascinated by the myriad of treasures collected by prolific collector Charles Wade in the 1900s. The manor house is essentially a museum of his collections. Each room houses a different part of his astonishingly eclectic collection – from pottery and model ships, to bicycles, toys, jewellery, agricultural equipment, carriages. We love the intricate cabinets full of tiny drawers and hidden secrets. My children love visiting and often request a trip here.
The grounds are equally lovely, with a series of connecting garden rooms. Doorways lead through sheds to secret gardens, a dovecote and a very unusual clock. There is even a model village in one area. This is a place which sparks imagination and curiosity for all ages. Don’t miss the kitchen garden and orchards of fruit trees.
Cotswold Wildlife Park
Tickets: From £17.50 per adult and £12.50 per child (under 2s free). Book online and in advance for the best prices and to guarantee entry in busy periods.
Open: 10am – 4pm (winter) or 6pm (summer)
Best for: All ages
Distance from Broadway: 24 miles, 40 minute drive
Time: Full day
Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens are one of our favourite places, so much so that we’ve had several season tickets over the years. The wildlife park has beautiful gardens and thoughtfully designed enclosures throughout. Highlights include the giraffes, rhinos, giant tortoises, lemur walkthrough enclosure, bird gardens and penguins. There is a petting zoo, a train and a huge pay area with a brilliant range of play equipment for all ages right up to teenagers.
Top tip: If you have an animal loving child (or adult) the Junior Keeper for a Day experience is incredible. This is not cheap at £130, but makes a brilliant special birthday present.
Cotswold Farm Park
Tickets: Adult £18, child (4 – 15) £14 (2-3) £11 (0 -1) £1
Open: 9:30 – 5pm. Check the website for dates.
Best for: Ages 0 – 10
Distance from Broadway: 8 miles, 20 minute drive.
Time: At least half a day
Cotswold Farm Park (also known as Adams Farm) isn’t your average farm park. For starters, they have over 50 rare breeds and a focus on sustainable farming and education. There are numerous seasonal events throughout the year and a wide variety of indoor and outdoor play spaces, in addition to the animal encounters. The farm also has a camping and glamping site which is very popular and includes farm park entry
What to Do After Visiting Broadway
If you’ve exhausted the options in Broadway and the surrounding area, consider continuing your travels with a visit to nearby Stow-on-the-Wold (12 miles away), Castle Combe (50 miles), Bourton-on-the-Water (13 miles) or Charlbury (24 miles) or family favourite Oxford (37 miles). Try our 2-day North Cotswolds itinerary, or chose your favourite Cotswolds activities.
Where to Stay in Broadway, Cotswolds (for Families)
Broadway Hotels
The Lygon Arms, on Broadway High Street, is an impressive hotel with pool and gym facilities that caters well to families. During school holidays they often have a ‘Little Explorers Package’ where children stay and dine for free during school holidays. They also have dedicated family swim times and children’s menus to keep little ones happy. This place is firmly on our bucket list of family places to stay in the Cotswolds.
Outside Broadway, in a countryside setting, The Fish Hotel and retreat offers suites which cater for families with up to 3 children. The reviews are excellent and it is quite rare to find hotels which cater for families with more than 2 children. Prices from £380 per night for the large suite (sleeps up to 5).
The Broadway Hotel, right on the village green, is a cosy hotel with double rooms from around £143 and a selection of cosy cottages, one of which sleep 4. They have some dog friendly rooms too.
Self-Catering Cottages
This Airbnb Broadway cottage sleeps up to 5 and is conveniently located in Broadway with parking. Prices from around £250 per night.
Stay Cotswold has a selection of cottages, at a range of prices in and around Broadway and the wider Cotswolds. I’ve found some good deals and lovely properties through this company.
Camping & Glamping near Broadway
The only camping available in Broadway currently is the Broadway Caravan Club site, which only has caravan or motorhome spaces.
Glamping and Camping are both available at Cotswold Farm Park and include entry to the park.
For a complete back to basics option, near Winchcombe CampWild have a wild camping pitch near Winchcombe available for only £25 per night. This is not for the faint hearted, however if you fancy giving it a go try our family guide to wild camping to get you started. This is definitely the most economical way of staying in the Cotswolds if you already own a tent!
Getting to Broadway, Cotswolds (By Car or Train)
Parking in Broadway
If you drive to Broadway, parking is available in the town centre on Church Close.
If you are visiting the tower there is a large car park next to the tower, with prices from £3 – £6. Please don’t block the surrounding roads.
How to Get to Broadway from London
If travelling by public transport from London to Broadway, Cotswolds, you can take the train from London Paddington to Moreton-in-Marsh. Continue your journey by bus 1 or 1A to either Broadway Tower or Broadway (outside the Lygon Arms).
How to Get to Broadway from Oxford
To travel from Oxford to Broadway by public transport, take the train to either Evesham or Moreton-in-Marsh and continue on by bus.
FAQs About Visiting Broadway, Cotswolds with kids
Is Broadway, Cotswolds good for kids?
Yes! Broadway is one of the most family-friendly villages in the Cotswolds. Kids can enjoy the playground, short countryside walks, and exploring Broadway Tower with its wide grassy areas for picnics.
How long do you need in Broadway?
Half a day is enough to see the main sights, but plan a full day if you want to walk up to Broadway Tower or include nearby spots like Snowshill Manor or Cotswold Lavender.
Can you walk from Broadway to Broadway Tower with children?
Absolutely. The walk from Broadway village to Broadway Tower is about 1.2 miles (2 km) uphill. It’s suitable for older children and offers amazing views — just bring sturdy shoes and water.
What are the best family-friendly places to eat in Broadway?
Try Russell’s Fish & Chips for a quick meal, the Broadway Deli for lunch, or The Crown & Trumpet Inn for traditional pub food with a relaxed, child-friendly atmosphere.
Where can families stay in Broadway, Cotswolds
Broadway offers family-friendly hotels, self-catering cottages, and nearby campsites like Cotswold Farm Park Camping — all close to outdoor attractions.
What’s the best time to visit Broadway with kids?
Spring and early summer are ideal for lavender fields and wildflowers. Autumn brings beautiful colours and quieter streets, while December offers a festive atmosphere. This is a year round destination.
