Attractions to visit near Gloucester & Cotswolds

[Cocodreams]

Can anyone recommend any particular attractions to visit around Gloucester and the Cotswolds please? We are staying in Little Witcombe near Gloucester.

We will have a 7yo with us and also have National Trust and English Heritage memberships. We like to visit stately homes, museums (some aimed at kids too), animal parks, and anything unusual really. Not interested in soft plays and similar.

So far I have Hopewell Colliery, Clearwell Caves, Holst Victorian House, Jet Age Museum. I’ve seen mixed reviews about NT Dyrham Park.

Gloucester Cathedral. Stunning. Then a short stroll to the docks / quays area.

Birdland in bourton on water

Gloucester cathedral is just amazing.

Winston Churchill’s grave.

Slimbridge WWT

Gloucester Cathedral
Slimbridge (wild birds lakes, observatory and hides)
Bourton on Water and motor museum
Cleeve Hill near Cheltenham for a walk (if you are close by)
NT Roman Villa near Cirencester

My 9 year old loved birdland!

The Painswick Rococo garden is supposed to be lovely, I live quite near where you’re staying and keep meaning to go! The Painswick Beacon nearby is a fairly nice walk as well, as is Robinswood Hill or Cleeve Hill for stunning views of the whole county.

If you’re willing to travel to the Forest of Dean then Beechenhurst sculpture trail and Puzzlewood are both very good. Westonbirt Arboretum also lovely but opposite direction.

Also will second Gloucester cathedral, I work there and it’s beautiful!

There's a crocodile zoo that's worth a visit

Cotswold wildlife park is lovely

Berkeley Castle
Soudley Castle
Cotswold Farm Park
Cotswold Wildlife Park
Prinknash Abbey
Puzzlewood in the Forest of Dean
Cannop Ponds Forest of Dean .. great for a pic nic and walk
Check out the steam railway ...sorry can't remember where it goes from....maybe Broadway
Any of the little towns in the Cotswolds are very pretty... particularly Broadway and Moreton in Marsh
Hope that helps a little! Enjoy your stay

We visited Birdland last week after dd nagged me to go, I was pleasantly surprised and we were there for longer than I expected, there’s a hedge maize next to it too (extra money but fun).

Cotswold Wildlife Park is absolutely worth a visit. It’s well spaced, and has some great animals. You can easily spend a day there.

Dyrham Park is ok, but wouldn’t be at the top of my list, I don’t think.

tetbury is very nice for a wander, certainly worth a stop for lunch before or after a visit to Westonbirt Arboretum.

Lacock may be a little far south, but is a very pretty NT village. Part of the early Harry Potter films were filmed in the Abbey, if that appeals! There’s a weirdly good garden centre nearby (Whitehall) that almost always has child friendly activities happening in school holidays.

Our favourite local NT place is Croome, it's not that far from where you're staying. I personally didn't enjoy Dyrham Park.

Westonbirt arboretum is lovely, well worth the drive.
Gloucester Cathedral but the actual city itself is a dump and best avoided.

Cheltenham is nicer for actual shopping and restaurants. The Brewery has restaurants and cinema close together.
Cotswold Wildlife park as a PP said, and Burford garden centre as it's close by.
Bibury is a picturesque little village.
Forest of Dean - Beechenhurst is a central point and you can follow the Sculpture trail which is good fun.

Very near to Witcombe is Promrose Vale which will kill an hour or so. It has a nice little playground and some woods. There's a farm shop and possible some kind of fruit picking depending on when you're going.

There's also a nice park behind Witcombe village hall which is bigger than the one at the Twelve Bells.

The Roman Villa at Witcombe is ok, the walk around the reservoir is nice.

Has to be snowshill manor!
In a beautiful village,the most quirky unusual place with a massive collection of all kinds of things.
Very unusual and unique and an change from the usual state homes.
Next would be one of the most famous gardens in the UK , national trust hidcote manor.
Cotswold zoo is beautiful

Try Birdland in the Cotswolds, right next to a car park. Small family run bird conservation centre with a nice play park, cafe, dinosaur walk and good value gift shop. The flamingos are my favourite! A Birdland annual pass is also very reasonably priced.

Lydiard park was quite nice

Woodchester mansion
Cotswold Wildlife Park
Chedworth Roman villa

fossil hunting near Arlington is also fun

Croombe is lovely as is Westonbirt and the Rococo garden . Been many times to all of them. Don’t bother with Gloucester. The Cathedral is quite interesting but otherwise it’s got nothing to recommend it. Snows Hill is well worth a visit. Sudeley is lovely too.

Arlingham

Blenheim Palace, stunning grounds, butterfly house & kids play area too.
You can also convert your entry ticket for an annual pass free of charge.

The Gloucestershire & Warwickshire Team Railway. From Broadway to Cheltenham or vice versa. 28 mile round trip, can get on & off. Run by volunteers.

*Steam

Cotswold wildlife park is an excellent day out. Brilliant value for a zoo too.