Cotswolds reccomendations for visit

[Lotsalotsagiggles]

Hi

Visiting over Easter with a 4 and 7 year old

Any pointers or suggestions welcome

Off the top of my head

Sudeley Castle
Berkeley Castle
Slimbridge Wetlands (not technicallly within the Cotswolds)
Painswick Rococco Gardens
Bourton on the Water
The Steam Railway
Stroud Farmers Market, possibly
Gifford's Circus (at Stroud over Easter, I think)
Cotswold Farm Park
Cotswold Wildlife Park
Westonbirt Arboretum

The Cotswolds covers 6 counties. Which part are you going to?

We are staying in Buford for two nights and South cerney for four. Happy to travel

Some lovely play parks, garden centres, farm shops, places for nice tea and cake and places to mooch would be fabulous

Burford garden centre
the Bull Burford pizza restaurant (assuming this has reopened for summer)
Daylesford-obvs
Cirencester for a mooch round shops
Cotswold wildlife park
Clarksons farm -avoid the farmers dog and go to Hawkstone brewery just outside stow.
newly opened Wild Duck Ewen or Double red duke or Masons arms.
Blenheim adventure playground or Fairytale farm

Forgot Stow on wold for a mooch can be tied in with Daylesford

Westonbirt is great. The only place I recall going to is the White Horse (clay) and walking around there.

There is a fabulous garden centre in Burford. It’s a huge place, interiors, art, food, big cafe…. I’m not sure if kids would enjoy it, bit pricey but full of lovely things.

Cirencester is lovely for a mooch, lots of nice teashops etc, there's a park and the gardens of the Bathurst Estate, also the Roman amphitheatre (free, no buildings just the grassed over form of it). The Corinium Museum is great too although that's me speaking as an adult. Also agree with Westonbirt Arboretum, lots of blossom at this time of year, you'd probably need to book especially if the weather s good. A lot of the smaller, more well known villages in the more central Cotswold area will probably be packed as it's holiday time.

Millets Farm

You’ve got The Corinium Museum in Cirencester, also the Cotswold Wildlife Park just outside Burford.
As a warning we stayed in Burford last Easter and there are no takeaways and the only place to grab any food to cook is the co-op on the high street so a limited choice.
Lots of cute cafes and it’s a lovely town but for evening food not as much choice. We weren’t in the mood for a restaurant.

The Prince of Burford pub at the top of the High Street does decent food.

Huffkins bakery in Burford do a really lovely afternoon tea

Buford Garden Centre is great

Cirencester, definitely

Bourton on the water- get there at the crack of dawn for parking,it gets very busy now. Beautiful though and great fish and chips shop and motor museum.

Just down the road (although outside the Cotswolds proper) is the bus museum in Long Hanborough and just a couple of miles further on is Blenheim Palace & Woodstock.

Burford is right on the edge of the Cotswolds (the hotel on the roundabout used to be called the Cotswold Gateway for that reason) so really you can go anywhere N, W or S and still be in the Cotswolds.
Cirencester is an easy trip and worth it, plus you have the Roman remains just outside.

Bourton OTW is pretty but will be packed, as will Moreton In Marsh (not worth visiting IMO) and Stow OTW.

Pop across to Fairford to watch the US planes taking off & landing?

Most places I would recommend have already been mentioned, but I will add a couple.

Green Dragon pub at Cowley (just off the Cheltenham to Cirencester Rd). Beautiful old Cotswold pub with good food, also has a lovely farm shop attached. There is a nice walk from there where you can see alpacas.

Broadway, very pretty, great little shops /cafes/restaurants. Fantastic play park for the kids, nice walk up to Broadway tower.

Birdland at Bourton on the Water for the kids, there is a maze next door which is also fun. Get there early though.

Bourton Model Village
Bourton motor museum

There’s a climbing wall with some bike trails at Northleach.

If either child is doing the Romans at school, then Chedworth Roman Villa is worth a trip.

Broadway, very pretty, great little shops /cafes/restaurants. Fantastic play park for the kids, nice walk up to Broadway tower.

How on earth did I miss that one!!!😖🤔😲🤣
One of my favourite walks, we go there with Ddogs regularly.❤️
Broadway itself is just another Cotswold High Street to wander up & down (so we avoid it) but the walks around Broadway Tower are lovely.

Not forgetting the heritage line and the steam trains.

Thanks all very useful!

You could look at places like Bourton-on-the-Water (very family-friendly, lots of open space), Stow-on-the-Wold, or Bibury for a more classic village feel. A mix of short walks, little cafes, and just letting the kids explore usually works really well there.
One thing to keep in mind is that getting between villages can be a bit tricky without a car, as public transport is quite limited. If it’s an option, having a car (or even hiring one just for a day or two) can make things a lot easier and more flexible, especially with young kids.

100% Cotswolds wildlife park

Crocodile World. Great for kids.
Snowshill Manor. Beautiful and quirky.

Carterton Leisure Centre (not far from Burford) has a small soft play and trampoline park, which would be great if the weather’s a bit miserable! Crocodiles of the World is small but still worth a visit- could do them both in a day. Kilkenny park is also located in Carterton and has quite a good play park there.

Cotswold Wildlife Park is a great all day visit. It has a great adventure park there, which has always kept my DC and friends entertained.

Aston Pottery and Blake’s Kitchen (Bampton direction) are very good places for cakes. Blake’s Cinnamon rolls are to die for and I don’t even like cinnamon that much!

Millets Farm Centre (Frilford) is a lovely place to visit, but may be just a little too far when you’re only in Burford for 2 days. The soft play there is one of the best I reckon but there’s also a nice farm shop and garden centre to mooch around.

If the weather cheers up then in Lechlade you can hire out one of those Swan pedalos and have a meander up and down the Thames. The pub there has just been refurbished but if you park there be careful you’ll need to enter your reg and pay. So many tourists get caught out!