Fun for families at Stowe

Get the kids outdoors with acres of space to play and stretch their legs. Adventures await your family with so much to discover whatever their age: from the temples, lakes, wildlife and fun activities. We want you to play and have fun – leave your worries at the garden gate, forget you’re a grown up and join your children in a dream world of monumentally sized gardens and we guarantee a fun day out and a good night of sleep.

Goodies, baddies and heroes

Lord Cobham, who created and once owned Stowe, was a very rich and powerful man who loved ancient Greek and Roman myths of heroes and monsters. So he created three paths in the gardens to tell stories of love, princesses, adventures of heroes, myths, monsters and baddies. Which path will you choose? 

Wild Wednesdays

Get the kids closer to nature with activities varying each of the school holidays. Free of charge with normal admission applying. Booking essential.

Family explorers

Every month there’s a different theme for your family to enjoy whilst having a go at some of the '50 Things to see and do before you’re 11 ¾'. Borrow a free family explorer guide when you arrive or download it here to print and bring with you. In July it's leaf spotters. Available daily throughout the month.

Toddler Tuesdays

On the first Tuesday of the month, drop by the cafe for toddler fun with activities. Every month there's a new theme based on the seasons to keep your little ones entertained. Find out what themes are coming up soon by clicking the What's on link above.

Hungry tummies

Our café, with indoor and outdoor seating, is the perfect pit stop for hungry families. Enjoy healthy, fresh meals, child’s portions, pick and mix children’s lunch boxes and tasty treats. Or picnic in the gardens or temples - just pick a spot. Find out more about the café.

Happy families

• Relaxed environment

• Bottle-warming facilities

• Baby-changing facilities

• Activity sheets throughout the seasons

• Breast-feeding welcome   

• High chairs

• Events throughout the year

Weather experts

Here are our top tips for embracing the outdoors whatever the weather at Stowe.

• When the sun is shining, you'll find the wooded areas and temples a good place to rest and find some shade

• The gardens are large. For fun days out with smiling kids at the end, bring sunhats, sun cream and bottles of water to stay hydrated. Plan a route to decide how far you'll go and choose rest stops along the way

• To dodge rain showers, use the temples as shelters

• Temples with shelter, some benches or to use for picnic spots are: The Lake Pavilions, Concord and Victory, Ancient Virtue, The Grotto, The Cascade (there are small nooks to sit in), Queens Temple, The Fane of Pastoral Poetry

• You'll find seasonal items for sale in our shop if you've left something behind at home

• Ice creams are on sale in the shop as well as the cafe, if you need a quick family 'pick me up'