Family-friendly things to do at The Vyne

Children run a race on a lawn. — Plan family-friendly adventures for the diary. | © National Trust Images / James Beck

Running Saturday 19 July – Sunday 31 August 10am-4pm, in a Summer of Play, young adventurers can get active with eight fun games in The Vyne’s gardens.

Looking ahead to autumn running 11 October to 2 November, young families will love trail ‘We’re Going on a Ghost Hunt’ Halloween Adventure.

Click on 'Planning your family visit' below for helpful information to get the best out of your day.

🅿️ Parking
Free in the visitor car park (What3Words: pizzeria.person.gone).
Arrive by 10am on weekends/school holidays for best chance of a space.

🧺 Picnics
Welcome. Benches in the car park and gardens.
Bring a waterproof blanket just in case.

🎟️ Admission
Free for National Trust members and under 5s.
Bring your membership cards to scan. More information here

🚻 Facilities
Toilets and baby changing: near Visitor Reception and Brewhouse tea-room.
Microwave and highchairs available in the tea-room.

👶 Buggies and kids
Garden paths are buggy-friendly (hard gravel).
Child carriers recommended for woodland walks.
Slings available for inside the house (buggies stay outside).
Lockers by the house entrance for belongings (at your own risk).

☕ Food and drink
Brewhouse tea-room is cosy, so buggies stay outside.
Outdoor kiosk nearby sells snacks/drinks with seating.

🧥 What to bring
Wellies for the woods.
Coats as it’s mostly outdoors.

Please Note
No ball games, bikes, scooters, frisbees, or drones are allowed due to previous damage to the house and grounds. Thanks for understanding.

📞 Need Help?
Accessibility or lost property:
Accessibility Guide for The Vyne
Call: 01256 883 858
Email: thevyne@nationaltrust.org.uk
Use subject line: Accessibility Query or Lost Property

Family-friendly events

Summer of Play

Sat 19 Jul - Sun 31 Aug | 10am-4pm

Young adventurers can get active with eight fun family games and challenges hidden in The Vyne’s sprawling gardens. Throw some hoops, play a game of chess or create a tune on our music station. Hold your own relay races and skipping rope contests on the north lawn.

In our summerhouse youngsters can sit and read a selection of children's books. Families can enjoy a game of quoits in the tea garden near our shop and tea-room. Kids can create their own plays on a wooden stage in the wild garden. Free event. Normal admission applies. Summer of Play is sponsored by Starling Bank.

Find out more about this event

Illustration of four bunnies running in front of a setting moon for the We're Going on a Ghost Hunt ™ family Halloween trail this October half term — We're Going on a Ghost Hunt ™ this Halloween | © Bloomsbury Publishing 2023

‘We’re Going on a Ghost Hunt’ Halloween Adventure

Sat 11 Oct - Sun 2 Nov | 10am-3pm

We're Going on a Ghost Hunt ™ this Halloween at The Vyne. Saturday 11 October - Sunday 2 November 2025 We’re going on a ghost hunt. Come and join the fun! Can we find them all? Yes! Run, run, run!

Based on the bestselling children’s books, this Halloween the bunnies are setting off on an adventure to find the ghosts hidden around The Vyne with heaps of exciting things to see and do along the way.

Pick your bunny name, play Halloween hoopla, race your broomstick and watch out for the warty toads as you cross the stepping stones, before joining the celebration party and collecting your prize/sticker.

This trail is ideal for preschoolers and young children. Trail free (with normal admission). Text by Martha Mumford. Illustrations by Cherie Zamazing, based on the original characters created by Laura Hughes, copyright © Bloomsbury Publishing 2023

Find out more about this event

Play area

Little ones can explore the outdoors in the natural play area created especially for very young children just off the Lime Avenue.

If it rains, you can head to the:

gift shop
Brewhouse tea-room (for a hot chocolate)
house

- and show the kids a secret Tudor peephole concealed in the panelling of The Study on the ground floor.

- There's also a very young, slim Henry VIII depicted in the chapel stained-glass windows.

- On the ground floor there's a second hand bookshop with a cushioned bay window where you can sit and read books.

Close up detail of the 16th-century stained glass window in the Chapel at the Vyne, Hampshire

Discover more at The Vyne

Find out when The Vyne is open, how to get here, the things to see and do and more.

Plan your visit

Summer of Play

Sat 19 Jul - Sun 31 Aug | 10am-4pm Young adventurers can get active with eight fun family games and challenges hidden in The Vyne’s sprawling gardens. Throw some hoops, play a game of chess or create a tune on our music station. How many skips can you do on the north lawn? Who can win the relay race? In our summerhouse you can sit and read a selection of children's books. You can enjoy a game of quoits in the tea garden near our shop and tea-room. Or create your own play on our stage in the wild garden. Summer of Play is sponsored by Starling Bank.