Discover more at Dyffryn Gardens
Find out when Dyffryn Gardens is open, how to get here and what there is to see and do on your visit.
Dyffryn Gardens is a great place to visit with your family, from youngest to oldest, there is something to interest every member of the family at Dyffryn.
Here’s the information you need at a glance to help plan your next day out at Dyffryn Gardens:
Dyffryn is an excellent place for an autumnal adventure. After the lush greens of the summer the Arboretum transition into a rich rainbow of warming colours and is the perfect place for a bit of leaf kicking and conker collecting. Look out for any wildlife that might have made a shelter from a secluded pile of leaves first though! Pick up some pinecones and have a look (but don’t touch!) at a vast array of fungi in the undergrowth on your way to the Log Stack play area.
Do you dare?
Dare to take part in our Halloween-inspired Autumn half-term nature trail ‘Do you dare?’ Come and learn all about the creepy crawlies that live in the gardens, with seven minibeast-themed activities. Can you throw the spots on the ladybird? Will you spin the snail shell for a dare? Or try on insect goggles and find out what it’s like to see like an insect!
This free fun-filled, nature-based event will be running from Saturday 26 October to Sunday 3 November. There's no need to book, normal admission applies.
Get the littles celebrating autumn throughout the season with nature-based, staff-led activities every Tuesday and Sunday throughout October and November.
From wild art to cooking on a campfire, there will be hands-on, fun-filled activities to get children out and enjoying nature.
Sessions will be running from 11am-3pm and you can drop in and out anytime you like while it's running. There is no extra charge, but normal admission applies.
Find the list of which ’50 things’ activities are on and when here.
There are two Log Stack play areas at Dyffryn, one outside the pay barrier near the Welcome Centre and a larger one in the Arboretum. These wild play areas have plenty of space for youngsters to run, jump, explore and play.
Balance along enormous trees which were felled as part of the arboretum revival plan, jump from log to log along the stepping stones and have a picnic on hand carved picnic stumps.
The area is home to squirrels, birds and lots of creepy crawlies, so bring a magnifying glass or some binoculars and get spotting.
At Dyffryn there are two different backpacks you can borrow to help you and your littles explore the gardens in new ways.
Sensory Backpacks
These backpacks contain ear defenders to help support children who struggle with unfamiliar or loud sounds, a children’s book (both English and Welsh) which can encourage some quiet or calm time reading in nature, worry stones and fidget toys to help soothe over-stimulation and improve focus and a kaleidoscope to create magical visual illusions.
Explorer Backpacks
These backpacks are inspired by ‘50 things to do before you’re 11 ¾’, with a compass to find your way, a tennis ball to measure velocity when rolling down hills, a magnifier for viewing bugs, binoculars for birdwatching and a tape measure and instructions for how to measure and age a tree. There’s also seasonal spotter sheets and a nature book.
The sensory and explorer backpacks are free for anyone to borrow with no booking or deposit required (they’re available on a first-come, first-served basis). Ask the Welcome Team to borrow a backpack next time you visit and watch your little ones experience Dyffryn Gardens in new and fun ways.
Even in between events, Dyffryn is a great option for a family day out. With every new season the gardens change and evolve so there is always something new to see.
We also have self-led seasonal trails to enjoy. Pick-up a trail leaflet at the Welcome Centre to be guided round the seasonal highlights of the gardens. Please see the Visit the gardens at Dyffryn page for more information on the current seasonal walk.
And with a café, shop and second-hand bookshop (with a great selection of children's and YA literature), there’s always plenty to do at Dyffryn Gardens. So whenever you choose to visit, you know that you and your family will make some lovely memories.
Find out when Dyffryn Gardens is open, how to get here and what there is to see and do on your visit.
Enjoy hearty dishes and light snacks at the café with a tasty treat to round off your visit. Pop into the shop to pick up something special to take home.
Dyffryn Gardens is a two pawprint rated place. Find out more about visiting with your dog and how we’re making Dyffryn more dog-friendly.