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Children playing the the autumn leaves
Autumn family days out in Liverpool and Lancashire | © National Trust Images / Annapurna Mellor

Family-friendly places in Liverpool and Lancashire

Plan your family day out in Liverpool and Lancashire. From the beauty of the great outdoors and amazing histories to play areas, balance bikes and even a maze, there's something for the whole family to enjoy rain or shine.

Family days out in Liverpool and Lancashire

Discover natural landscapes, historic houses, play areas and outdoor adventures with all the family.

Visitors exploring the Hedge Maze at Speke Hall, Liverpool
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Speke Hall 

There's always adventure to be had at Speke Hall, whenever you visit. Have you ever played vegetable musical instruments? Solved a mind-boggling hedge maze? Zoomed along a zip wire? Made your own woodland den? Discover the fun activities your family can enjoy here.

Family enjoying a walk in the grounds at Rufford Old Hall, Lancashire
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Rufford Old Hall 

There’s so much for families to do – you can borrow a balance bike, explore the surrounding gardens and woodland, discover the dedicated area for nature play and set your imagination free inside the house.

A family exploring the North Parterre at Gawthorpe Hall, Lancashire
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Gawthorpe Hall 

From discovering the majestic woods where children can enjoy the natural play area and views across Pendle Hill, to exploring inside the Hall’s stunning historic rooms that show what life was like in the Victorian period for the Kay-Shuttleworth family who once resided there.

The sedimentary bedded cliff face and wildflowers at Heysham Coast, Lancashire
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Heysham Coast 

Explore this hidden gem on the Lancashire coast, with magnificent cliff-top views and plenty of room for little legs to run free.

School holidays in Liverpool and Lancashire

A female toddler in a blue woolly hat and white raincoat handling leaves

October half term in the North West 

Looking for fun things to do with the family during October half term? Spot Scarecrows from Film and TV at Rufford Old Hall, explore the haunted Victorian Mansion as Speke Hall transforms for Halloween and keep your eyes peeled for the bone-chilling skeleton displays at Tatton Park. Or wander through the eerie grounds of Quarry Bank after dark in our brand-new trail, Halloween at Quarry Bank – brought to you by the producers of Christmas at Dunham Massey. Filled with many different surprises – the darker it gets, the spookier it gets!

Small girl talking to Father Christmas with brightly lit Christmas tree in background

Christmas days out in Liverpool and Lancashire 

Plan Christmas days out in Liverpool and Lancashire with lots of festive events and things to do. See a Tudor house adorned with festive decorations, have breakfast with Father Christmas, or enjoy a winter walk with friends and family.

Play areas

There’s nothing quite like playing outdoors. Swooshing down slides, clambering over logs and letting your imagination run wild. It’s no wonder that play areas are an essential part of many family days out. Here are some top places to play in Liverpool and Lancashire.

Children climbing in the grounds of Speke Hall, Liverpool
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Speke Hall 

There are two play areas at Speke Hall. Let older kids run wild, take on exciting challenges or zoom down a zip line in the woodland play area. The gated play area, with wheelchair-accessible equipment, is a safe place for littler adventurers to explore while you enjoy a coffee on the nearby picnic benches.

A child in shorts jumping off a wooden structure onto a wooden stepping stone inside a woodland.
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Gawthorpe Hall 

Kids can skip along woodland paths, play hide 'n' seek and get closer to the natural landscape at Gawthorpe Hall's woodland play area. With stepping stones and walls to climb on, they're sure to be tired out in no time!

Rainy day activities for kids

When it rains you have two options: find some indoor fun or grab your waterproofs and get stuck in! Luckily we have loads of suggestions for both…

A woman and child looking wondrously inside a room at Speke Hall
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Explore the house at Speke Hall 

Step inside the Tudor house to see if you can find the portrait of local legend, the Child of Hale who was said to have been over 9 feet tall! Make sure to bring your waterproofs and explore the fun Giant Child of Hale play trail in the woods if the weather clears up.

Visitors at Rufford Old Hall, Lancashire
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Play pretend at Rufford Old Hall 

The house at Rufford is filled with fascinating treasures and stories. Imaginations will run free when little ones spot the suits of armour in the Great Hall – and they can escape even further into their own story by dressing up like a Tudor lady or gentleman!

Children's feet in wellington boots  jumping in puddles at Sheffield Park, East Sussex
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Embrace the rain at Gawthorpe Hall 

Don’t let the rain keep you at home – there’s plenty of activities that you can get up to no matter the weather at Gawthorpe Hall. Put on your wellies and splash in muddy puddles, or create a modern art masterpiece from squishy mud – you can find inspiration with ’50 things to do before you’re 11¾’ activities.

Looking from the limestone outcrop across Morecombe Bay at Heysham Coast, Lancashire
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See crashing waves at the Heysham Coast 

Grab your waterproofs and enjoy a seaside stroll at the Heysham Coast. It has a history of saints, shipwrecks and graves, all against the backdrop of Morecambe Bay. Watch the tides changing and the stormy weather bringing in crashing waves.

Best activities for teenagers

Discover a world of endless adventures with our pick of some of the best things for teenagers to do in Liverpool and Lancashire. Round up your friends and family and get exploring.

A teenage girl taking a photo with her phone of a black and white building through red autumn leaves.
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Become a budding photographer 

Full of far-reaching views and picturesque buildings, the places we care for are a young photographer’s dream. Brightly coloured autumn trees set against the black-and-white Tudor houses at Rufford and Speke make for great seasonal photos, while the Lancashire views from Holcombe Moor will help you hone your landscape shots. Visit Hardmans’ 1950s photography studio to get some inspiration or click here for our top photography tips.

Teenager building a den in the West Wood

Create art with nature’s materials

Autumn is the best time to build dens or create natural masterpieces as a family. Rufford Old Hall has a dedicated nature play area that is full of brightly coloured leaves, twigs and fallen branches. There’s plenty of woodland to explore at Speke Hall too.

A view of the South Front of Gawthorpe Hall set in it's grounds on a stormy day
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Follow the footsteps of Charlotte Brontë 

Did you know that Charlotte Brontë visited Gawthorpe Hall in 1850 to stay with her friends Sir James and Lady Kay-Shuttleworth? The author of Jane Eyre described the Hall as ‘...grey, stately and picturesque, a model of old English architecture’. Today Gawthorpe is the final stop on the long-distance ‘Brontë Way’ walking route.

near Burnley, Lancashire

Fully open today
A person holding a reusable cup filled with coffe

Tuck into a sweet treat

Rounding off the day with a sweet treat and hot drink are a key part of any visit. From breakfast baps and toasties, to doughnuts and brownies, and lots of vegan options, we’ve got something for everyone. Or grab a coffee to takeaway before your walk – we’ll even give you 25p off your drink if you bring your own reusable cup.

Family adventures further afield

Discover more family days out in the North of England with plenty of places to play, explore, and create memories.

A mother and daughter watch a deer grazing with autumn tree in the background and leaves on the ground

Family-friendly places in Cheshire and Greater Manchester 

Plan your a family day out in Cheshire and Greater Manchester. We've got play areas, activities for kids, wildlife to spot and plenty of things to do when it rains.

A woman with two children and two small dogs on a small stone bridge in Borrowdale and Derwent Water, Cumbria

Family-friendly places in the Lake District 

Plan your next family day out in the Lake District – seek out natural play areas, scramble over rocks and spot wildlife on your way. The long summer days are a great opportunity to make the most of your membership and visit somewhere new.

Family walking through fallen leaves on autumnal day

Family-friendly places in Yorkshire 

Plan an adventure in Yorkshire this autumn, with play areas, activities for kids, wildlife to spot and plenty of things to do when it rains. Bring the whole family to make memories during your time together.

Close up of two children in dungarees in front of Gibside Chapel.

Family-friendly places in the North East 

Enjoy loads of great days out with the kids in the North East this autumn with events, activities and lots of fun to be had indoors and outdoors. Discover nature-inspired walks, houses to explore and play areas to let off steam. There's something for younger and older kids, and great ways for the whole family to play together near you.

Child visitor smelling a rose in the garden at Gawthorpe Hall, Lancashire

Discover more in Liverpool and Lancashire

Journey from a Tudor house to the childhood homes of Lennon & McCartney via coastal pinewoods and a photographic time capsule.