Whilst we love exploring places far and wide, we also love exploring our home county of Gloucestershire for free family days out. 

Whilst days out to attractions with kids can get quite costly with ticket prices, parking charges, meals and fuel costs, it can be much cheaper and even free to take the kids for local family days out. 

In this blog post, I will share 8 of our favourite free days out with kids in Gloucestershire, followed by a list of events that have some free attractions throughout the year.

8 Free Days Out With Kids in Gloucestershire:

We are very lucky to have a few great places nearby to visit if we don’t fancy spending a lot of money or even any at all. 

If you are ever in my neck of the woods in southwest England then here are a few of the best places you can visit with kids and explore without spending a penny.

1. Great Witcombe Roman Villa, Witcombe

Great Witcombe Roman Villa is pretty much within walking distance of our house if we fancy a long walk, or it’s a very short 5-minute drive away.  We are so lucky to have this so close to our home. 

It’s the ruins of a Roman villa that was likely to have been built in the first century.  The setting is absolutely gorgeous.  It’s on a hillside, and every time we have visited, it has been very peaceful. 

Often, we have been the only people there.  It’s the perfect spot for a summer picnic, and the kids love climbing around the ruins (they are very low down) and pretending it’s their castle. 

If you fancy a walk, then The Cotswold Way is in the woodland just above the villa and can be accessed directly from the villa site. 

You can even walk to Coopers Hill, which is the site of the famous annual Cheese Rolling event! 

There’s a free car park near to the villa ruins, and then a short walk with great views.

2. Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail, Coleford

The Sculpture Trail in the Forest of Dean is around 4.5 miles long and takes you through the beautiful forest setting as you try to find the 16 active sculptures along the trail. 

I have done this trail several times as a child and even as an adult.  Some of Ben’s family now live in Coleford, so we’ve been a few times in recent years! 

The most memorable sculptures are the giant chair, stained glass window and train track. 

There are a further 12 sculptures that have been decommissioned and there is not much left of them, but you may also find their remains along the way. 

There is lots of free or paid parking in the forest.

3. Gloucester Docks, Gloucester

There is so much to see and be amazed at with a visit to the historic docks of Gloucester. 

Take a walk along the canal path to spot narrow boats and wildlife. 

Have a walk around the docks themselves to admire the many fascinating boats. 

Quite often there are ‘pirate ships’ being fixed in the dry docks which are so magical for the children and even us adults to see. 

There are fifteen Victorian warehouses still standing proud. 

If you have a bit of money to spend then you can hire a narrowboat for the day, go on a boat trip tour, visit one of the many cafes or restaurants or pop into Gloucester Quays outlet for a spot of retail therapy. 

There is some free parking around the city of Gloucester if you know where to go, but otherwise, there are payable car parks at the docks.

4. Pittville Park, Cheltenham

Pittville Park is a massive public open space and park in Cheltenham.  My mum used to take me and my sister as a child and now I take my own children! 

It’s a stunning place with Pittville Pump Rooms as a backdrop, a lake with ducks, play parks, wooden adventure playground, animals, row boats for hire, cafes, bridges and more. 

The main play park was drastically improved a couple of years ago and is the best play park for kids that we’ve seen in Gloucestershire. 

There is plenty for kids to see and do here, and it’s easy to spend half a day or more here. 

You can park for free at the Pump Rooms, at the time of writing, or in nearby residential streets, which allow approximately four hours of free on-street parking.

5. Robinswood Hill Country Park, Gloucester

There are a few things to do with children at the Robinswood Hill in Gloucester.

The top of the hill has stunning panoramic views and is worth climbing to the top to see.  We managed to walk up with Bella, age two, who surprised us by walking all the way to the top, refusing our offers of a carry! 

There are beautiful woods and trees to explore on the way up.  Wooden play equipment at the base of the hill is a great reward for the children after the hill walk.  There are also some interesting wooden carved animals to see. 

There is a free car park.

6. Severn Ham, Tewkesbury

The Severn Ham in Tewkesbury is a beautiful place for a late spring or summer walk when the meadow is vibrant in colour and full of beautiful wildflowers. 

It’s possible to walk following the footpaths through the meadow or alongside the river, down to the weir. 

We took a picnic once when Bella was around age one and sat right in the meadow surrounded by flowers and wildlife.

7. Over Farm, Gloucester

Over Farm in Gloucester is a working farm with many free attractions for a short family day out.

It is great to walk around to see the various animals such as ponies, ostriches, pigs, goats and sheep for free. 

If you have some pocket money, then you can buy animal feed from the farm shop!

There is a farm shop and even a café too.  I’ve bought items from the farm shop before and had lunch, but I’ve always sat outside on the picnic benches, so I can’t comment on the café. 

It’s a great place to pop to for the kids to see some animals, to browse the farm shop and its delights, and stop for a bite to eat outside on a sunny day.

If you fancy a longer walk, there’s a public footpath right next to the farm shop. Parking is free in the farm shop car park.

8. Stratford Park, Stroud

Stratford Park in Stroud is a great free day out with young children.  I went as a child and remember playing Pooh sticks on the bridge.  Unfortunately, when I recently went with my children, there was too much debris from fallen trees under the bridge to play Pooh sticks, but the rest park is still amazing, even if you can’t play Pooh sticks on your visit! 

There’s a large lake to walk around with ducks and swans.  There’s a wood to explore, a large open field, and a huge playpark at the end with a zip-wire, which Bella loves! 

There’s also a bandstand in the park that the kids love and a miniature steam railway.  The steam trains are sometimes there and are 50p a ride, and highly recommended with the kids. 

There’s even a free museum in the centre of the park.

Free events in Gloucestershire for families

As well as free places to visit, there are also some fantastic free events across Gloucestershire throughout the year. These can make a day out feel even more special, especially when there’s live entertainment, music, or something a bit different for the kids to enjoy.

Some events are completely free, while others have a mix of paid and free activities, so it’s always worth checking ahead. Here are a few of our favourites to look out for:

• Midsummer Fiesta, Cheltenham
  Held in Montpellier Gardens, this family-friendly event has traditionally included live music, performances, stalls, and plenty of entertainment for children. It’s a lovely one for a relaxed summer day out with a picnic. It hasn’t run every single year recently, so it’s best to check locally to see if it’s returning before planning your visit.
• Cheltenham Jazz Festival (free events)
  While many of the headline acts are ticketed, there are usually free performances and pop-up music spots around Cheltenham during the festival. It’s a great way to soak up the atmosphere without spending anything, and you’ll often find something unexpected happening as you wander through town.
• Cheltenham Literature Festival (free activities)
  Known for its big-name speakers and talks, this festival also offers a selection of free events, especially for families. There are often outdoor activities, interactive sessions, and areas where children can get involved without needing a ticket, making it a nice option for a low-cost cultural day out.
• Stroud Fringe Festival
  A brilliant local arts festival with a really creative feel. There are hundreds of performances across Stroud, and many of them are free to attend. You might stumble across live music, theatre, or street performances, which makes it a fun and slightly different day out with the kids.

Final thoughts

Hopefully, these suggestions have given you some cheap and cheerful ideas of things to do in Gloucestershire for free or when on a budget with kids.

Please pin!