Free & Cheap Days Out In Gloucestershire & The Cotswolds This Half Term

If you’re trying to survive half term without spending a fortune every single day, you’re definitely not alone. Sometimes the best family days out are the simple ones like a picnic in a nice spot, somewhere to explore, somewhere cool to escape the heat or just somewhere different to break up the week.

As someone constantly exploring Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds for photography locations, I end up discovering so many places that work brilliantly for families too. I’m always connecting with local businesses and beautiful outdoor spaces through my work and half the time I end up accidentally finding our new favourite day out while location scouting for shoots.

So I thought I’d put together some genuinely good free and low-cost places worth visiting this half term…

The Holst Victorian House Museum, Cheltenham

One of my favourite quieter places locally. The Holst Victorian House Museum feels completely different to a modern attraction. The original Victorian lighting, rooms and furnishings make it feel immersive without being overwhelming, and children naturally end up exploring rather than feeling like they’re being dragged around a museum.

At the moment they also have crafting activities and a Children’s Trail: Maypole Mystery Tour event running through the museum for children, which makes it even more fun for half term visits.

I recently photographed a Victorian-inspired portrait series there which worked beautifully within the house. The atmosphere, colours and original interiors added so much depth to the images without needing loads of styling. I also have another exciting little announcement connected to Holst coming very soon!

Definitely one to visit if you want something calmer, creative and affordable.

©katpurchasephotography https://holstvictorianhouse.org.uk

The Wilson Art Gallery & Museum, Cheltenham

A really underrated free day out, especially on hot weather days. The Wilson is completely free to enter, has air conditioning, changing exhibitions, children’s areas and enough space to wander without it feeling chaotic during school holidays. It’s also one of those easy places where you can spend an hour or unexpectedly end up staying much longer. The play cafe is a lovely space to spend part of the day while the kids play.

Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR)

One of the best low-cost family activities locally if your children love trains, exploring or anything hands-on. You can actually buy a cheap platform pass at many of the stations rather than full train tickets, which still gives you loads to do. The stations themselves have interactive model railways, mini museums, old train carriages to explore and activities dotted around the buildings during special events.

Toddington is probably our favourite stop because it has a little play area as well, though Winchcombe is a close second because of the model trains there.

You could easily turn Winchcombe into a full day out too by combining the station with riverside walks, paddling spots and exploring the village itself. If you haven’t packed lunch, there are lovely bakeries, cafés and pubs nearby to stop at.

©katpurchasephotography https://gwsr.com/

NEW Woodland Ball Run at Cirencester Park

This is one that’s only just opened and honestly it looks such a lovely addition for families wanting something a bit different outdoors. The new Woodland Ball Run where children can explore woodland trails while rolling wooden balls through handcrafted tracks, ramps and obstacles hidden throughout the trees, reminds me a little of a mini outdoor science museum mixed with natural play and I love that it encourages children to properly explore rather than just rush around a playground for ten minutes.

The whole area is set within shaded woodland too, which makes it a really good option on warmer days. It’s near the Hexagon and Woodland Fairy Trail as well, so you could easily turn it into a much longer walk or full day out. Wooden balls are £6 each and you keep them to bring back on future visits, which actually makes it quite good value if you think you’d return. Park entry is £4 for adults and £2 for children aged 5–15, with community pass holders getting free entry. It’s open daily from 10am–4:30pm.

Pittville Park

A great space to spend a day out. Large green areas, playgrounds, lakes, ice cream stops and plenty of room for children to just run around without a strict plan. Great for scooters, footballs, picnics or simply wearing everyone out before bedtime. The main play area can get quite busy at times, but there are quieter play areas the other side of the road too. There is also free parking around the outskirts of the park for up to 4 hours.

©katpurchasephotography Pittville Park

Robinswood Hill Country Park

Perfect for those “we just need to get out the house” days. Robinswood Hill has beautiful open walks, woodland trails, amazing views, a play area and a lovely café, making it one of the easiest low-cost outdoor days out locally. It works especially well for children who prefer freedom and space rather than structured attractions.

Gloucester Docks

Still one of the best low-cost family spots locally. You can easily spend hours wandering around the docks, watching boats, stopping for ice cream or a toasty (shout out to On Toast in the dock basin) and visiting one of the museums nearby. If you visit the National Waterways Museum, it’s worth walking around near Tommy Nielsen’s yard too. If you’re lucky, you might spot a real pirate-style boat being worked on in the dry dock or even out on the water, which honestly feels quite magical for children. There’s always something interesting happening around the docks without needing expensive tickets.

©katpurchasephotography https://www.gloucesterdocks.me.uk/vessels/kathleen&may.htm

Our Hot Weather Favourite: Cribbs Causeway Water Play

This honestly deserves its own section because on really hot days, this is one of the easiest family outings around and I will travel further for this one. The free water play fountains outside at Cribbs Causeway have become one of our regular go-to summer trips. The children can cool off and play while you’ve got the huge air-conditioned shopping centre right next to you for food, drinks, toilets, spare clothes, snacks or literally anything you forgot in the rush of leaving the house. It makes hot weather days feel far less stressful when you don’t have to massively pre-plan. There is also a little play area at the back of the mall too behind Boots if you have kids who prefer to keep dry.

I’ll keep sharing more local finds, quieter family spots and affordable days out here on the blog as I discover them through my photography work and location scouting around Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds.

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©katpurchasephotography https://www.cerneygardens.com