At the beginning of the autumn half-term, we spent a long weekend in Bath with the family. My parents-in-law came over from Germany to visit Bath with us and, most importantly, to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary as a family! My brother-in-law, sister-in-law and young nephew, who live in London, joined us too. Bath is around 1 hour 15 minutes from London by train from Paddington station. And that is how we spent a long weekend with the extended family discovering one of England’s most beautiful cities!
Bath turned out to be a doubly positive experience: a lovely family celebration and a city that did not disappoint me. So many people had told me how beautiful Bath was that my expectations were high, yet I have to say that Bath is my favourite city in southern England. I am excluding London, as you cannot really compare the capital with a small city.
A family weekend in Bath: what to visit
Here are ten ideas for family-friendly places to visit in Bath:
The Roman Baths ❤:
Absolutely magnificent! This is one of the best-preserved ancient Roman spa complexes in the world. The drainage system and natural flow of hot water still work. As you wander from room to room, you can imagine what this enormous spa must have looked like in Roman times. The children were completely captivated by the visit, and there is a children’s audio guide available in French or English. One piece of advice: avoid Saturday and Sunday if you can—we waited until Monday—as it can become so crowded that the visit is less enjoyable. Also, book your tickets online at least a day in advance to secure your preferred time and pay the advance rate. Next door is Thermae Bath Spa, where you can bathe in the thermal water. The main spa is for visitors aged 16 and over; the separate Cross Bath admits children aged 12 to 15 when accompanied one-to-one by an adult.
The Royal Crescent:
In the city centre, the Royal Crescent is architecturally striking. It is Georgian style in all its splendour, with honey-coloured façades and beautiful geometry. The Royal Crescent consists of 30 terraced houses arranged in a sweeping curve. It often appears in the television series Bridgerton. Number 1 has been turned into a museum: No. 1 Royal Crescent. It offers an insight into a typical 18th-century interior and the daily life of a family who came to Bath for the season. Allow one hour for the visit.
The Circus:
What architecture here too! This is another harmonious group of 18th-century townhouses, arranged as three Georgian buildings that form a circle. A little anecdote: the diameter of the Circus is said to echo that of Stonehenge, because the architect John Wood the Elder wanted to give his work a slightly mystical character. He believed Bath was a very special, almost magical city.
You can even book accommodation in one of the buildings on the Circus! I had spotted this family apartment, which offers very good value for Bath, but it is often booked. The location is excellent in any case. I hope to try it next time!
Pulteney Bridge:
A wonderfully charming bridge built in the 18th century. It crosses the River Avon and offers beautiful views of Bath’s old town. It is one of the few bridges in the world to have shops running along both sides, like Florence’s famous Ponte Vecchio.
Prior Park ❤:
A wonderfully romantic English garden! This landscape garden dates from the 18th century. Its lake and the Palladian bridge crossing it give it enormous charm. Prior Park has also appeared in Bridgerton. It is very large, so we took a leisurely 1½-hour walk with the children and grandparents, followed by a stop at the café for… tea! There is an admission charge, but it is worth it. If, like us, you are a National Trust member, entry is free. I recommend membership if you plan to visit many National Trust places in England outside London.
Bath Abbey
Bath Abbey has magnificent fan vaulting dating from the early 16th century, as well as beautiful stained-glass windows. You can climb the tower’s 212 steps for panoramic views over the city and the Roman Baths. Admission to the abbey and tickets for the tower tour are charged separately, so check the current prices before visiting.
The historic centre:
All the old streets, narrow lanes and passageways in the centre, with their shops, tearooms and restaurants, make for a very pleasant walk. Do not worry too much about searching for every place I am about to mention individually: they are all very close together, and if you explore the area around the abbey, you cannot miss them.
For example, you will come across:
- New Bond Street, Union Passage and Northumberland Place, very narrow streets where the little shops are packed closely together.
- Church Street and North Parade Passage, home to the Sally Lunn’s tearoom, famous for its traditional Bath buns. Personally, they do not tempt me—they look rather filling!
- Abbey Green: my favourite square! I think it feels rather like Provence or Italy. There is another tearoom selling buns on the square, The Bath Bun, as well as The Abbey Deli, which was used as the modiste’s shop in Bridgerton. Here is a photo I took in summer, when the square is even more charming with all the outdoor tables in place.
We also passed the beautiful Theatre Royal Bath.
Royal Victoria Park:
A free city park whose main attraction is its enormous playground. A paradise for little ones! We did not know which way to look as we tried to keep an eye on them all.
Walking the Bath Skyline:
A long, waymarked nature trail looping around Bath, with distant views over the city. We only walked a short section—the southern part near Prior Park—to take a few photos.
We returned in summer and completed the full route, which is 6 miles (9.6 km) and takes around 3½ to 4 hours. Here is the full map of the Bath Skyline Walk.
Museums in Bath:
The most child-friendly museum is the Fashion Museum, which our hosts recommended. Please note: it is currently closed and is due to reopen in 2030. We chose instead to spend a long time walking around the city and enjoying the magnificent autumn sunshine. Art lovers can also visit the Holburne Museum, while the Jane Austen Centre is dedicated to the novelist. I have heard that the latter is small, so it did not particularly appeal to us. A little aside about Jane Austen: she is often associated with Bath, where she did indeed live for five years, but she was first and foremost from Hampshire, where we live!
We explored Bath at a leisurely pace over two days. I thought that was the ideal length of time. We then stayed in Bath for another two days and used them to explore the surrounding area.
Places we visited around Bath:
The Cotswolds and villages in Wiltshire ❤
We took my parents-in-law to see three villages in the Cotswolds and Wiltshire, about 30 minutes away. Bath really is a gateway to this region of picturesque old villages. As we have visited several times, I wrote an article introducing the most beautiful villages in the Cotswolds.
This time, we returned to Castle Combe, which was very quiet at that time of year. It is one of the most photogenic:
Then, just south of the Cotswolds, we stopped in Lacock, known for its Harry Potter filming locations and especially for its beautiful abbey.
Finally, we stopped in the very pretty village of Bradford-on-Avon, 20 minutes from Bath. Its 13th-century bridge and riverside are full of charm. Right in front of the bridge, you cannot miss the highly photogenic Bridge Tea Room—the perfect place to stop for tea and a treat.
Bradford-on-Avon
A day in Bristol
We also took a day trip to Bristol, around 40 minutes from Bath. The two cities are very close but look completely different. Bristol is an interesting port city, particularly known for its street art. Read my article about Bristol and its street art.
Our recommended places in Bath:
Our accommodation:
We had booked a charming, high-quality B&B in a magnificent Georgian house. Everything was perfect: the English charm, the welcome and the breakfast. We wanted somewhere special for my parents-in-law’s 50th wedding anniversary.
2026 update: Sadly, this wonderful place has since closed. It was called Apsley House, at 141 Newbridge Hill. I am leaving the name here in case it reopens in future. Fortunately, Bath has many Georgian houses, as its architecture is one of the city’s greatest strengths.
For larger families, I found this large apartment, which has three bedrooms and sleeps six, plus a rooftop terrace with superb views over Bath. It offers very good value for larger groups.
Restaurants we tried as a family in Bath:
- Marlborough Tavern: a classic pub with a warm welcome. A very good place to try well-executed English classics. It is a little noisy, but that is part of the experience.
- Clayton’s Kitchen, gastropub: a more upmarket restaurant with more elaborate and very generous dishes. The welcome was excellent here too.
- The Scallop Shell, a casual seafood restaurant: the mussels were excellent! We all love fish, so it was the ideal place for us.
Eating out with children in Bath:
This was the first time since moving to England that restaurants had told me they did not accept children. I called four restaurants in Bath that would not take us, so check before booking. Bath is also very well known for romantic breaks, which may explain it. The restaurants I have just mentioned, on the other hand, were genuinely child-friendly. Families were welcomed with a big smile!
So, are you tempted to visit Bath as a family? Have you already been?
Discover our ideas for train trips from London for more English city-break inspiration.
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