Recommendations

Perfect picnic spots

Young V&A, Town Square

Discover 12 places across the UK that are perfect for a picnic during the Easter holidays.

As the Easter holidays are underway and the weather warms up, why not head out for a family picnic in some of the most picturesque and unique locations the UK has to offer? There’s something for everyone here: playgrounds, mazes, animal trails and farms to keep children entertained, while adults can admire Georgian villas overlooked by derelict castles, contemporary art collections, Venetian palaces, kitchen garden tours, woodland walks and the homes of former Prime Ministers.

Each location has been selected with the whole family in mind; with good facilities and designated picnic areas, you can rest assured it’ll be a great day out for all. Plus, lots of venues offer fun activities for kids to keep them busy now that school's out.

Just don't forget to pack your National Art Pass with your picnic blanket to get great benefits at every venue. Bringing little ones? Add Plus Kids to your membership to make savings for the whole family over the summer holidays.

Find a perfect picnic spot near you with a National Art Pass

01
The front of a Georgian building on a sunny day, with a lawn in front and tree to the left
Abbot Hall exterior

Abbot Hall Art Gallery

Abbot Hall, home to the award-winning Abbot Hall Art Gallery, is a Grade I listed Georgian villa set within stunning grounds on the banks of the River Kent, overlooked by the ruins of Kendal Castle. The packed exhibition programme, regular family activities and play park with a dedicated picnic area means that the whole family can unwind here and enjoy a great day out together.

02
A long drive with lawns and a line of trees either side, leading to a stately red bricked house
Beningbrough Hall, an Italian palace in Yorkshire

Beningbrough Hall

Beningbrough offers a picturesque formal garden featuring spring bulbs, herbaceous borders, plus a Pergola and wooded parkland. Explore the historic hall and art gallery, with historic and contemporary garden-themed exhibitions led by Beningbrough's garden designer. Ahead of the next major exhibition opening in September, delve into stories of the people who've shaped the hall and called it home in a temporary display. Kids can enjoy the wilderness play area before refuelling with a picnic in the grounds. Got a four-legged friend? Dogs are also welcome in the majority of the gardens and along the parkland paths.

03
Farm buildings with a full-sized metal horse in the foreground and grassy hill behind
The farm yard with Glastonbury Tor in the background of Somerset Rural Life Museum

Somerset Rural Life Museum

Discover Somerset's rural history and learn about the county's landscapes, food, farming and rural crafts at the Somerset Rural Life Museum. Once you're done, take a walk around Abbey Farm which has an allotment, a barn, an orchard and a picnic area.

04
A shallow river lined with greenery in the sunshine
Chiswick House & Gardens

Chiswick House & Gardens

Chiswick House boasts 65 acres of woodland, gardens, a walled kitchen garden and lawns to enjoy, perfect for a walk, a picnic or for children to run about and explore. The gardens are open daily from 7am until dusk, and, if you've not brought food from home, the café next to the under 7s adventure playground has a great kids’ menu.

05
Grand, rose coloured buildings in the sunshine, fronted by a circular drive
Eltham Palace and Gardens

Eltham Palace and Gardens

Art Deco mansion Eltham Palace has 19 acres of beautiful historic gardens to explore, including a sunken rose garden and a rock garden with a series of pools and cascades. Kids can seek out the Courtauld family's pet lemur and his friends in the Eltham animal trail and burn off energy in the wooden outdoor play area.

06
A gravel drive and moat surrounding a medieval manor house with turret and chimneys
Oxburgh Hall, The north and west ranges

Oxburgh Estate

The Oxburgh Estate gardens are a mixture of wilderness and formal, with a kitchen garden and orchard. Follow one of the estate walks through woodland, along the River Gadder and onto open meadows. Take part in family activities, and keep an eye out for bats, butterflies and barn owls while exploring the great outdoors.

07
Kingston Lacy, The Italian Villa

Kingston Lacy

A lavish family home reimagined as a Venetian Palace, Kingston Lacy has numerous gardens to explore, including the open space of South Lawn (perfect for a game of frisbee or a picnic), Cedar Avenue, the Japanese Garden and more. For kids, there are two playgrounds: one in the woodlands and a second in the Kitchen Garden.

08
A boy and girl playing a board game
Young V&A, Museum of the Year Winner, 2024. The Arcade, Play Gallery

Young V&A

A place for both kids and kids at heart to get creative, Young V&A promises a fun day out for all the family. Visitors are welcome to bring packed lunches which they can eat in the museum's spacious Town Square or in the next door gardens. The café has highchairs, a microwave and bottle warming facilities for all to use.

09
A red bricked manor house fronted by a lawn with black and white striped deck chairs and bed of red roses
Hughenden

Hughenden

The imposing former home to Queen Victoria’s favourite Prime Minister and friend Benjamin Disraeli, Hughenden was a backdrop for royal visits and political drama. With views across the Chilterns and trails through woodlands, kids can make dens and look for the many wild animals and creatures that call the gardens home.

10
Pink rhododendrons in the foreground of a medieval castle, blue skies beyond
Picton Castle and Gardens, exterior

Picton Castle Gardens

Over 700 years old, Picton Castle is a unique building: a medieval castle transformed into to a sumptuous Georgian home in the 18th century. Boasting one of the best plant collections in Wales, the gardens contain rare trees and colourful plants from across the world. Take in the stunning views while you tuck into lunch in the picnic area.

11
View of the entrance to Berrington Hall

Berrington Hall

Situated in ‘Capability’ Brown’s final garden and landscape, this fine Georgian mansion is ideal for a family day out, with plenty of walks through the woodlands, wildflower meadows, a play area, tea room and regular family-friendly events. Watch the castle and sheep as they graze in the surrounding land or pop into the second-hand bookshop to stock up on some pre-loved books.

12
Blue skies above a manor house surrounded by grounds
Dumfries House. Exterior.

Dumfries House

Set within 2,000 acres of land, Dumfries House boasts an unrivalled collection of Chippendale furniture. With each site connected by woodland walks, the estate also boasts a Maze, an education farm, an adventure playground, an on-site café, a Victorian walled garden, and a 500-specimen arboretum.

IndividualTiana Clarke Please note this is an example card and not a reflection of the final product

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