A family trip to a theme park can easily cost £150–£200 for a family of four, and that's before food and petrol. But some of the best days out in the UK cost absolutely nothing. From world-class museums to stunning national parks, from seasonal festivals to hidden beaches, there's an incredible amount of free entertainment available if you know where to look. Here's your guide to keeping the family entertained without spending a penny.
Free Museums and Galleries
The UK has some of the best free museums in the world. In London, the Natural History Museum, Science Museum, British Museum, V&A, Tate Modern, and National Gallery are all completely free. Outside London, the National Museum of Scotland (Edinburgh), National Museum Cardiff, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, and Manchester Museum are equally impressive and equally free. Many have free family activity trails and workshops during school holidays. Download museum apps before you visit for free audio guides.
- London: Natural History Museum, Science Museum, British Museum, V&A, Tate Modern
- Edinburgh: National Museum of Scotland
- Cardiff: National Museum Cardiff
- Birmingham: Museum & Art Gallery, Think Tank (some areas free)
- Manchester: Manchester Museum, Imperial War Museum North
- Most offer free holiday activity trails for children
Are special exhibitions free too?
Permanent collections are usually free, but special temporary exhibitions often charge £10–£20. Check websites before visiting. However, the permanent collections alone can easily fill a full day.
Outdoor Adventures That Cost Nothing
The UK's national parks, forests, and coastline offer unlimited free entertainment. Forestry England manages over 1,500 forests with free walking trails, many with Gruffalo trails and adventure playgrounds for children. Beaches are free — the UK has over 30,000 miles of coastline. National Trust car parks charge for parking, but the paths and viewpoints themselves are free. Geocaching turns any walk into a treasure hunt (download the free app). Nature spotting with the free iNaturalist app makes every walk educational.
- Forestry England: 1,500+ forests with free trails and playgrounds
- Beaches: completely free (including all UK public beaches)
- Geocaching: free treasure hunting app — thousands of UK caches
- Canal towpaths: miles of flat, pushchair-friendly walking
- City farms: free entry to pet and feed animals
- Botanical gardens: many have free entry
Seasonal Free Events
Throughout the year, communities across the UK host free events. Summer brings free outdoor cinema screenings, festivals, and concerts in parks. Bonfire Night (5 November) sees free fireworks displays in almost every town. Christmas markets are free to browse (just watch the spending on food!). Local libraries often run free children's activities during school holidays — the Summer Reading Challenge is hugely popular. Check your local council's events page and Facebook community groups for listings.
- Summer: free outdoor cinema, park festivals, community fetes
- Bonfire Night: free public fireworks displays
- Christmas: free carol concerts, nativity plays, light switch-ons
- Libraries: free holiday activities and reading challenges
- Heritage Open Days (September): free access to normally closed buildings
- Park Run: free 5K every Saturday at 9 AM in parks nationwide
Making Free Days Out Even Better
The key to great free days out is preparation. Pack a picnic instead of buying food out (saving £30–£50 for a family). Bring a thermos of hot drinks. Download relevant apps and activity sheets before you leave. Use SYM to track how much you save by choosing free activities over paid ones — seeing £500+ saved over a summer holiday is incredibly satisfying and motivating. Create a 'days out' savings goal in SYM for the occasional paid treat, funded by all the money you've saved on free days.
- Pack a picnic: saves £30–£50 per trip
- Bring a thermos and snacks from home
- Download activity sheets and apps in advance
- Track money saved on free activities in SYM
- Create a 'treat days out' fund from the savings
- Join local Facebook groups for free activity recommendations
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