There are loads of activities you can do for free (or nearly free) in and around Glasgow this summer. Activities for all the family. Fun doesn’t have to bankrupt you!
Animals
Taste Perthshire
Taste Perthshire is a great stop on the A9 whether you are looking for some food, for a cuppa, or to meet some friendly highland cows.
Cloybank Farm
Cloybank Farm has some wonderfully friendly animals. They’re always waiting for the next bag of food to come along, especially the llamas and goats. It’s a great wee place to see farm animals up close.
National Museum of Rural Life
The National Museum of Rural Life is an excellent day out. It’s one of our favourite places to visit. There are lovely farm animals to see (and probably to give a wee pat to), lots to keep kids entertained in the museum, a little playpark, and a decent cafe as well. The tractor ride is fun for everyone too.
Glasgow’s Best Low Cost Family Activities: The Outdoor Edit
Part of the low cost series, for things to do around Glasgow that don’t cost a bomb.
Blair Drummond Safari Park
Blair Drummond Safari Park is one of our favourite places for a day out. There are tons of animals to see from big elephants to teeny tiny ants, boats to go on, loads of bits to play in, shows, talks, and definitely don’t forget the astroglide.
Lamont Farm Project
Lamont Farm Project is very small and very rustic, but it’s a great place to spend an hour wandering round and seeing some cute animals. The little man really enjoyed it here, patting the friendly cat and the rabbits. Sweet little place.
Visiting The Cairngorm Reindeer Herd
We visited the Cairngorm Reindeer Herd during our recent trip to Aviemore. It’s one of my favourite activities we’ve done this whole year! The whole family loved it; from age 2 to 76!
Briarlands Farm
Briarlands Farm is a great place for a run around, for jumping and climbing, for letting off some steam and for meeting cute animals. The tearoom at Briarlands is lovely too (their giant custard creams are absolutely amazing). It has a wee indoor play area with lots of toys where the kids can play while you finish your cuppa! It’s also reasonably priced for entry.
10 Of The Best….. Family Days Out Around Glasgow
These are our 10 of the best family days our near Glasgow: a list of the places that we love to go and spend the day. Our Top Ten. The places we’ve returned to again and again. Some of them are free; some of them are most definitely not. Some of them are suited to rainy days and some are better for the dry days we’ve had so many of recently. Hopefully if you visit any of them, you’ll love them as much as we do!
Tollcross Park Children’s Farm
Tollcross Park Children’s Farm a nice place for a runaround with a toddler, and the indoor education bit is brilliant. It’s definitely one for younger kids but Tollcross Park itself has beautiful rose gardens and is nice for a wander or scoot round too.
Purrple Cat Cafe
If you love cats and don’t have any of your own to pat (or even if you do) then this is the place for you. The food is probably a bit more expensive than I’d like to have paid for it, but the cake was really delicious. The joy that the little lady got from meeting all the lovely cats was totally worth it.
Auchingarrich Wildlife Centre
Auchingarrich Wildlife Centre is rustic, and there’s plenty to keep the kids occupied. There’s space for the kids to run free and lots of animals to interact with; probably more of the latter than at other children’s farms we’ve been to. I’d definitely recommend it!
Amazonia
Amazonia is small, but the little lady and her friend had a great time. Once they were done with the animals, the bridges entertained them for ages.
Pollok Country Park
Despite it only being a 10 minute drive away, I’ve only ever been to Pollok Country Park a few times. If we’re planning on going to a country park, I always kinda forget that Pollok Park is there and end up travelling much further. So the little lady and I went along this morning to get a toddler’s perspective and …
Heads of Ayr Farm Park
There’s so much to do at Heads of Ayr Farm Park. There are play areas galore, trampolines, animals to feed, soft play. Great day out. Here’s our review!
Calderglen Country Park
There’s plenty green space to run or have a picnic in and little animal lovers will enjoy the children’s zoo. The walks down by the river are lovely too.
Palacerigg Country Park
We braved the Scottish summer and went to Palacerigg Country Park. Nice little childrens farm and good swing park. Nice walk for dogs. Great little day out.
Zoo Tots
We’ve been going to zoo tots for a few weeks now, and it’s one of the little lady’s favourite classes we’ve been too. It’s totally different from any of the other classes, mainly because there are various live animals there to pet or feed or look at. The Class The class structure is pretty much …
Almond Valley Heritage Centre
For her very 1st birthday, we took the little lady to Almond Valley Heritage Centre in Livingston at the weekend. We’ve never taken her to any children’s farms or ‘bigger’ visitor attractions before (I’m not counting Tollcross Park Children’s Farm) so it was quite exciting for all of us! The Farm The farm is excellent. There are …