Every place we've visited

Arnot Hill Park

Arnold, Nottingham

Play area, skate park and a lake in Arnold, with a café on site and two hours' free parking if you get a ticket.

CaféFree parkingOutdoor playParking+1 more

Attenborough Nature Reserve

Attenborough

A wetland reserve with river paths, a café and a sand martin hide, free to explore, but parking costs from £3 unless you're a member.

Bennerley Viaduct

Awsworth

A free, buggy- and wheelchair-friendly skywalk 18m above the Erewash Valley, with a café (Thu–Sun) and wildlife-rich nature reserve below.

CaféOutdoor playParkingPushchair friendly+2 more

Bestwood Country Park

Nottingham

650 acres of hilly park with a Victorian winding engine house to explore and a volunteer-run café open Saturday mornings.

Baby changeCaféFree parkingParking+3 more

Canalside Heritage Centre

Beeston, Nottinghamshire

Historic canalside cottages at Beeston Lock with a Victorian cottage to explore and a garden café with river views.

Clifton Woods

Nottingham

A big, history-filled riverside woodland near Clifton with hidden ruins to hunt for, dog friendly and served by local buses.

Dog friendly

Colwick Country Park

Nottingham

Big lakeside park east of the city with a recycled-equipment playground for toddlers to 10-year-olds, free parking and miles of flat paths for buggies and bikes.

Dog friendlyFree parkingOutdoor playParking+2 more

Cotgrave Country Park

200 acres of former colliery land turned into woods, lakes and meadows, free to explore on foot, bike or horseback, with den-building areas for kids.

Creswell Crags

Worksop

A gorge, caves and museum where under-18s get in free and the 1.5-mile loop walk is buggy-doable but caves are steps-only.

Baby changeCaféDog friendlyFirst aid+5 more

D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum

The Eastwood terraced house where D.H. Lawrence was born, run by Broxtowe Council, a small heritage stop rather than a big day out.

Dukes Wood Nature Reserve

Eakring

Free industrial-archaeology woodland trail with restored 'nodding donkey' oil pumps among bluebells and primroses, best April to July.

Dog friendlyParking

Felley Priory Garden

Nottinghamshire

A quiet 2.5-acre plant-lovers' garden near the M1 - pushchair-friendly with a few uneven bits, free entry for under-16s and free parking, but no dogs or picnics.

CaféFree parkingGift shopParking+2 more

Framework Knitters Museum

Ruddington

Real Victorian knitting frames still in action, a hands-on knitting machine for kids, and a free-to-enter café/shop even on museum closed days.

CaféGift shopPicnic areaToilets+1 more

Gedling Country Park

Mapperley

Former colliery turned 276-acre country park with a mining-themed play area, zip wire and accessible trails, free to explore, with a proper café for afters.

Baby changeCaféChanging PlacesDog friendly+6 more

Great Central Railway (Nottingham)

Nottingham

Free site entry, £3 parking and a flat, buggy-friendly 25-acre site with steam trains, old buses, mini railway rides and a dog-friendly café.

Baby changeCaféDog friendlyGift shop+6 more

Green's Windmill & Science Centre

Nottingham

Free-entry restored windmill, science centre and garden in Nottingham, climb the mill (when not under repair), try science experiments, and let the kids run round the community garden.

Gift shopOutdoor playPicnic areaToilets

King John's Palace

Kings Clipstone

The ruins of a genuine medieval royal palace, standing quietly in a field, viewable from the road and footpath.

Kings Mill Reservoir

Sutton in Ashfield

Waterside reserve with a dog-friendly café plus a proper adventure base, high ropes, zip wires and an airbag drop you can just turn up and pay for.

CaféDog friendlyParkingWheelchair accessible

Lakeside Arts

Nottingham

University of Nottingham's public arts centre with theatre, galleries and museum, set beside Highfields Park lake.

CaféFree parkingGift shopParking+2 more

Lambley Dumbles

Lambley

Miniature stream ravines threading through the fields, pure welly-boot country, minutes from Arnold.

Laxton

Laxton

The last village in England still farming medieval open fields, walk the castle mound and the visitor centre is open dawn to dusk.

Manor Farm Park & Woodlands

East Leake

25 acres of farm, woodland dino trail and Nottinghamshire's biggest indoor playbarn, free parking, buggy-friendly paths and cheaper tickets if you book online.

CaféFree parkingGift shopIndoor play+7 more

Martin's Pond & Harrison's Plantation

Wollaton, Nottingham

A boardwalk nature reserve hiding behind ordinary Wollaton streets, ducklings in spring, dragonflies in summer.

Mr Straw's House

Worksop

A time-capsule 1920s house seen only on small, pre-booked tours of four, fascinating for older kids, but steep stairs mean no buggies indoors.

Free parkingGift shopParkingPicnic area+2 more

National Civil War Centre, Newark

Newark

Civil War history museum in Newark with a much-loved dressing-up area for kids and a multilingual object trail to keep them hunting through the galleries.

CaféGift shopParkingToilets+1 more

National Water Sports Centre (Holme Pierrepont Country Park)

Nottingham

270 acres of park, a white water rafting course and a free adventure playground, 10 minutes from Nottingham centre.

CaféOutdoor playParkingToilets+1 more

Naturescape Wildflower Farm

Langar, Nottingham

A 40-acre wildflower farm near Nottingham with a kids' play area, wildlife ponds and a tearoom for cake after the walk.

CaféDog friendlyGift shopOutdoor play+1 more

Newark Air Museum

Newark · ages 5+

A huge, mostly outdoor aircraft collection kids can wander and climb around near, with free parking and dog-friendly grounds, allow at least 3 hours.

Baby changeCaféDog friendlyFirst aid+6 more

Newstead Abbey

Ravenshead

300 acres of parkland, a play park and trail sheets to grab at the gate, kids 15 and under go free with a paying adult.

Baby changeCaféDog friendlyGift shop+5 more

Nottingham Arboretum

Nottingham

Nottingham's oldest park, right by the city centre with tram access, buggy-friendly surfaced paths and a tree trail to explore, but no public toilets on site.

CaféDog friendlyOutdoor playWheelchair accessible

Nottingham Industrial Museum

Nottingham

Volunteer-run heritage museum in Wollaton Hall's stables, free entry for accompanied kids, five hands-on galleries, and monthly Steaming Days when the engines actually run.

CaféGift shopParking

Papplewick Pumping Station

Nottingham · ages 0+

A Victorian waterworks with real steam-powered beam engines, a play area and free parking, best on one of the eight steam weekends a year when everything's actually running.

CaféDog friendlyFree parkingGift shop+5 more

Rushcliffe Country Park

West Bridgford, Nottingham

A big free-to-enter park near West Bridgford with a lake, a great play area with a 14-element tower, a skatepark and 4X bike track, easily fills a whole day.

Baby changeCaféChanging PlacesDog friendly+7 more

Sherwood Observatory

Sutton-in-Ashfield

A planetarium and observatory near Mansfield where kids get hands-on with telescopes at open events, arrive early to explore the exhibition and grab a bite at the volunteer-run café first.

CaféParkingWheelchair accessible

Silverhill Wood

Sutton-in-Ashfield

Free reclaimed colliery woodland near Mansfield with cycling trails, orienteering and a dog selfie spot, no parking charges.

Dog friendlyFree parkingParkingPicnic area

Skylarks Nature Reserve

Holme Pierrepont

A flat, wheelchair- and buggy-friendly gravel-pit reserve near Holme Pierrepont, free to enter, with cafés and toilets a short walk away.

Southwell Minster

Southwell

Free-to-enter cathedral (£5 suggested donation) with dog-friendly grounds, step-free access and a summer pop-up cafe - the carved stone leaves are a great spot-it game for kids.

CaféDog friendlyGift shopOutdoor play+3 more

Stoke Bardolph

Stoke Bardolph

A quiet riverside village near Nottingham with an easy Trent-side walk, a working lock, and a 200-year-old pub to finish at.

Stonebridge City Farm & Gardens

Nottingham

Free city farm in St Ann's with cows, goats, pigs and rabbits to meet, free parking fills fast, picnic benches everywhere, and the barn opens at 12pm.

CaféFree parkingGift shopParking+3 more

The Harley Gallery

Worksop

Free contemporary art gallery on the Welbeck estate with free parking, a kids' creative activity space and monthly Discover Art! sessions for children.

Baby changeFree parkingGift shopParking+1 more

The Linby Trail and Hucknall

A 3.5-mile woodland climb from Linby up to great views near Hucknall, steep in places, so leave the buggy behind.

Parking

The Workhouse and Infirmary

Southwell

A rare, atmospheric Georgian workhouse and Victorian infirmary near Southwell, kids' trails and costumed characters bring the history alive, with free parking a short walk away.

CaféDog friendlyFree parkingGift shop+4 more

Thoresby Park

Newark

A 400-year Nottinghamshire estate with 150 acres of parkland, woodland and gardens, a new play park, courtyard shops, cafe and a free military museum, good for a picnic and a wander with buggies.

CaféGift shopOutdoor playParking+1 more

Vicar Water Country Park

A former industrial site turned country park with views across to Derbyshire and Lincolnshire.

Victoria Embankment Memorial Garden

Nottingham

Green Flag award-winning riverside park with memorial garden, play area, playing fields and paddling pool.

CaféDog friendlyOutdoor playParking+3 more

Wollaton Hall & Deer Park

Nottingham

Elizabethan mansion in 500 acres of deer park, kids go free, there's a dinosaur gallery, play parks and wild deer roaming right by the paths.

Baby changeCaféDog friendlyGift shop+7 more

Woodthorpe Grange Park

Nottingham

A big green space with a manor house, tropical house and free outdoor gym, the café and playground make it easy to fill a whole morning with kids.

CaféDog friendlyOutdoor playParking+2 more