Knebworth House
BEST FOR
Ages 3+
ENTRY
from £15.50
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Stevenage
What it’s like
Grounds with a dinosaur trail, a watchtower to climb and an adventure playground, plus a stately home you can wander round on top.
The pull here is the outdoor stuff. There's a dinosaur trail to hunt round, a watchtower for the ones who want to climb something taller than a slide, and an adventure playground with drop slides and a curly slide that both come with height limits, so a three-year-old can't just tear off after an older sibling on the big one. Under 1.2 metres they need a grown-up alongside on the curly slide, and under a metre the same rule applies on the Astro Slide.
If you want the house too, it's an extra chunk of money, £21.50 for a child against £15.50 for gardens and park only, and the family ticket jumps from £58 to £86 once the house is added. Whether that's worth it depends on your kids, historic rooms and exhibitions are a slower pace than a dinosaur trail, and there's no lift to the first floor, so buggies and mobility scooters have to stay outside the door. Under-3s get in free everywhere, which softens the blow if you've got a toddler in tow who isn't paying attention to any of it anyway.
Food-wise there's the Garden Terrace Tea Room with indoor and outdoor seating, and a takeaway kiosk by the Fort. Picnics and barbecues are fine in the Park but not allowed in the Gardens, and any disposable barbecue has to be raised off the ground and well away from the play areas. Parking's free and there's plenty of it, which is one less thing to think about on the day.
It's not open all year round, just selected dates from March to September, then weekends from mid to late September, and in late October it switches to gardens and dinosaur trail only. Tickets aren't refundable or transferable once booked, so it's worth being sure of your date before you pay.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- 3 to 12, with height limits on the biggest slides
- Parking
- Free parking for cars and coaches, on site
- Food
- Two venues: Garden Terrace Tea Room (indoor & al fresco seating, 10:30am-5pm) and Fort Knebworth Kiosk (takeaway)
- Picnics
- And BBQs welcome in the Park only, not in the Gardens
- Wheelchairs
- Wheelchair available for hire from Gift Shop
- Dogs
- Assistance dogs permitted in all areas
- Getting there by bus or train
- Stevenage rail station 2 miles away
- Parties
- Not available for public day visits
- Worth knowing
- Under 3s free entry to house, gardens and park
- Height rules on the playground slides: 1.2m to go solo on the drop and curly slides, under 1m needs an adult on the Astro Slide
- No lift in the House, so it's ground floor only if you're using a wheelchair or buggy
- Photos are fine outside and on camera phones inside, but no flash, tripods or drones anywhere
- Essential carers get in free on a 1:1 basis
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
£15.50 for gardens and park, or £21.50 for the full house, gardens and park ticket. Family tickets are £58 for gardens and park, £86 with the house included.
Do we need to book ahead?
Booking isn't required, though there's a booking link on the site if you want to buy in advance.
Is it any good for a toddler?
Under-3s go free everywhere, and the playground and dinosaur trail are easy enough for little legs. The slides have height limits though, so check those before your child sets their heart on the drop slide.
Is there parking?
Free parking for cars and coaches on site, with accessible parking near the Garden Entrance.
What about food?
The Garden Terrace Tea Room does indoor and outdoor seating, and there's a takeaway kiosk at Fort Knebworth.
Can we bring a picnic?
Picnics and barbecues are welcome in the Park, but not in the Gardens. Disposable barbecues need to be raised off the ground and kept clear of the play areas.
Is the house accessible with a buggy or wheelchair?
The ground floor is accessible and wheelchairs can be hired from the gift shop, but there's no lift to the first floor. Pushchairs, electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters aren't allowed inside the House or Exhibition.
Can we bring the dog?
Dogs on leads are welcome in the Park, but not in the House, Gardens, Dinosaur Trail or Fort Knebworth. Assistance dogs are fine everywhere.
Is it open all year?
It's open on selected dates from March to September, then weekends only from 12 to 27 September. Late October is gardens and dinosaur trail only, open daily.
Can we do a birthday party there?
Not for public day visits, this one's set up for weddings and private events rather than kids' parties.
What if I need to cancel?
Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable, so it's worth being certain of your date before booking.
Can RHS members get in free?
RHS cardholders get free entry on weekdays for the main member only, but the cards don't work on weekends, events or bank holidays.
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