Waddesdon Manor
ENTRY
from £1.50
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Aylesbury
What it’s like
Grand French-style house and grounds with a woodland playground, walking trails and a shuttle bus that saves your legs on the walk up.
The house itself is the big draw, a Rothschild mansion built to look like a French chateau, with rooms you wander through at your own pace using the free Bloomberg app if you want the extra detail. Volunteer House Hosts are dotted about to answer questions, but nobody's herding you round on a set tour, so a curious eight-year-old can linger over whatever's caught their eye while you keep moving.
Outside is where younger kids will actually want to be. There's a woodland playground and walking trails through the grounds, though the boardwalk through the woodland gets steep in places, so it's not one for a buggy you're not prepared to lift. Speaking of buggies, the walk from the car park to the manor takes a good 20 to 25 minutes on a hard-surface path with some steep sections, which is why most people take the shuttle bus instead, £2.50 for an adult and £1.50 for a child, running every ten minutes or so.
Money-wise it adds up. Grounds-only is £14 for an adult and £7 for a child aged 5 to 17, with under-5s free, but if you want the house as well you're looking at £27 and £13.50. Everyone needs a timed ticket for the house, including babies and National Trust members, and they strongly recommend booking ahead since weekends and holidays do sell out. Budget an hour and a half in the house if you want to do it justice, then leave time for the grounds after.
Food's covered by a couple of cafés and a restaurant on site, and if you fancy something different there's a Treasury Tour, a 45 minute add-on for £15 including grounds admission. One thing worth knowing before you buy: there are no refunds once tickets are purchased and no exchanges either.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- Curious older kids in the house; younger ones will head for the playground
- Last entry
- Grounds 4pm, House 3:30pm (House from 3:20-3:30pm Mar-Oct)
- Booking
- Advance booking strongly recommended, especially weekends and holidays
- Parking
- Over 1,000 spaces, free on-site
- How long to allow
- Minimum 1 hour for house. On average 1 hour 30 minutes for house
- Food
- Multiple cafés and restaurants on site offering fresh, seasonal food including Manor Restaurant, Stables Cafe, and wine cellar tours
- Pushchairs
- Allowed on shuttle bus (up to 3 without folding)
- Wheelchairs
- Free wheelchair hire (first come, first served)
- Dogs
- Assistance dogs welcome in house and grounds
- Getting there by bus or train
- Nearest station: check Getting Here page for public transport options
- Worth knowing
- National Trust members free entry
- Everyone needs a timed house ticket, including babies and National Trust members
- No refunds or exchanges once tickets are bought
- EV charging is free on site but first come, first served, and you need your own cable
- The South Front Terrace has ongoing disruption from heat pump works
- Grounds tickets are half price on 7 to 10 October due to onsite disruption
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
Grounds only is £14 for an adult and £7 for a child aged 5 to 17, under-5s go free. House and grounds together is £27 for an adult and £13.50 for a child.
Do we need to book ahead?
Booking's strongly recommended, especially at weekends and school holidays, since tickets often sell out. Everyone needs a timed ticket for the house, even under-5s and National Trust members.
How long should we set aside?
Reckon on at least an hour for the house, with most people spending around an hour and a half. Add on time for the grounds and playground after.
Is there parking?
Over 1,000 spaces on site and it's free, with Blue Badge parking on a first come basis. From there it's a shuttle bus or a 20 to 25 minute walk up to the manor.
Can we take a pushchair?
The shuttle bus has room for up to three pushchairs without folding them, which is handy since the walking path up has some steep sections. The woodland playground's boardwalk is also steep in places.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
The ground floor is step-free, the first floor has a staff-operated lift, and the Treasury on the second floor has a chair lift. Wheelchairs are free to borrow but it's first come, first served, so they can't be reserved.
What's the shuttle bus cost?
£2.50 for an adult and £1.50 for a child, running roughly every 10 minutes from the car park up to the manor and back.
What about food?
There's a Manor Restaurant and the Stables Cafe on site doing seasonal food, plus wine cellar tours if you fancy something different for the grown-ups.
Can we bring the dog?
Assistance dogs are welcome in the house and grounds. Emotional support dogs are allowed in the grounds and Stables Cafe but not the house.
What's the Treasury Tour?
A 45 minute tour that comes bundled with grounds admission for £15. It's a nice add-on if the main house feels like plenty already.
Can we get a refund if plans change?
No, tickets aren't refundable once bought and they don't offer exchanges either, so it's best to be sure of your date before you book.
Do local residents get free entry?
If you live in Waddesdon, Westcott or Upper Winchendon you get free entry with photo ID showing your current address on the day.
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