31 Things to do on the Somerset coast with kids
In the past few years I’ve been making a conscious effort to acquaint myself better with the Somerset coast. Like many, I’ve often neglected this part of the world for other holidaymaker favourites, Devon and Cornwall. Agreed, the sea is not quite so enticingly blue, but there is a real harkening back to quintessential England, cultural happenings (thanks to some Arts Council England funding) and adventure to be had in picturesque, rugged and lesser-known seaside spots.
From Clevedon in the north to Porlock Weir in the west, Somerset’s shoreline is made up of dramatic cliffs, beaches, mudflats, geological wonders, Victorian seaside resorts and pretty harbours, where families will find everything from an estuary-side lido and summer festivals to graffiti art and heritage adventures.
“Oh I do like to be by the Somerset seaside”
Fun family days out
Weston Wallz: Weston-super-Mare street art trail
Head to Weston-super-Mare for sun, sea and spray paint! Weston Wallz, organised by Europe’s largest street art festival, Upfest, has been adding colour and flair to Weston-super-Mare for three years in a row.
The event has seen large scale murals and stunning artworks created by a diverse selection of local, national and international artists, sprucing up a variety of building facades in the town.
The artworks from previous years are all marked on a Google Map, so you can peruse the street art at your leisure. Kids will love turning a corner and happening upon a giant whale, seeking out a larger-than-life puffin or discovering graffiti art in unexpected places. On the trail, you’ll see stunning pieces by the likes of Peachzz, Inkie, My Dog Sighs, Lucas Antics, Squirl, Mishfit, Ejits, Will Barras, Cheo and more.
Little Town Adventures
Little Town Adventures is an interactive experience for children aged 1-10 years which combines adventure roleplay, live theatre, music and songs over the course of two hours.
Designed to ignite kids’ imaginations, the concept is loosely based on a mini recreation of the town, set across multi-level buildings. Within the themed zones, visitors will find a police station, vets, fire station, supermarket, cafe, ice cream van, house, beach, beauty salon and more, where little ones can Beautiful wooden toys add to the attention to detail, creating the perfect space for children to unleash their creativity.
Needless to say, my three year old was thrilled by the whole experience and spent most of the time preparing various things for me to eat, locking me in jail or fully getting into his role as fireman.
Clip ‘n Climb Weston-super-Mare, Dolphin Square
Located just off the seafront, not far from The Grand Pier, Clip ‘n Climb WSM offers kids (aged 4 and upwards) and adults the chance to scale thrilling, vibrant coloured climbs of all shapes, nooks and surfaces. Once harnessed up and briefed on safety, you’re ready to take on the South West’s highest indoor climbing walls.
If you’re familiar with the Bristol venue, I’d say this Clip ‘n Climb is slightly better, thanks to the light bright windows and variety of structures to climb or descend, including giant baubles, a mario-esque Stairway to Heaven and an 11m Vertical Drop.
If you’re going with capable youngsters, there’s a cafe overlooking the climbing arena so you can watch them clamber (with help from an attentive instructor team) while you do something far less strenuous.
Click here to find out latest prices for Clip and Climb indoor activities Weston-super-Mare
Revo Glo Golf
Located inside Revo Kitchen restaurant on the seafront (where the old SeaQuarium used to be), Revo Glo Golf is a neon-tastic glow-in-the-dark crazy golf course. Putt a hole-in-one under the UV lights and graffiti artist ‘Ghost’-spray-painted walls – if you score enough points you’ll win another round! Walk-ins only.
Click here to find out more info about Glo Golf Weston super Mare
Pirate Adventureland
Walk the plank on the High Ropes course, take on the perilous 18-hole adventure golf course or sit back and have a cuppa while your friends and family challenge themselves to this swashbuckling piratey-themed adventure, close to the seafront. Salty local Somerset seadogs get a discount!
Click here to check prices for Pirate Adventureland
The Grand Pier
One of Weston’s most famous landmarks, The Grand Pier, has been around since 1904. Under its covered roof you’ll find fairground rides, slot machines, rats to splat, arcade machines, a laser maze, hall of mirrors, a soft play area and even a Go Kart track. Not for the faint-hearted, it’s very much an assault on the senses – which means kids especially love it!
Look out for special events taking place on the pier throughout the year – Santa’s Grotto, an Emergency Services weekend, fireworks and more.
Click here to check what’s on at The Grand Pier
The Stable Games Room
The Stable Games Room is Weston’s first board game pub, offering a friendly and welcoming space for both new and experienced gamers to enjoy. With a library of hundreds of board games and expert staff ready to offer recommendations and explain the rules, it’s the perfect spot to dive into gaming.
In addition to the games, they serve a menu of delicious homemade food, plus a wide selection of draught beer, wines, and spirits.
Brean Leisure Park
Open: Easter to November
Brean Leisure Park near Burnham-On-Sea is a great place to take kids, whatever the weather. If you’re looking for an outdoor splash pad on a scorching hot day, there’s an outdoor seaside water play area for under 12s made up of three water slides within a shallow pool, plus three super water slides for older kiddos and a sunbathing area.
If the weather isn’t playing ball, or you want to shelter from the sun, there’s an indoor splash pool with even more water slides, a large indoor swimming pool and baby pool.
For an action-packed day out, combine with Brean Soft Play next door – the region’s largest soft play area for children. Or pop across the car park to Brean Theme Park which has 40 rides, including roller coasters and log flume rides.
Water Adventure Play Park
This seasonal water park, open from April to September, is located across from Weston-super-Mare seafront, next to Melrose Car Park, and is perfect for keeping cool during a heatwave. Kids will enjoy the aquatic playground, featuring sprinklers, fountains, and sprays activated by sensors and buttons. Admission is £3 per child, and you can return as many times as you like throughout the day.
When the splash pad is closed, the park’s wooden play equipment remains open for year-round fun.
Click to find out opening times for the adventure play park
Animal Farm and Adventure Park, Burnham-on-Sea
Animal Farm and Adventure Park, in Burnham-on-Sea, offers animal encounters and outdoor fun. Set in a countryside setting, the park has an array of animals to feed and pet, including farm favourites like sheep, goats, pigs, plus more exotic species such as llamas, meerkats, raccoon dogs and wallabies.There’s also outdoor adventure play areas, and indoor soft play facilities.
Throughout the year, Animal Farm and Adventure Park hosts seasonal events, such as Easter egg hunts and dinosaur adventure week.
Butlins Minehead
Butlins Minehead has a brand new £2.5mil playground SKYPARK. The colourful park has been designed for inclusivity and interactivity for children up to 12 years old. There are sensory surprises at every turn, with six different zones, wheelchair-accessible features and after-dark illuminations. With epic climbing towers, thrilling, light-up tunnel slides and interactive games, I can honestly say I’ve never seen a playground like this before.
If you’re not planning on staying at Butlins any time soon, it is possible to access the playground on a day pass, which cost around £14 per adult and £10 per child aged between 2-14. You’ll also be able to visit the fairgrounds, Splash Waterworld, flumes and rapids, soft play areas, outdoor play areas, arcades, restaurants, PLAYXPERIENCE and a range of bookable activities.
Portishead Open Air Pool
Just five minutes from the M5 motorway, Portishead is the second largest town in North Somerset. With its marina, boating lake, shops, bars, restaurants, nature reserve and public art trail, it’s a great destination for a family summer day out.
As a former Bristolian, Portishead Open Air Pool really earned its mettle for the littles and I on hot summer days, when we were in need of a bit of respite from the sweltering city. Wherever you come from though, it’s a fantastic pool, perched right on the edge of the Bristol Channel, with stunning views across the water to Wales. Amphitheatre-style steps make great sunbathing spots and coast-viewing platforms for lido visitors, when not wallowing in the water.
Built in the 1960s, then later restored by local supporters when threatened with closure in 2008, the large 33-metre outdoor pool oozes cheerful, art deco, retro vibes. It’s heated to a positively balmy 28 degrees using green energy, so you can take a dip without the nip. There’s also a shallow, non-slip toddler pool which is open on warm days, a tuck shop selling hot drinks, ice creams, sweets and the like, plus a cafe serving cakes and light meals with both indoor and alfresco tables beside the waterfront.
Those familiar with the Severn Estuary will know it’s not exactly a white sand tropical paradise, more of a rocky, slightly muddy shoreline, so best to stick to the pool for all aquatic splashing.
If you’re keen for a bit of a stroll, head up behind the pool to Portishead Point, where you can walk out to the lighthouse. There’s also a large grassy area with views for miles along the Severn estuary. Head in the other direction and you’ll get to the boating lake, where you’ll find flamingo pedalos and a children’s play area.
Don’t miss the Portishead Summer Show, which takes place in July .
East Quay Watchet
East Quay Arts Centre on Watchet Harbourside, hosts creative workshops and activities for all ages throughout the year, with a special focus during school holidays, inspired by their current art exhibition. Activities range from leaf printing and plaster sculptures, to folk banner-making, nature paint brushes and 3D casting (for older teenagers). Participants can choose from free, drop-in options and paid, bookable sessions.
For more details on events and activities, check out their site: East Quay Watchet.
Exciting ways to get around the Somerset coast
West Somerset Railway
Travel back in time to the golden age of steam travel on the Somerset coast. Spanning 20 miles of scenic countryside and linking 10 stations, West Somerset Railway is the longest stretch of heritage rail in the country.
Skirting between the Quantock Hills and Exmoor National Park, the line runs from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead, calling at Crowcombe Heathfield, Stogumber, Williton, Doniford Halt, the ancient harbour town of Watchet, Washford, Blue Anchor and medieval Dunster. Opt for a Rover ticket for unlimited travel on standard trains on your chosen date and combine nostalgia with glorious sights.
Exmoor Coaster open-top bus
The Exmoor Coaster is one of the UK’s most scenic and thrilling open-top bus rides, combining the rugged beauty of Exmoor National Park with the charm of coastal towns. Starting in the seaside town of Minehead, the route takes you over the breathtaking moorlands, along one of the steepest, twistiest A roads in the UK, Porlock Hill, and into the picturesque Victorian town, Lynmouth.
During the summer, the route extends beyond Lynmouth, passing through Lynton and reaching other coastal gems like Combe Martin, Watermouth Bay, and Ilfracombe, showcasing even more spectacular scenery. Along the way, passengers can stop at The Rambler’s Rest, Britain’s highest coastal tea room, for a homemade treat with a stunning view.
Check Exmoor Coaster timetable and ticket prices
History and culture on the Somerset coast
Clevedon Pier
Opened in 1869 as a landing point for paddle steamers transporting passengers along the Severn Estuary from Wales and Devon, Clevedon’s best-loved feature is its Victorian pier. Pay just a few pounds and you can sashay down the same boards as Harry Styles – One Direction filmed a music video here in 2014.
It’s an elegant structure with a cafe and Japanese-style pagoda at the end, plus far-reaching views over the Bristol Channel. Top off your day in this seaside town with a stroll along the promenade to the marine lake and Poet’s Walk, or stay put for fish and chips on the beach.
Weston Museum
Discover Weston’s history, from prehistoric times and the Victorian tourism boom to the present day.
Highlights include family events and Clara’s Cottage, a beautifully preserved 1940s home offering a glimpse into life in Weston during World War II. Recent exhibits have featured popular interests like Horrible Histories and a Doctor Who exhibition.
Click to find out more about Weston Museum
Watchet museums
Watchet is home to a couple of small museums – Watchet Boat Museum and Market House Museum – that highlight the town’s rich maritime and historical heritage:
Discover ‘Flatner boats’, which are unique to the area and traditionally used for fishing in the shallow waters of the Bristol Channel. You’ll also find fossils, Roman artefacts, and relics from Watchet’s industrial past.
Somerset coast festivals
Watchet Summertime
In this charming harbour town, Watchet Summertime festival (August) brings street markets, workshops, live music and a firework finale to the West Somerset coast. The vibe is very much ‘for the community, by the community’ and all activities are free (donations are appreciated).
Festival-goers can enjoy everything from Lego competitions, to craft activities, shanty singing, choir performances, a hog roast and a Punch and Judy show.
Highlights also include Watchet Market day, Charity Market Stall Day, an open air cinema, and the Night of Lights’ lantern procession, accompanied by the Watchet Town band.
Need somewhere to stay in Watchet? Read my review of East Quay
GLOW Festival, Weston
Super Culture is a pioneering initiative that integrates exceptional cultural experiences into the fabric of daily life in Weston, bringing events like the ‘GLOW’ Light Festival to the town.
Held in February, GLOW transforms Weston’s town centre, with spectacular installations, illuminations, interactive activities and magical, multi-sensory experiences.
Whirligig, Weston
Whirligig is a September festival, where international and local performers come together to bring audiences jaw-dropping outdoor arts experiences in Weston-super-Mare.
The programme is delivered in partnership with Without Walls. Expect everything from high street dancing, communal karaoke (a ‘massaoke’), boating on the marine lake and colourful parades.
Weston Carnival
The Weston-super-Mare Carnival, one of Europe’s largest illuminated parades, is a historic, family-friendly event.
This two-hour spectacle of lights, music, and dance winds through nearly 2 miles of Weston’s streets, drawing around 100,000 spectators annually. While the event is free to attend, donations to local charities via official carnival collectors are warmly appreciated.
Check to see Weston carnival route and when the next carnival is taking place in Weston
Coastal Somerset nature and adventure
Visit a beach with a waterfall
St Audries Waterfall can be found at St Audries Bay, within the Quantock Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The waterfall cascades dramatically over cliffs onto the rocky beach below, where it meets the Bristol Channel.
The waterfall can only be reached on foot and at low tide via a short walk downhill (with steps) from the local holiday park (where I also found parking at postcode
TA4 4DP).
As well as the impressive waterfall, there’s also some crazy rock formations to investigate and views across to Wales. Certainly feels more exotic here than it usually does on the edge of the Bristol Channel!
Greencombe Gardens, Porlock
Opening times: April 1 to July 29, 2025, 2–6pm, Saturday–Tuesday, (closed Wednesday–Friday)
This charming 3.5 acre woodland garden overlooking Porlock Bay in Exmoor was taken over by Joan Loraine in 1966. Transforming it with her exceptional gardening skills, The the garden is filled with stunning, rare plants that create a natural, unmanicured appearance.
Completely organic, home-produced compost and leaf mould are used to tend to the four national plant collections; Erythronium (small mountain lilies), Polystichum (the thumbs-up fern), Vaccinium (Wortleberries) and Gaultheria (Berries for Bears).
Dunster Castle
Dunster Castle and Watermill, perched on a hilltop in Somerset, is located in a fairytale setting surrounded by mediaeval thatched cottages, charming tea rooms, cobbled streets, and stunning views of the countryside and Bristol Channel.
This turreted fortress, has remarkably been owned by just two families during its 1,000 year history, beginning as a Norman motte and bailey castle before becoming a grand country home, and is currently managed by the National Trust.
The grounds offer numerous walking trails (many of which are buggy-friendly) and visitors can explore its extensive gardens, interior and working watermill. As with many National Trust properties, during school holidays, Dunster runs themed family trails and events – for more information, visit the official National Trust website.
Dunkery Beacon
The Dunkery Beacon walk is an excellent option for families, offering a relatively easy yet rewarding hike. Starting at Dunkery Gate car park, the shortest route is only about 1.2 km and can be done in around an hour. The trail begins by crossing a cattle grid and following a path on the left, which gradually ascends the side of the hill.
At the top of the hill, look for the gate in the hedge to your left and you’ll notice a path that angles diagonally to the right, leading towards the beacon. This path can be easy to miss, as the main, longer trail continues straight on. Follow this less prominent path uphill towards the beacon.
The reward at the top of Dunkery Beacon – Somerset’s highest peak (519m) – is well worth it. Kids will love spotting wild Exmoor ponies grazing on the moor, and the panoramic views extend across Exmoor, the Bristol Channel, Wales and Dartmoor.
Brean Down
This seven-mile stretch of sandy beach and dunes is bookended by one of the great natural landmarks of the Somerset coast, Brean Down. With so much open space, it’s a great place to let the kids run free, kite fly, or explore the caves (just beware of sinking sand/high tide – signs will show you where).
The impressive promontory rises 97 meters high and extends 1.5 miles into the Bristol Channel. It’s a steep climb up 100 steep steps to reach the top, but the effort is well worth it, as you’re rewarded with 360-degree views over the Somerset Levels, Bristol Channel, and Weston-super-Mare.
At the end of Brean Down, you’ll find the ruins of a Victorian fort, built in the 19th century to defend against a potential Napoleonic invasion.
For energetic hikers or cyclists, you can go as far as Weston’s grand Pier via Sustrans route 33 – a mostly traffic-free eight-mile trail known as the Brean Down Way.
Sand Point and Middle Hope
Sand Point, just north of Weston super Mare is another natural pier that extends into the Bristol Channe, offering spectacular views across Sand Bay and over the water to Wales.
This part of North Somerset is protected by the National Trust, and from the NT car park near the beach, you can embark on a scenic 3-mile circular coastal walk around Sand Point. The route allows you to venture out along the headland and even descend to the rocky, shingle beach—just be sure to check the tide times in advance.
Find out more information about Sand Point here
Poet’s Walk Clevedon
Named after poets Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Alfred Tennyson, who found inspiration in Clevedon, Poet’s Walk is a 2km circular clifftop trail. Ideal for families, it offers a short scenic route with space to run around, and a small folly.
Starting from the Salthouse Pub car park, head left (facing the sea) to pick up the trail at the edge of Clevedon Marine Lake. Follow the path towards the wooded area, where you’ll discover a stunning viewpoint overlooking the pier and lake.
Continue along the route past the picturesque St Andrew’s Church, famously featured in the TV series Broadchurch. The path then opens up into green fields, offering sweeping views across the Severn Estuary.
Swim in Weston Marine Lake
Originally built in the 1920s as a tidal pool for swimmers and a safe haven for water activities in the Bristol Channel (whose tidal range is the third highest in the world), this seafront marine lake is one of the largest of its kind in the world.
Following its renovation in 2022, Weston Marine Lake has become a favourite with families and visitors looking for a sandy beach, safe swimming, paddleboarding, canoeing or sandcastle building.
Clevedon Marine Lake
Built in 1929 and recently refurbished, Clevedon Marine Lake is an vast tidal infinity pool with a mesmerising Bristol Channel backdrop. For swimming in the lake, you’ll need a wetsuit or be into your cold water dips – as the water averages around 13.5°C in May. Alternative you could bring a paddleboard or canoe for a less chill experience.
Even if you’re not diving in, kids enjoy walking along the lake’s edge, and with the right gear, you can fish for crabs too!
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