With Easter almost upon us, many parents will be looking for fun, easy, and free ways to keep the little ones entertained while off school. Though the kids will be home for two weeks, there's more than enough to keep them entertained across the city with a wide range of experiences and activities right on our doorstep.
So we've found a mix of indoor and outdoor options you can visit/do for free. Here are some ideas of places you can go in Cardiff, to keep you and the kids entertained, without spending a whole lot.
National Museum
Right in Cardiff City Centre is one of Wales’ best museums. From dinosaurs and wooly mammoths to some of Europe’s best collections of art, there’s something on offer for everyone.
The Natural History Museum is jammed full of fun exhibitions for you to all enjoy.
Admission is free but booking a ticket through their website is recommended, though not necessary. It's also open on Bank Holiday Mondays.
Location: Museum Avenue, CF10 3NP
Cardiff castle
A favourite among tourists and residents alike, Cardiff Castle sits in the heart of the city centre.
Bring the family in and explore the dominating Keep on the Castle grounds, built by the Normans. Or the Opulent Victorian Gothic House, originally constructed by medieval Lords of Glamorgan during the 15th C., before being transformed by the Bute family in the 19th C.
Don’t forget to check out the Castle walls which were utilised as air-raid shelters during World War II as well as the Firing Line Museum which commemorates over 300 years of distinguished Welsh Military History.
Even better, all Cardiff residents and those who work within the city can visit for free with the Castle Key. Simply bring down proof of residency or employment to the Cardiff Castle Ticket Office and your Castle Key card will be issued right there and then.
Location: Cardiff Castle, Castle Street, CF10 3RB
Garth Hill
Sitting in the North-West of Cardiff is the commanding, Garth Hill. The Garth can usually be seen in the background from most of Cardiff. And on a clear sunny day you can see not only Cardiff and the Taff Valley from its summit but all the way across the Bristol Channel to Western-Super-Mare and beyond.
On top of all that the top of the hill is also home to some local goats and Bronze Age burial sites. It’s easily accessible by car, train or bus and is a fun and easy walk for the family. With cute pubs, restaurant, and shops in neighbouring villages, Pentyrch and Gwaleod-Y-Garth.
Location: Garth Hill, CF15 9NS
Nick Jr Sculpture Trail
While trying to pull the kids away from the tv maybe try enticing them with a visit to their favourite Nick Jr. Characters. St David’s Centre is currently home to a series of Nick Jr. Characters in the form of toy brick models.
Go on down and follow the trail to find all 15 models including popular characters from shows like Monster Machines, Shimmer and Shine as well as Paw Patrol. They can all be found around St Davids Centre from April 11 to April 24.
Location: St Davids Centre CF10 2EF
St Fagans National Museum of History
This free Museum is Wales’ most popular heritage attraction and for good reason too.
Set in 100-acres of parkland, the museum stands in the grounds of St Fagans Castle and Gardens and is filled with over forty original buildings from different historical periods including houses, a farm, a school, and a Workmen’s Institute.
The museum is perfect for growing minds as it invited you to explore the history of Wales in a fun and engaging way. With continual events as well as traditional craftspeople on site to demonstrate their traditional skills. With their produce usually being sold on the grounds.
And for the little ones with an eye for nature, there are plenty of grounds and woodlands to play in as well as livestock, birds, bats and rare animals.
While the museum is free, you do have to pay for parking on their website . Alternatively, the site is easily reached by bus.
Location: CF5 6XB
Bute Park Spring Open Days
Over Easter weekend, Bute Park will be transforming itself, from the park we all know and love, for its Spring Open Day. A wide range of free events will be held in and around the Bute Park Visitor Centre, Nursey and Plant Shop.
The park will welcome the Cardiff Plant Fairs and local growers selling rare and unusual plants. While a variety of talks, tours and demonstrations will also be available. Children are invited to attend drop in events over the two-day event and learn about their parks, plants, and gardening.
The events will be running from 10am-4pm on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 April, with all activities being free but some people ticketed. Tickets and the full timetable of events are available on the Bute Park website.
Location: Bute Park, CF10 3ER
Insole Court
This stunning Grade II listed mansion can be found in hidden in leafy Llandaff, with the house having over 160 years of rich history.
Visitors are welcome to enter the mansion and enjoy its relaxing reading, drawing, dining, and billiard rooms. Meanwhile upstairs you can experience its permanent heritage exhibition, “This House is a Stage”. During this, visitors are brought into the dramatic local history of the house as well as the rise and fall of the Insole Family, who built and lived in the mansion.
Be sure to also check out the brilliant Stable Yard and Potting Shed Café, which serves freshly baked cakes, breakfast, and lunch. As well as the beautiful garden grounds.
Location: Insole Court, Fairwater Road, CF5 2LN.
A Dogs Trail
Explore Cardiff with the Snoopy Sculpture Trail – A Dogs Trail. The public art trail features 115 Snoopy sculptures across Cardiff, Caerphilly and Porthcawl’s streets and open spaces. With money being raised for Dogs Trust, the trail is around 23km long and takes you on a great journey around Cardiff and its surrounding area. You can follow the trail from April 8 to June 5.
Local Hub and Library events
A local home to many, free and easy activities that are often forgotten are our local Hubs and Libraries. Across Cardiff, the staff of these amazing facilities are working hard over the break to provide as much fun to residents and their children as possible.
Why not drop into events such as:
Rhymetime at the Whitchurch Hub
Lego Club at the Radyr Hub
Stay and Play at the Ely and Careau Hub
Storytime at the Rhiwbina Hub
Easter Stories and Craft at the Llandaff North and Gabalfa Hub
Taff Trail
With the long path going all the way from Cardiff Bay to Brecon, there are plenty of routes for you to explore on the Taff Trail. The 55m trail passes by Pontypridd and Merthyr Tydfil as well as through the stunning landscapes of the Brecon Beacons.
While the whole length of the trail may not be a realistic goal for all, the Cardiff end is exciting in itself. Working its way from Cardiff Bay, traveling across the city along the riverbank through beautiful parks such as Bute and Llandaff Fields. Before leaving the centre and seeing sites such as the Melingriffiths Pump and Radyr Weir.
Fforest Fawr Sculpture Trail
While Castell Coch is not free to enter, it is surrounded by ancient woodland, full of different walking and mountain biking trails.
One of these trails is the Fforest Fawr sculpture trail , with wood carvings of the animals that used to roam the woods for children to spot.
Just around the corner is the Forest Stoves and Fires Cafe where you can stop for a cup of tea.
Location: Fforest Fawr Car Park, CF83 1NG
