Hampton Court Palace
About Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace is a royally good family day out, with Tudor history, ghost stories, and a brilliant hedge maze. Explore grand halls, gardens, kitchens and kid-friendly trails—plus special events in school holidays. Just 35 minutes from London, it’s history with plenty of space to run wild.
Top tip from the KidRated Team:
Download the free Historic Royal Palaces app before you go, it adds a fun layer of storytelling to the visit and keeps teens off TikTok (for a bit).
Quick Inspiration
There are guided tours throughout the day, and many are great for kids and teens. The costumed guides bring history to life with stories of Henry VIII, haunted corridors, and palace intrigue – it’s like a real-life episode of Horrible Histories.
Yes. The family trails help kids explore the palace in an interactive way, perfect for younger visitors (and avoiding “I’m bored”). The trails are free with entry and updated seasonally, especially during school holidays.
3–4 hours to do it justice, longer if you want to tackle the gardens, maze, and café without rushing. There’s easily a full day’s worth of activities if you’re in no hurry.
There’s no traditional playground inside the palace grounds, but the formal gardens and green spaces are perfect for a runaround. Bushy Park (next door) has a play area if you want to extend the day out.
Absolutely. They’ll love the famous maze, ghost stories and royal gossip. The mix of history and hands-on exploration hits the sweet spot for curious minds.
Yes, it’s surprisingly accessible for a historic building. Most areas have step-free access or lifts, and you can grab a free map with wheelchair and buggy-friendly routes. Some of the old courtyards have cobbles, so bring sturdy wheels if you can. Baby-changing facilities and accessible toilets are available, and the cafés are spacious.
