City
11 Best Activities In Penrith
Weather decides most Penrith weekends. Nine of the eleven places we list here sit outdoors and only four have a roof over them, which makes the forecast the first thing to check and the indoor list the thing to hold in reserve.
On a bright morning the walk in to Aira Force entertains children without anyone having to plan anything. When the cloud comes down, Crafty Monkeys gives them a table, an apron and something to take home.
Showing 1–11 of 11
Activity CentresCrafty Monkeys
Sports & ActivitiesFoxy's Adventure Golf
WaterShap Swimming Pool
Parks and PlaygroundsAira Force
Sports & ActivitiesHappy Hooves Riding Centre
Children's FarmsAbbott Lodge
Swimming PoolsGreystoke and District Outdoor Pool
WaterLazonby Swimming Pool
WaterAskham Outdoor Swimming Pools
Activity CentresRheged Indoor Play
Swimming PoolsPenrith Leisure Centre
2 more within 10 miles of Penrith
Small town, short list, and no point pretending otherwise. What Penrith does well is the outdoors, so build the day around that and keep one roofed option in reserve. Ring ahead where you can, because smaller places set their own hours and it saves a wasted drive.
Visiting Penrith with kids: FAQs
It has rained all morning. What is still worth doing around Penrith?
Four of the eleven places on this page have indoor space. Crafty Monkeys is the most reliable of them for a wet morning: pottery painting keeps children of very different ages at the same table for an hour or more, and nobody has to be dressed for the weather. Abbott Lodge carries an indoor side as well as an outdoor one, so it absorbs a shower without the whole day collapsing. Between the two you can usually fill a soggy afternoon.
Which Penrith activities suit a child who cannot sit still?
Plenty here rewards a child with too much energy. Foxy's Adventure Golf gives them a target and a scorecard, which is enough structure to stop the arguing. Happy Hooves Riding Centre puts them on a pony. And the ground around Aira Force is proper walking rather than a gentle stroll, so it takes something out of them. If you have a long drive home, start with one of those three rather than anything that asks for quiet.
Is there swimming near Penrith?
Yes, and it is community swimming rather than a leisure complex. Shap Swimming Pool, Lazonby Swimming Pool and Greystoke and District Outdoor Pool all appear on our Penrith list, and all three are the sort of small local pool where sessions are timetabled tightly and space is limited. Check the session times and whether you need to book before you set out, particularly during school holidays when a wasted journey stings.