Family Getaways on the River Thames

There really is so much to do on the river and nearby, that a day is not long enough. There are plenty of family-friendly places to stay nearby or on the river. Or if you want to stay on the water, our Boating Holidays leaflet provides some great ideas.

The Thames is our number one boating holiday destination for children. The whole family will love Legoland Windsor Resort with its fun rides and live shows! Or take a family audio tour of Windsor Castle or an information trail around Hampton Court. There are countless things for the kids to do along the river, making the Thames a holiday they'll remember forever.

Make your base at The Runnymede on Thames Hotel and you can discover history starting with the riverside site of the sealing of the Magna Carta (National Trust) and just across the river at Ankerwycke you can see one of the oldest trees in England, a 2,500 year old Yew Tree and the ruins of a Benedictine priory. It is rumoured to be the spot where King Henry VIII met with Anne Boleyn. Jump on a French Brothers boat trip to Windsor or Hampton Court.

The hotel is a great for families for messing around on the river and is ideal for Windsor, Legoland, Hampton Court Palace, Thorpe Park and Chessington:

• Hire its own little electric river boats and they are covered, so rain won’t spoil the day
• There’s an outdoor pool, kids' splash centre and children's play area
• Feast on a ‘duckling’s dinner’
• Play tennis, Jenga, chess, noughts and crosses and croquet too

Or, why not sleep under the stars, Longridge offers indoor and outdoor accommodation including the ultimate island ‘survival’ experience.

Thinking about a holiday, take a boating holiday on the famous River Thames. The following provide boats for Boating Holidays , why not make 2024 the year to have a holiday afloat? 

• Hobbs of Henley – the ultimate luxury Linssen cruiser
 

 

• Calmer cruising - A luxury Self-Drive 60ft by 11 ft Widebeam with the style of a Canal Boat
 

 

• Kris Cruisers - 15 cruisers ranging in size from 29ft-48ft, 2-10 berth motor cruiser

 

• Le Boat - provides a wide selection of boats, with different features, styles and sizes to suit any party size.

Windsor or Henley are great family friendly destinations to use as a base to discover all that the Thames has to offer.

The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead has a fantastic historic backdrop and lots to keep the children entertained.  The River Thames - great for messing about in boats whether on one of the passenger cruisers such as French Brothers or on your own boat hired for an hour or a day from Kris Cruisers.  In the town you can watch The Guards marching up the High Street for the ‘Changing of the Guards, at around 10.50am, (check which days before you visit) and you could watch the actual ceremony in Windsor Castle. Horse-drawn carriage rides and open-top-bus tours are available through Windsor Great Park and there are plenty of other ideas for making the most of the great outdoors:

• Bray Lake – sailing, windsurfing or kayaking.  Activity courses are run during summer holidays and autumn half terms.
• Windsor Great Park - A vast open space providing a natural playground for children. Ideal for picnics, ball games and kite flying and the dog can go too.
• Extreme Motion - in Alexandra Gardens, Windsor, offers a Skate Park with rails and ramps for all ages where you can skate all day!  The Mini Golf Course is open and ready for action and the café provides tea, coffee, ice cream, soft drinks, pizza, sandwiches- whatever you fancy.  You can hire a bike with a map and ride for miles on cycle paths and routes around Windsor, Eton and surrounding areas.  At the Skate Shop there is a wide range of bikes, skateboards, skates and clothes on offer.
Or if it’s a rainy day head indoors to Windsor Leisure Centre or fly a spitfire simulator at Maidenhead Heritage Centre!

Henley-on-Thames - provides a great day out. As well as the River & Rowing Museum and Hobbs of Henley it also offers

• A wonderful kid’s park in Mill Meadows with swings, slides and a zip-wire for the older children.
• The beautiful meadows close to Marsh Lock  are a great place for a family picnic, there’s plenty of room for children to run around in, or take a bat and ball for a traditional English day out.
• A fantastic independent toy shop in Bagatelle Toys where you can get kids (pic) fishing nets and it’s right opposite the world famous Asquith’s teddy bear shop in Bell Street.
• The River & Rowing Museum has two Riverside Trails: The Wind in the Willows Meadow Trail and River History Trail. The Chocolate Café at the Museum offers a delightful children's menu including ice-cream, milkshkes and of course, hot chocolate. Or why not pick up an afternoon tea or picnic box to enjoy along the river bank. Dog's are welcome on the terrace too.
• Stay at Henley Greenlands Hotel.