Animal-Friendly Family Days Out in the UK
Need something to entertain the kids? Look no further. From adventure parks to interactive museum exhibits and lots of vegan food, there are plenty of ways to keep the entire family happy on a day out – without harming animals.
Brockwell Lido – Herne Hill, London
There is plenty of space to splash about at Brockwell Lido’s huge 50-metre pool. Make sure to grab a bite to eat after a long swimming session – try the scrambled tofu shakshuka for brunch or the Dirty Vegan Feast pizza for dinner, which includes vegan sausage and bacon, vegan mozzarella, guindilla chillis, tomato, crispy shallots, and chipotle mayo.
Edinburgh Castle – Edinburgh, Scotland
Edinburgh Castle, overlooking the Royal Mile in the city centre, has been used as a prison, royal residence, and military fortress, and it’s now a popular tourist attraction. From vegan afternoon tea to on-the-go lunches, salads to an extensive range of cakes, its impressive vegan menu will be sure to delight customers. The Redcoat Café offers dishes such as Moroccan chickpea pie, a vegan cream cheese bloomer, and curried cauliflower couscous. For those exploring more of the country’s famous castles and monuments, vegan options – including soya milk for hot drinks and vegan cake – are available at all cafés at sites operated by Historic Environment Scotland.
Eureka! The National Children’s Museum – Halifax
On this fun-packed family day out, kids aged up to 11 can focus on the serious business of play, with hundreds of interactive exhibits designed to inform little minds about themselves and the world around them. The café offers some great options, from a vegan tuna salad bowl to a roast vegetable panini. The children’s menu includes vegan nuggets and chips, pasta with garlic bread and that all-time favourite, pizza.
Gravity – Multiple Locations
Gravity’s 21 locations across the UK offer a host of activities, including trampoline parks, bowling, golf, and digital darts – all under one roof. It’s a great place for the kids to refuel, too, with vegs and waffle fries on the menu. Other options include vegan gyros loaded fries, a vegan burger with plant-based mayonnaise and cheese, and a pizza with vegan mozzarella, semi-dried tomatoes, olives, and caramelised onions. Note that options vary between locations.
Hillside Animal Sanctuary – Norfolk
Hillside Animal Sanctuary is one of the UK’s largest rescue centre for animals who were exploited on farms. Over 4,000 animals live there, including horses, donkeys, pigs, goats, ostriches, deer, and dogs. Visitors can read the rescue stories of the residents and learn about the miserable plight of those exploited for food or clothing. Just make sure you check which days it is open to visitors, and be sure to stop by the vegan café, which serves snacks, sandwiches, soup, cakes, and ice cream.
Hopefield Animal Sanctuary – Essex
Sitting on 53 acres of glorious countryside, this sanctuary is home to nearly 700 rescued animals, including those who were exploited on farms, reindeer, reptiles, and birds of prey. The fully vegan café is named after the late bull, Max, and options include jacket potatoes with vegan cheese, sandwiches, toasties, and a range of cakes. Visit from Friday to Monday between March and December for a family day out that’s friendly to all animals.
Jubilee Pool – Penzance, Cornwall
Located on the beach, Jubilee Pool is the largest seawater lido in the UK and has a geothermally heated section. You can even bring your animal companion to the café terrace and enjoy a delicious bite to eat. The Jubilee Pool Café menu changes weekly and includes vegan main meals like crispy fried enoki mushrooms, and a Saturday brunch menu that features a vegan sausage bap. Opt for the butternut squash nut roast on Sunday for a delicious hearty meal. It all makes for a perfect day out for everyone.
Jump In – Multiple Locations
This popular indoor trampoline club and adventure park has around 30 locations where kids can jump and play all day – and then refuel with delicious vegan food at the AirHop Cafe. You can choose a toasted teacake or fill up with a Vegan Pepper-no-ni pizza with a side of THIS Isn’t Chicken tenders.
Kew Gardens – Kew, Richmond
Home of the Royal Botanic Gardens and a collection of botanical specimens from around the world, Kew Gardens is the perfect day out for nature-lovers. Kew has pledged to promote vegan food as part of its climate policy by moving vegan dishes to the top of menus and including information on their low-carbon and biodiversity benefits. All eateries have good vegan choices, and highlights include a delicious roasted cauliflower steak with truffle polenta, hazelnut gremolata, and garlic botanicals followed by a dark chocolate mousse at the Botanical Brasserie. At other food spots, you’ll find sandwiches, pizza, jacket potatoes, and plant-based cakes. What’s more, the Pavilion Bar and Grill went fully vegan for the summer of 2022 – fantastic!
Kidspace – Romford and Croydon, London
Experience the wonders of the deep sea without harming the animals who live there by visiting Europe’s first oceanarium at Kidspace Romford. This virtual aquarium has built-in sensors and touch screens, offering an interactive and fun-filled experience – shrimp, crabs, whales, and playful fish follow you as you immerse yourself in the beauty of the ocean. Children can get creative at both locations by bringing their animal drawings to life on screen in the Draw Alive! activity. Refuel between exciting adventures at the Romford location with a Quorn vegan chicken wrap, vegan hot dog or burger, dark chocolate muffin, or doughnut. You can enjoy a vegan Cumberland sausage bap or stone-baked pizza with vegan cheese at the Croydon location.
Midlands Arts Centre – Birmingham
Midlands Arts Centre in Birmingham is the place for theatre, dance, cinema, music, spoken word, comedy, exhibitions, special events, and vegan food. At the café, you’ll find breakfast delights like forest fruit waffles with coconut yoghurt, followed by great lunch options such as loaded fries with vegan cheese, sliced vegan sausage, BBQ sauce, and crispy onions; pizza with vegan cheese; pasta; and children’s vegan options like Chick’n nuggets with beans and rustic fries. Head for Sunday lunch, and you can enjoy a sweet potato and red onion seeded tart with stuffing and seasonal vegetables.
National Trust – Multiple Locations
With over 500 historic sites nature reserves, coastal land and more across the UK, the National Trust is a perfect family day out. Explore stunning gardens, castles, ancient buildings, and even filming locations from Downton Abbey and Harry Potter. In 2025, the charity pledged that 50% of food served at its cafés will be vegan. What’s more, their renowned scones are vegan by default, and Wray Castle has a fully vegan café offering up sweet treats and light bites.
RHS Garden Wisley – Woking
Feast on delicious vegan options surrounded by a beautiful garden at RHS Garden Wisley. The World Food Café is fully vegan. The Terrace Restaurant’s impressive lunch menu includes celeriac and apple soup with hazelnut and truffle oil, followed by the Farmers Pie with mashed potatoes and braised red cabbage, and concluding with sticky toffee pudding. At the Glasshouse Kitchen, opt for a sourdough pizza with vegan nduja, broccoli, and vegan parmesan or penne pasta with chicory and capers. You’ll also find great vegan options at RHS’s other gardens, including a vegan mozzarella, cherry tomato, and olive toastie, vegan sausage breakfast brioche, or plant-based feta and melon salad.
Saltdean Lido – Brighton
Saltdean Lido is a place to relax or splash about on a sunny afternoon. Known for its annual Dogtember sessions, this pool sees one of the biggest canine swimming events in the UK. And that’s not all – the Lido hosts a gym, exercise classes, a library, a working space, community workshops, and more. For a bite to eat, choose from the Deco Veggie Breakfast or mushroom and avocado on toast (ask for both without the eggs) from the brunch menu at Deco Café. Later, enjoy a beetroot burger with vegan mayonnaise and a side of fries, followed by a vegan upgrade to the Eton Mess or cheese plate. On Sunday, enjoy a roast of squash, walnut, and spinach wellington with garlic and thyme potatoes or a decadent vegan afternoon tea.
Somerset House – London
Nestled in the heart of London, this art gallery is a hub of culture and creativity. Attend exhibitions and events or use it as a coworking space. The best part? The delicious vegan options at their nearly vegan food spot, Café Petiole. The menu features great lunch options, such as a mushroom and mustard sandwich, alongside a variety of salads, as well as sweet treats which are all vegan, including sticky toffee cake, burnt Basque cheesecake, and tiramisu. You’ll find delicious dishes at other restaurants, too, like creamy Baba Ghanoj at Aram by Imad and a vegan burger followed by corn and cashew ice cream with smoky salted caramel and miso cookie at Setlist.
Stubbers Adventure Centre – Upminster, Essex
Choose from activities ranging from archery to banana boating, kayaking to laser combat. You can even enjoy a family camping weekend here. There are a few café spots that offer dairy-free milk in hot drinks and savoury items. Options include beans and vegan cheese on toast, a vegan sausage roll, or jacket potatoes with cheese.
The Eden Project – Cornwall
The Eden Project is a unique way to learn about our natural world. It has two massive biomes packed with rainforest plants and plenty of ways to explore them. Adventure is calling! The environmentally-friendly site also has vegan options at all its cafés. Select a mushroom pie served with root vegetables or bean and lentil chilli at Biome Kitchen, a coronation chickpea sandwich at Eden Coffee House, or a bean burger or loaded nachos at Stage Café. There’s a special treat for kids (and big kids), too: vegan nuggets and fries!
The Flicka Foundation Donkey Sanctuary – Cornwall
Visit this safe haven for over 100 donkeys and horses who have been rescued from abuse, neglect, and abandonment. During the summer, nearly all of them will be out in the paddocks, and in the winter, they spend their days in a warm and cosy environment. The vegan café sells cakes and light snacks, and all proceeds go to the charity. Open Thursday to Sunday, the sanctuary offers tours where you can learn about the animals. This day out will be fun, educational, and enjoyable for everyone.
The Making of Harry Potter – Leavesden, Hertfordshire
Explore the world of Harry Potter at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, which now has more delicious vegan options than ever before. You’ll find vegan fish and chips, pizza, burgers, a sharer, a full English, blueberry, strawberry and vegan cream pancake stack, and more at the studio’s food outlets. There’s even an extra-special vegan afternoon tea that includes smoked salmon sandwiches, sausage rolls, and butterbeer rock cakes. So grab your Firebolt and pack your trunk because you’re about to embark on a magical journey filled with so many vegan offerings that even Ron will feel full for once. Check out the food highlights.
The Retreat Animal Rescue – Kent
This vegan-run rescue has saved over 20,000 animals in 30 years and houses over 1,250 residents. Become friends with cows, pigs, turkeys, and chickens, to name a few. There’s no need to pack lunch, as delicious vegan food is available on-site in the vegan café. Try their Fish Kind Finger Sandwich, Chicken Kind Burger, or Cheeze and Rasher Toastie. With advance booking, you can stay at one of the rescue’s lodges, go on a tour, and enjoy Prosecco and vegan chocolates as part of the tour. Open Thursday to Sunday from March to November, this sanctuary is a must-visit.
Vegan Events UK – Multiple Locations
The team at Vegan Events UK runs vegan festivals nationwide throughout the year, which have stalls, talks, cookery demos, yoga, live music, and entertainment. Children’s activities include making animal masks and face-painting.
Waterworld – Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
An epic adventure awaits the whole family. Enjoy over 20 rides and attractions including the UK’s first trap door waterslide. You can also bask in the outdoor pool or play a round of mini golf. If you get a bit peckish, try a vegan pizza, garlic bread with vegan cheese, or falafel salad at the Water’s Edge Restaurant and Café.
What You Can Do for Animals Used in Entertainment
Holiday attractions, tourism sites, and activities still profit from cruelty to animals in the name of entertainment. Being aware of the abuse allows us to make informed choices when planning a day out – and we can help end the cruelty by refusing to support it and by speaking up for animals used in exploitative industries.
Help Animals in 2026: Renew Your PETA Membership!
Donate Now
