Where do you begin when planning a family holiday? We understand the stress that comes with travelling with children, so we have put together a perfect guide to getting here and enjoying some quality family time in Scotland’s gorgeous second city – with everything from getting here to family activities in Glasgow covered.
Before you travel
Glasgow is well connected by road, rail and air. Plan your journey well and try to avoid peak hours – staying out of the way of crowds of commuters. If you find yourself in Glasgow Airport with restless children, they offer a free children’s craft corner to keep them occupied. When packing for a family holiday in Glasgow, remember to bring waterproof jackets and shoes for everyone… yes even in summertime! Make sure to plan plenty of activities for both sunny and rainy days, ideally free attractions. An invaluable tip for family travel is, pack an extension cable. You’ll likely be travelling with all sorts of electronic gadgets to keep your little ones occupied and you don’t need the hassle of a meltdown over a dead battery!
Where to stay
Don’t cramp your family into a single hotel room, living in each other’s pockets for the duration of your trip. Instead, enjoy a true home from home experience when you book with PREMIER SUITES serviced apartments in Glasgow. Complete with multiple bedrooms, a lounge/dining area and plenty of storage, you’ll feel right at home in our spacious suites. Each suite comes with a family-sized kitchen which is fully equipped with everything you need to prepare meals or packed lunches for the fussiest of eaters. Our central location, right next to George Square means you can easily pack up and walk to the best family attractions.
Family activities in Glasgow
Kelvingrove Museum has been the place to take kids on a rainy day since it opened more than a century ago. There are a HUGE range of exhibits and displays with something to catch the attention of even the most excitable children. Many of the attractions in the museum are hands-on, including an excellent exhibition called ‘Hatching The Past: Dinosaur Eggs And Babies’. If you can’t make it to the zoo, their natural history section is a close second with everything from field mice to elephants on display. Kelvingrove is Scotland’s most popular free tourist attraction, and once you spend an afternoon here you’ll soon understand why.
Glasgow Science Centre is a bit of a walk, but worth it when you see the spark of creativity and interest in visitors of all ages. The centre isn’t a single building, more of a mall-type complex filled with wonder and curiosity. Experience the brilliant planetarium, a revolving space-age tower and an IMAX cinema all in one place. Not only will your kids be fascinated, they’ll be learning without even realising! They have an excellent events calendar, well-worth checking out before you plan your trip.
If you have a little one obsessed with transport (think Thomas the Tank Engine and Disneys Cars), Glasgow has the museum for them. The gorgeous building, designed by Zaha Hadid, is home to the Riverside Museum which has more than 3000 displays, ranging from bikes to boats, trams to trains and a huge wall of cars. Step back in time and visit one of the three life-like streets, complete with shops and roads to explore. Many of the displays are interactive and they have a kids treasure hunt to keep children of all ages entertained. You can also visit the gorgeous tall ship dating from 1896 which is docked outside.
Local Parks & Playgrounds
If your family are more interested in playing than learning, Glasgow’s local parks and playgrounds will be of big interest during your family trip. Kelvingrove Park is a beautiful Victorian Park with an impressive kids play area, complete with a soft and safe artificial surface. Reidvale Adventure Play Association is about 30 minutes’ walk, but once you get there your little ones will be entertained for an entire afternoon in their assault course and aerial runway. Glasgow’s oldest park, Glasgow Green, covers 129 acres – 2 of which are dedicated to a children’s play village featuring huge slides, climbing frames, climbing ship and climbing train. Explore some of Glasgow’s green space and don’t forget to pack a picnic!
Our serviced apartments in Glasgow offers value, space and comfort that you won’t find anywhere else. Make sure to use our official website to book your stay for exclusive access to our lowest rates and special packages.
