Alnwick Castle or Bamburgh Castle? Which to Pick With Kids
Two big castles, 18 miles apart, and a car full of people with strong opinions. Here's which one to pick with kids, by age, by weather and by time of year, with this year's prices.
The short answer
For children aged about 5 to 11 who know who Harry Potter is, pick Alnwick Castle while it's open: broomstick training and Dragon Quest are included, and an online family ticket is £64.20. Pick Bamburgh Castle with toddlers, a dog, a sunny day or any visit after Alnwick shuts for winter in late October 2026: a family ticket is £58.50 plus £6 parking, and the beach is right underneath.
Checked 29 September 2026. Dates and prices change, so the organiser's link is the one to trust.
Alnwick Castle or Bamburgh Castle is the argument every family with a Northumberland cottage booking has in the car, usually somewhere past Morpeth, usually with somebody in the back crying about something unrelated. They're about 18 miles apart by road and cost roughly the same for a family of four. Both are properly good, at different things, and one of them shuts for the winter in October, which settles it for a big chunk of the year.
Short version. Alnwick is the one for children who've been sorted into a house, roughly 5 to 11: broomstick training where Harry's first flying lesson was filmed, a dragon hunt, dressing up. Bamburgh is the one for toddlers, dogs, sunshine and anyone visiting between late October and March, because it sits on a rock above one of the best beaches in the country (I will not be taking questions on this) and it stays open.
Prices for 2026, side by side
All from each castle's own website on the day we checked. Under 5s are free at both, and both car parks are card and contactless only.
- Alnwick Castle, booked online: adult £22, child (5 to 16) £11.60, family (2 adults and up to 4 children) £64.20, one-adult family £43.10, concession £17.90.
- Alnwick Castle, at the gate: adult £24.45, child £12.90, family £71.35. Same castle, about 10% more, for the privilege of queueing.
- Alnwick parking: £3.75 a day from 9am in the car park it shares with The Alnwick Garden.
- Bamburgh Castle until 8 November 2026: adult £19.95, child (5 to 16) £10, family (2 adults and up to 3 children) £58.50.
- Bamburgh Castle from 14 November 2026: adult £21, child £10.50, family £61.50.
- Bamburgh parking: £6 a car for the day in the castle car park, on top of the ticket.
So for two adults and two children, Alnwick comes to £67.95 with parking if you book online, and Bamburgh comes to £64.50. That's a coffee and a bit. It flips with four kids: Alnwick's family ticket covers four children and Bamburgh's covers three, so the fourth costs another £10 at Bamburgh (£74.50 all in, against £67.95).
What actually tips the money argument is Alnwick's online ticket, which works as a season pass for 12 months from your first visit. Come up every summer and next year's trip is free. Bamburgh's £6 parking is better value than it looks, too: the council's Links Road car park in the village was £10.50 for the day in summer 2025 (per the Northumberland Gazette), and the castle says its £6 covers the beach and village as well.
What kids actually do at Alnwick Castle
Alnwick is still the Duke of Northumberland's family home, the second largest inhabited castle in England after Windsor, and the Percys have had it since the Middle Ages. Nobody under 12 cares about any of that. They care that it's Hogwarts. Scenes from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone were filmed here in 2000, and the crew came back for the Chamber of Secrets. The family stuff leans into it:
- Broomstick Training: included with entry, but you need a free time-slot ticket, first come first served when you arrive. Lessons run through the day, weather permitting. Get your slot before you do anything else, including the toilets.
- Dragon Quest, in the Artisans Courtyard: included, recommended for ages 5 to 12, with a mirror maze, a fiery bridge and hidden dragons.
- The Artisans Courtyard itself: activities change daily and include dressing up in costume, wand making and traditional games.
- Have-a-go archery: £6 for eight arrows, card only, about 20 minutes, and it's for ages 11 and up. If you've got a nine year old and a twelve year old, plan the row now.
- Indoors: the State Rooms (10.30am to 4.30pm), the Great Kitchen, and the Fusiliers Museum in the Abbot's Tower from 11am.
Alnwick Castle
The State Rooms are the grown-up bit, the Great Kitchen is where kids ask what everything's for, and the grounds are where the day actually happens. The castle says allow at least two to three hours; with broomsticks, Dragon Quest and lunch, most families will be there until mid-afternoon.
Food: the Courtyard Cafe and the Pizzeria and Ice Cream Parlour (Morwick Dairy ice cream, an argument all by itself) are open 10am to 4pm, the Armoury Takeaway opens in school holidays, and picnics are allowed in the grounds. Accessible toilets are between the Courtyard Cafe and the Pizzeria.
Pushchairs are allowed, but access is limited: cobbles, gravel and stairs, and prams stay outside the State Rooms and the Great Kitchen. The shortest walk from the main car park is about 600 m, through The Alnwick Garden.
- Price
- Online: adult £22, child £11.60, family £64.20; under 5s free
- Parking
- £3.75 a day, shared with The Alnwick Garden, card only
- Buggy access
- Partial: cobbles and stairs; prams left outside the State Rooms
- Toilets
- Accessible toilets between the Courtyard Cafe and the Pizzeria
- Dogs
- Assistance dogs only
- Hours
- Grounds 10am to 5pm, last entry 3.45pm
- Check first
- 2026 season ends 22 October (FAQ page) or 20 October (visit page)
Alnwick Castle guide History, filming and what's on at Alnwick Castle this season. →
What kids actually do at Bamburgh Castle
Bamburgh hasn't got a boy wizard. It's got an older story, which works on the child who keeps asking whether something was real. This rock was a royal seat of the Anglo-Saxon kings of Northumbria, named Bebbanburh after a queen called Bebba. In 1464 it became the first British castle to be taken by gunfire. William Armstrong, the Victorian industrialist, bought it in 1894 and finished restoring it in 1905, and his family still own it. Teenagers who watched The Last Kingdom will know it as Bebbanburg, Uhtred's home.
- The Keep: the oldest part still standing, with walls 11 feet thick at the front and an armoury of pikes, halberds and crossbows inside.
- The Armstrong and Aviation Museum: Armstrong's story plus aviation artefacts from both world wars. Good for the child who draws aeroplanes on everything.
- The Archaeology Museum: finds from the site, including the gold Bamburgh Beast and a rare pattern-welded sword.
- Nine acres of grounds, with archaeological digs, medieval games and cannons on the Battery Terrace.
- The King's Hall, whose ceiling is teak from Thailand, a fact your nine year old will repeat at school.
- Until 1 November 2026, The Last Kingdom props and costume display and the Tails and Tales sculpture trail.
It's less structured than Alnwick, with no timed activity to queue for. My honest read: 5 to 8 year olds love the cannons and the armoury and get fidgety in the State Rooms, and anyone 9 and up gets more out of Bamburgh than Alnwick, because there's more real stuff to look at.
Bamburgh Castle
Then there's the beach. The castle sits right above Bamburgh beach and says its £6 all-day parking covers the beach and village too, so the plan writes itself: castle in the morning, sandwiches, then sandcastles until somebody goes in the sea up to their knees. Allow two to three hours inside the walls.
Food is the Clock Tower Cafe (sandwiches, soups, bakes and homemade cakes) and the Tack Room takeaway. Toilets, lockers, a dog-friendly area and the Victorian Stables Bar are in the old stables in the East Ward.
Buggies are the catch: prams and pushchairs aren't allowed in the State Rooms, so bring a carrier (the castle lends Hippy Chick hip seats). Its access information lists a free shuttle buggy from the car park if the climb up the rock is a problem.
- Price
- Until 8 November: adult £19.95, child £10, family £58.50; under 5s free
- Parking
- £6 a day in the castle car park, card only
- Buggy access
- No pushchairs in the State Rooms; bring a carrier
- Toilets
- In the Victorian Stables, East Ward
- Dogs
- Yes on a lead in the grounds; not in the State Rooms, Clock Tower Cafe or aviation museum
- Hours
- 10am to 5pm, last entry 4pm
- Check first
- Closed 9 to 13 November 2026; weekends only 4 January to 12 February 2027
Toddlers do not care about Hogwarts. Toddlers care about sand. Plan accordingly.
Last entry and wheelchair access
- Last entry: 3.45pm at Alnwick, 4pm at Bamburgh. Rock up at Alnwick after lunch and you're rushing.
- Wheelchairs: at Alnwick, seven steps lead to a one-person lift in the State Rooms that can't take a wheelchair. Bamburgh says the first five rooms of its State Room tour, including the King's Hall, are accessible.
Autumn and winter 2026: where Alnwick loses
Alnwick Castle is seasonal, and its own website can't agree on when the 2026 season ends: the FAQ page says it closes on 22 October 2026, the Plan Your Visit page says the season runs until 20 October. Plan for the earlier one. Either way it shuts before Northumberland's October half term (Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November), so please don't promise anyone Hogwarts that week. The 2027 opening date hasn't been published yet.
Before it closes, the castle's what's on page lists a few October extras:
- Newcastle Garrison cannon firing, 3 and 4 October, hourly from 11am.
- Tastes Through Time, a Victorian kitchen day, 10 and 11 October, 10.30am to 4.30pm.
- Heritage Craft Day on 17 October, with Northumbrian pipes on 17 and 18 October.
- Tom Fool the jester, 18 to 20 October, shows at 11am, 1pm and 3pm.
Bamburgh stays open, just not every single day. It's daily until 8 November, shut from 9 to 13 November while the Christmas displays go in, open daily from 14 November to 3 January except Christmas Day and Boxing Day, then weekends only from 4 January to 12 February 2027, and back to every day from 13 February. Prices go up slightly on 14 November.
Gory Stories and Halloween crafts at Bamburgh Castle
Half term at Bamburgh has Gory Stories in the Keep Hall on 24, 25, 30 and 31 October at 11.15am and 2.15pm, included with a normal ticket. The castle warns that some tales may be too much for younger or more sensitive children, so maybe not the four year old who still needs the landing light on.
There are also Halloween crafts for kids on 24, 25 and 31 October and 1 November, 11am to 3pm.
- Price
- Gory Stories included with castle admission
- Parking
- £6 a day in the castle car park
- Buggy access
- The Keep Hall is up steps
- Check first
- Times on the event page; parental discretion advised
A Christmas Carousel at Bamburgh Castle
From 14 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 the State Rooms are dressed with displays inspired by Christmas songs and carols, open 10am to 4pm, and it's included with general admission. The castle is closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
The Father Christmas Experience runs from 28 November to 22 December at £19.95 per child on top of castle admission. Spaces are limited, so look now rather than in December.
- Price
- Included with admission (adult £21, child £10.50 from 14 November)
- Parking
- £6 a day in the castle car park
- Buggy access
- No pushchairs in the State Rooms
- Check first
- Closed 25 and 26 December; Father Christmas slots are limited
Bamburgh Castle guide History, parking and winter opening at Bamburgh Castle. →
Making a day of it: The Alnwick Garden, or the beach and Seahouses
Neither castle needs to be the whole day. Alnwick's add-on is next door and costs money. Bamburgh's is mostly sand and costs nothing.
The Alnwick Garden and Lilidorei
The Alnwick Garden is next door to the castle and shares its car park, and the garden-only ticket is a decent family deal: an adult pays £17.90 (£19.70 with Gift Aid) and up to four children get in free. Lilidorei, the giant play village inside, is extra: a combined ticket is £20.30 to £22.35 for adults and £16.65 to £18.35 for children aged 3 to 16.
This autumn the Pumpkin Garden runs from 10 October to 1 November, included with garden entry, and Spookydorei Days run at Lilidorei over the same dates. The garden is open daily until 1 November, then Thursday to Sunday only until 18 December, with Winter Lights evenings from 20 November. It's open when the castle isn't, so in half term it's your Alnwick consolation prize.
- Price
- Garden only: adult £17.90, up to four children free
- Parking
- £3.75 a day, shared with the castle, card only
- Toilets
- In The Pavilion
- Check first
- Thursday to Sunday only from 2 November 2026; weekends only 4 January to 7 February 2027
At Bamburgh the beach is the add-on, free once you've parked. For a wet hour, there's a museum in the village.
RNLI Grace Darling Museum
On Radcliffe Road, opposite St Aidan's church, the RNLI's Grace Darling Museum is free and has the actual coble boat used in her famous rescue and a model of the Longstone lighthouse. It's run with volunteers: the RNLI lists it as open Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm with last entry at 3.30pm, and posts weekend hours on its Facebook page. Allow anything from twenty minutes to an hour, depending on how many questions your seven year old has about shipwrecks.
- Price
- Free
- Parking
- Links Road car park or Glebe Field
- Toilets
- None on site; public toilets on Church Street
- Dogs
- Assistance dogs only; seating outside
- Check first
- Weekend opening varies, so check the museum's Facebook page
Seahouses is about three miles down the coast road from Bamburgh, and it's where the Farne Islands boats leave from. In the autumn that's the best thing to bolt onto a Bamburgh day, because the National Trust says around 3,000 grey seal pups are born on the Farnes each autumn.
Serenity Grey Seals and Seabird Cruise
Serenity's Grey Seals and Seabird Cruise sails from Seahouses Harbour through the year. It takes about an hour and a half, goes round the islands without landing, and costs £22 for adults, £17 for children aged 15 and under, and nothing for under 5s. Well behaved dogs are allowed on board.
Arrive 30 minutes before you sail to collect your boarding pass. Wrap up, because it's cold out there even when the harbour feels fine.
- Price
- Adult £22, child (15 and under) £17, under 5s free
- Parking
- Station Yard car park, Seahouses: first hour free, £10.50 all day in summer 2025
- Buggy access
- Ask when booking; wheelchair access is at high tide only
- Check first
- Sailing times on the booking page; arrive 30 minutes early
Farne Islands boat trips Which Farne Islands boat to pick, and when. →
Can you do both castles in one day? Technically, yes: they're about half an hour apart and both open at 10am. With children under ten I wouldn't. You'd rush both, and Alnwick's last entry is 3.45pm. Do them on different days and spend the rest of the week being told you're the worst.
Alnwick Castle or Bamburgh Castle: the verdict by age and weather
- Under 5s: Bamburgh. They're free at both, they won't care about wizards, and there's a beach at the bottom of the rock.
- 5 to 8: Alnwick, if it's open. Broomsticks, Dragon Quest and dressing up are aimed squarely at them. Out of season, Bamburgh, but think twice about Gory Stories with the sensitive ones.
- 9 to 12: a toss-up. Harry Potter fans go to Alnwick, where over 11s can try archery. Kids into weapons, planes or Vikings get more from Bamburgh.
- Teenagers: Bamburgh, then chips in Seahouses. A teenager who has gone off Harry Potter will need bribing at Alnwick.
- Hot sunny day: Bamburgh, obviously. Castle, beach, then an argument about sand in the car.
- Drizzle: slight edge to Bamburgh, because more of it is indoors (the keep, two museums, the State Rooms), while Alnwick's broomsticks and archery run weather permitting.
- Proper North Sea wind: Alnwick. Bamburgh is on a rock facing the sea, and the wind up there has opinions.
- Late October to March: Bamburgh, because Alnwick is shut.
- With a dog: Bamburgh. Alnwick only takes assistance dogs.
- Big family: Alnwick. The family ticket covers four children, and the online ticket gets you back in for a year.
What would I do with our two, who are 6 and 7? Alnwick in the summer holidays for the broomsticks, booked online so we could go back the following year for nothing, and Bamburgh on the next sunny day with the buckets and spades. In October half term it isn't even a decision: Bamburgh, Gory Stories at 11.15, then the seal boat from Seahouses and something fried on the way home.
All Northumberland castles Every castle in the county, and which open in winter. →
See what's on in The Northumbrian AlmanacGet the next edition free
Free, two short emails a week, and you choose which. Read the latest one first.
- Friday, 7am: the weather call, one proper day out and every family event that weekend, checked with the organiser.
- Sunday, 6pm: the grown-up edition, with a walk of the week and what's worth booking.
- Every week: Holy Island crossing times, new guides and what's on at half term.
No spam, no ads. Unsubscribe from any email with one click. Privacy
Questions people ask
Which is better Alnwick Castle or Bamburgh Castle?
Alnwick Castle for children aged about 5 to 11 while it's open, because broomstick training and Dragon Quest are included in the ticket. Bamburgh Castle for toddlers, dogs, sunny days and any visit after Alnwick closes for winter in late October 2026.
How far is Alnwick from Bamburgh?
Alnwick Castle is about 18 miles from Bamburgh Castle by road, roughly half an hour's drive. Seahouses is about three miles further down the coast from Bamburgh.
How much is Bamburgh Castle to visit?
Until 8 November 2026 it's £19.95 for an adult, £10 for a child aged 5 to 16 and £58.50 for a family of two adults and up to three children, with under 5s free. From 14 November it's £21, £10.50 and £61.50, and parking is £6 a day on top.
How much does Alnwick Castle cost?
Booked online in 2026 it's £22 for an adult, £11.60 for a child aged 5 to 16 and £64.20 for a family of two adults and up to four children, with under 5s free. At the gate it's £24.45, £12.90 and £71.35, and parking is £3.75 a day.
Is Alnwick Castle open in December?
No. Alnwick Castle closes for the winter in late October (22 October 2026, according to its FAQ page) and hasn't published its 2027 opening date yet. The Alnwick Garden next door is open in December, with Winter Lights evenings from 20 November.
Is Bamburgh Castle open all year round?
Nearly. It opens in every month, but it's closed from 9 to 13 November 2026 and on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, and it's weekends only from 4 January to 12 February 2027.
Is Alnwick Castle dog friendly?
No, only assistance dogs are allowed at Alnwick Castle. Bamburgh Castle welcomes well behaved dogs on a lead in its grounds, and The Alnwick Garden runs Dog Days on Thursdays and Sundays until 15 November 2026.
Sources and further reading
Facts checked against 30 pages on Tuesday 29 September 2026. Opening times and prices change, so confirm with the venue.
Show the sources
- Alnwick Castle: opening times and ticket prices
- Alnwick Castle: FAQs (closing date, parking, dogs, pushchairs)
- Alnwick Castle: plan your visit
- Alnwick Castle: Broomstick Training
- Alnwick Castle: Have-a-go Archery
- Alnwick Castle: Artisans Courtyard and Dragon Quest
- Alnwick Castle: accessibility
- Alnwick Castle: food and drink
- Alnwick Castle: what's on
- Bamburgh Castle: visit us (opening, prices, parking, dogs, pushchairs)
- Bamburgh Castle: the castle (keep, museums, grounds)
- Bamburgh Castle: Gory Stories for Halloween
- Bamburgh Castle: Halloween crafts for kids
- Bamburgh Castle: The Last Kingdom props and costume display
- Bamburgh Castle: A Christmas Carousel
- Bamburgh Castle: Father Christmas Experience
- Bamburgh Parish Council: parking in Bamburgh
- Northumberland Gazette: summer 2025 parking charges on the Northumberland coast
- The Alnwick Garden: opening times and prices
- The Alnwick Garden: the Pumpkin Garden
- The Alnwick Garden: Spookydorei Days
- The Alnwick Garden: Dog Days
- The Alnwick Garden: Winter Lights
- RNLI Grace Darling Museum
- Serenity Farne Island Tours: Grey Seals and Seabird Cruise
- National Trust: seals on the Farne Islands
- Northumberland County Council: school term and holiday dates
- Wikipedia: Alnwick Castle
- Wikipedia: Bamburgh Castle
- OpenStreetMap routing (OSRM): Alnwick Castle to Bamburgh Castle by road
