Keswick is a great holiday destination for all the family, with things to do for people of all ages and stunning natural landscapes to explore. Whether you choose to stay in the town centre and head to one of Keswick’s parks or learn something new at a museum, or if you want to venture further afield to enjoy outdoor activities or spend a day at a wildlife park, we’ve come up with five fun family days out in and around Keswick.

We can’t think of a better way to spend a day than heading down towards beautiful Derwentwater and stopping off at Hope Park along the way. Hope Park is home to some classic park games, including crazy golf, pitch and putt, remote controlled boats, and a boules pit. There’s also a woodland walk to explore - why not take a look at the bird hide and see how many different types of bird you can spot? With the Hope Café nearby, this is also a perfect place to sit back and enjoy lunch or a picnic before continuing your day and heading down towards the lake.

There’s plenty of things to do around Derwentwater: kids love to paddle in the shallows and feed the ducks and there are some great walks which you can do around the lakeshore, like heading down to Friar’s Crag. If you want to get out on the water, you can board the Keswick Launch for fantastic views as you cruise across the lake. Or, if you’re feeling really adventurous, why not visit Derwent Water Marina and try your hand at some watersports? They offer hire and tuition across a variety of water sports, including canoeing, kayaking, sailing, power boating and more. This is a great way to spend a day by the lake and you don’t have to venture too far from the town centre.

2. Have a Day Out at the Lake District Wildlife Park

The Lake District Wildlife Park is just ten minutes from Keswick, set in a stunning landscape and full of amazing animals! There are over 100 species at this 24-acre wildlife park, including zebra, meerkats, Eurasian lynx, red pandas, and more. You can listen to keeper talks, where they’ll explain more about all your favourite animals, or attend one of the many presentations which are held throughout the day, including meet the meerkats, reptile encounters, tapir talks, and bird of prey displays.

There are also indoor and outdoor play areas, a gift shop and café, and a picnic area to enjoy during the warmer weather. For a truly unforgettable day out, you could book an Animal Experience - you can talk an alpaca for a walk, fly an eagle, feed the meerkats, or even become an apprentice keeper for the day! This is a really fantastic day out for all the family and one you won’t forget.

A little further afield from Keswick, the Rheged Centre near Penrith is well worth a visit. Home to the largest 3D cinema screen in the northwest, the cinema regularly shows popular kids’ films and also has an indoor play area.  The soft play area has a ball pool, slides and tunnels, and a climbing slope. There are also plenty of activities for children to take part in, with pottery painting a firm favourite, as well as regular creative workshops held by local experts ranging from animation to baking, and children’s events held throughout the year.

There’s plenty for adults to do at Rheged too; their arts programme includes fairs, exhibitions, talks, workshops, and shows. They also have fantastic shops, with products from local suppliers as well as bigger brands, ranging from art materials to beauty, clothing, and outdoor accessories. Visit the Food Hall for fantastic locally sourced food. There’s also a brilliant range of handpicked beers, wines and spirits, as well as ceramics and kitchenware, which make a great gift for friends and family members back at home.

A short drive from Keswick Rookin House offers an unrivalled variety of outdoor activities for families with Blencathra providing a fantastic mountain backdrop. There's a varied and challeninging assault course, a family fishing pond, as well as the Lake District's only indoor rally cross circuit for go karts. Enjoy the Lakeland countryside from the back of a horse or try the argo cat , an amphibious all terrain vehice. Regardless of the weather, archery can be enjoyed as it is available both indoors and out.

Keswick is packed full of cafés, shops, and lots of exciting things to do, so you don’t need to leave town to have a great day out.

Derwent Pencil Museum is just a short walk from the town centre, where you can learn more about the discovery of graphite at Seathwaite mine, the pencil making industry in Keswick, and how pencils were used in WW2 to hide secret messages. Kids love entering the museum through a replica mine and taking part in the quiz as they move through the museum. At the end of the museum is a fantastic art supply gift shop, with colouring books and Derwent pencils. There’s also a café serving tea, coffee, and delicious cakes.

Puzzling Place is a really fun attraction based around optical illusions - expect the unexpected! Puzzling Place features a gallery of holograms, a mind-boggling “Anti-Gravity” room, and interactive exhibits like the Ames Room, where you can make yourself look either tiny or gigantic. There’s also a puzzle area, where you can have a go at a range of puzzles and brainteasers, as well as the puzzle shop, with a range of wacky gifts for the perfect momento.

A trip to Keswick Alhambra Cinema is a must when visiting Keswick. This old-school cinema has been running for over 100 years, showing the latest film releases in a classic and comfortable picturehouse environment. Treat yourself to free tea and coffee, or a range of sweet and savoury treats to enjoy during your film. Open seven days a week, a visit to Keswick Alhambra is the perfect way to spend a rainy day, or to wind down after a long day of adventure.

Fitz Park is just a few minutes walk from the town centre beside the river Greta. The fantastic play area includes equipment for children of all ages. For the little ones don't forget the buckest and spades as there is plenty of sand to dig in. There are wide open spaces for ball games aswell as a multi-use games area and a BMX track.

We hope that our five family fun days out have given you some inspiration for your trip to Keswick. Don’t forget to Like our Facebook page to keep up to date with everything that’s going on in Keswick, and to be in with a chance to be featured in one of our campaigns!