Wondering what’s on over the summer holidays for families? Check out our What’s On guide.
Bowness-on-Windermere is one of the most well-known and popular places to visit in the Lake District, and it’s easy to see why. Sitting on the shores of Windermere, England’s largest lake, this bustling tourist hub offers plenty for families both on, around, and overlooking the water.
One thing that often causes confusion is the difference between Bowness-on-Windermere and Windermere. While many visitors use the names interchangeably, Bowness is the lakeside town where you’ll find boat trips and many of the main attractions, whilst Windermere sits just uphill and acts more as the main town, with shops, cafés, accommodation, and transport connections.
This guide covers family-friendly things to do in both Bowness and Windermere, along with a few nearby spots that are well worth adding to the itinerary.
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When planning your visit to the National Park, please arrive early or late in the day to avoid crowds if visiting over sunny weekends or school holidays. Please also take all litter home with you, don’t bring BBQs, and park your car in designated parking areas.
1. The World of Beatrix Potter
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One of the Lake District’s best-loved family attractions, The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction brings Peter Rabbit and friends to life through immersive displays and interactive exhibits. It’s a must-visit for families familiar with the books, TV adaptations, or recent Peter Rabbit films, with beautifully recreated scenes from the much-loved stories and plenty to discover about Beatrix Potter’s connection to the Lake District. Located in the heart of Bowness, it also makes an excellent indoor option on a rainy day. Allow around an hour for your visit, or longer if stopping at the café afterwards.
2. Ride the ferry to Far Sawrey
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Catch the ferry from Bowness Ferry Nab across to Far Sawrey. Ferries run roughly every 20 minutes throughout the day, with the crossing taking around 10 minutes. A pedestrian ticket costs just £1.50 each way, and the ferry can also carry bikes, mopeds, horses, and up to 15 vehicles, with space for around 100 passengers. There is no set timetable, journeys cannot be pre-booked, and return crossings are not guaranteed.
Once you’re across the lake, take the short walk up to Claife Viewing Station for views back across Windermere, stop for a bite to eat at Joey’s Café, then enjoy a waterside stroll north with lake views the whole way (keeping the lake on your right). For families happy with a longer walk, it’s around an hour uphill to the postcard-perfect village of Far Sawrey, where you’ll find The Cuckoo Brow Inn (with a kids’ menu) for a refuel, followed by another 20-minute flat walk to Hill Top, the former home of Beatrix Potter.
Taking bikes on the ferry? There’s also an excellent easy-going lakeside cycle route to Wray Castle, around 4 miles each way.
3. Cruise the lake
One of the best ways to experience Windermere is from the water. Windermere Lake Cruises operates regular cruises from Bowness-on-Windermere, with routes connecting different points around the lake, including Ambleside, Lakeside, and Brockhole.
Families can simply enjoy a scenic round trip, or use the boats to hop off and explore along the way.
A lovely family option is to cruise north to Waterhead in Ambleside, then stop for lunch at the lakeside café at YHA Ambleside, one of the most scenic hostel settings in the country. From the nearby jetty, families can also catch the little electric shuttle into Ambleside town centre for more shops and cafés.
Another excellent stop-off is Brockhole on Windermere, home to one of the area’s best adventure playgrounds, beautiful lakeside grounds, and plenty of space for children to run around.
4. Windermere Jetty Museum
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Windermere Jetty Museum explores the Lake District’s boating history through beautifully restored steam and motor boats, with indoor exhibition spaces that make it a strong rainy-day option near Bowness-on-Windermere.
It tends to suit older children best, who enjoy reading displays and discovering “lake treasures” in drawers, while younger ones have a dedicated hands-on room with toys and dressing-up clothes. Parents get a bonus lakeside view from here too. The café is a highlight, especially for hot chocolate with a view. The real draw, though, is the year-round programme of events and festivals that keep families coming back.
5. Take the bikes to Windermere Pump Track
Windermere pump track (located here) is popular with children of all different ages. It’s small but challenging enough to keep older kids interested and perfect for young children too. Perfect if you don’t want a big bike ride day but the kids still want to get out on their bikes.
6. Visit the park and jetty at Millerground
A few minutes’ drive north of Bowness-on-Windermere, Millerground is a hugely popular family spot, and it’s easy to see why. With parking, a playground, lake access, and sometimes a visiting coffee van, it’s an easy win and one of our favourite free activities in the Lake District.
Parking is at Rayrigg Meadow Car Park on Rayrigg Road, a pay-and-display car park with toilets open during the summer months. From here, a short walk leads across a large open field to a decent-sized playground, where the coffee van will be on popular days. Then from the park, steps lead down to the jetties at Millerground. This is where you’ll find a stone ‘beach’ popular for wild swimming, launching kayaks and paddleboards, or simply setting up for a picnic and skimming stones.
7. Hire an electric boat
On Windermere, families can hire everything from rowing boats to larger cruisers, but electric boats are a particularly fun and easy option for a family adventure on the water. Windermere Aquatic is a popular choice, offering hire for 1-4 hours with no boat licence required. Boats are suitable for all ages, but drivers must be 16 or over, making it a simple and flexible way to explore the lake at your own pace.
8. Brockhole on Windermere
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Brockhole on Windermere is one of the Lake District’s top family attractions, set in beautiful lakeside grounds with plenty to keep all ages entertained. Activities include an adventure playground, mini golf, archery, boat hire, woodland trails, and seasonal events. It’s free to enter and walk around the ground, but you need to pay for the activities (although the superb adventure playground is free).
It is also home to Zip World, where families can take on treetop nets suspended high in the trees, rope courses, and zip lines. The treetop nets are suitable for ages 2+, while older kids can tackle more challenging aerial adventures.
With cafés, picnic areas, and wide open spaces, Brockhole works well as a full-day destination. It is also a stop on some lake cruises, making it easy to combine with time on the water.
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