Hampton Court Palace is a Grade I listed royal palace and former home of Henry VIII. It's managed by Historic Royal Palaces, a charity set up to preserve several unoccupied royal palaces. It's located in the beautiful London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, which is in London Travelcard Zone 6, meaning you can use an Oyster card or contactless bank card to tap in and out at the train station. I visited with my husband and two sons Odhran, 9, and Reuben 6, on a sunny Saturday at the end of May. It's so close and easily accessible from central London but it feels a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of the city. As we explored the historic site and stunning gardens, I had a relaxed feeling, reminiscent of visits to the Cotswolds. A trip to Hampton Court Palace is more than a day out. It feels like a mini-break - a chance to peacefully explore, while taking a rest from hectic London living.
Why Hampton Court Palace is the perfect day out with kids...
The history
There comes a school age when most kids will be intrigued by Henry VIII and the gruesome aspects of his life. 'Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived' is a well recited mnemonic referring to the fates of his six wives. Odhran is a fan of Horrible Histories and intrigued by those Terrible Tudors, so a visit to Hampton Court Palace was a great way to connect his learning with the physical history of the times. Reuben listened wide-eyed to the audio guide tale of Catherine Howard, Henry VIII's fifth wife, who is said to haunt gallery in the Palace. Legend has it that after being arrested for adultery and treason, she escaped her guards, and ran through the gallery, pleading for her life.
The boys enjoyed sitting like kings at the top table in the Great Hall, adorned with 500 year old tapestries. On special occasions, the Great Hall was used for plays and dances. As a fan of Shakespeare, Odhran was interested to hear how James I's court spent the Christmas of 1603 at Hampton Court to escape the outbreak of a plague in London, and during the festive celebrations, William Shakespeare and his company of players performed A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Great Hall.
There's also the stunningly ornate Chapel Royal, which has a rich musical history and has witnessed significant historical events. Productions such as Bridgerton and even Pirates of the Caribbean have been filmed at Hampton Court Palace. But as a fan of Wolf Hall, I loved sitting round the table in the Council Chamber - the room of power and politics where Henry and his Privy Council made some of the biggest decisions in English history. It was fascinating to sit and imagine the scheming and skulduggery of the times.
We also loved stepping back in time to see how the more lowly staff lived during these times, and wandering through the labyrinth of kitchen spaces. There were demonstrations taking place showing the old-fashioned methods of using natural products to remove all kinds of stains from clothing.
The gardens
If you enjoying roaming around beautiful gardens, then that's reason alone to visit Hampton Court Palace. You can picnic in the Great Fountain Garden and we saw a family having a small birthday celebration for their child. It's a beautiful, relaxing, space to stroll around or sit in the sunshine. There's also the Privy Garden, Rose Garden, Royal Kitchen Garden, Pond Gardens, the Great Vine, and the Wilderness. It's not very big, but you will also want to visit Hampton Court's famous maze, which is the UK's oldest surviving hedge maze.
The Magic Garden
Let's be honest, this is the jewel in the crown for kids visiting Hampton Court Palace, and a place where their imaginations can run wild. There's a giant dragon, colourful towers to climb, and connecting bridges. There are water pumps, fountains to splash in, and sand. Alongside, Lilidorei at The Alnwick Garden, and Blenheim Palace Adventure Play, this is one of the best playgrounds we've visited. The boys loved it and didn't want to leave when their time was up. We arrived at 3.10pm and had a time slot until 4.30pm. We were given a coloured wristband and you must leave when your colour is called. What's also great about the Magic Garden is that it's been carefully designed with families in mind and has all the practical elements - there are toilets and baby changing facilities, a shop selling drinks and snacks, and a fountain to fill your water bottle.
Kid-friendly events
Hampton Court Palace hosts many exciting events throughout the year. But for kids this summer, you can look forward to Henry VIII's Joust this weekend (19-20 July), and little ones can hop along on a magical garden trail as part of The Peter Rabbit Adventure from 25 July to 7 September.
How much time will you spend at Hampton Court Palace?
Over the summer holidays Hampton Court Palace and Gardens is open every day from 10am to 5.30pm. The Magic Garden is open 10am to 6pm during the summer holidays but last entry is at 5.15pm. You'll need at least three hours at Hampton Court Palace, but we suggest making a full day of it.
What about food and drink?
At the Privy Kitchen Café my husband enjoyed a delicious frittata with slaw, potatoes and carrots, at a cost of £13. I wasn't so hungry and ate a blueberry muffin with a cup of tea, at a total cost of £6.50. The boys had the children's meal deal - this consists of a sandwich (ham or cheese), a snack, crisps, and a carton of juice for £7.50. There's also the Tiltyard Café with soup, sandwiches and hot meals. And when we visited there were food vans in the Great Foundation Garden selling
BBQ foods such as pulled pork burger for £12.50, with vegan options also available, and sweet and savoury crepes starting from £7. The boys were happy to see an ice-cream stall.
How to get to Hampton Court Place
Hampton Court train station is a five-minute walk from the Palace. National Rail train services run from London Waterloo every 30 minutes , calling at Vauxhall, Clapham Junction, Earlsfield, Wimbledon, Raynes Park, New Maldon, Berrylands, Surbiton, Thames Ditton and Hampton Court. Trains returning to London Waterloo depart Hampton Court at regular times - Monday to Saturday: 24 and 54 minutes past the hour - Sunday: 05 and 35 minutes past the hour.
If you're travelling by bus from Kingston, you can jump on the 111, 216, 411, 461, and 513. Or from Richmond, you can catch the R68.
There is a very limited amount of parking at Hampton Court Palace, at a price of £1.80 per hour. It's also possible to travel there by boat!
Tips for visiting Hampton Court Palace with Kids
• Grab a guide - You're given a map at the entrance, which is handy for planning your visit and finding your way around. Head straight to the gift shop where you can pick up your free audio guide. But don't do what I did and hit play without scrolling down to discover there's a special guided tour designed for kids with a young character talking them through everything in a more entertaining and age-appropriate manner.
• Check timings - Certain parts of the attraction may close earlier. For example, the maze closes as 4pm. And on our visit, the Magic Garden has a last entry time of 5.15pm
• Don't forget swimwear - While I was aware of Hampton Court's fantastic Magic Garden playground, I didn't realise it had sand and water pumps and fountains for the kids to splash in. So the boys ended up playing in their pants and going commando for the rest of the day!
• Stay sun safe - The Magic Garden is a bit of a sun trap. So, be sure to pack sun cream and maybe a sun hat for the kids. There's a drinking fountain to fill up your water bottle and make sure the kids stay well hydrated.
• Pack a bucket and spade - When we visited, lots of kids were joining together to make a river through the sand. Some were pumping water, while others were digging a route for the water to make its way from one end to the other. Reuben wanted to join in by filling a section with water, but as we had no bucket I ended up giving him my water bottle.
• Check out the horses - If you want to do something a bit different on your day out, you could take a shire horse carriage ride, which will take you on a 15 mile journey around the gardens. This doesn't need to be pre-booked, so you can decide to do it on the day. It costs £5 per person.
How much does a visit to Hampton Court Palace cost?
You can book tickets in advance online of on the day at the ticket office. Prices vary depending on whether it's peak or off peak. Peak time is weekends and bank holidays. Your ticket includes access to the place, courtyards, gardens, maze, and the Magic Garden. Adult ticket costs £28.00 off-peak, £30.90 peak. A child's ticket and a young person's ticket (16-17 years) costs £14 off-peak, £15.50 peak, under 5s go free. A senior, disabled concession and student ticket costs £22.50 off-peak and £24.70 peak. Hampton Court Palace offers £1 tickets for those on benefits. Find out more on their website.
On select days you can visit Hampton Court Palace Gardens for free. This is part of Open Garden Days, which this year will take place on 13-14 September, 18-19 October, 22-23 November, and 26 December (The Wilderness Garden only). You'll be able to visit the Great Fountain Garden, the Privy Garden, the Kitchen Garden, the Pond Garden, and the Lower Orangery and Terrace, free of charge on these dates. Entrance to the Palace, the maze, and the Magic Garden still requires a ticket. Check the website closer to the dates for further info.