Carlow is packed with brilliant options for a family day out, from historic castles and beautiful gardens to farms, museums and indoor adventure centres. Whether you’re looking for a rainy-day activity or a sunny picnic spot, there’s plenty to keep the kids entertained. Here’s our Mykidstime Top 10 things to do with kids in Carlow, in no particular order!
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Family-Friendly Things To Do in Carlow
#1. Visual Centre for Contemporary Art
Spend a few hours exploring the Visual Centre for Contemporary Art in Graigue, Carlow, one of Ireland’s leading contemporary art spaces. It’s a genuinely child-friendly spot, with activity sheets available free at reception featuring facts about the artists and fun questions for kids to think about as they explore.
Keep an eye out for seasonal family workshops, such as parent-and-toddler art classes or plays for under-12s. There’s also a drop-in Make and Do table where children can draw and create to their heart’s content.
#2. Carlow Gardens & Parks
Carlow is home to some truly lovely gardens and parks — perfect for a family stroll, a picnic, or simply letting the kids run around outdoors.
#### Oak Park
Situated on the outskirts of town, Oak Park forest park is a great spot for a family day out. Colour-coded walkways of varying lengths make it easy to choose a route that suits your family, and there’s a lake where you can spot swans and ducks. The park also has an outdoor picnic area, a bird-watching area and toilets.
#### Altamont Gardens
Altamont Gardens is recognised as one of the most beautiful gardens in Ireland, with lovely riverside walks. Highlights include an Arboretum, a Bog Garden and an Ice Age Glen, plus a walled garden that’s well worth a visit and a little tea garden. There are toilets and outdoor picnic tables on site, and guided tours are available.
#### Duckett’s Grove
At Duckett’s Grove, you can wander the grounds and see the striking ruins of the surviving towers and turrets of the house and walled garden. The walled gardens have been restored, and there’s a small craft shop selling local products, along with a tea room, a large car park and toilets.
#### Delta Sensory Gardens
Located on the outskirts of Carlow Town, the Delta Sensory Gardens is a 2.5-acre site made up of 16 interconnecting gardens. Look out for the famous Kugal — a tonne of pink marble that floats on water. There’s also a garden centre, restaurant, café and craft shop on site. Kids will love the Games Garden, complete with a giant outdoor chess board, oversized jenga and picnic benches.
#3. Rancho Reilly’s Farm & Activity Centre
At Rancho Reilly’s Farm & Activity Centre in Graiguecullen, kids will have a brilliant time with the range of indoor and outdoor activities on offer. Say hello to the animals at the Pet Farm, where you can hold a bunny or hamster — or even a snake or bearded dragon, if you’re feeling brave!
The Outdoor Play Areas have swings, slides, a roundabout, sandpits and more, plus an obstacle course and forts. Kids can enjoy a donkey or pony ride, and there’s a Barrel Train that takes a short, bumpy trip around the farm. Plenty of picnic tables are dotted around too.
#4. Brownshill Dolmen
For a taste of prehistoric history, visit Brownshill Dolmen, a large granite megalithic portal tomb located to the east of Carlow town.
Its capstone weighs an estimated 100 tonnes and is said to be the heaviest in Europe. The dolmen is thought to date back between 4,900 and 5,500 years, and experts believe religious rites were once performed at the site. Set on Hacketstown Road among quiet meadows, it makes for a peaceful and fascinating family outing.
#5. Chocolate Garden & Rathwood
Channel your inner Willy Wonka at the Chocolate Garden in Tullow. Their chocolate workshops are fun, interactive and educational — kids get to try samples, see how different chocolate products are made, discover what a cocoa bean actually looks and smells like, and make and decorate their own chocolate figure to take home. There’s also a free play area with a slide tower, Wendy House and sandpit, plus a covered outdoor picnic area.
Afterwards, pop next door to Rathwood, which runs regular seasonal activities for kids. Take a trip on Rathwood’s Express Train through the woods and stop at the pond to feed the ducks, or tackle the Maze of Ireland. There’s also a great playground and a deer park with miniature ponies, goats, deer, geese and more.
#6. Huntington Castle & Dungeon
Take a guided tour of Huntington Castle & Dungeon in Huntington, the ancient seat of the Esmonde family and one of Ireland’s historical treasures. Explore the fascinating old house, wander the beautiful gardens and walk the famous yew walk. There’s a fantastic woodland adventure playground with swings, slides, play huts, monkey bars and balance beams. The castle also has a working farm, and kids will love spotting the potbellied pigs who wander freely around the grounds.
#7. Family Entertainment Centres
#### G2 Adventure Centre
G2 is a large indoor activity centre in the Strawhall Industrial Estate offering a huge variety of activities, including an indoor go-karting track, an indoor astroturf pitch for bubble soccer, a roller skating disco rink, tag archery, indoor wall climbing and a zipline.
#### The Dome Family Entertainment Centre
The Dome, located in the Talbot Hotel in Graiguecullen, is a great choice for kids’ activities. Their ‘Congo Quest’ is an 8,000 square foot jungle-themed soft play area with ball pools, crawl tubes, slides and a soccer court. Parents can grab a coffee or a light snack in the Congo Café upstairs. The centre also has a 10-pin bowling alley, a laser zone and electronic go-karts.
#8. Bagenalstown Outdoor Heated Swimming Pool
Cool off at Bagenalstown Outdoor Heated Swimming Pool in Dunleckney, Carlow. It typically operates over the summer months, with a 25m pool and a paddling pool. The pool offers swimming lessons, summer camps and water safety lessons throughout the season, along with events such as river races, swimming galas, fun days and a water safety festival.
#9. Carlow County Museum
Carlow County Museum, located on College Street in the Cultural Quarter of Carlow Town, is open all year round. Spanning four galleries, the museum holds a wide collection of items and artefacts from Carlow county. Look out for the original gallows trapdoor from Carlow Gaol, a fossilised squid estimated at 340 million years old, and items linked to Kevin Barry, the 18-year-old medical student executed for his role in the Irish War of Independence. Kids can take on the Carlow County Museum Detective Quiz while exploring, and guided tours are available.
#10. County Carlow Military Museum
Housed in a 19th-century church in Carlow Town, the County Carlow Military Museum has a fascinating collection of artefacts detailing the history of World War I, the War of Independence and more, including a military vehicle display, a WW1 trench and 1916 memorabilia.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best free things to do in Carlow with kids?
Several attractions in Carlow are free or low-cost, including Carlow County Museum, Brownshill Dolmen, and a walk around Oak Park. Many of the gardens also offer free access to their grounds, though some paid attractions may sit alongside them (like tea rooms or craft shops).
Is Carlow good for a family day out with young children?
Yes — Carlow has a great mix of gentle outdoor spaces (like Oak Park and Altamont Gardens), hands-on farm experiences (Rancho Reilly’s), and indoor play options (The Dome, G2 Adventure Centre), making it easy to plan a day that suits younger children.
What indoor activities are available in Carlow for a rainy day?
The Dome Family Entertainment Centre and G2 Adventure Centre both offer excellent indoor options, from soft play and bowling to go-karting and climbing walls — ideal if the weather turns.
Are there castles to visit in Carlow with kids?
Yes, Huntington Castle & Dungeon is a popular choice, with guided tours, gardens, a woodland playground and a working farm with friendly pigs.
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- Family-Friendly Castles to Visit Around Ireland
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Save This for Your Next Family Day Out
Planning a trip to Carlow? Bookmark this guide so you have it handy when you’re deciding what to do next, and browse our other Ireland adventure guides for more family day-out ideas.
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