Walby Farm Park
Cumbria's big family farm park: animal handling, giant jumping pillows, pedal go-karts and an indoor play barn big enough to lose a wet afternoon in. The far-north option when you are up that way.
Wee Rascalz Adventure World
Carlisle, Cumbria
Carlisle's smaller, family-run soft play, and it leans into that. The theme is jungle, the under 3s get their own area with mirrors, liquid floor tiles, jigsaws and soft shapes for building, and there is a more adventurous frame for older children. It was voted best party or entertainment provider in the Cumbria Baby and Children's Business Awards 2026.
The cafe menu goes further than most soft plays bother to: toasties, soup, burgers, nachos and hot dogs, homemade traybakes and brownies, and Rijo42 coffee. Parking is free. The one real catch is the clock, because at weekends it closes at 2.45pm, which suits toddlers and their naps rather better than it suits school-age children.
What it costs: General admission prices are not published on the website. Parties from £5.50 a child.
Know before you go
- Weekend hours are 9.30am to 2.45pm, so a Saturday afternoon plan will not work here. Weekdays run to 4.30pm.
- The cafe does gluten free, vegan and dairy free options, which is not a given at soft play.
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What visitors say
★★★★★ 4.4 across 211 Google reviews.
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Carlisle Castle
A working border fortress for 900 years, not a fairytale castle: a squat red keep full of prisoners' carvings, ramparts to walk and a military museum inside the walls. English Heritage, so members go free and everyone else should book online for the discount.
Tullie
Carlisle's museum, plain Tullie since the rebrand, mid-transformation and all the better for it: under-18s go free, the adult ticket is £8.50, and £16 buys an annual pass. New galleries opened in 2025, though some of the old favourites are shut for the next phase.
Bitts Park
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Solway Aviation Museum
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Hammond's Pond
Carlisle's south side park, with free parking on two sides, play zones, a brand new concrete skatepark, a games court and a seasonal cafe. A miniature railway runs Sunday afternoons from Easter to October.
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