Guide to Glasgow for families

Rest is crucial in any adventure, so make sure to find a place that can give you that much-needed R&R in between your exciting itinerary. Maldron Hotel Glasgow City is a brand-new, four-star hotel in Glasgow city centre that puts your cosiness above all else. Not only does it have family rooms that can easily fit a group of four, but it also has a signature restaurant Grain & Grill that caters to every taste. 

Maldron Hotel Glasgow City is ideally located; it’s a walking distance from major thoroughfares and public transport terminals, making family fun within a comfortable reach. 

Book early for the best special promos, from city staycations to shopping getaways.

Who doesn’t love a good burger? Bread Meats Bread satisfies every burger lover with its vast assortment of sandwiches, including kid-friendly sliders. Its pop diner design appeals to all ages. If you need any more confirmation, this family-owned eatery has won numerous awards including Scotland’s Best Burger of 2016 and 2018 Glasgow’s Best Burger 2015 and 2016. 

Time your trip well and you might be able to catch The Big Feed. It’s a twice-a-month street food collective that features a diverse selection of stalls and carts. The entire space is mostly indoor, making it impervious to weather woes and with outdoor seating available. There’s live music to entertain the adults and games to occupy the kids. 

American food is always a crowd-pleaser. If you’re looking for a heavy brunch place to help you power through your Glasgow adventure, then you can fuel up at TriBeCa Diner. It takes inspiration from New York meals and offers an unbeatable menuof eggs benedicts, pancakes, waffles, and other breakfast favourites. 

Glasgow may be a cosmopolitan city, but the Beech Tree Restaurant & Café Bar offers you a glimpse of the idyllic life with its rustic setting and a large family garden. Kids can roam around freely and even enjoy viewing some animals, like pygmy goats, ducks, rabbits, chickens, sheep, chinchillas, guinea pigs, mini-Shetland ponies, and more! Traveling with a furry friend? They’ll feel right at home. 

An unassuming café, Papercup Coffee Company emphasises ethically and environmentally sourced coffee beans. The brunch menu and cozy interiors complete with graffiti-style walls make it an ideal pitstop in between exploring.

A Glasgow staple since 1971, Ubiquitous Chip is many things. It has a brasserie, a pub, a couple of bars (including one that focuses on whisky), a fine-dining section. Each area flaunts its own charm, from the ethereal entrance to the Old-World whisky bar. The menus proudly serve Scottish cuisine and promote local produce. If you’re looking for a literal high-end experience, make sure to check out the sky-high atrium. 

Fancy some Scottish beer? Shilling Brewing Co. makes their beers in-house so customers enjoy only the freshest pints. Currently it has 31 beers on rotation. During weekends DJs liven up the mood. If you’re with a large party, Shilling Brewing Co. can accommodate private tastings for a group of eight.

Do you feel that Glasgow has too many things to offer, and you have too little time? Red Bus Bistro lets you hit two birds with one stone. You get to ride on a vintage Routemaster bus that takes you around the city’s most popular sights all while enjoying afternoon tea on board! The experience is an hour and a half, giving you some much needed respite between your touring.

Glasgow botanist Thomas Hopkirk founded the historic Glasgow Botanic Gardens in 1817 and it’s expanded much since then. Kids and parents can take guided tours through the glasshouse fauna or follow the marked trails to try and spot some of the area’s wildlife. You’ll have a blast even if you just run around plan-free.

When in Scotland you’ll never run out of green spaces to stretch your legs and breathe in the fresh air. Pollock Country Park is the largest of these parks and flaunts stunning woodlands and sprawling gardens. You can participate in riverside strolls or walks through the forest. There are restaurants in and around the park, as well as picnic stations. 

If you have young kids, take them to Dumbreck Outdoor Playbarn, a former horse barn that has been transformed into a sensory play zone. 

Riverside Museum is an award-winning transport museum that lets you get a feel of the country’s shipbuilding history plus so much more. On display are everything, from skateboards to a Stormtrooper. Your kids will love jumping in to sit in old-fashioned vehicles and can even put out a fire with its interactive fire engine.

Just outside the city centre is the Tall Ship, a floating museum in a 125-year-old Clydebuilt vessel. It takes you through the logistics of being on a boat. It has a coffee shop, a play area, a mini cinema, and a souvenir shop.

Set in the city’s marvelous Glasgow Green, the People’s Palace introduces the country’s long history via artefacts, paintings, photographs, digital displays and other exhibits. Outside, kids can marvel at the restored Doulton Fountain or just roam free on the Green, the oldest public space in town.

Are your kids thrill-seekers? A walk through the Glasgow canal might not be enough. Play Port allows them to experience the Forth and Clyde Canal in an unforgettable fashion. It has packages that let you go canoeing, scooting, white-water tubing, BMX-riding, wakeboarding, skateboarding, and more. And you get to do this all in the heart of the city.

Don’t go to Scotland without riding the acclaimed Hogwarts Express, otherwise known as the Jacobite Steam Train. The train begins at Fort William, which is only two and a half hours from Glasgow. The scenic tour includes incredible views of Ben Nevis,  Britain’s highest mountain, the cosy village of Arisaig, with a final stop in fishing port Mallaig. In between, you’ll see the country’s picture-perfect lakes. The round trip is a magical 84 miles. 

Buchanan Street is Glasgow’s principal shopping thoroughfare. The beautiful Edwardian and Victorian buildings that line the street are a sight to behold. Fortunately Buchanan Street has been pedestrianised since 1978, allowing you to enjoy the beautiful architectural details in your own time. Round the corner at The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall onto Sauchiehall Street, another amazing shopping artery.

Tree Top Rocks is essentially a social enterprise that provides a fun, exciting way to let people love the environment. It teaches kids and kids-at-heart how to climb trees and rocks safely, acting as a platform to enhance people’s knowledge of the ecosystem, as well as their physical and mental health.