Bath is home to numerous parks, gardens and outdoor attractions, perfect for you to enjoy a day out in the fresh air, admire the greenery, stretch your legs and soak up the natural beauty of the city and its surrounding countryside.

Bath is a green city with plenty of parks and gardens to explore; click here to view a map of the city's parks and gardens.  

Sit back and relax in a deckchair in Parade Gardens, where live music can often be heard drifting from the bandstand or follow in the footsteps of Jane Austen by promenading through Sydney Gardens, one of the few remaining eighteenth-century pleasure gardens in the UK, to the picturesque Kennet and Avon Canal.

Pause for a moment of quiet contemplation in the peaceful surrounds of Henrietta Park, tucked away behind the grandeur of Great Pulteney Street.  

Pack a picnic before taking a stroll to the Royal Crescent where you will find Royal Victoria Park. Explore the Botanical Gardens, enjoy the beautiful tropical glasshouse, or take children to the huge adventure playground and duck pond to blow off some steam. Run amok in the Beazer Maze, a small garden labyrinth near Pulteney Bridge, created by one of England's most prolific labyrinth designers and inspired by Bath’s history.    

Walk up to Prior Park Landscape Garden, a National Trust property set in a sweeping valley, where you can cross one of only four Palladian bridges in the world. Or take the steps up to Alexandra Park where you will be rewarded with magnificent views of the city.  

Stroll around the old Italianate style manorial pleasure gardens and parkland at the American Museum & Gardens while little legs can let off steam in the fun Children's Garden playground. The museum’s hilltop location also treats you to wonderful views over the Limpley Stoke Valley and River Avon.  

Beyond the city centre, explore the magical tree garden of Westonbirt, the National Arboretum, one of the finest collections of temperate trees and shrubs in the world. Tucked away at the bottom of a tranquil valley, the romantic, award-winning, Grade I listed Iford Manor Garden is like no other. Paths twist and turn around ancient statues, columns, terraces and architecture which, combined with ebullient planting schemes, draw you on in anticipation of the next delight.

The picturesque grounds at Bowood House include ‘Capability’ Brown parkland, a walled garden, an Italian-inspired terrace garden and an ever-changing herbaceous border. Let the kids loose on the Adventure Playground and grab takeaway treats from the Treehouse Café, or enjoy a walk in the beautiful Woodland Gardens.

Take the whole family for a day of outdoor fun at Avon Valley Adventure & Wildlife Park. Within their beautiful riverside location you can meet interesting and friendly animals, experience off road adventure with a 4x4 Mini Jeep Safari, and explore a large adventure play equipment and climbing wall or jump on massive air pillows. 

Bath and water are inseparable, so it’s almost compulsory to take a boat trip along the River Avon or hire a canoe, punt, row boat or narrowboat for a more active day out. Taking to the water is a gentle and relaxing way to explore Bath and the surrounding areas, offering a different perspective of the city's iconic sights and the opportunity to encounter some waterside wildlife as you float along.  

If you love exploring on two wheels, Bath is even more beautiful by bike. The city itself is cross-sectioned by Route Four of the Cycle Network, with the surrounding countryside containing many scenic cycle routes: The Two Tunnels, which forms the longest cycling tunnel in the UK; the Bristol to Bath Cycle Path; the Colliers Way; and the Kennet and Avon Canal path.

The compact nature of Bath makes it ideal to explore on foot, with many of the city’s most iconic sights all within a short walk of each other. And with the countryside on the city’s doorstep, you can easily take to the rolling hills and tranquil surroundings of Bath. With plenty of urban walks as well as countryside strolls, there’s a route for everyone to enjoy around Bath and beyond. Need some motivation to get out on a walk?

The luscious green countryside and quaint villages surrounding the city mean you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to pub walks near Bath.