A day out at Warwick Castle
During our Mini Break in Warwickshire we decided on a day out at Warwick Castle. It had come highly recommended from others and is included on our Merlin Pass so we got in for ‘free’.
Merlin Passes allow the holder access to around 32 different attractions across the UK. We bought ours using our Tesco Clubcard Vouchers and have enjoyed using them a lot so far. For blogs on other Merlin Attractions that we’ve visited check out the bottom of this page.
In this blog we will talk about the following:
- Warwick Castle Ticket Prices (including prices for the Dungeon)
- Horrible Histories Maze
- War of the Roses LIVE! Jousting Show
- Falconers Quest
- Warwick Castle Dungeons
- What else there is to see on a day out at Warwick Castle
- Anything else and final thoughts
Warwick Castle was about 20 minutes from our Airbnb so we headed there for about 10.30am by which time we were already parking in the further car park. This was about a 25 minute walk to the Castle itself but it was all pathed and signposted so not too bad. However, if I was going again I’d get there for opening time! (10am).
Warwick Castle Ticket Prices
Prices Per Person from;
ONLINE £21 or ON THE DAY £29
This includes:
- Castle entrance
- All daily shows
- Rainy Day Guarantee
Warwick Castle and Dungeon Ticket Prices
Prices Per Person from:
ONLINE £27 or ON THE DAY £34
As you can see it’s significantly cheaper to buy online in advance and this also means you don’t need to queue at the ticket office on the day.
What is there to do during a day out at Warwick Castle?
We genuinely had no idea what to expect from Warwick Castle but were really pleasantly surprised at the variety of shows and unique activities there were to get involved in.
For starters, the Castle itself is stunning, originally built by William the Conqueror during 1068 it is huge and has lots of areas to explore including the many Towers and Ramparts, State Rooms and the Great Hall.
This is before you even consider the 64 acres of beautiful gardens!
Horrible Histories Maze
This is one of the Castles newest attractions and you could spend an age exploring it.
You choose your path through the maze, passing through various challenges such as invading a Viking ship, surviving the trenches, uncovering evil plots and, obviously, making your way through the maze to the exit! The Maze is divided into the areas that Horrible Histories is known for – Vicious Vikings, Terrifying Tudors, Stormin’ Normans, Measly Middle Ages, Slimy Stuarts and Frightful First World War.
Our eldest really enjoyed it and could have spent much longer in there – I think for slightly older children it would be absolutely brilliant, especially if they were familiar with Horrible Histories.
War of the Roses LIVE! Jousting Show
We then headed to the War of the Roses LIVE! which is a live action Jousting Show. It only runs from 20th July to 1st September and I would say is an absolute highlight of any trip to Warwick Castle.
You choose which side to support (Lancaster or York) and stand on either side of the Arena to get behind your House. This show is extremely popular so get there early to queue – and take the tip from us, in the height of summer try to choose the side that is standing in the shade (unless you love the sun!).
The show itself is fantastic and immersive and quite the spectacle. Our girls were transfixed for the whole 30 minutes.
Falconers Quest – Bird of Prey Show
After War of the Roses we headed to the Falconers Quest area and set up for our picnic. Again this area got busy quickly so we were pleased to be there an hour ahead of the show. The trickiest thing for us on our visit was dodging the record breaking heat. It was extremely hot and far too warm for the girls to sit in direct sunshine.
This meant that the shaded areas (of which there was only a few) got full very quickly. My eldest and I ended up moving to a tiny space to get a good shady view. My husband stayed with our youngest away from the crowd and they did manage to see some of the show.
The Falconers Quest show was fantastic, they just kept bringing out even bigger and better birds. Some so huge I couldn’t believe my eyes. They swoop and dive and if you are sitting on the benches they practically touch your head! We were both entranced by it. It’s a definite must on a day out at Warwick Castle.
What else is there to see on a day out at Warwick Castle?
Castle Dungeon
The Dungeon is a uniquely thrilling walk through attraction that will take you way back to the ‘scary’ past. See, hear, feel and smell the characters of the olden days as they come to life before you.
You have to pay extra for the Dungeon (see above ticket prices) and it is not recommended for children under 10 (this includes babes in arms who cannot go into the attraction). Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. We didn’t go in as both the girls are too young so check their website for more information on this attraction.
Other Attractions
There really is endless amounts of entertainment and things to see and do at Warwick Castle. This includes ‘The Mighty Trebuchet Talk’ which goes into detail about what Trebuchet’s used to be used for and, whilst currently not in use, they hope to get this fixed for demonstrations by 2020.
There is also a Bowman Show where you are shown the techniques and equipment used in history. In School Holidays there is also Knight School for children under 12 where they get to practice their sword skills. Swords are available for purchase but they do recommend you bring a toy sword from home for this.
As some shows aren’t on all the time I would definitely suggest checking on their website before booking your ticket to see what will be on on the day you go.
Anything else?
We had a fantastic time at Warwick Castle and we will definitely go back again in the future. I think as the girls get older and can get involved in different activities it’ll get even better for them. Plus the educational side of seeing all the history will be fantastic.
Our day was a bit challenging because it was so hot but it was definitely good to go during peak season as we got to enjoy all the shows that may not be on at different times of the year. However, it was extremely busy so it’s a balancing act.
I would suggest as my top tips to book in advance, check what shows will be on and get there for opening time!
To read about other attractions on the Merlin Pass have a read of our guide for Chessington World of Adventures here, Legoland Windsor here, and Alton Towers here.
