The 20 best parks and gardens in Cheltenham

Lovely park! Although the landscaping is not very intentionally cared for, the natural landscape is beautiful and makes for a lovely evening walk. There’s a large playground for kids of most ages. Perfect dirt or paved paths for running. The bathrooms were closed when we went around 7 pm

Pittville Park is such a lovely spot in Cheltenham and definitely worth a visit. It’s one of those places that has a bit of everything and feels welcoming every time you go. The park itself is really well kept, with loads of space to walk, relax, or just sit on a bench and watch the world go by. The big lake with the swans and ducks is beautiful – it’s so peaceful just strolling around it. One of my favourite parts is the little animal area. They’ve got rabbits, birds and a few other animals there, which is such a nice surprise and brilliant if you’ve got kids with you. There’s also a great play area with plenty for children of different ages, so it’s perfect for a family day out. The café by the lake is lovely too – good coffee, ice creams, and snacks, and it’s nice to sit outside and enjoy the view. There’s always a really friendly atmosphere around the park, and you can tell how much care goes into looking after it. Whether you’re walking the dog, meeting friends, or just want some fresh air, Pittville Park is a fantastic place to spend time.

Went here recently to meet a friend and go for a walk. We had a lovely walk around the park and had a coffee from the coffee hut. Sat on one of the many benches for quite some time just chatting away. Such a delightful park.

Fantastic place, grew up here. Played a huge part in our childhood, love it!

Great place for a picnic with plenty for the kids to do, a quick visiting to the animals is a must rabbits and birds and when the kids are tired or you just need a coffee you can stop at the little shop they have prices are what you would expect and parking can be tricky

It’s a beautiful, well-kept space perfect for a relaxing day out. It offers picturesque lakes, lovely gardens, and a great play area for kids. There’s also a café to enjoy a snack while taking in the scenery. Whether for a peaceful walk, a picnic, or family fun, Pittville Park is a must-visit in Cheltenham.

A chance to come to Cheltenham is always a pleasure. Just a friendly match against "the Robins" to watch. So.....with time to spare, I ventured to this park. Very tranquil with families enjoying themselves, children riding their bike's and even some permit fishing. The smaller lake is even quieter and perfect for solitude. A superb children's play area, a cafe make it a great location to spend a few hours....

Always very well kept with great flower beds. In the middle of town. Can walk as much as you want in peace. Everything nearby.

Bit quiet when we went, will return at weekend or on an event day. Play area and bandstand looked great.

A lovely place for a relaxing walk. There are aviaries and a children's play area. There are lakes and lots of green spaces. There are also toilets and places to buy snacks.

Lots going on during a Sunday afternoon stroll including music in the bandstand. Beautiful flowerbeds and coffee and cake options on hand. Tennis courts popular here too. Best public toilets I've ever used. Lovely spot.

Went to the literature festival, enjoyed a talk then stayed for an amazing cheese Toastie and soup, delicious! Lots of other nice food options too. Recommend checking it out if your in the area

Lovely well-kept gardens with a cafe and art exhibition on-site.

The literature festival was amazing

This is a fantastic park for all. It is especially great for dog walks, with a lovely community of local walkers. On top of this, it is kept in a fantastic condition thanks to the commitment of the volunteer gardening group. I love running training sessions here!

When Donald Campbell was looking for suitable venues to break the world water speed record in the early fifties he considered using the lake in Hatherley Park. He had read in 'What's on in Cheltenham this week' that the lake was twenty eight miles long. This was a misprint as the lake barely extended to twenty eight yards. However he took his Bluebird craft for a trial run and managed to reach a speed of 0.027 miles per hour before crashing into the edge of the lake. No ducks were injured at the time. Currently the lake smells like a Turkish wrestler's jockstrap. I would say it's only suitable for visiting if you're suffering from anosmia. It's okay, however, for taking your dog walkies. "My dog's got no nose". "How does he smell?". "Terrible". (The old ones are not necessarily the best.)

A beautiful green space with play area, pond and basketball hoop. There is a tea van on site called the Butterfly Box, staff are very friendly here and the prices are very good. No toilets here though, which is a shame. The surroundings are lovely, and it's nice to go for a walk or let the children burn off some energy in the play area.

This is a beautiful place to let the children and dogs run about and play. There's even a pop up coffee shack selling decent coffee for the adults to chillax and chat. Well worth a visit.

Lovely coffee shop trailer, I think it's called Butterfly's or something. Serving hot drinks and snacks which are great quality and good value. The park itself is clean and well maintained with ducks to feed as well...please don't feed ducks bread though, it's not good for them.

Hatherley Park has a young chikdrens play area completely enclosed for safety. The lake has moorhens abd ducks to feed and if you are lucky a heron. A pop up cafe in a trailer is also a available.

Delightful little dog walking park with coffee available. Love the pond and play area for the little ones

Fantastic walks all round racecourse and bits if Prestbury.Park in Prestbry(Park Lane )or by Steam Train Station.Watchingbthe kite was incredible.Just above our heads but only had phone to record it

Amazing firework display in 2025. Could do with the volume on the DJ down a bit but fun fair was great for my son, food was tasty and overall great night. Accessible parking and a viewing space provided (unfortunately the overhanging floor above cut a big part of the sky out so I moved further down the stands).

What a spectacular outing!!! The racetrack has got to be one of the most beautiful out there... The backdrop of the hills with beautifully laid out technical course with tight turns, jumps and that uphill straight to finish just adds to the suspense! Hospitality was amazing! Just need to debrief a bit better some of the guys as 4 of 5 sent us the wrong way... Can't blame them, the place is HUGE!!!

Stayed for 4 nights in race course camping site. Good pitches plenty of space, shower block clean and tidy.

Fantastic Racecourse beautiful views, maintened to perfection. Good sized event arena and a CAMC campsite with all the facilities.

📍 Cheltenham Racecourse Caravan and Motorhome Club Camp Site, Evesham Rd, Cheltenham GL50 4SH. ✅ Countryside views for days (Cleeve Hill). ✅ Hard standing and grass pitches available, plus EHU if required. ✅ Super clean showers and toilets. ✅ 10 minute walk to Pittville Park (best park in Cheltenham in my opinion). ✅ 20 minute walk into town (shops and restaurants galore, plus the Lions at Large is currently on). ✅ Discount for Caravan and Motorhome Club members. Top tip: Don’t pitch right next to the tunnel on a hot night as the fan is super loud and doesn’t stop all night! I assumed it was due to the heat. We didn’t notice it when we pitched a bit further down!

Great racecourse. Visited recently for the Cheltenham Festival, and was pleasantly surprised. Club Enclosure is well worth it, and staff were very friendly. Food and drink was expensive, but nowhere near as bad as expected and would say was definitely in line with other racecourses and outdoor event places. Clean racecourse with great facilities, would return again.

This park has so much potential! Unfortunately, the users of this park do not understand how to use a rubbish bin! 😕 The park has 2 football fields and a large play area. The children's play equipment could use an upgrade. More rubbish bins/recycling bins are required within the park. This park does have some antisocial behavior. More police presence is required to combat this.

Most of the time it’s a lovely park. We do occasionally get some fools on motorised bikes speeding around the park. Lovely place to walk the dogs. Hopefully they stay out of the ponds, the water can be a bit stinky. Sports fields are in use over the spring and summer.

Great place for dog walks and entertaining kids, skateboard ramp, basketball court and a zip wire

Great place for a dog walk

Lovely park but usually full of rubbish left behind by people who obviously prefer spend their time around plastic junk, food waste garbage, than green grass and trees. Such a shame

It's a real shame, the park has plenty of scope to be an excellent amenity for the local neighborhood for lots of reasons, however it appears to be patrolled by a number of child age hooligans hooked on vandalism and threatening behaviour. I'd stay well clear of the place personally, and would advise anyone else to do the same unless they enjoy confrontation with knife wielding foul mouthed minors.

Reasonably well kept. Some great bird life to be seen and blackberries to be picked, along with apples and raspberries if you know where to look. Good play areas for little ones and good for a dog walk. It would be better if people, including the footballers, put all their rubbish in the bins and certain dog walkers picked up after their dogs. And we didn't keep finding shopping trolleys in the ponds or broken glass on the paths particularly the night before recycling day.

Some of.my earliest memories are at this park and the 'Humps' Has a loverly formal garden entrance (depending which way you go in) and a beautiful weeping willow. Lots of fond memories as a kid climbing all over the cluster of tree roots we called the 'hump' although as an adult it doesn't seem quite so large and magical lmao

Pretty little park with football pitches, presumably to play football. As I was walking 🚶‍♂️ through I saw an old man on one of the many benches. He looked really sad and being a compassionate person I thought I'd see what the problem was. "You don't look too happy, my friend", I said, "What's the problem?" I continued. "Sit next to me and I'll tell you all about it" he replied. I sat down next to the geezer and repeated my request to determine what was wrong. "It's the bench" he said, "The paint's still wet." 🙄

Lovely town park with plenty of space. Pretty ornamental garden where we saw rare Waxwing birds visiting the Rowan trees.

Beautiful, peaceful park less busy than Cheltenham's more well know green spaces.

Excellent playing field for cricket and Football. Play area for kids is also well equipped.

a lovely place.for an evening walk

A really safe park to take the grandchildren to for some fun

It is a little known fact that Churchill was the only person Pope Pius XII trusted to lace his football boots prior to the pontiff turning out for the Vatican City F.C. back in the late 30's and early 40's. These matches, mostly played against the Italian Ladies third eleven, we're forced to stop at the advent of World War II. A dreadfully disappointed Pius XII had scored in most of the games he played in. The Pope was sent off several times, mostly for foul and abusive language, constantly questioning referees decisions. The gardens were constructed to honour the remarkable achievements of a man who enjoyed the title "The Papal Lacer." We are all aware, however, that Churchill's main claim to fame was that he was the last white man to be called Winston.

Lovely little play area; with gardens, and animals sculpted into some of the tree trunks for interest. A great little stop off after shopping at the nearby supermarket. Despite being in the centre of town (and being accessible), it gives the impression of being a little more remote.

Time flew by they were having so much fun. Big improvements have been made food prices are fair for such a place. Kept clean and plenty of activities for the hour there. Will recommend and deff go again. My son loved it

Lovely little garden with a play park tucked away next to the Honeybourne Line. Re-lanscaped a couple of years ago it provides a lovely space to enjoy the weather with friends, take the dog for a walk or let the kids burn some energy. Not as crowded as the other main parks in town either.

It's a lovely area to chill out, and for the children. It would have got 5* if the area had refreshments.

A good park with good flower beds and a well equipped play area. It needs better maintenance and cleaning like the benches under the trees and a little upkeep here and there to make it really safe and fun.

When I was a kid, you'd avoid this place at all costs. With undisirables using it for their purposes. However it really seems to have turned a corner when we visited from a ride along the Honeybourne cycle path. Gardens are fairly well tended and decent size with a children's play area to one corner. Easily accessable with your bike off the cycle path but be courteous to those walking, it is a park. Would visit again, hidden gem.

A lovely green space and well maintained. Lots of interesting trees both young and old. The pump house is very pretty and helps add great character to this park

Disappointed. Cafe was closed due to wedding fayre. Found out after I'd ordered and paid for my coffees that they were doing takeaways only. The empty 2 tables of 6 and 1 of 2 were reserved for people attending the free wedding fayre only. Cakes and pastries were uncovered on the counter where everyone ordered and waited for their orders. Nice coffee and pleasant lad who served me.

Impressive building in my home town. Great memories of dances and events here. Beautiful place for a sophisticated chic wedding. Stunning decor and set in the grounds of Pittville Park.

I was here for a wedding but this venue would be fantastic for a concert or just about any event. The building is striking and make a strong architectural statement.

It was so well managed with all this Virus drama so well managed that you forgot there was a pandemic going on it was very professional indeed there was sanitizer everywhere tables were well placed rubbish bins available and portable toilets very very clean indeed

Lovely relaxing walk around the park and lakes. Lots of bird life, woodpeckers, swans, moorhens, coots, mallard ducks as well as sea birds....

Nice enclosed tea rooms outside. Impressive imposing Georgian building. Lovely park with lake and huge play area.

Sandford Park was built to commemorate the fifth century battle of Sandford Plain. The Angles, Saxons, Jutes, and Frisians were all vying for power at the time. It was originally planned for the four parties to fight each other on a home and away basis but the logistics proved problematic. It was decided, therefore, to meet at Sandford and battle it out on a head to head (to head to head) basis. The Frisians had problems from the start. Their coach driver actually took them to Sandford in Somerset, they failed to show, however they consoled themselves by partaking of the Sandford brewed Thatchers Cider. The Jutes had decided to travel by river but at the time the Chelt was only four inches deep and was difficult to navigate. The fact that it flows underground from Waitrose ended any chance of a Jute victory. The Angles parked up in the Lido car park and intended to walk into battle. They failed to bring enough change for the meters so had to trade swords and axes for parking spaces, thus depleting their armoury. The Saxons, on the other hand, were well prepared. They had stopped off at Wolfies sandwich shop in the Bath Road for a boost of protein based energy. They marched the short distance to go to war with the late arriving Angles, who were fighting with only one weapon between two. In a fairly short while it was all over. The Saxons were triumphant. A large silver cup and the head of the Angles leader mounted on a stick were presented in the winners enclosure.

Lovely garden near central Cheltenham. Loads of benches to sit and watch the world go by. Very well maintained.

This is a nice place to stroll in the sun or relax, it's a little jewel in the town of Cheltenham. You also have the Lido, which is an open air swimming pool. Which again is great for families.

Sanford Park is a large park split into different areas, nice clean well kept, nice water features children's play area and sculptures, nice place to take a stroll, walk the dog, large area to kick a ball around or smaller areas to sit and chill.

Cracking park disabled and able fitness points good play area and lovely water features

Sandford Park is a tranquil oasis in the heart of the city. Its well-manicured gardens, serene lakes, and scenic walking trails create a peaceful atmosphere. The park's playgrounds, picnic areas, and sports facilities cater to all ages and interests. With its charming ambiance and abundant greenery, Sandford Park offers a delightful retreat for nature lovers and a perfect place for relaxation and recreation.

Nice park to wander around, well maintained and beautiful water features

We had drinks during Oktoberfest 21 Sept for 4wks approx.. Nice atmosphere. Clean loos.

Cute pub, lovely staff, amazing selection of craft brews on tap, fantastic outdoor beer garden… what more could you ask for!

Nice pub with great outside area. Large selection of real ales and keg largers/ ciders. Plus bar billiard table.

First time visiting the Sandford Park Alehouse for a roast dinner on 13th July with my daughter. Seriously did not disappoint. Ordered the rare roast beef, it was like two large steaks, vegetables were good. My daughter had the nut roast which she says is usually a hit and miss with restaurants but she said it was really good. Great staff. Would recommend 10/10

Impressive beer selection, 10 or so cask lines and another 10 or so keg lines and a decent variety of cans and bottles. The venue has a Belgian theme with a number of their keg beers and bottled Belgians also with their accompanying glasses. Nicely styled venue with beer memorabilia on the walls. They also do food and we had the pigs in blankets and calamari, both of which were very good. Service was prompt and friendly despite being very busy.

Great pub with absolutely really good food. The service was excellent! We had the Stake Ale Pie, Halloumi Red Pepper and Avocado Slalad, and the Sriracha and Jalapeños Dirty Fries. The ales they have are great too, so is the cider!

My first venture out into the new normal. The pub are really taking customer safety very seriously whilst still offering an enjoyable pub going experience. Still the same great range of cask, keg and bottled beers and had an enjoyable Sunday lunch too. Best to book ahead during current restricted conditions.

I love this small park, which is great on nice days. It's garden and flowers are nice to relax beside. 😌 There is a bar close by to grab snacks or a drink. There are also free toilets 🚻 close.

Central gardens and meet up location for relax time and happy vibes. The garden bar is bit pricey but we take our own snacks and drinks and do picnics, exercise and generally admire how lovely it is here.

Lovely sunny day 🌻🌻🌻 had really good time sitting enjoying sun lovely cool breeze and beautiful tulips made ma day

A smaller park than the other surrounding ones but it’s a really nice area with plenty of benches around. There’s floral displays and fountain add a really nice touch as well. It’s also a stones throw away from the town center and shops.

Spent the afternoon here with kids and their cousins. They loved playing on the grass. Flowers looked great. The only issue was the queue for the bar. So instead we got icecream and drinks from a nearby shop.

Lovely place to visit, definitely a place to take the weight from your feet

Beautiful place to visit is big with thousands of flowers and they made several shows during the year I can recommend this awesome gardens by the Queens Hotel. Mr. Wig. YouTube

Had an afternoon drink here, clicky clientele, small quiet pub but could get busy. Elvis stands for signets in the snug, interesting pictures on wall, clearly a horse lovers favorite. Nice hanging baskets

Sat in the beer garden in the sun was good. Pint of paper job ale was good. Had a laugh with the landlord. It's a good pub

Great traditional pub, lovely landlord, good beer and service.

Lovely traditional pub. Even sells pickled eggs ! Still the 1970's in there...nice

Me and my wife have been coming down Cheltenham for the last 3 years apart from 2020 we found this pub by chance. And we glad we found this pub. IMO the best pub in Cheltenham Del Boy top landlord the staff second to none a very warm welcome by all.

Great little pub with a secret garden near town Centre.

Secret garden, a real suntrap in summer, staropramen lager..simply a hidden gem. Del is a spot on landlord, all beers good, proper pub real close to town. Proper locals boozer with loads of decent ales and ciders and right next to the e scooter stop. For me its the first couple of pints on the way into town

Colesbourne has an incredible spread of snowdrops which is very welcome as the days get longer. There are decent walks exploring the grounds but some of the slopes are fairly steep. The spreads of cyclamen are also impressive. The lake surrounded by trees can be striking. As it is only open for a few weekends a year the facilities are limited. However the cafe is run by local charities so worth supporting. The cakes are made by locals, delicious and much more varied than commercial cafes. We went on one of earlier weekends it is open, but suspect areas may get muddy later on.

Yes the snowdrops are beautiful, but the trees even more so. Even in winter, their branches create stunning sculptures, and there’s so much variety. The tea shop offers tea and cake for £4 all for the Air Ambulance, and the shops sell snowdrops and other bulbs as well as jam and cards. Just one piece of advice, it’s a bit muddy in places so sensible shoes are recommended. We were welcomed with a smile and thanked for our visit. All in all highly recommended..

I didn't realise quite how many types of snowdrops there are. Beautiful show of flowers and lovely gardens to walk around. We spent about 2 hrs here.

Lovely place. We visited on the last day of the season, but there were still some snowdrops and many other beautiful spring flowers. The church is very nice. 4* because the buildings, stairs, fountain, area around the lake could use some TLC.

Lovely, although we missed the best of the snowdrops there were still a few stunners and the family sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm was the icing on the cake. The estate is a beautiful place and we were grateful the family were willing to share.

Very clean and spacious rooms. A great bar with a variety of beers and excellent food. The breakfast was wonderful!

In search of coffee today we happily stumbled upon, what we've since learnt, is quite a horticultural gem and dendrologists heaven! Passing through the beautiful hamlet of Colesbourne we discovered the absolutely stunning snowdrop fields of @colesbournegardens in the Churn valley and very! aptly titled: "England's Greatest Snowdrop Garden" Bumping into Katie Reynolds, head gardener, we were absolutely fascinated to learn so much more about the humble snowdrop and the estate. Having been in the family since the 1600's, Sir Henry and Lady Carolyn Elwes have tended to the estate and gardens continuing the legacy of his great grandfather Henry John Elwes, a British botanist, entomologist, author, lepidopterist, collector and traveler! Amongst the many snow drop varieties on display is Galanthus Elwesii named after H.J. Elwes who found the original plants on an excursion to Turkey. The gardens truly exemplify the magic and romance of snow drops. Lawns covered in white blooms, a cascading vale of white absolutely reminiscent of the deftest touch of snow. As you stroll around carpets of white you come across an thoroughly mesmerizing blue lake. The color believed to be caused by microscopic particles of colloidal clay in the water. Ambling through acres of woodland saturated in snow drops, with the occasionally splash of purple from crocuses was an absolutely magical way to while away the morning. Thank you so much to Katie Reynolds for her patience and generosity in shepherding some disorientated visitors! An absolutely fantastic place to visit!

This is a nice little walk but it is a fair bit shorter than we thought. While it is pleasant area for a walk not a lot I the way of wildlife going on. Even the pond was quiet with just a few aquatic insects on show. We had hoped it would run all the way through tp old pats but it stops at the pond well short of that. I will go back to map for streetview but overall otherwise might go back next spring see if there are any tadpoles kicking around. Otherwise not amazing and the most interesting bit is the 10 meter length of railway track left down there.

Beautiful nature reserve in the middle of town, what a hidden gem! Made on the old train line that used to run through Cheltenham.

Pretty place, worth a walk

We have to visit this place