Floors Castle is a substantial Scottish Borders day out, with the castle, a four-acre Walled Garden, a children's play area, cafés and estate walks all sharing the same visit. It suits families who want more than a quick look at a grand house, but the grounds are spread out and much of the fun is outside, so give it half a day and check the seasonal opening pattern before you set off.
Best for Mixed-age families with toddlers, preschoolers and primary children who want a castle-and-gardens day with play, food and room to roam; older children who enjoy guided heritage visits will get more from the house
Opening times
2026 seasonal pattern: Castle, Courtyard Café and Castle Gift Shop 11am–4pm, 1 May–30 September (castle last entry 3pm); Grounds 11am–4pm, 3 April–30 September (last admission 3pm); Walled Garden and Terrace Café 10am–5pm, 3 April–30 September.
Tickets
2026 adult day tickets are £22 for Castle, Gardens & Grounds or £10 for Gardens & Grounds; children under 16 go free with an adult. Each day ticket is valid for seven days from first visit.
Entry type
Ticketed castle-and-estate visit, with Castle, Gardens & Grounds and Gardens & Grounds options.
Address
Golden Gates, Roxburgh Street, Kelso, Scottish Borders TD5 7RL. Gardens and Terrace Café entrance: TD5 7RN.
Parking and access
Free parking is available at the woodland car park by the castle and at the gardens. Disabled bays are near the Courtyard entrance; the castle lift is currently being replaced.
Visit length
Allow 3–5 hours for the main family visit; add more time for the full woodland or riverside walks.
Last entry
Castle last entry and Grounds last admission are 3pm; Walled Garden last admission is 4.30pm. Check live visitor information because parts of the private home can close occasionally.
The family appeal is the mix: children have a proper play area and open ground to move through, while adults can spend time in the house, Walled Garden and cafés. A shorter walk works for a half-day; the woodland and riverside routes let you stretch it further.
Strongest age group
Preschool and primary children have the clearest hook through the play area, gardens and open space; older children can add the guided house visit and longer walks.
Not ideal for
A quick indoor visit, a fully step-free day, or a plan where every route needs to suit a pushchair.
Timing to check
Castle, Grounds and Walled Garden hours are not identical, and parts of the site can close because Floors is also a private family home.
Floors is easiest to enjoy when you think of it as a castle-and-estate visit rather than a house tour with a playground added on. The main ticket covers the house, gardens and grounds; the Walled Garden has the children's play area and Terrace Café, while the wider estate gives you woodland, riverside and cycle routes.
A sensible half-day might be the castle, a look around the Walled Garden, play and lunch. Add one of the estate walks only if everyone still has energy: the Woodland Walk takes about an hour and the Riverside Walk about an hour and a half.
Toddlers and preschoolers are most likely to get their fun from the play area, lawns, garden corners and café rather than the full house visit.
Primary-age children and older siblings have more reasons to stay engaged: the playground includes a flying fox, swings and monkey bars, while child-friendly guided castle tours and longer walks add something for children who enjoy stories, wildlife or exploring.
This is a mixed-weather day, not a dependable rainy-day fallback. The castle and cafés offer indoor breaks, but the playground, Walled Garden and estate routes are outside; wet weather will change how much of the grounds you want to use.
The site is spread across grass, gravel, cobbles, tarmac and unpaved tracks. The longer walks have stiles, and the castle lift is currently being replaced, so wheelchair and mobility-scooter users cannot access the castle until further notice. If a pushchair or step-free route is central to the visit, contact Floors before booking and ask which entrance and area will work.
There are cafés at both ends of the visit: the Courtyard Café by the castle and Terrace Café beside the Walled Garden. The Terrace Café has a children's menu, and there are three sets of public toilets with accessible facilities and baby changing.
Tickets are available online, but the different areas have different seasonal hours, so check the current ticket and opening information for your date. Because Floors is also a private family home, occasional closures or entrance changes can affect the day's plan.
It suits a mixed-age group moving at different speeds: children can play or roam while adults take in the house and garden, then everyone can stop for food.
Skip it for a quick castle photo, a fully indoor wet-weather plan, or a visit where long walks and mixed surfaces will create more work than enjoyment. Jedburgh Abbey is the more focused nearby heritage stop if you want a shorter second visit in the same Borders circuit.
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Nearby stop
A shorter, more focused Borders heritage stop if Floors has already filled most of the day.
Wider Borders alternative
A wider Borders play-and-walk alternative near Selkirk if your family wants another estate day rather than more castle rooms.