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I’ll be honest – I wasn’t totally sure what we were walking into.
We had wanted to go to the Scarborough Renaissance Festival last year but didn’t make it. This year, I was invited out as an influencer and was grateful for the opportunity. But rest assured, although we were gifted tickets, all of the following opinions and experiences are my own. My sister-in-law had gone before (and loved it), so we joined their crew and went together.
But I had questions.
Like… is this going to be fun for kids – or just adults in elaborate costumes living their best medieval life?
Also… 25 acres?? With multiple kids under 7?? That felt… ambitious.
We went on a Saturday morning and got there around 10:30am.
Reality check: traffic getting in was wild. We sat on the road for about 45 minutes just to enter.
BUT – once we got in, parking was surprisingly easy. It’s a huge open field (free, which honestly feels rare these days), and we parked pretty close to the entrance.
Pro tip: drop a pin in your google maps app. The rows are marked with colored castle signs, but we relied on our pin to find our car later. We do this at every major event we go to and it’s so helpful.
The moment we walked through the entrance, I immedietly thought, “oh wow, this is going to be fun!”
Almost everyone - I swear like 97% of people - was dressed up. And not just casually. We’re talking full-on corsets, knights, fairy wings, archers, the whole thing.
It felt immersive right away. We really did feel like we just went through the stones back in time.
Also quick heads up: they don’t call bathrooms “restrooms”… they’re called “privies.” So don’t wander around confused like we did.
This is where I’ll be real – we kind of dropped the ball a little bit.
We wanted to see the jousting and birds of prey show… but didn’t plan our day well enough. By the time we found the jousting arena, we had already missed it – and the next show wasn’t for another 3 hours.
We did randomly catch the parade (pure luck), which was fun – but overall, we didn’t maximize the entertainment side. We were just a tad bit overwhelmed since this was our first time. They DO have different ticketing options like buying a 2-day pass and I think we might consider doing that next year. There is SO MUCH to do and see it would have been nice to go again the next day instead of waiting for the next year.
I really wanted to see Opal the Fairy but we couldn’t find her. If you have kiddos, please find her! Here’s her Instagram to learn more about her and why I thought my kids would have loved to have seen her.
Honest takeaway: you need a plan going in. OR JUST BUY THE $4 MAP. They sold programs there that had information and a map included inside. We didn’t want to spent the $4 because we figured we’d just rely on the digital map they provided on their website, but I really wish we would have gotten one. It would have made our trip so much easier.
I understand why they aren’t free – for one, if they were calling it a program I’m sure it was elevated with advertising and sponsors and all of that and there’s a large cost to printing those. But also the pure waste it would have created if everyone went and got a map.. they would end up all over the ground and in the trash. But if you paid $4 for that thing.. I would imagine there would be a different behaivor around it.
Now, they did have large maps on display around the grounds that said, “YOU ARE HERE” and we referenced those a few times. But the ones we looked at never actually had a marker saying where we were at.
Just buy the printed map.
There are a lot of food options.
We tried:
Turkey leg (looked amazing… tasted kinda meh)
Stuffed potato
Steak on a stake
Lines? Yes.
But they moved quickly.
Also… prepare yourself for long lines at the women’s “privies.”
The marketplace is honestly really cool. Lots of Old World Crafts (my fav) and demonstrations. Def check out the glass blowers! The fibers and the ragdoll shops were my favorites.
So many handmade, artisan items - but here’s the thing: most things I wanted were $100+
Which makes sense (these are handcrafted pieces and are certainly worth the prices), but for a family with multiple kids… it just wasn’t realistic for us.
There are lower-priced items if you look, but overall it leans more boutique than budget. But at the same time… there were so many unique things there that you can find and if you are able, it would be a great way to support these traveling artists selling their life’s work. You can really tell they put their heart and soul into the art.
Is this fun for kids?
There ARE:
Tons of visual stimulation (costumes, swords, fairy wings, etc.)
BUT…
The cost adds up fast. (That's why I provided you a discount code at the end!)
Rides are $7–$15 per child, per ride
And games + rides are CASH ONLY
We didn’t bring cash (rookie mistake), so we had to find an ATM. Thankfully, there are plenty of ATMs everywhere.
Our kids picked one ride (trampoline jumps)… and that was it.
And honestly? This is where things started to go downhill for us.
They, of course, wanted to ride more. What kid doesn’t! But we couldn’t justify the cost for multiple kids. Cue whining, frustration, and “this isn’t fair” energy.
If they ever offer an affordable ride pass in the future… that would completely change the experience for families and we’d probably end up spending a lot more time there and with happy kids.
Do I think it was more expensive than other experiences? No. And still cheaper than the Texas State Fair. It’s more like it’s 2026 post-covid among other national factors as to why things are so expensive for everyone. So I’m not harping on this Faire for being expensive. Things are expensive right now no matter where you go.
Not everything is aesthetic reels and fairy dust.
We had a full-on panic moment when we lost one of the kids for about 3 minutes.
We found them quickly (thank God), but here’s something important to keep in mind:
Because everyone was in costume… they said they couldn’t recognize anyone. And in panic-mode they’re just looking for Mom… not 1800’s corset-wearing fairy mom.
That was a really hard moment for us both. That was a first in my motherhood journey and hopefully my last.
Navigating the grounds
Knowing show times/locations
Kid activity costs
Limited cell service
If you’re planning to go to the Scarborough Renaissance Festival, here’s what I’d tell every mom:
Comfortable sneakers (non-negotiable)
Breathable fabrics
Shorts under skirts/dresses (trust me)
Costumes are FUN – but keep them practical
CASH (for rides & games)
Hand sanitizer
Umbrella (weather changes fast)
Snacks if you have picky kids sunscreen
We didn’t bring one – and survived.
But if you have littles, a stroller or wagon could be helpful.
Our kids just tend to fight over the wagon and I didn’t feel like dealing with it.
But it was definitely stroller-friendly.
I can’t definitively say either way since we’ve only been there once.
But I would imagine it would be mornings before the heat and the crowds build up.
Tickets + food + rides can add up quickly
Plan ahead so you’re not constantly saying “no”
Short answer: Yes – but with realistic expectations.
Kids will love:
Dressing up
Seeing swords, fairies, knights
The overall magical atmosphere
BUT…
If your kids are ride-focused like mine, you may run into some frustration unless you plan for that financially.
Yes – 100%.
But next time, I would:
Plan our day around shows
Budget specifically for rides
Buy the map immediately
Bring cash
Families with younger kids
People who love immersive experiences
Couples (honestly a great date idea too!)
This can definitely be a full-day experience – or even better, consider a weekend pass or a season pass if you want to actually see everything.
If you’re a mom wondering if the Scarborough Renaissance Festival with kids is worth it… it is – but it’s one of those experiences that’s as good as you plan it.
Go in prepared, manage expectations, and lean into the magic of it.
And don’t forget – use code MOTHERHOOD for 10% off your tickets before you go.
Save this for later or send it to a mom friend who’s been curious—because this is one of those DFW family events in spring that’s definitely worth experiencing at least once!
Use code MOTHERHOOD for 10% off tickets when you go—definitely take advantage of that.
