Dogs are welcome in the: 2,000 acres of parkland, the East Courtyard including the Oxfordshire Pantry outdoor seating and the Pizzeria outdoor seating area. Dogs are not permitted in the: Palace, the Great Court or West Courtyard including the Stables Café, the Formal or Walled Gardens.
Dogs are allowed access to the Christmas Market but not within the Palace or on the illuminated trail. Please under no circumstances leave your dog in the car while you attend. Only guide dogs and registered assistance dogs are allowed within the Palace or on the Illuminated Trail.
Can you walk in grounds of Blenheim Palace free of charge?
Palace, Gardens & Park
If, however, you just want to see the park and the lake, or you only have a couple hours to spend, using the footpaths to access the park will allow you to enjoy the magnificent views without needing to spend a thing on tickets.
Dogs on leads are allowed in the Blenheim Palace Flower Show and the extensive parkland around the Palace, but not in the Formal Gardens, Courtyards or Pleasure Gardens. Guide dogs for the blind or for the hard of hearing are, however, welcome in all areas.
Free car parking is available to all Blenheim Palace visitors (a parking fee applies to selected third party events, like Christmas), with disabled parking for blue badge and accessible parking at the front of the main car park with a shuttle buggy to the Palace. Further parking is available at the Walled Garden.
Blenheim Palace: The Hidden Secrets Inside Churchill’s Ancestral Home
Is Blenheim Palace free to National Trust members?
Hi there, unfortunately not as we are not a National Trust property. We hope to welcome you soon! Helpful? It's worth remembering that when you buy a ticket for you house and grounds you can convert it into an annual pass free of charge, so you can return as often as you like in a 12 month period.
Dogs are welcome as long as they are always kept on a lead. They are allowed anywhere at the horse trials including members however, they are not allowed in the grandstands.
How long does it take to go around Blenheim Palace?
How long to allow for a Blenheim Palace visit. Touring the house will take you about 40 minutes using the audio guide. The Churchill exhibition another half an hour. Within the house there is also The Untold Story exhibition which tells stories about the house and the people who lived in it takes another 40 minutes.
As it is a private estate entry to the Blenheim can be expensive, but a little-known secret is that a number of public footpaths cross the park, so it's possible to enter without needing to buy a ticket, absolutely free.
Dogs are not permitted in the Walled Garden, Blenheim Palace Adventure Play, Formal Gardens or Palace, with the exception of assistance dogs. Visitors are not permitted to bring food and beverages into the Palace. The use of tripods or selfie sticks is not allowed inside the Palace.
Blenheim Palace today is still the home of the Churchill family. It is currently the home of the Twelfth Duke of Marlborough, Charles James Spencer-Churchill. The land is now owned by the king since the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. The family has paid rent for the land for the past 300 years.
Note: dogs are allowed on-leash on roadways and formed walking tracks, shared walking and biking tracks. Note: dogs are prohibited from the mountain bikes tracks and the balance of the domain.
Afternoon Tea is available between 1.00 p.m. and 4.00 p.m. daily at a cost of £32 per person with pre-booking required. Please note that afternoon tea reservations include entry to the Blenheim grounds but exclude the Palace, more details here.
How long does it take to walk around Blenheim Palace Lights?
The Blenheim Palace Illuminated Trail is loved by locals and visitors alike. With the Snow Queen and Father Christmas making appearances in recent years, it's a great event for families. The Illuminated Trail takes about 90 minutes to complete but you can take things at your own pace.
More than 60 different birds including goshawks, peregrine falcons, spotted flycatchers and redstarts have been recorded. Among the 19 mammals spotted are stoats, field voles, fallow deer, badgers and nine different bat species.
Wear sensible shoes or boots and dress warmly as this is an outdoor event. Keep your children with you at all times. Blenheim Palace has extensive grounds and the Trail runs along the lakeside, so it is important that children stay safe and do not wander into unlit areas.
Smoking and e-cigarettes are not permitted at any time inside the function rooms or facilities. Smoking and e-cigarettes are only allowed in the designated area outside the Orangery or Palace.
beautiful gardens to walk around, lovely Christmas market, huge gift shop, we had afternoon tea in The Orangery, the Palace was amazing and so much effort has gone into producing the theme. Well done to all the team who helped create this magical experience. We will definitely be returning next year.
Do you have to pay to go to Blenheim Palace Christmas Market?
The Christmas Market is free to enter, and if you use the Secret Green Gate there will be nothing more to pay. Unfortunately, you'll need a ticket for the After Dark Illuminated Trail and Kingdom of the Snow Queen – there's no way to enter free.
Do the Churchill family still own Blenheim Palace?
Who owns and lives at Blenheim Palace? Blenheim Palace has remained in the Churchill family, and now plays host to Lady Henrietta Spencer-Churchill. She has lived at Blenheim Palace all her life, having grown up there as the youngest child of the 11th Duke of Marlborough.
It's bigger than Buckingham Palace, but it's also privately owned by the family that built it over 300 years ago. It's been the seat of the Dukes of Marlborough since 1704 and was the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill.
