Museums that transport you back to the Domesday Book, yellow-stone Cotswold villages straight from a chocolate box and manors perched on rolling, emerald hills. If you like the great outdoors, you'll love The Cotswolds, a region that spans central England and the south west. If you’re looking for things to do in the Cotswolds – well, there’s plenty. Potter around Broadway or Bilbury, spot buzzards sweeping across the hilltops, raid farmers markets for local culinary delights like single Gloucester cheese or treat the kids to a day out at Cotswold farm park. After trekking escarpments, you can even swap hiking boots for top hat and tails at race days in elegant regency Cheltenham. Top that off with a stay at a choice of cosy Cotswolds cottages and hotels, and you’ve got a staycation to remember.
Places to visit in The Cotswolds
Walk Cheshire’s beautiful Sandstone Trail
Take a walk on the wild side discovering the ancient market town of Frodsham, Georgian Whitchurch and everything in between.
Location: Frodsham, Cheshire
Savour your scoops at The Ice Cream Farm
Keep the kids happy with more than 40 delicious flavours of ice cream, an outdoor play area, farm, quad bikes, mini golf and more...
Location: Tattenhall, Cheshire
Discover 1,000 years of history at Chester Cathedral
Journey through hundreds of years of history and discover hidden spaces as you climb to the top of the cathedral tower.
Location: Chester, Cheshire
View Chester from an open-top vintage bus
Ride the open-top vintage bus on a Chester Tour and see the city’s archaeological and architectural heritage.
Location: Chester, Cheshire
Be at one with birds of prey at Rosliston Forestry Centre
There’s something special about being close to a bird of prey; those round watchful eyes on high alert, fixing you with a dominating stare.
Location: Rosliston, Derbyshire
See The National Forest in bloom at Yoxall Lodge
Too many hours indoors during winter’s gloomy days and you’re looking to break out into spring’s fresh air and lengthening daylight hours.
Location: Yoxall, Staffordshire
Watch the changing of the Guards in London
For sheer pomp and ceremony, you can’t beat the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace.
Location: London, Greater London
See the changing of the Guards at Windsor
If there’s one essential experience in Windsor, it’s taking in the spectacle of the Changing of the Guard. This tradition brings history and the public together.
Location: Windsor, Berkshire
Visit the Diamond Isle
Enjoy a 10 min trip on the Needles Park Chairlift and go dinosaur hunting.
Location: Isle of Wight
Pier to Pier in Bournemouth
Got a spare hour or two in Bournemouth? Then take a stroll between the two piers.
Location: Bournemouth, Dorset
Discover UNESCO World Heritage site at Masson Mills
Experience what life was like to work in an 18th-century mill at this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Location: Matlock Bath, Derbyshire
Walking in the Cotswolds
Join a walking route from Bourton-on-the-Water to the Slaughters.
Location: Oxfordshire
Explore Dungeness
Dungeness attracts both visionary artists and nature lovers.
Location: Dungeness, Kent
Small pleasures come free at Dimminsdale Nature Reserve
Just a few small snowdrops bring cheer to the colder, shorter days of England’s winter, and seen at Dimminsdale, they’re simply breathtaking.
Location: Staunton Harold, Leicestershire
Experience the adventure and thrills of the Monsal Trail
Whizz through four former railway tunnels on your bicycle and enjoy breathtaking views on the Monsal Trail.
Location: Hassop, Derbyshire
See the oldest independent brewery in Buckinghamshire
The emphasis at Chiltern Brewery has always been to produce natural, wholesome beers using the best, class A malt and hops sourced in England.
Location: Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
Catch some waves at Woolacombe Beach
North Devon has some of the county’s most popular family beaches, including award-winning Woolacombe.
Location: Woolacombe, Devon
Cycle alongside the Exe Estuary
Jump on a bike to explore the beautiful Exe Estuary, taking in the lovely scenery, villages and landscapes along a 26 mile-long route.
Location: Exeter, Devon
Get back to nature at High Force waterfall
Explore a peaceful landscape of moors and hills, valleys, waterfalls and rivers dotted with picturesque villages and historic market towns.
Location: Durham Dales
Explore the city of York by bike
York is voted as one of the most bike-friendly cities in England with a wide range of cycle routes through the city and beyond.
Location: York, North Yorkshire
See a play under the stars
Experience theatre performed in the open air, amid the beautiful, green surroundings of Regent's Park.
Location: Regent's Park, Greater London