50+ ways to explore England while staying home

With attractions closed and social distancing measures very firmly in place, travel is still off the cards for the time being – but dreaming of travel (or even planning future trips) doesn't have to wait! From virtual festivals to museum walk-throughs, there are plenty of ways to keep busy and explore England without stepping out of your front door.  

Take virtual tours of England's top attractions

Pack in some art, history and culture while you’re at home – learn something new, or admire something old on one of these virtual tours of museums, galleries and heritage attractions, or explore the outdoors without getting your shoes dirty. Some even have interactive elements to get the kids involved!

• Uncover mummies at the British Museum 
• Peek behind the scenes at the V&A Museum
• Step inside the Houses of Parliament
• Immerse yourself in masterpieces at the National Gallery 
• Quiz the kids at the Natural History Museum
• Take flight at the RAF Museum
• Discover historic homegrown artists at Tate Britain
• Wander through Buckingham Palace
• Join in with Durham Cathedral’s daily services
• Unwrap exclusive online exhibits from the London Transport Museum
• Explore Waddesdon in Buckinghamshire from your armchair, with its garden trails and virtual room tours.
• Step back in time at the Roman Baths
• Take a sneak peek into Shakespeare’s family homes
• Journey through the iconic Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
• Explore the British Library's Harry Potter: A History of Magic collection online.
• Have a nose at exciting exhibitions at Nottingham Contemporary 
• See Stonehenge with just your socks on.
• Take a stroll through London’s Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens.
• Sit back, relax and take an audio tour of the Heights of Abraham in Derbyshire.
• Work your way around Oxfordshire's Pitt Rivers Museum
• Pour yourself some prosecco and step into the rooftop pool at Bath Thermae Spa 
• Browse historical and contemporary dress at Bath’s Fashion Museum 
• Marvel at Georgian society with a visit to Bath Assembly Rooms
• Go behind the scenes of Downton Abbey with Highclere Castle's new app
• Explore the historic Bedlam Furnaces in Ironbridge.
• Snoop around the old-school carriages of the Telford Steam Railway
• Have a wander around Sunnycroft, a National Trust site in the heart of Shropshire.
• Check out the exhibitions at Herbert Art Gallery & Museum in Coventry.
• Visit England’s greatest Elizabethan property, Burghley House, in Lincolnshire.
• Feel the adrenaline as you ride an Alton Towers rollercoaster through your screen.
• View Blackpool in all its seaside glory.
• Missing city life? Stroll around Lancaster on an online tour.
• Discover different parts of the historic Turton Tower every Wednesday at 1pm on their Facebook channel.
• Delve into the nooks and crannies of the majestic Winter Gardens Blackpool on a virtual tour.
• Immerse yourself in the rooms and gardens of some of Lancashire’s most famous properties and museums, including Samlesbury Hall, Browsholme and The Harris
• Set off on a robot tour around Hastings Contemporary on England’s south coast.
• Download a ground-breaking new augmented reality app that gives you an exclusive look into the iconic Lincoln Cathedral 
• Work your way around Blickling Hall in Norfolk.
• Enjoy the vast collections of Manchester Museum in your own home.
• Learn about political leaders, music icons, community and more with virtual tours and online exhibitions of Manchester’s cultural institutions.
• Discover the story of life on Earth with World Museum Liverpool’s Dinosaurs and Natural World virtual tour.
• Take a look at the eye-opening galleries and exhibitions at the International Slavery Museum
• Keep up with Alnwick Castle’s virtual tour series while you stay at home.
• Let your worries melt away as you watch these webcams of Northumberland’s local beauty spots.
• Explore Tatton Park’s garden at your own pace by downloading the Candide Gardening app and listening along to the 19 mini audio tours.
• Go behind the scenes with virtual video tours at Newcastle’s Great North Museum
• Dig deep into the underground world of Stump Cross Caverns
• Be taken aback by panoramic views over the wonderful Almscliffe Crag near Leeds.
• Step back in time at Bradford’s Cliffe Castle Museum 
• Have a gander at some of the armour at Leeds’ Royal Armouries
• Feel like royalty with a tour of Windsor Castle
• Have a snoop around Country Durham’s Raby Castle and glorious gardens
• Take in the views from the top of Auckland Tower in Bishop Auckland.
• Walk down a Victorian street, complete with 19th-century cars, shops and characters at Beamish, the Living Museum of the North
• Take a tour of Durham Castle’s Great Hall Bishop’s Suite, Courtyard and more.
• Tick off all 11 of Banksy’s murals across London and Bristol.
• Float through the Banquet Room and Great Kitchen of Brighton’s Royal Pavilion
• Analyse the art at Dulwich Picture Gallery 
• Surround yourself with flowers with a tour of the National Trust’s Hidcote 
• Take in the beauty of Sissinghurst Castle and gardens in Kent
• Get a glimpse into medieval dining at Cambridge’s own Anglesey Abbey
• Witness panoramic views across the estuary at Devon’s A La Ronde 
• Navigate through the impressive Bristol Museum and Art Gallery
• Head below deck on Brunel’s brilliant SS Great Britain, the ship that is said to have changed to the world.
• Dive into the world of Jack the Ripper and visit some of the real-life crime scenes around Whitechapel (all online!) with Fever’s Jack The Ripper Virtual Tour 
• Swoop over Burton Agnes Hall and Gardens in Bridlington thanks to innovative drone footage.
• Get a sneak preview of Gainsborough Old Hall’s many rooms with their interactive map.
• Potter through an Elizabethan treasure with Doddington Hall & Gardens’ IGTV virtual tours 
• Immerse yourself in the craftsmanship and artistry of Stoke-on-Trent’s The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery 
• Follow in the footsteps of legendary English writer, Samuel Johnson, at his birthplace in Lichfield, Staffordshire.
• Make your way through the various exhibitions and galleries at the Derby Museum and Art Gallery 
• Learn about the history and cultural importance of a favourite British pastime – tea-drinking – with the exciting new online exhibition on the National Memorial Arboretum’s website. 
• Bring the streets of Manchester to life with a virtual version of Invisible Cities tours.
• Step inside a time capsule with 360-degree images of the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham.
• Missing the footy? Explore all the nooks and crannies of Aston Villa’s stadium online.
• Find inspiration for a future trip with English Heritage’s virtual walk-throughs – with places like Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire to Eltham Palace in south-east London.
• Experience the beauty and grandeur of Blenheim Palace and its stately rooms from your own home.

Hang out with animals on your sofa

From penguins to lions, and giraffes to red pandas, UK zoo webcams let you take a sneak peek into the lives of resident animals while the gates are shut.

• Chester Zoo are hosting videos of their furry residents on Facebook
• Check out the cheetahs at Port Lympne
• Look at lemurs at Marwell Zoo 
• Peep at the penguins at Living Coasts Wild Planet Trust 
• Meet the meerkats at Paignton Zoo 
• Watch live wildlife with the Wildlife Trust
• Switch over to Hawk TV to see behind-the-scenes clips of Wiltshire’s Hawk Conservancy Trust’s fascinating birds.
• Stay in the loop with the antics at Leicestershire’s Twinlakes Park 
• Flutter into Lancaster’s Williamson Park Butterfly House – with weekly videos and classes 
• Connect with wildlife with the 360-degree cameras at Brockholes Nature Reserve 
• Check up on your favourite furry creature every Wednesday with Knockhatch Adventure Park’s live streams.
• Tune into keeper chats, park safaris and fun-filled animal investigations, at Isle of Wight’s Tapnell Farm Park
• Embark on a virtual safari at Longleat Safari Park 
• Keep an eye on the residents of Colchester Zoo with daily webcam footage and keeper talks.

Support local businesses

With temporary closures of many local businesses, we need to do what we can to help independent shops, eateries, pubs and many other places that are usually at the heart of our communities. From ordering a fancy takeaway to shopping at an online flea market, there are loads of ways you can support small businesses.

Photographer: Yuki Suguira

• Inside the M25? Get your groceries from Borough Market 
• Have mouth-watering restaurant food delivered straight to your door.
• Invest in a restaurant voucher or gift card to use once things calm down – heaps of restaurants around the country are offering them, like Pinner's Thai Villa and  Hawksmoor steakhouse, so check out eateries near you to see what they’re doing.
• Raise your glasses to a selection of London-based bars offering to deliver your favourite tipple to enjoy in the comfort of your own home.
• Get your cheese fix (with next-day delivery!) with the Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company.
• Pump Street Bakery and Chocolate Shop on the Suffolk coast is now offering local home delivery on a range of fresh products.
• Get your foodie fix from some of Nottinghamshire’s favourite hotspots
• Grab a gift experience for loved ones to use at one of many attractions in Hertfordshire once this has all blown over.
• Stock up on a case or two of Kent-based Curious Brewery’s best brews, with free delivery throughout mainland Britain
• Order in a stash of crisps from Colchester’s Fairfield Farm
• Get free home delivery on a bottle or two of Oxford artisan gin
• Not much of a baker? Get sourdough loaves, rich brownies and fresh hot cross buns sent straight to your door from Greenwich’s own Paul Rhodes Bakery
• Pick up a gift card to use against one of Wiltshire Live Music Centre’s future concerts.

Stream theatre and concerts

Even though theatres and concert halls have shut up shop for the time being, it doesn’t mean you have to miss out on music and riveting theatre while you’re indoors – instead, get your fill (and help keep the arts alive!) by streaming concerts, dance, plays and catchy musicals from your computer, tablet or phone.

• Watch thespians in action with the Shakespeare’s Globe player 
• Sing along to The Wind in the Willows 
• Get engrossed in top West End shows with Digital Theatre 
• Feast your eyes on free opera and ballet shows on the Royal Opera House’s Facebook and YouTube channels.
• Keep actors in work with Leave a Light On. London’s much-loved Theatre Café has teamed up with Lambert Jackson Productions to bring you a series of intimate live piano performances. They’ll be streamed daily for a small fee, and will feature a range of West End performers, from big-name stars to theatre newcomers. 
• Get lost in a show at the Sheffield Theatres’ The Film Room
• Mark World Theatre Day with a drama from the Royal Court
• Watch Hampstead Theatre’s production of I and You, starring English actress Maisie Williams, on Instagram
• Stream award-winning dance with Birmingham-based Rosie Kay Dance Company
• Check out full-length dance performances and online workshops on Sadler’s Wells’ Digital Stage
• Head over to YouTube every Thursday to watch free full-length plays, courtesy of the National Theatre.
• Calling all musical-theatre lovers! Head over to the YouTube channel ‘The Shows Must Go On!’ to enjoy a selection of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musicals, premiering weekly. The channel also links out to Acting For Others, who are welcoming donations to support the arts industry during this tough time. 
• Listen to the smooth sounds of artists performing from their homes with the Royal Albert Hall’s Royal Albert Home 
• Bring live music to your living room with Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’s online concerts.
• Find your new favourite comedian, poet or singer with LeftLion Sofa Sessions, a new initiative helping local Nottinghamshire artists while they’re out of work.
• Escape day-to-day life with a performance or two from the Northern Ballet during their Pay As You Feel Digital Season.
• Stream theatre every Sunday courtesy of Newcastle-born Coronavirus Theatre Club
• Watch mesmerising short dance films  courtesy of the Birmingham Royal Ballet 

Learn something new

With all this new time on your hands, why not put them to use and learn a new skill or heaps of new knowledge. With help from a selection of attractions and businesses across the country, you’ll definitely have something to boast about once you’re back at work!

• Get baking with Bread Ahead
• Perfect a new recipe with cook-along videos and tutorials on Borough Market’s Facebook community group.
• Get crafty and create something special with help from a series of blogs, live streams and videos by London-based company, M.Y.O (Make Your Own)  - keep your eye out for the next live session on their Instagram page.
• Grow your own with help from the Royal Horticultural Society 
• Get creative with the Ashmolean Museum's #IsolationCreations
• Go wild with Chester Zoo's learning tools, perfect for hassle-free homeschooling.
• Play with clay and learn to make bowls and lots more with Kana’s Stay Home Kana Clay Club
• Polish up on your icing skills with Biscuiteers' home icing kits
• Learn about the night sky from your own back garden with online stargazing courses by astro-photographer Gary Lintern
• Grow your own garlic, with top tips and advice from the Isle of Wight’s famous Garlic Farm
• Turn your hand to top-notch tipples with Selfridge’s Make-do Mixology recipes
• Get stuck in to making your own Bombay Sapphire Distillery-inspired cocktails while its doors are closed.

Attend an online event or festival

Unfortunately, because of the virus, many music events and cultural festivals have had to be cancelled. Though all is not lost - thanks to the internet and social media, many events are now set to take place online, meaning everyone can join in with the fun. 

• Immerse yourself in online puppetry shows and activities between May and July with the Beverley Puppet Festival

Need some more inspiration? Join us on social media!

We know it is a difficult time and at the moment and we can’t do some of the usual activities we love to do.

So, for now, we’re going to be bringing England into your home. Follow us on social media where we’ll be sharing ideas from great English films to recipes, and even a traditional pub quiz!  

Visit our pages using the links below and join in the fun!

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