Stratford-upon-Avon is a medieval market town in Warwickshire. Best know as the birthplace of William Shakespeare who is possibly the most famous writer in the English language.  We most recently had the opportunity to visit this lovely town for a holiday and thoroughly enjoyed our visit to this beautiful town steeped in charm and history!

So if you are thinking about heading to this vibrant city, then keep on reading as we share all the family-friendly activities which you can do whilst you are there such as booking a City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus, Tudor World, watching a theatre performance at the Royal Shakespeare Company, visiting all three properties of Shakespeare’s Family Homes or visiting UK’s largest Butterfly Farm.

Lockdown has been hard for all of us, so we were totally glad that this year we were able to book a short staycation away to relax and unwind.  We were lucky to find The Garden House a stunning and idyllic cottage that has two bedrooms, a kitchen and a front and back garden. The cottage was so beautifully designed and well maintained by Levie and Colin who not only made us feel so welcomed but spend hours keeping their garden pristine.  The location was great as well, as it only took us around 20 minutes drive into town.  We parked our car at the Leisure Centre Carpark and walked into town which took us around 10 minutes.

City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus

If you are travelling with kids, the best way to see Stratford-Upon-Avon is on the Hop-On Hop-Off Bus. My children loved climbing to the bus rooftop to get a good view of the city. We were also each given an earpiece, so we could all listen to the tour guide explaining about each of the historic landmarks in the city, there are 11 in total.   The guide is available in English as well as 6 other languages, hence great for tourists who don’t speak English as well.  It is a great way to spend the afternoon and the whole ride takes just over an hour plus if you decide not to get down from the bus.  The bus operates between 9:30 to 4pm and has lots of stops around town. We printed our online ticket and boarded the bus at the tourist centre which is in town.  You can purchase a family day pass, our ticket allowed us access for two-days so we spent the first day visiting the landmarks and the second day just taking the tour without stopping off.

Tudor World

Tudor World History Museum is a great place to head to for the whole family as there are lots of interactive elements: from a touchscreen; videos to choose from; a feast to sit out; a thrown perch on and a four-poster bed to lie on.  My children took part in the written witch trial as well as tried their hand at quill writing in the schoolroom.  The museum shows different aspects of Tudor life in an exciting and atmospheric way.   My children also enjoyed the gory exhibitions and enjoyed learning about the plague.  I found the figures quite realistic and thoughtfully done. Do check their website to find out about programmes and tours which they run including the Ghost Tours.  Tudor World receives no funding or grants hence they do charge a small entry fee. A family ticket will cost you £17.50 which is well worth it.

Stratford Big Wheel

One of the main attraction that caught our eyes as we drove into town was the Stratford Big Wheel and we knew immediately that we were going to book tickets for the ride.  Located around the recreation ground on the eastern bank of the River Avon, the ride is just next to the Stratford Butterfly Farm.  Tickets for the ride cost £6 per person and we had a lovely view of the town centre and River Avon.  The pod generally sits 6 people, but we had it for ourselves as it was not too busy on the day.  Lucky for us, we had the perfect weather for it hence clear skies. Don’t worry if it is raining on the day you visit, as the pods are weatherproof. Although the ride only took 5 minutes, my children still talk about the Big Wheel and want to go on it again.

Butterfly Farm

I would totally recommend visiting UK’s largest Butterfly Farm when you are in Stratford.  It is a fantastic place to head to with the whole family as you get to visit the exotic rainforest and meet its stunning butterflies in the midst of a lush landscape of tropical blossom with splashing waterfalls and fish-filled pools.  The farm is home to 250 different species of the world’s most spectacular and colourful butterflies in the world.  We had the chance to see them flying around, see them feeding and they even occasionally landed on us.  These butterflies are sourced from 20 different countries and there are approximately 2,000 free-flying butterflies of all shapes, sizes and colours in the butterfly farm.  A fun day out for the children and don’t forget to do the trail as well.

HighStreet/Town Centre

Stratford-Upon-Avon is indeed a rich architectural city full of heritage and interesting places to visit. The town also has lots of cafes and restaurants to enjoy a delicious meal.  It does not matter if you want to order some Fish and Chips from the famous Barnaby’s Fish Restaurant to eat by the canal or if you want to sit down for a romantic meal at Loxley’s Restaurant or dine at family-friendly Bella Italia or even just enjoy an Afternoon Tea at Hobsons Patisserie. Would recommend you pre-booking your dinner reservations in advance especially if you are travelling during school/bank holidays.

Boat Hire

We spent a few evenings by the canal enjoying ice-creams and people watching and realised that we wanted to see more of River Avon, so we decided to rent a speed boat from Avon Boating as it was too hot to row the boat.  This is a popular attraction, so be prepared to queue for a while especially if you have nice weather for it.  We decided to book a ranger motorboat which was easy to use with minimal instructions.  Our 30-minute boat ride cost us £30, but this gave us the chance to explore Riven Avon closely and at a relaxing pace. Both our children totally loved the experience and they even had a go at steering the boat.

Shakespeare’s Family Homes

Stratford-Upon-Avon is the birthplace of the world-renowned author William Shakespeare, hence you must make a point to visit either one or all three of his family homes. We had the privilege of visiting Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Anne Hattaway’s Cottage as well as Shakespeare’s New Place where he lived with his wife Anne, after they were married. It is a lovely experience for children and adults alike to learn more about Shakespeare and his life through these visits.  My children enjoyed Shakespeare’s Birthplace the most while I loved Anne Hattaway’s Cottage. You can buy individual tickets or tickets to all three properties which is cheaper. Remember to pre-book your slot for Shakespeare’s Birthplace to avoid waiting around.

Relax By The banks of the River Avon

It was super sunny when we were in Stratford-Upon-Avon, so we enjoyed many a day of just sitting by the field facing River Avon, people and boat watching. Kids were skateboarding in the park, couples enjoying a picnic as well as sunbathers basking in the glorious sun.  There are sun lounge chairs for rent but most people just sat on benches or on the grass.  Further along the river and the main town, we also spotted families swimming in the River. Such joy to be able to just sit and admire nature and its wonders.   We would totally recommend having an ice cream while you are there or just enjoy reading a book while the kids run around and play.

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**We were provided entry tickets to some of these venues whilst we paid for some others.