7 things to do in Stratford-Upon-Avon

If you're looking for the best things to do in Stratford-Upon-Avon then I'm here to help! Stratford is best known for being the home of Shakespeare. It's also one of my favourite places to visit, and I feel so lucky to live only a 35-minute drive away.

Over the years I've spent a lot of time exploring this beautiful town. Hopefully, this guide will be useful if you're planning a visit there soon, whether you're coming for a day or a whole weekend. These are my top things to do in Stratford-Upon-Avon.

1. Explore the Shakespeare Houses

Before visiting them for the first time, I'd always thought the Shakespeare attractions were tourist traps. How wrong I was! Yes, they are filled with tourists, however they are also beautiful historic buildings which are incredibly interesting to look around.

There are 5 Shakespeare houses located in Stratford;

• Shakespeare's Birthplace
• Shakespeare's New Place
• Hall's Croft
• Anne Hathaway's Cottage
• Mary Arden's Farm

Shakespeare's Birthplace, New Place and Hall's Croft are located in the town centre, while Anne Hathaway's Cottage and Mary Arden's Farm are a 10-minute drive away. If you don't have a car, there's a hop-on hop-off bus tour which can take you there.

Looking to visit more than one Shakespeare House? The Full Story Ticket works out the best value. It gives you entry to all 5 properties and is valid for 12 months so you don't have to visit them all on one day. You can also redeem Tesco Clubcard points for tickets. This is what we did and it saved us loads!

Each house takes around 1-2 hours to look around. I think you'd struggle to do them all comfortably in one day, but you could easily fit in 2 or 3.

2. See a play at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre

When it Stratford you just can't miss the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Here, you'll find traditional Shakespeare plays and contemporary plays performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company.

I saw a role-reversal version of The Taming of the Shrew and really enjoyed it. Our seats weren't the best (we were sat at the very top and off to the side) but the acting and costumes were mesmerising. I'd love to go back one day. I'm keeping an eye out for when they next do my favourite Shakespeare play - A Midsummer Night's Dream!

If you're on a budget then £10 rush tickets are available from midday every Friday for tickets to see shows on the following week.

Even if you don't want to see a show, the theatre itself is worth a quick look around. There's a lovely gift shop and the rooftop bar does delicious cocktails (albeit a bit expensive).

Click here to see current performances.

3. Visit the Stratford Butterfly Farm

The Stratford Butterfly Farm is home to hundreds of the world’s most beautiful butterflies. It's a great place to visit with kids. England doesn't always have the best weather, and this is the perfect place to duck inside if you need to escape for an hour.

Tickets can be purchased on the door and 2019 prices are £7.25 for adults or £6.25 for children. Family tickets are available for £22.50.

Recommended visit time: 1 hour | View opening hours

4. Hire a riverboat or go on a river cruise

Stratford is situated on the River Avon (hence the name!) Over the summer, usually mid-March to end of October, you can rent rowing boats or canoes and set sail on an adventure. I can remember doing a river cruise with my family when I was a kid and loved it.

During school holidays the queues to rent a boat can be long, so it's worth getting there early.

Click here to find out more about boat trips in Stratford

5. Enjoy afternoon tea at Shakespaw's Cat Cafe

Shakespaw's cat cafe combines two of my favourite things; cats and afternoon tea! If you're visiting at peak times then it's strongly recommended to book online in advance, as it's very popular. When I visited on a Saturday afternoon I overheard a lot of people being turned away at the door.

General Admission is £5 per person for a 90 minute timeslot. This cover charge goes towards the cats' general upkeep (including their food and vet bills). You then order and pay for whatever you fancy off the menu. The full afternoon tea includes sandwiches, scones with jam and cream, crisps and a slice of cake. Lighter bites are also available, and they even serve cocktails!

Read my review of Shakespaw Cat Cafe in Stratford-Upon-Avon

6. Escape Live

I LOVE Escape Rooms. As they've increased in popularity, they've been popping up all over the country. I've done one in Manchester, two in Birmingham and one in Worcester.

If you haven't done one before, an Escape Room is typically a 60-minute experience, where you're shut in a room and have to solve clues and puzzles in order to break out. They vary in difficulty and usually have some sort of theme.

Escape Live in Stratford currently has two themed rooms; "The Chalice of Champions" and "Shakespeare's Script." Each room can accommodate 2-6 players and prices start from £17.50pp. My family and I did The Chalice of Champions for my sister's birthday and it was so much fun. We were so close to breaking out!

Click here to find out more about Escape Live

7. Special events

At certain times of the year, Stratford-Upon-Avon hosts free events such as the Stratford Food Festival, Stratford River Festival and Stratford Festival of Motoring. I've been to all these and really enjoyed them. They do attract the crowds, so it's worth arriving early and make sure you allow extra travel time if you're coming by car.

Check out the Visit Stratford website to see upcoming special events

Have you ever visited the home of Shakespeare? What are your top things to do in Stratford-Upon-Avon?