15+ Fantastic Things To Do In Stratford-upon-Avon

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For as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to visit Stratford-upon-Avon. A self-professed Shakespeare nerd it’s somewhere I can’t believe I never visited sooner. So when the opportunity arose on my latest UK trip, I couldn’t pass it up. An indeterminate amount of research went into finding the best things to do in Stratford-upon-Avon, so it would be bad not to share. After all, I’m sure I’m not the only person who’s been dying to visit the home and birthplace of William Shakespeare.

The ultimate Shakespeare fan

Before we go into all the fun things to do in Stratford-upon-Avon, a little backstory into how a visit there became my lifelong dream. I can pin the beginning of my Shakespeare obsession down to one Christmas when I was 10 years old. My parents got me a book of Shakespeare’s plays for Christmas – complete with beautiful illustrations to make it more appealing to kids. It worked!

Fast forward a few weeks: I had not only read the book but had taken it upon myself to convince my teacher that we must put on a Shakespeare play. She likely only agreed to shut me up, but in reality she just created a monster. Auditions, costume and set design, rehearsals day after day. All in a days work for a ten year old with a plan.

The play I chose was The Tempest. I, of course, was the narrator and as such decided that the most fitting costume for me was a peach colored dress I wore as a bridesmaid the year before (I wish I was kidding).

Long story short, the play was as successful as it could be having being organized by 10-year old’s. But we had fun and managed to get our performance written about in the local newspaper. It also helped catapult my infatuation for the Bard into adulthood.

Where is Stratford-upon-Avon

The birthplace of possibly the most famous playwright in history is in a small market town in the West Midlands. As the name suggests, that’s kind of in the middle of England. For anyone visiting the UK on vacation, Stratford is about two hours from London by car or by train.

Birmingham is probably the closest major city, and the closest big airport. But there’s a lot more to discover around this area, including the amazingly outstanding Cotswolds. Therefore my suggestion is to rent a car and drive here for the most freedom to explore.

A little history of Shakespeare

For anyone who’s been hiding under a rock for the last almost 500 years, William Shakespeare is only one of the best English writers of all time. In fact Shakespeare may be the most well known of all English writers.

You might be surprised at how many Shakespearean phrases that we still use on a daily basis:

• Wild-goose chase (Romeo & Juliet)
• Break the ice (Taming of the Shrew)
• In a pickle (The Tempest)
• Wear my heart on my sleeve (Othello)

Born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon he was only 18 when he got married to Anne Hathaway (not that one). He was heavily involved in the theater scene in London – acting, writing, even opening his own theater, The Globe.

It’s likely that work dried up in the theater for a while in the early 1600s due to the bubonic plague (the original COVID). And since no audiences means no work, Shakespeare seems to have moved back to Stratford around that period. He died in 1616 in Stratford of unknown causes. In fact much of his life (and death) still remains a bit of a mystery. But his plays have lived on in infamy, as well as his words.

The top things to do in Stratford-upon-Avon

Hopefully by now you’re just as enthralled by the life and works of Shakespeare as I am, and are eagerly interested in finding out some of the top things to do in Stratford-upon-Avon. There’s an absurd amount to keep you busy in this small, charming medieval town. It’s therefore recommend to have at least one full day here, but preferably longer. After all as Shakespeare once said: “Make use of time, let not advantage slip“.

Shakespeare’s Birthplace

The place where it all began, the house in which William Shakespeare was born. Also the family home of his childhood. It’s actually amazing enough that this house is still here after 500 years. But that you can visit the home originally owned by Shakespeare’s father and in which he would have lived is incredible.

The house is typical style of the time, although is rather large which shows the potential wealth his parents may have had. The house today is a small museum that you can visit, and being right on the main street in Stratford it’s very difficult to miss.

Shakespeare’s New Place

Don’t be fooled by the name, the site isn’t that new. Shakespeare’s house stood here long after his death until the mid 1700s but was later demolished. Which means that unfortunately you can’t actually visit his house that was once in this location.

You can, however, see the site where his house once stood and is now a beautiful historic garden. Entering through what was his neighbors house, the site is full of incredible works of art.

Holy Trinity Church

As well as being a beautiful church situated along the river Avon, this is also Shakespeare’s final resting place. It’s free to enter the church and look around, and well worth a visit.

Shakespeare is buried in the church towards the altar at the back. Keep an eye out for his baptism record on display too, which is how historians have been able to estimate his birthdate.

Shakespeare’s Schoolroom

How does William Shakespeare become “William Shakespeare, world renowned poet and writer”? Everyone has to start somewhere, and as good a place as any to get excited about writing is school. Great news is that you can visit where William himself went to school right here in Stratford.

The schoolroom, just steps away from Shakespeare’s New Place, is a gorgeous early 15th Century building. Now a museum with over 600 years of history, you can learn a bit more about Shakespeare here. See where he sat his classes and saw other plays of the day being performed.

Shakespeare Statues

Given that Stratford is all things Shakespeare you won’t be surprised that there are more than a few statues around the town honoring him. From the statue of him outside the birthplace house, to the memorial at Bancroft gardens. The latter even has the statues of 4 of his famous characters around it, including Lady Macbeth.

Royal Shakespeare Company Theatre

From the other side of the river you can see the theater, although it doesn’t look more than a modern piece of architecture. But come around the front along Waterside and it’s like a completely different building.

Of course, while it looks great from the outside, you really need to see a play if it lines up with your trip. There’s nothing like seeing live Shakespeare plays. Because while “all the world’s a stage…”, this is a stage you won’t want to miss.

Hall’s Croft

Another historic house in the town of Stratford, dating back to the early 1600s. This one was the home of John Hall, husband of Shakespeare’s daughter Susanna. Located not far from Holy Trinity church, they wouldn’t have lived in it for long, moving into Shakespeare’s New Place after his death. Although you can’t go inside, it’s another reminder of Shakespeare’s life in Stratford.

Anne Hathaway’s Cottage

While Shakespeare’s Birthplace is impressive because, well, it’s Shakespeare’s birthplace, it’s not exactly a looker of a building. Anne Hathaway’s cottage on the other hand is a classy beauty of historic proportions.

The farmhouse cottage family home of Shakespeare’s wife lies just outside of the main town. It’s a few minutes to drive there, or a roughly 30-minute walk if you’re up for it. Now a museum, wander the house to see items of furniture that were there even when Shakespeare met Anne. Then take a stroll in the stunning English gardens and orchards.

Boat ride along the Avon river

What’s the point in visiting a town by the river if you don’t get out on the water? One of the most fun things to do in Stratford-upon-Avon is take a boat out on the river. You can choose to row your own boat (maybe even on a boat named after one of Shakespeare’s characters). Or sit back and let someone else do the work with a short river cruise.

Watch the swans

Beautiful white swans bob along the river Avon, making the picturesque town even more charming – if that’s possible. Many little shops around the river sell food you can give to the swans. Watch them flock from far and wide the minute you rustle the bag of food and get your camera ready.

UK Trivia: Did you know the Queen owns all the swans in England? By royal tradition, all but a select few belong to the reigning monarch. As a protected species it is also illegal to kill or eat one.

Look at nice old buildings

Not all the pretty houses are to do with Shakespeare. This particular part of England has some of the most abundant Tudor-style buildings. And honestly it’s just fun to walk around Stratford looking at all the historic structures. In varying designs you can barely walk down any street in central Stratford without finding one incredible building after the next.

Farmer’s market

Market day in Stratford falls on Friday and Saturday so plan your trip accordingly and find some local delights. Fresh cheese, produce, meat and crafts make up just a handful of the many stalls out around the market square. There are some places that sell hot food too so you can perhaps grab a quick (and cheaper) lunch and take it to sit a park.

Have a pint in an old pub

Want to go inside one of these beautiful old buildings? Well the good news is that you don’t have to plan a museum day to do so. Why not look for one of the more traditional pubs in the town and have a good old pint of beer. Or whatever other tipple you might fancy.

Top Tip: Kill two birds with one stone (not swans) and visit The Windmill Inn which was likely visited at least once by the Bard himself. After all his house was just a hundred yards away.

Find a nice tearoom

Traveling back to the 1500s is hard work, so hard you might need some liquid refreshment that’s not beer. One of the many fun things to do in Stratford-upon-Avon is find a nice little tearoom – this is still England after all. Whether you stop for a cup of tea only, or indulge in a light lunch or slice of cake, there are plenty of options.

Looking for something a little bit more special? There are more unique tearooms like Havilands Tea Room which has a subtle yet whimsical Alice in Wonderland theme – and a scrumptious High Tea to accompany it. Anyone for croquet?

Do some unique shopping

Naturally you’ll be able to find almost anything with a Shakespeare quote stuck on it. From t-shirts and mugs to the more niche items like Shakespeare Trivial Pursuit and prints for your wall at home. But there are other things to purchase if you look hard enough.

One such interesting and enchanting place is Magic Alley. No doubt named as a tongue in cheek reference to Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley, that’s kind of where the similarity ends. This shop is more curiosity shop meets Dungeons & Dragons. But as well as an emporium where you can find almost anything magical related, there’s the Enchanted Manor immersive storytelling experience.

Tudor World

Because there aren’t enough things to do in Stratford-upon-Avon to make you feel like you’ve stepped back into Tudor times. Tudor World is one of England’s unique living history museums where you can be shown around 16th-17th Century England – but not worry about contracting the bubonic plague.

A theatrical museum, actors dressed in typical Tudor style will walk you through England as it once was. Come back after hours to take a unique ghost tour, or join a Shakespeare tour around Stratford by the Bard himself.

Catch a lovely sunset

Is there any better way to end a fascinating day around Stratford than with a picturesque sunset by the river? Keep your fingers crossed for nice weather and clear skies, because the colors along the water as the sun goes down will show you once again how magical this town is.

There are a number of pubs and bars with riverside seating and garden areas, or take a blanket and some snacks and relax in one of the green spaces along the Avon.

Where to eat in Stratford-upon-Avon

For a small town, there are many fine eating establishments in the Bard’s former home. Tearooms, pubs, fine dining restaurants, and even budget options you’ll be spoiled for choice.

Haviland’s Tea Room is always a great place to grab some delicious handmade cakes and light snacks. Likewise, the Boston Tea Party just up the street from Shakespeare’s birthplace is one of the larger tearooms so you’ve got a good chance of a seat. They’re also open for breakfast so it’s a great place to fuel up for your day of walking.

Another thing Stratford does well are pubs. And so many of them are beautifully historic such as the Old Thatch Tavern. Their food is wonderfully traditional and full of sumptuous dishes to fill you up.

And for anyone who’s seen the UK television show, Shakespeare & Hathaway you really should visit the Dirty Duck pub along Waterside, close to the theaters. The inspiration behind the show’s pub the “Mucky Mallard” the menu is extensive and has so much choice for vegetarians and vegans (try the brie mac & cheese). Many famous actors have spent time here including Judi Dench and Laurence Olivier.

Top Tip: As well as the awesome food, check out film and theater posters around the pub, and see if you can find the table Judi Dench signed.

You won’t want to leave Stratford

As you can see, there is enough to keep you rooted in the 16th Century living time capsule that is Stratford-upon-Avon for more than just a day. Don’t rush your visit, especially if you’re an avid Shakespeare fan. Book at least one night in Stratford, or in some of the surrounding Cotswolds villages.

While there are many things to do in Stratford-upon-Avon, it is a rather seasonal town. Because of that, make sure to check opening times of the places you want to see before you plan your visit. There are some museums that are closed certain days of the week – the main Shakespeare sites aren’t open Thursday or Friday. There are also some that close once October hits until the early spring.

One thing’s for sure, Shakespeare fan or not, a visit to Stratford is a must. The unique combination of riverside walks, perfectly preserved Tudor town and limitless literary references will soften even the strongest critic. As it has been a dream of mine since I was young to visit, I can happily say I was not only not disappointed. Not only that, I’m itching to get back to Stratford just as soon as possible.

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