Our Top 10 Tourist Attractions in Hertfordshire for Families
With its close proximity to London, not many people who come to the UK even consider visiting Hertfordshire. But out here on the fringes of the big city there is plenty of excitement, relaxation and history right on your doorstep.
Hertfordshire is one of the six historic ‘Home Counties’ that surround London and is best known for its lush country estates (one of is the Aldenham Estate, which Home Farm Glamping is nestled into), its beautiful villages and its rich history both ancient and modern. It’s easy to reach, too, with Luton airport close by and Elstree & Borehamwood (our local station) having great connections by rail from London and the rest of the UK. So whether you’re looking to take a ramble down the meandering walking routes, sit down for a delicious traditional roast dinner or step back in time to Roman Britain, then Hertfordshire can provide all of the above and more! Here’s some of the best places you might want to visit on your stay.
St. Albans
First up is the charming and historic St Albans. Everywhere you turn in this pleasant and rustic city, named after Britain’s first martyr, there is a slice of fascinating history waiting to be discovered, including a number of fantastic ancient sites. There are the remains of a Roman home in Verulamium Park, as well as the ruins of an amphitheatre which is still used for performances in the summer. The awe-inspiring St Albans Abbey is the oldest site of continuous Christian worship in Britain and just up the road at the bottom of the High Street is the famous Clock Tower, built in the 1400s; climb the 93 steps to the top and you’ll be treated to lovely views of the town and the rolling countryside beyond.
Speaking of the High Street, if you’re visiting on a Wednesday or Saturday, then you can wander through the second oldest market in the UK and browse the wide range of home crafts and street food on offer. Or if you’re looking for something a bit more traditional, you can wander into one of the many, many pubs (St Albans has more pubs per square mile than anywhere else in the country!) for a hearty roast dinner. Loads of the lovely pubs in the city date back hundreds of years but Ye Olde Fighting Cocks claims to be the oldest in England, with the first pint being served all the way back in 793!
Welwyn Garden City
Just a twenty minutes drive to the North of Home Farm is Welwyn Garden City. Surrounded by gorgeous countryside, beautiful little villages and splendid country houses, a day out around these parts can be tranquil and fascinating all at once. Take Shaw’s Corner, a lovely old house in the sweet nearby village of Ayot St Lawrence, which was once the long-term home of the world-famous Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw and is now a museum where you can visit his writing hut where he penned many of his classic plays including Pygmalion. Ayot St Lawrence is also just one of the many picturesque villages that you can wander between, taking in the quaint countryside and the pretty churches as you go.
There are also some very well preserved remains of a local Roman Bath House just North of the village. Discovered in 1960 by a local archeologist, the excavation revealed the baths to be part of a larger villa complex dating back around 1800 years!
If you fancy taking a dip yourself, there is Stanborough Park on the outskirts of Welwyn where you can practise your open water swimming in the very cold lakes.
Watford
On the outskirts of this large market town, and just a twenty minute drive from Home Farm, is a treat for all you fans of the wizarding world. The Warner Bros. Studio Tour is home to a treasure trove of original sets, props, costumes and so much more from the Harry Potter film series. This is a hugely fun day out for the whole family as you step into the enchanting world of Hogwarts, butter beer and quidditch. You can wander down Diagon Alley, step on to Platform 9¾ and marvel at the incredible design and real-life film wizardry it took to make the classic films.
London
As much as we love all the fantastic attractions available to us in Hertfordshire, we would be remiss not to mention the great activities that are still very nearby but not technically in Hertfordshire. We don’t need to tell you about all the biggest and most famous attractions on offer in the capital and while these sites in the centre of London are very easily accessible from us by public transport, there are also lots of great places to visit that are also within driving distance from Home Farm.
Wembley Stadium, known as the ‘home of football’, offers tours where you can explore the world-famous ground of the England national football teams. If your timing is right there might even be a game on, or one of the many concerts that take place there every year with a host of global superstars taking to the stage.
There’s the quirky neighbourhood of Camden with its bustling market and mouth-watering street food, easily reachable by the Northern line from Edgware. Or just up the road is the delightful Hampstead with its lovely houses and hugely attractive heath, which contains Kenwood House, a gorgeous old country estate with a hugely impressive art collection.
Stevenage
Close to the town of Stevenage is Knebworth House which provides a wealth of great activities for the whole family. The house itself is spectacular and charts the long history of the Lytton family who have occupied the huge mansion for over 500 years. Outside in the astonishing gardens and huge park there is also more than enough to occupy an exceptionally fun day. The adventure playground and dinosaur trail provide great opportunities for the kids to run around and a wealth of events- such as food festivals, concerts and theatre- are hosted here every summer. It’s a lovely place to enjoy a sunny day and a warm summer evening.
Hatfield
At the Eastern end of the town of Hatfield is this magnificent old manor. The current house was built in 1611 and it is a prime example of Jacobean architecture. The house, and its site which also previously had an older palace, is steeped in history and was lived in for many years by Henry VIII children. Open Thursday to Sunday every week throughout the summer, you can take a guided tour through many of the lavish rooms, from the chapel to the dining room and the library.
There are a number of splendid works of art throughout the house, but in most notable is the famous ‘Rainbow Portrait’ of Queen Elizabeth I. Surrounding the house are the brilliant and colourful gardens, which both contain amazing works of art and really are a work of art themselves; they’re a must-see! There is also the expansive park where there are magical woodland trails, and you might even encounter a few deer on your journey.
We’re very lucky at Home Farm to be within reach of not just one of the biggest and best cities in Europe and the world, but also surrounded by the beautiful countryside and deep history of Hertfordshire as well. If you’re after quick and easy access to London, and also some great family experiences amongst the lush British countryside, then there are plenty of adventures waiting for you just around the corner from Home Farm!