17 Best Sights in Stratford-upon-Avon and the Heart of England, England

This 26-acre museum on social history gives insight into what life was like centuries ago for the men and women who worked in the coal-producing region known as the Black Country (a term that arose from the resulting air pollution from the region's coal mines), and it’s a little like walking onto a film set. The town of Dudley, 10 miles northwest of Birmingham, was where coal was first used for smelting iron way back in the 17th century. The replicated village is made up of buildings from around the region, including a chain maker’s workshop; a trap-works (where animal snares were fashioned); his-and-hers hardware stores (pots and pans for women, tools and sacks for men); a druggist; and a general store where costumed women describe life in a poor industrial community in the 19th century. You can also sit on a hard bench and watch Charlie Chaplin films in the 1920s cinema, peer into the depths of a mine, or ride on a barge to experience canal travel of yesteryear. For sustenance, there is a café, a 1930s-era fried-fish shop, and the Bottle & Glass Inn for ales and drinks. Peaky Blinders fans will also be pleased to know they now offer special themed nights where you can dress up and step back to the 1920s.

To avoid the numerous school parties, visit on the weekend or during school vacations. The museum, three miles from the M5, is best reached by car. Leave M5 at Junction 2 by the A4123, and then take A4037 at Tipton. Trains from Birmingham New Street to Tipton Station take 17 minutes; buses from the train station run past the museum, which is one mile away.

The 11 sites that make up the Ironbridge Gorge Museum—a World Heritage Site spread over 6 square miles—preserve the area’s fascinating industrial history in spectacular fashion. The best starting point is the Museum of the Gorge, which has a good selection of literature and an audiovisual show on the history of the area. In nearby Coalbrookdale, the Museum of Iron explains the production of iron and steel. You can see the blast furnace built by Abraham Darby, who developed the original coke process in 1709. The adjacent "Enginuity" exhibition is a hands-on, feet-on interactive exploration of engineering that’s good for kids. From here, drive the few miles along the river until the arches of the Iron Bridge come into view. Designed by T. F. Pritchard, smelted by Darby, and erected between 1777 and 1779, this graceful arch spanning the River Severn can best be seen—and photographed—from the towpath, a riverside walk edged with wildflowers and shrubs. The tollhouse on the far side houses an exhibition on the bridge’s history and restoration.

A mile farther along the river is the Jackfield Tile Museum, a repository of decorative tiles from the 19th and 20th centuries. Another half mile brings you to the Coalport China Museum. Exhibits show some of the factory’s most beautiful wares, and craftspeople give demonstrations; visit the restrooms for the unique communal washbasins. A short walk from Coalport is the Tar Tunnel, part of a 1787 tar mine; note the black bitumen still seeping through the walls. Nearby is Ironbridge’s star attraction: Blists Hill Victorian Town, where you can see old mines, furnaces, and a wrought-iron works. The main draw is the re-creation of the "town" itself, with its doctor’s office, bakery, grocer, candle maker, sawmill, printing shop, and candy store. At the entrance you can change some money for specially minted pennies and make purchases from the shops. Shopkeepers, the bank manager, and the doctor’s wife are on hand to give you advice. If you don't fancy the refreshments at the Fried Fish Dealers, you could drop into the New Inn pub (in Blists Hill) for a traditional ale or ginger beer and join one of the singalongs around the piano that take place a couple of times every afternoon; or, for something more formal, try the Club Room restaurant next door. Allow at least a full day to appreciate all the major sights and perhaps to take a stroll around the famous Iron Bridge or hunt for Coalport china in the stores clustered near it. On weekends and national holidays from April through October, a shuttle bus takes you between sites.

The "very perfection of decay," according to author Daniel Defoe, the ruins of this red sandstone castle date from 1085. No wonder the massive structure dwarfs the town: it served as a vital stronghold for centuries and was the seat of the Marcher Lords who ruled "the Marches," the local name for the border region. The two sons of Edward IV—the little princes of the Tower of London—spent time here before being dispatched to London and before their death in 1483. Follow the terraced walk around the castle for a lovely view of the countryside.

Overlooking Bancroft Gardens and with views along the River Avon, the Stratford home of the world-renowned Royal Shakespeare Company is undoubtedly one of the best places in the world to watch a Shakespearean play. The company has existed since 1879 and today boasts three Stratford venues: the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, the Swan Theatre (on the site of the original Shakespeare Memorial Theatre), and The Other Place. There's a great rooftop restaurant at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, plus a popular Behind the Scenes tour. You can also ascend to the theater’s tower, for free, for a panoramic view of Stratford.

Based in an incredible historic building in a forgotten part of the city, this heritage center, a joint enterprise between the National Trust and the Canal and River Trust, has seen 19th-century stables once used to house Birmingham's hard-working horses brought back to life. Inside the horseshoe-shaped brick building, you can learn about the history of the building, as well as how integral both horses and the canals have been to the city's fortunes. Now essentially a hub for city tours—on foot, bike, kayak, and boat—it's also a font of knowledge for those interested in Birmingham's industrial past. The visitor center is free to visit, and there's a good café on site, but most people come here to book a kayak tour, take a guided tour on foot through the city, or take a cycle tour along the canals. There are also tours of the building itself.

The vast bulk of this medieval castle rests on a cliff overlooking the Avon River and is considered "the fairest monument of ancient and chivalrous splendor which yet remains uninjured by time," to use the words of Sir Walter Scott. Today, the company that runs the Madame Tussauds wax museums also owns the castle, and it has become more theme park than an authentic heritage site, but it is still a lot of fun. Warwick’s two soaring towers, bristling with battlements, can be seen for miles: the 147-foot-high Caesar’s Tower, built in 1356, and the 128-foot-high Guy’s Tower, built in 1380.

Warwick Castle’s monumental walls enclose an impressive armory of medieval weapons, as well as staterooms with historic furnishings and paintings. Other exhibits explore the castle’s history through the ages, display the sights and sounds of a great medieval household as it prepares for an important battle, and tell the story of a princess’s fairy-tale wedding. Elsewhere, a working trebuchet, falconry displays, and rat-throwing (stuffed, not live) games add to the atmosphere. Below the castle, strutting peacocks patrol the 64 acres of grounds elegantly landscaped by Capability Brown in the 18th century. Each summer the castle also hosts one-off immersive experiences.

Arrive early to beat the crowds. If you book online, you save 30% on ticket prices. Lavish medieval banquets take place throughout the year, and plenty of food stalls serve lunch. For the ultimate castle experience, you can "glamp" in a medieval tent, stay in a wooden lodge in the Knight’s Village, or spend the night in your own luxury suite in the 14th-century Caesar’s Tower.

You can see old architecture typical of Worcestershire at this 19-acre open-air museum, which is situated 15 miles outside the city center and which has rescued more than 30 structures from destruction. Alongside half-timber buildings are Victorian chimneys, a collection of phone booths, a three-seater "earth closet" (lavatory), a 1946 prefabricated house, and a working windmill. During the week, school groups usually arrive at the museum in the morning, making afternoons a less crowded time to visit. Wear good walking shoes.

The village of Bournville (five miles south of Birmingham city center) contains this museum devoted to—what else?—chocolate. In 1879, the Quaker Cadbury brothers moved the family business from the city to this "factory in a garden." The museum traces the history of the cocoa bean and the Cadbury dynasty. The 4-D Chocolate Adventure Zone and the accompanying play areas may seem like overkill, but Cadbury World is extremely popular with kids. You can watch (and smell) chocolates being made by hand, enjoy free samples, and then stock up from the cut-price shop. The restaurant has specialty chocolate cakes as well as lunches. Opening times change almost daily, and reservations are essential; call or go online to check times and book tickets.

Well-landscaped grounds and natural enclosures make the 80-acre zoo one of Britain’s most popular and also one of its largest. Highlights include the Realm of the Red Ape, the jaguar enclosure, and the Dragons in Danger habitat. Baby animals are often on display. Eleven miles of paths wind through the zoo, and you can use the water-bus boats or the overhead train to tour the grounds. Fun 10-minute animal talks, aimed at kids, take place at various locations around the zoo throughout the day; little ones will especially love the Madagascar PLAY zone.

Completed in 1820, Eastnor Castle, a turreted Norman-revival extravaganza on the eastern outskirts of Ledbury, includes some magnificent neo-Gothic salons designed by 19th-century architect Augustus Pugin. The Hervey-Bathurst family has restored other grand rooms, full of tapestries, gilt-framed paintings, Regency chandeliers, old armchairs, and enormous sofas, making Eastnor a must-see for lovers of English interior decoration. In the Little Library, look out for the rare game of Life Pool, originally played on the billiards table. Within the grounds, there is a knight’s maze and adventure playground to keep kids entertained (along with an ice cream parlor). Opening days vary throughout the season; check the website in advance before you visit. There is also a campsite and two cottages within the castle’s deer park and some spectacular rooms in the castle itself.

Start a visit to this museum with a look at the Roman Stones Gallery, which displays Roman-era tombstones previously used to repair city walls (keep an eye out for the wounded barbarian). Afterwards you can skip a few centuries to explore the period house for a tour from 1680 to the 1920s.

Push buttons and pedals to your heart's content to make the exhibits in the Mechanical Art & Design Museum come alive. Witty, beautiful, and intricate automata and examples of kinetic art will clank, whir, and rattle away. Marbles and Ping-Pong balls thread and bounce through looping runs, a typewriter plays tunes on glasses and bottles, and two trains chuff around high up on the walls. Kids will love constructing their own marble run, and grown-ups will marvel at the Kitchenator display. There's also a shop full of weird and wonderful things to buy. Tickets last all day so you can come and go as you please.

Almost as far from the sea as you can get in Britain (which isn’t very far), this imaginatively landscaped aquarium allows a glimpse into Davey Jones’s locker. An underwater tunnel lets you view sharks and stingrays up close, or you can book a feeding experience with the sharks or the green sea turtle. The resident Gentoo penguins that greet you on arrival are a crowd-pleaser. Children gravitate to the touch pools and other interactive activities. Buy your tickets online for discounts of up to 35%.

Located in the the town’s former Music Hall, this museum chronicles the history of the area, from prehistoric times to the present day. One gallery tells the story of Roman occupation; some genuine finds include a unique silver mirror from nearby Wroxeter. Another gallery focuses on the boom years of the 19th century, including a display on the life of Shrewsbury’s most famous son, Charles Darwin. Special exhibitions change regularly.

Kids as well as adults appreciate the well-thought-out St. John’s House Museum, with its period costumes and scenes of domestic life, as well as a Victorian schoolroom and kitchen. Beautiful gardens where you can picnic surround the Jacobean building near the castle.

The United Kingdom’s largest exotic butterfly collection is housed in a tropical greenhouse, a two-minute walk past the Bridgefoot footbridge (spiders, caterpillars, and insects from all over the world also make their home here). Kids can watch as butterflies emerge from pupae, search for caterpillars among the plants, or take a look at a toxic black widow spider. The ant colony is another highlight. There is also a fantastic shop, plus places to picnic in the lovely garden.

Tread carefully over the cobbles, and enter Tudor World on Sheep Street to find a dimly lit and quirky maze of displays that explore, with the help of Tudor mannequins, aspects of the 16th century, including the plague years, early medicine, witch trials, bearbaiting, punishment, and alleged ghosts. Kids will enjoy peering round the curtains and opening the boxes of smells. At night, ghost tours by lantern light (suitable only for adults and older children) explore the house's paranormal history in spooky detail.