Photo: Au Morandarte from London, Middlesex, England (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons
Things to do in Hertfordshire
Wondering what to do in Hertfordshire? This guide lists the area's attractions — zoos, museums, theme parks and more — with distances, so you can plan every day of your trip.
🎟️ This weekend near Hertfordshire
Events from
Skiddle
Fri 13 Nov · 12:00
Mega Mega: Romford's Suburban Sound Revolution
ATIK Romford, Romford · 24.2 mi
Tickets on Skiddle ↗
Fri 13 Nov · 12:00
Bedford Audio Tour: Journey Through Bedford's Timeless Tapes...
St Paul's Church, Bedford, Bedford · 24.9 mi
Tickets on Skiddle ↗
Fri 13 Nov · 12:00
Aylesbury Audio Tour: Aylesbury Landmarks Extravaganza
Royal Buckinghamshire Hospital, Aylesbury · 24.2 mi
Tickets on Skiddle ↗
Fri 13 Nov · 19:00
Vinyl Nights
Cinnabar, Stevenage · 8.0 mi
Tickets on Skiddle ↗
Aquariums
21.3 mi from Hertfordshire
London Aquarium
SEA LIFE London Aquarium is a large underwater attraction spread across three floors in Lambeth, home to over 500 species in 14 themed zones. You can explore Polar Adventure with i...
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21.4 mi from Hertfordshire
SEA LIFE Aquarium London
SEA LIFE London Aquarium is a large underwater attraction spread across three floors, with 14 themed zones to explore, from the Gentoo penguin colony in Polar Adventure to the UK's...
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28.7 mi from Hertfordshire
Deep Sea Adventure
Deep Sea Adventure is a LEGO® City ride where you board a submarine and join the Deep Sea Explorers on a mission to discover a lost underwater city. Along the way you'll spot shark...
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Attractions & Visitor Centres
21.3 mi from Hertfordshire
London Eye
The London Eye, originally the Millennium Wheel, is a cantilevered observation wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames in London. It is the world's tallest cantilevered observa... — Wikipedia
21.3 mi from Hertfordshire
The London Dungeon
The London Dungeon is a theatrical attraction bringing 1,000 years of London's darkest history to life through live actors, interactive shows and a ride. You'll move through fully...
21.3 mi from Hertfordshire
Shrek's Adventure! London
Shrek's Adventure! London is an interactive walkthrough experience where you journey through Far Far Away, starting with a 4D flying bus ride complete with water sprays, fog and ar...
Museums & Galleries
2.4 mi from Hertfordshire
Hatfield Bunker
Hatfield Bunker sits beneath what is now Hatfield Police Station, on the former site of the de Havilland Aircraft Company. A single staircase near a marble entrance leads down to f...
2.6 mi from Hertfordshire
Shaw's Corner
George Bernard Shaw's Villa. Shaw's Corner was the country home of playwright Bernard Shaw for 44 years
2.7 mi from Hertfordshire
Mill Green Museum & Working Mill
Mill Green Museum & Working Mill is an 18th century restored watermill in Hertfordshire, still powered by the river Lea as part of a 1,000 year milling history on the site. You can...
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4.5 mi from Hertfordshire
St Albans Organ Theatre
St Albans Organ Theatre, run by the St Albans Musical Museum Society, is a mechanical organ and organ museum where you can see and hear restored instruments such as the Mortier, Bu...
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4.9 mi from Hertfordshire
St Albans South Signal Box Museum
St Albans South Signal Box Museum is a Grade II listed railway signal box restored by volunteers after years of decay. Inside, you can see the operating floor with its 44 levers, i...
5 mi from Hertfordshire
St Alban's Museum + Gallery
St Albans Museum + Gallery sits in St Albans and forms part of the wider St Albans Museums group, alongside Verulamium Museum and the Roman Hypocaust. Here you can explore cutting...
5.1 mi from Hertfordshire
Datchworth Museum
Datchworth Museum occupies the side door of an occupied Victorian cottage at Datchworth Green crossroads, next door but one to the Plough public house, in Hertfordshire. It opened...
5.5 mi from Hertfordshire
Verulamium Museum
Verulamium Museum sits on the site of one of Britain's largest Roman cities, and inside you'll find recreated Roman rooms and large-scale mosaics among its ancient treasures. It's...
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5.7 mi from Hertfordshire
The Hypocaust
The Hypocaust is an 1800-year-old Roman underfloor heating system, left in its original location within Verulamium Park rather than moved to a museum. You'll see the mosaic floor m...
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6.2 mi from Hertfordshire
De Havilland Aircraft Museum
This aviation museum at Salisbury Hall tells the story of the de Havilland company, home to three Mosquito aircraft and the fuselage of the Comet, the world's first jet airliner, w...
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6.4 mi from Hertfordshire
Redbourn Village Museum
Redbourn Village Museum is a small local history museum housed in Silk Mill House, a historic listed building on Redbourn Common, within the Museums & Galleries category. You can e...
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7.3 mi from Hertfordshire
Stevenage Museum
Stevenage Museum sits beneath St Andrew and St George's Church on St George's Way, close to the town centre and well signposted for pedestrians. Inside, you'll find exhibitions suc...
7.4 mi from Hertfordshire
Hertford Museum
Hertford Museum brings together over 100,000 objects covering archaeology, natural history, art, geology, world cultures, social history and the Hertfordshire Regiment, housed in a...
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7.6 mi from Hertfordshire
Potters Bar Museum
Potters Bar Museum traces the story of Potters Bar from a small village on the Great North Road to the town it is today. Housed at the Wyllyotts Centre, opposite the historic Wylly...
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8 mi from Hertfordshire
Celtic Harmony Camp
Celtic Harmony Camp is a reconstructed Iron Age settlement set in ancient woodland, where you can explore thatched roundhouses, including a large Chieftain Roundhouse with an open...
8.7 mi from Hertfordshire
Stockwood Discovery Centre
Stockwood Discovery Centre in Luton is a free-entry museum and garden attraction that brings together local history, one of Europe's largest carriage collections, and wide-ranging...
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9.3 mi from Hertfordshire
Ware Museum
Ware Museum tells the story of life in Ware from prehistoric times to the present day, with fascinating finds spread across four galleries. You can discover Roman remains and Medie...
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9.7 mi from Hertfordshire
Wardown Park Museum
Wardown House Museum and Gallery, formerly Wardown Park Museum and, before that, the Luton Museum & Art Gallery, in Luton, is housed in a large Victorian mansion in Wardown Park on... — Wikipedia
10 mi from Hertfordshire
Elstree and Borehamwood Museum
Elstree and Borehamwood Museum is an independent local history museum, run entirely by volunteers, which opened its doors in 2000 after growing out of a community history project....
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10.2 mi from Hertfordshire
British schools museum
The British Schools Museum occupies "the last surviving Monitorial Schoolroom in the world", a "grade II* listed building" that "opened in 1837" within a school "founded in 1810"....
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10.3 mi from Hertfordshire
The Paper Trail - The Paper Mill Museum
The Paper Trail - The Paper Mill Museum, also known as Frogmore Paper Mill, is the world's oldest mechanised paper mill, home to two historic Fourdrinier machines and still making...
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Theme Parks
14.9 mi from Hertfordshire
Go Ape Alexandra Palace
Go Ape Alexandra Palace is a high ropes and zipline adventure set among the trees of Alexandra Park, offering obstacles and zip wires with views across London. The flagship Treetop...
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19.9 mi from Hertfordshire
Go Ape Wendover
Go Ape Wendover sits at the highest point of the Chiltern Hills, offering treetop high ropes and ziplines amid vibrant forest scenery. You can take on the testing Treetop Challenge...
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21.2 mi from Hertfordshire
Bekonscot Model Village
Bekonscot Model Village is the oldest original model village in the world, set in 1.5 acres of immaculate gardens filled with finely detailed miniature buildings capturing 1930s ru...
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22.7 mi from Hertfordshire
Go Ape Battersea Park
Go Ape Battersea Park brings high ropes and zip lines into the heart of London, with a Treetop Challenge featuring 42 crossings and two zip lines, a gentler Treetop Adventure Plus...
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26.8 mi from Hertfordshire
Gulliver's Land
Gulliver's Land is a theme park resort in Campbell Park, Milton Keynes, designed for children aged 2-13. You'll find rides in Western World and the JCB Zone, plus a Dinosaur and Fa...
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28.9 mi from Hertfordshire
Legoland Windsor
Legoland Windsor is a LEGO-themed park in Surrey with over 55 rides and attractions, including the duelling coaster Minifigure Speedway, a LEGO City Driving School, and Adventure G...
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29 mi from Hertfordshire
Malden and District Society of Model Engineers Ltd
This society is run by model engineering enthusiasts who operate the Thames Ditton Miniature Railway, with a particular focus on live steam miniature railways and all the work invo...
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29.7 mi from Hertfordshire
Thorpe Park
Thorpe Park is a large theme park in Surrey, built around the UK's tallest and fastest rollercoaster, Hyperia, plus other record-breaking rides like Stealth, Nemesis Inferno and Co...
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Water Parks
20.6 mi from Hertfordshire
Aqua Action
Aqua Action is an inflatable aqua park set on a lake on the London/Essex border, offering a 55-minute session that suits families, friends, stag and hen groups, birthday parties an...
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26.1 mi from Hertfordshire
Plastic Playground Wake Park
Plastic Playground Wake Park is a wakeboarding destination in Horton, offering both a Cable Lake for cable wakeboarding and a Boat Lake for wakesurfing, waterskiing and wakeboardin...
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26.6 mi from Hertfordshire
Splash ‘n’ Play
Splash 'n' Play is an outdoor splash park at Willen Lake in Campbell Park, Milton Keynes, with over 60 water features including a super splash bucket, water tunnel, sail boat, wate...
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Zoos & Wildlife
8.9 mi from Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire Zoo
Hertfordshire Zoo sits at Brickendon Liberty in East Hertfordshire, set within Broxbourne Woods, and offers a full day out mixing animals with dinosaur attractions. You can watch b...
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12.3 mi from Hertfordshire
Lee Valley Animal Adventure Park
Lee Valley Animal Adventure Park is a children's animal adventure park in Waltham Abbey, within the wider Lee Valley Country Park. The farm has a big variety of animals which you c...
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12.9 mi from Hertfordshire
Whipsnade Zoo
Whipsnade Zoo, formerly known as ZSL Whipsnade Zoo and Whipsnade Wild Animal Park, is a zoo located in Whipsnade, near Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England. It is one of two zoos that... — Wikipedia
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18.7 mi from Hertfordshire
London Zoo
London Zoo, previously known as ZSL London Zoo or London Zoological Gardens and sometimes called Regent's Park Zoo, is the world's oldest scientific zoo. It was opened in London on... — Wikipedia
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20.1 mi from Hertfordshire
Woburn Safari Park
Woburn Safari Park is a wild animal park set across 360 acres, home to hundreds of exotic and endangered species. You drive your own vehicle through the Road Safari, passing rhino,...
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20.3 mi from Hertfordshire
Hanwell Zoo
Hanwell Zoo, formerly known as the Bunny Park, is a small community zoo in Brent Lodge Park in Hanwell, home to animals such as meerkats, flamingos and Hatari the porcupine, alongs...
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22.4 mi from Hertfordshire
Battersea Park Children's Zoo
Battersea Park Children's Zoo is a small, family-run zoo set within Battersea Park, home to over 100 animals from monkeys and meerkats to otters and tropical birds. Little explorer...
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24.1 mi from Hertfordshire
Old Macdonald Farm
Old MacDonald's Farm is a family attraction in Brentwood, Essex, offering animals to meet, rides, and both indoor and outdoor play areas whatever the weather. It's designed as a bi...
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24.9 mi from Hertfordshire
Shepreth Wildlife Park
Shepreth Wildlife Park, near Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, is a wildlife attraction where you can see the park's wildlife and take part in animal experiences. You'll find VIP experien...
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25.7 mi from Hertfordshire
Knotts of Tempsford
Knotts of Tempsford is a family-run working farm in the Bedfordshire village of Tempsford, where you can meet animals ranging from pygmy goats and micro pigs to llamas and leopard...
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Where to stay near Hertfordshire
Places to stay within easy reach of these days out.
Hertfordshire works well as a days-out base because it holds a lot in a small area: open-water swimming and inflatable courses, a handful of properly interesting manor houses, and a good spread of museums just over the county boundary when the weather turns. There are 165 places to stay on BritStays across the region, which makes it easy to pick a base and fan out from it rather than driving somewhere different every morning.
Best for families
The two water parks are the obvious headline acts. H2O Rampage Aqua Park and Aqua Splash Redricks Lakes both give older children and teenagers something to burn a few hours on, and both reward a bit of planning: sessions at inflatable aqua parks are usually timed and booked ahead, wetsuits and buoyancy aids are typically provided or hired on site, and there are minimum age and swimming-ability rules worth reading before you set off. Bring a towel per person, dry clothes, and something warm for afterwards even in July.
If you want a change of pace, Old Macdonald Farm over in Essex suits younger children who aren't up to a lake session, and Kidsplay Activity Land and Eco Park in Northamptonshire are worth knowing about for a longer family day if you're already heading that way.
Rainy day options
Hertfordshire's own wet-weather standby is the 1940's Experience, a museum visit that tends to hold the attention of adults and older children equally — handy when a group can't agree. Beyond the county line, the choice widens considerably. The Centre for Computing History in Cambridge is the one to pick if anyone in the party grew up with a home computer, and Buckinghamshire County Museum and Moot Hall in Bedfordshire make sensible half-day stops. London's museums are within reach for a day out by train: Twist Museum, Dennis Severs' House, Chiswick House, The Jewish Museum, Brent Museum, Harlow Museum & Walled Gardens and The Museum of Philatelic History are all listed under London in our pages. For something quieter, The Canal Museum in Northamptonshire pairs well with a towpath walk.
Outdoors
Even if you're not swimming, the lakes at Aqua Splash Redricks Lakes and H2O Rampage Aqua Park give you a reason to spend a day outside with somewhere to sit and watch. For walking, the parkland and estate settings around the county's big houses are the thing to aim for — Moor Park, Childwickbury Manor and Rothamsted Manor all sit in the kind of landscape that makes a decent circular walk. Check in each case what is open to visitors and what is private before you build a day around it; several of these houses are better known as landmarks than as ticketed attractions.
Heritage and houses
Shaw's Corner is the county's National Trust property and the easiest heritage visit to plan, with the usual Trust pattern of booked slots in busy periods. Hertford Castle Gate House is the pick for castle-minded visitors, and Old Gorhambury House appeals if you like ruins and a bit of atmosphere rather than roped-off rooms. Add Manor Farm House, Headstone Manor, Marden Hill House, The Frythe and Savay Farm and you have enough to fill a weekend of slow looking.
How to group them into a day
- Active family day: a morning session at H2O Rampage Aqua Park, a long lunch, then something low-effort nearby rather than a second big activity — everyone will be tired.
- Heritage day: Shaw's Corner in the morning, a walk, then Hertford Castle Gate House or Old Gorhambury House in the afternoon.
- Wet-weather day: the 1940's Experience, then either a museum over the border or a train into London for Twist Museum or Dennis Severs' House.
Where to eat
We don't currently have any food hygiene ratings listed for this region, so rather than send you to a particular table, here's what works in practice. Village pubs within a few minutes of the big houses tend to be the most reliable midday option, and booking matters more than you'd think at weekends. Aqua parks usually have limited on-site catering, so a cool bag in the boot saves queuing in wet swimwear. If you're doing a museum day in London, eat before you travel back — options thin out in the evening once you're out of the city.
Making it a short break
Two nights is the natural length: one day on the water, one day on heritage, with a museum held in reserve for rain. Three nights lets you add a day trip to Cambridge for The Centre for Computing History or across to Essex for Old Macdonald Farm.
Practical points worth sorting before you leave: book water-park sessions and National Trust slots in advance, confirm opening days directly with each attraction as they vary by season, check which of the manor houses actually admit visitors rather than assuming, and pack for both lake water and draughty old rooms on the same weekend.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main water activities in Hertfordshire?
Hertfordshire has two water parks: H2O Rampage Aqua Park and Aqua Splash Redricks Lakes. Both are open-water inflatable sites, so expect timed sessions, minimum age and swimming-ability requirements, and wetsuit hire or provision. Book ahead and bring towels and dry clothes.
Is there a National Trust property in Hertfordshire?
Yes. Shaw's Corner is the National Trust property listed in the region. As with most Trust properties, it is worth checking opening days and whether entry slots need booking before you travel.
What is there to do in Hertfordshire when it rains?
The 1940's Experience is the main indoor museum option within the county. Nearby alternatives include The Centre for Computing History in Cambridge, Buckinghamshire County Museum, Moot Hall in Bedfordshire, The Canal Museum in Northamptonshire, and a long list of London museums such as Twist Museum, Dennis Severs' House, Chiswick House, Brent Museum, The Jewish Museum, Harlow Museum & Walled Gardens and The Museum of Philatelic History.
Which historic houses and landmarks can I see in Hertfordshire?
The region's landmarks include Childwickbury Manor, Savay Farm, Moor Park, The Frythe, Marden Hill House, Old Gorhambury House, Headstone Manor, Rothamsted Manor, Manor Farm House and Hertford Castle Gate House, plus Shaw's Corner. Some are stately homes better known as landmarks than as ticketed attractions, so check visitor access for each one.
What is there for younger children?
Younger children may find the aqua parks too demanding, since open-water inflatable courses usually have age and swimming rules. Old Macdonald Farm in Essex is a gentler option, and Kidsplay Activity Land and Eco Park in Northamptonshire suit a longer family day out.
How many nights should I stay, and how many places are there to stay?
There are 165 places to stay on BritStays in Hertfordshire. Two nights covers one water-park day and one heritage day with a museum in reserve for bad weather; three nights gives you room for a day trip to Cambridge for The Centre for Computing History or to Essex for Old Macdonald Farm.
More ways to explore
Not booked yet? See the best places to stay in Hertfordshire.