Forbury Gardens

Forbury Gardens

Reading

Things To Do in Berkshire

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With so many places to visit in Berkshire, you can easily forget you're right on London’s doorstep. Just 45 minutes by train from London, you'll discover a wealth of towns, villages and countryside to explore, making this county the perfect antidote to UK city life.  A county with unique connections to the British Royal Family, where you will find the River Thames meandering along its northern edge and beautiful parks and gardens ablaze with colour. 

The North Wessex Downs (AONB) to the west of the county, a rich mosaic of chalk habitat, woodland, pastures and common land and the world famous historic town of Windsor to the east.  You'll find a year round events calendar, along with vibrant riverside towns of Reading and Maidenhead, the famous college of Eton and the place where the historic Magna Carta was signed.  Today this romantic county offers the perfect escape from the everyday, combining royal heritage, a slice of luxury with the great outdoors.  To get the most out of your stay, start planning your days out in Berkshire here.

Visit Berkshire

Windsor, Berkshire, the weekend home of the British Royal family, home to the iconic Windsor Castle, the world famous long walk and the beautiful Windsor Great Park.  With history and heritage at every turn, beautiful parks and gardens, riverside walks and great shopping, this beautiful historic town makes for a great South East short break destination.

Berkshire is the birthplace of the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, raised in the quaint village of Buckleberry where her parents’ home is still located today. It was in the village of Pangbourne in Berkshire where she spent her school days at St Andrew’s School. Situated on the River Thames, Pangbourne has been cited as the inspiration of many famous authors’ novels including Kenneth Grahame and Jerome K. Jerome.  Full of character, Pangbourne is a great place to visit.

Vibrant Reading, Berkshire, a modern destination with a medieval history, packed full of in or on the water activities, adrenaline fuled attractions, rich history and great places to stay.  Located on the River Thames it is home to the 900 year old Reading Abbey ruins, the Reading Festival, and the departure point for modern pilgrims and walkers retracing the steps of medieval pilgrims along St James’ Way to Southampton.  

Berkshire is also home to many other picturesque towns and villages such as Newbury, HungerfordAscot, Hurley, Cookham, Bray, Littlewick Green, and Waltham St Lawrence. Find out more about towns and villages in the county with our interactive map of Berkshire.

Things to do in Berkshire this weekend

Many of Berkshire's tourist attractions are open all year round so find the best days out in Berkshire with activities listings each showing a map and opening times for your convenience. Or why not browse our Berkshire events guide to find out what's on this week.

Top 10 things to do in Berkshire

For things to do in Reading, Newbury, Maidenhead, Bracknell and other Berkshire towns, browse our pick of the best attractions below or find a more comprehensive list of what to do and places to visit at the bottom of the page.

List of things to do & places to visit for days out in Berkshire

For more about Berkshire, including ideas on days out, where to stay and things to do in Berkshire, browse through the below selection of attractions and towns and villages that collectively make Berkshire such a memorable destination to visit. Use the 'map view' button to find something near you.

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Number of results: 146

, currently showing 21 to 40.

  1. The Mill at Sonning

    Type

    Type:

    Restaurant

    Reading

    Set on the River Thames, the historic Mill at Sonning Theatre has over 40 years of entertainment excellence as the UK's only dinner theatre. It recently won the UK Theatre Award for Best Musical Production (Gypsy, 2023).

  2. Kris Cruisers

    Type

    Type:

    Boat

    Slough

    Whether you have a week, a day or just a few hours, relax, unwind and discover the hidden treasures of the River Thames with Kris Cruisers self-drive Day Boats and Boating Holidays.

  3. Runnymede

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    Type:

    Towns & Villages

    Windsor Road, Egham

    Runnymede is famous for its monuments, the most famous being the one to commemorate the Magna Carta. The area is a riverside setting of meadows, grassland and woodland with a network of pleasant paths and pleasure gardens.

  4. Windsor Great Park

    Type

    Type:

    Country / Royal Park

    Windsor Great Park, Windsor

    Windsor Great Park covers 4,800 acres, huge parts of which are open to the public. Windsor Great Park is the perfect place for picnics, eating, shopping, running, walking, cycling, horse riding and fishing. Families will love the hand-crafted…

  5. Sonning

    Type

    Type:

    Towns & Villages

    Sonning

    Sonning, occasionally called Sonning-on-Thames is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Wokingham in the English county of Berkshire, a few miles east of Reading.

  6. The Kennedy Memorial at Runnymede

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    Historic Site

    Windsor

    Set in a symbolic acre of land donated to the United States of America by Queen Elizabeth II in 1965, this seven tonne block of Portland stone commemorates the life of President John F Kennedy following his tragic assassination.

  7. Old Windsor

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    Towns & Villages

    Old Windsor was the oldest Saxon town in Berkshire and the seat of Edward the Confessor. It continued in importance up until about 1100 when it was gradually overshadowed by the building of Windsor Castle two miles upstream.

  8. Clewer

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    Towns & Villages

    In the days when the River Thames meandered through a wide flood plain, and in the absence of bridges, Clewer became well known for its ford as this was the only place to cross the river for several miles. It was used by soldiers, traders and…

  9. Maidenhead Heritage Centre

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    Museum

    Maidenhead

    Fly a Spitfire simulator at this local museum which covers local history from the Romans to Racing Cars!

  10. Thatcham

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    Towns & Villages

    Thatcham

    Thatcham is a town in the historic county of Berkshire and is situated just three miles east of Newbury.

  11. The Eton Walkway

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    Waymarked Trail

    Eton, Windsor

    The Eton Walkway, a 2-mile/one-hour circular walk, connects 18 points of interest in the town starting at Windsor Bridge.

  12. Littlewick Green

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    Towns & Villages

    The village is set just off the main Bath Road two miles west of Maidenhead and has a certain charm, with many of its cottages and houses set around a sizeable green with the school and parish church completing the picture. Also here is 'Redroofs',…

  13. Bray

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    Type:

    Towns & Villages

    A pretty riverside parish with a three-mile frontage on the Thames between Maidenhead and Windsor, Bray has become a very popular stopping place for visitors

  14. Earley

    Type

    Type:

    Towns & Villages

    Earley

    Earley is a town and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire and lies some 2 miles  south and east of central Reading.

  15. Windsor Leisure Centre

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    Type:

    Leisure / Swimming Pool

    Windsor

    On the banks of the River Thames, under the shadow of Windsor Castle, this prestigious facility has been serving the local community for over 35 years. More than just a leisure centre, Windsor Leisure Centre is a place where the community comes…

  16. Hurley

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    Towns & Villages

    Pretty riverside Hurley lies halfway between London and Oxford, being 55 miles from each by river. The river has always been an important part of the village’s history with records of a ford as early as the 6th century.

  17. Wellington Country Park

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    Country / Royal Park

    Riseley, Reading

    Wellington Country Park, ‘The Biggest Outdoor play in Berkshire’, was established in 1974 by the Eighth Duke and Duchess of Wellington. Set in 350 acres of beautiful parklands off the A33 between Basingstoke and Reading, Wellington Country Park…

  18. Newbury Racecourse

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    Sports Ground

    Newbury

    Newbury Racecourse is one of the most famous and prestigious horseracing venues in the UK, providing world class racing all-year-round and excellent facilities for conferences and events.

  19. White Waltham

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    Towns & Villages

    Although an area of great antiquity, where Roman remains have been found, White Waltham has seen more change during the past 60 years than all its previous history. This is due to the establishment of White Waltham Airfield during World War II and…

  20. Wraysbury

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    Type:

    Towns & Villages

    During the 14th century. Wraysbury (or Wyrardisbury) was a Royal Manor and its lands often featured in the dowries of English Queens. The village grew up around the Church of St Andrew which, although of 12th-century origin and containing some…