Crowne Plaza Hotel

Crowne Plaza Hotel

Reading

Things To Do in Berkshire

Share this with

x

  • Towns & Villages Search

Towns & Villages Search

Type:
Keyword:

Towns & Villages Search

Type:
Keyword:

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.

Number of results:

Number of results: 145

, currently showing 81 to 100.

  1. West Berkshire Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Museum

    Newbury

    West Berkshire Museum is housed in two of Newbury’s best loved historic buildings - the 17th century Cloth Hall and the old Granary/Corn Stores in the Wharf. The permanent exhibition ‘Lives and Landscapes’ tells the story of West Berkshire. The…

  2. The Look Out Discovery Centre

    Type

    Type:

    Science Centre

    Bracknell

    If you are looking for a fun day out, then The Look Out Discovery Centre is worth a visit with over 90 hands-on science and discovery activities. Set in 1,000 hectares of woodland with a great adventure play area, picnic area, gift and coffee shop.

  3. California Country Park

    Type

    Type:

    Country / Royal Park

    Finchampstead

    One-hundred-and-fifty acres of beautiful and varied countryside, Longmoor Nature Reserve, 6-acre lake, public coarse fishery, paddling pool, play area, and cafe.

  4. Thames Lido

    Type

    Type:

    Leisure / Swimming Pool

    Reading

    Thames Lido is a restored Victorian outdoor swimming pool which now offers a fully heated pool, hot tub and saunas, massage rooms, restaurant, bar and function room.

  5. Datchet Golf Club

    Type

    Type:

    Golf Course

    Datchet

    Datchet Golf Club is the nearest golf course to Windsor running along the River Thames under the watchful eye of Windsor Castle.

  6. Reading Abbey Ruins

    Type

    Type:

    Museum

    Reading

    The burial place of King Henry I, Reading Abbey celebrated 900 years of history in 2021. The ruins of what would have been one of Europe’s largest medieval buildings can be visited with self guided or with guided tours via Reading Museum.

  7. Eton College Natural History Museum

    Type

    Type:

    Museum

    Windsor

    Eton’s hidden gem, this family friendly museum is Berkshire’s only dedicated natural history museum. It houses over 16,000 specimens in atmospheric Edwardian surroundings and has something for all the family.

  8. Mapledurham Watermill

    Type

    Type:

    Water Mill

    Reading

    The last working corn and grist watermill on the Thames with parts dating from the 15thC. Flour produced is sold in the shop, and the traditional working machinery can be viewed.

  9. The Swan at Streatley

    Type

    Type:

    Restaurant

    Streatley-on-Thames

    The Swan at Streatley is in a picturesque Berkshire village offering a hotel bar and coffee shop or dine in the Coppa Club.

  10. Bucklebury Farm Park

    Type

    Type:

    Farm

    Bucklebury, Reading

    Free tractor and trailer rides, hand feed the tamer members of the herd, lots of animals to pat and feed, indoor-slides, adventure playground, nature trail, picnic area & refreshments.

  11. Lambourn Trainers Association

    Type

    Type:

    Natural Feature

    Lambourn, Hungerford

    Tours of Racehorse Stables includes gallops, racing stables, equine swimming pool, Hall of Fame and a tour of new staff housing.

  12. Latino Taverna

    Type

    Type:

    Restaurant

    Windsor

    Established since 1987, Latino Taverna is a friendly, family-run Greek restaurant set on a picturesque cobbled street in the most historic part of Windsor.

  13. Padworth Common

    Type

    Type:

    Nature Reserve

    Thatcham

    Wonderful countryside sites, both hosting a wide varierty of plants and animals and perfect for walks.

  14. The Courtyard Café

    Type

    Type:

    Café

    Windsor

    OUR STORY

    When Dan and Alex met back in 2007, little did they know that they would very quickly be embarking on an amazing journey, privately and professionally. Daniel, a head chef, with 22 years of experience, both in London and Brighton, and…

  15. Caversham Boat Services

    Type

    Type:

    British Marine

    Caversham, Reading


    Family business offering a fleet of well maintained traditional cruisers and narrowboats for hire for short breaks and weekly hire. Limited Winter cruising available

  16. The LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort

    Type

    Type:

    Theme Park

    Windsor

    The LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort is a unique family theme park where children aged 2 -12 can take to the road, soar through the skies and sail the seas in complete safety.

  17. Windsor Grill

    Type

    Type:

    Restaurant

    Windsor

    Windsor Grill is a local favourite. Enjoy 28 day aged Surrey Farm beef along with our other famous meats and seafood specials, seasonal favourites, great wines and classic cocktails at this independent Windsor restaurant.

  18. Trilakes Country Park

    Type

    Type:

    Country / Royal Park

    Sandhurst

    Trilakes Country Park incorporates an animal park, nationally renowned fishing lakes, cafe and a new indoor children's adventure playworld.

  19. Watermill Theatre

    Type

    Type:

    Theatre

    Newbury

    The beautiful and intimate Watermill Theatre, housed in a converted mill on the bank of the river Lambourn, is one of the very best producing regional theatres in the country.

  20. Alexandra Gardens

    Type

    Type:

    Garden

    Windsor

    Alexandra Gardens is a pretty public garden near the River Thames in Windsor with seating, a bandstand and plenty of grassed areas perfect for picnics.