12 Things To Do In Leicestershire
From classic castles to space rockets, and from thrill rides to animal encounters, there’s loads of choice when it comes to finding days out in Leicestershire. Our list of 12 things to do in Leicestershire has ideas for locals and visitors alike, whether you're looking for ways to entertain the kids or planning an adult day out.
If you’re visiting the area, it's worth considering a campsite or glampsite as a place to stay. Staying outdoors is a great way to combine accommodation and activity – even a single night in a tent can feel like a real adventure. Have a look at our tips for organising a family camping break, then check out our range of Leicestershire campsites to find a place that suits you.
See all campsites in Leicestershire
King Richard III Visitor Centre
Almost as famous today for the discovery of his remains beneath a car park as for his medieval exploits, King Richard III now rests in Leicester Cathedral. The nearby King Richard III Visitor Centre, opened in 2014, tells the story of the last of England’s Plantagenet kings – including his dramatic death at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485.
This high-spec interactive attraction is housed in a former Victorian school where generations of children played unknowingly on top of the long-vanished Greyfriars Church where the ‘Crookback’ king had been buried. Cleverly designed exhibits bring the tale to life through an app, a ‘detective’ trail and the chance to peer into the gravesite where an outline of the monarch’s skeleton with his twisted spine is projected. At the end you can make up your own mind whether Richard III ordered the murder of his nephews to claim the crown.
The King Richard III Visitor Centre is located in Leicester’s Cultural Quarter, so there are plenty of places to eat and drink nearby, plus art galleries and other attractions.
Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre
Once you’ve learned all about the life of King Richard III, you simply have to visit the place where his reign came to a grizzly end. Today the Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre is a preserved quiet place – but it certainly wasn’t in August 1485 when hundreds of soldiers and infantrymen lost their lives.
The scene of one of the most decisive battles in British history is now a country park where you can follow trails telling the story of the events that unfolded. It’s also got a fantastic visitor centre with a ‘discovery zone’ where kids can see historic artefacts and find both indoor and outdoor craft and play activities. It’s free to visit, and there's a delightful café on site.
Tropical Birdland
Kids and adults alike will love this tropical oasis in the village of Dresford, not far from Leicester. Tropical Birdland is a place where you can get up close to over 250 birds from 50 different species. With large aviaries, one of which you can walk through, visitors can interact with a variety of exotic birds. You can feed your new feathered friends, talk to the parrots and see if a macaw or cockatiel will sit on your shoulder (just watch out for ‘deposits’ from above...). There are also bright-billed toucans and thoroughly friendly emus to see.
Once you’re done with the tropics, you can take a woodland walk to see if you can spot native woodpeckers, jays and kingfishers. The park has a large play area and a café for snacks, hot drinks and sweet treats.
Bradgate Park and Swithland Wood
For a more down-to-earth day trip, take a trip to Bradgate Park and Swithland Wood, which combine to make one of Leicestershire’s favourite country parks. The estate covers 850 acres of parkland, heath and woodland in the grounds of a now-ruined stately home (Bradgate House was the 16th-century childhood home of the Queen of England, Lady Jane Grey), and it's a great place for an outdoorsy day.
There are numerous trails to follow along riverbanks, past waterfalls, through ancient oak trees and to the Old John Tower, which sits at the top of a rocky outcrop overseeing the grounds. Bradgate Park also has a huge herd of deer to look out for, and there are places to paddle in the river if you need to cool off.
Bradgate’s just one of the lovely local parks you could visit – for more ideas, take a look at our pick of the best parks in Leicestershire.
Belvoir Castle
One of the stately stars of the Netflix smash The Crown, Belvoir Castle is a place where you can step into the lives of lords and ladies for a day. Sat atop a hill, the castle’s pale golden towers and turrets look down over green thickets and manicured lawns that sweep up to its grand entrance.
There's plenty here to fill a day out – castle tours take in the grand state rooms, and you can also take a stroll around pretty gardens, the Japanese Woodland and the park’s serene lakes. The castle-themed adventure playground is usually a hit with the kids, and there are several lovely places to eat around the site. You may also like to spend some time browsing the shops of the Engine Yard Shopping Village.
Keen on castles? Read our guide to the castles of Leicestershire for more grand buildings to visit nearby.
Foxton Locks
For a free day out near Leicester, a visit to Foxton Locks is a must. Wander the waterways of the Grand Union Canal and work out how narrowboats rise and drop 75 feet through the flight of locks that was described by Rudyard Kipling as the ‘eighth wonder of the world’. Some 4,000 boats pass through Foxton Locks every year so there’s sure to be something to watch – and you can take a trip on one yourself, either on a short boat trip or by hiring a barge for the day.
The nearby Boilerhouse Museum tells the story of this unique engineering feat, as well as giving insights into what 19th-century life was like for those who worked on the canal. There’s a café at Foxton Locks and a handful of waterside pubs, along with several picnic spots for a bite to eat while the canal boats glide by.
Wistow Maze
If you’re looking for a fun day out near Leicester, how about trying to find your way out of one of the country’s biggest mazes? Wistow Maze is an eight-acre plantation of dense sunflowers amid towering maize stalks, halfway between the city and Market Harborough. The design of the puzzle attraction changes every year so even if you’ve cracked it one summer, by the next a fresh challenge will await.
It’s not just twists and turns that lie within either – there are also bridges and towers to navigate along the three miles of intricate pathways. Quiz boards with riddles to solve will help you reach the play yard at the end… but who will make it there first?
Once you’ve escaped, you can celebrate with a cake at the next-door café and then wander around the rural centre, which has a model village and garden centre.
Great Central Railway
Travel back in time on the UK’s last remaining double-track mainline heritage railway. It’s said that the Great Central Railway is the only place in the world where you can still see two steam trains passing each other at full tilt. The locomotives make their clickety-clack way from Loughborough to Leicester, with stops at the station halts of Rothley, Woodhouse and Quorn (yep, the food is named after the place – but perhaps even more impressive is that the village has seven pubs).
The trains run regular services throughout the year along with several special services such as Christmas events, afternoon tea services and fish and chip trains. There's also the chance to celebrate a special occasion with a first-class dining experience on board.
Twycross Zoo
Home to the chimps from that famous tea advert (a favourite with TV watchers of a certain age) and with the largest collection of apes and primates in the western world, Twycross Zoo is a fun choice for a family day out. This is a place where you can roar with the tigers, stomp with the elephants and see whether your own little versions can scream louder than the monkeys. The zoo has been thoughtfully designed, split into zones recreating the natural habitats of some of the most amazing and endangered animals on the planet.
Once you've walked through the lemur woodlands, fed the lorikeets and fluttered through the butterfly forest, there are playparks aplenty and a splash zone for cooling off on warm sunny days. And if that wasn't enough, you might get the chance to spot a Gruffalo too…
National Space Centre
The UK’s largest museum dedicated to far-flung galaxies, the National Space Centre is an awe-inspiring day out. Prepare to crane your necks as you find out what it's like to blast off from the 42-metre high rocket tower. Feel like you’re flying through space in the interactive Sir Patrick Moore Planetarium and set foot on other worlds in eight different zones.
The National Space Centre is very much a hands-on experience where you can have a go on space exploring equipment, take command in mission control, and learn a whole lot about science along the way.
Twinlakes Park
Combining the thrills of a theme park with the fun of a farm and splashingly good water rides, Twinlakes Park is situated near Melton Mowbray. With over 50 rides and attractions across 10 themed areas, there’s something for all ages and interests here. A miniature train runs around the perimeter of the park so you can jump on and off to explore each of them, mixing and matching to create your ideal day out.
Once you’ve ridden the rollercoasters and cast off your lifejackets from the bumper boats, you can feed the animals at the Red Rooster farm and watch the bird of prey displays at the Falconry Centre. There are plenty of options for indoor activities as well, making Twinlakes Park a great choice for a rainy-day destination.
Beacon Hill Country Park
Beacon Hill Country Park, to the north of Leicester, is considered the gateway to the vast National Forest that spans parts of three Midlands counties including Leicestershire. Beacon Hill is the second-highest point in the county and is the site of a Bronze Age hill fort. There are lots of walks to take in the park with twisting rock features, ancient woodland, a sculpture trail and the Rhododendron Labyrinth on a boardwalk route suitable for buggies and wheelchairs.
For family days out there are several play areas around the park and dens to find hidden beneath the trees. Take a picnic with you, or stop at the Beacon Hill café for a coffee and a cake while you're here. There are also a few designated barbecue areas for cooking up meals while you take in the views.
If you’re visiting the area and need somewhere to stay, have a look at Pitchup’s excellent collection of local campsites and glampsites. With prices starting at just £12 per night there are plenty of great choices for those trying to keep costs down, along with more high-spec choices for luxury breaks.