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Rain in Stratford-upon-Avon doesn’t have to mean a wasted day. Most of the town’s best things are indoors and within a few minutes’ walk of each other: Shakespeare’s Birthplace, the church with his grave, three museums, a tropical butterfly house, the RSC and a cinema with sofas. Here’s what to do in Stratford when it rains, with prices and opening times from each place’s own website, and a few locals’ tips for staying dry.
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Rainy day in Stratford at a glance
| Idea | Where | Good for | Adult price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shakespeare’s Birthplace | Henley Street | First-time visitors | £25 online |
| Holy Trinity Church | Trinity Street | Shakespeare’s grave | Free entry; £5 for the chancel |
| The Play’s the Thing (RSC) | Swan Theatre, Waterside | Theatre fans | Free |
| RSC Theatre Tour | Waterside | Behind the scenes | Book on the RSC’s website |
| Stratford Butterfly Farm | Swan’s Nest Lane | Families, warming up | £11.95 |
| MAD Museum | Henley Street | Families, gadget lovers | £8.80 |
| Tudor World | Sheep Street | History, older children | £8 |
| Magic Alley | Greenhill Street | Families, Halloween fans | See its website |
| Everyman Cinema | Bell Court | Couples, families | See listings |
| Stratford Leisure Centre | Bridgeway | Swimming, soft play | See Everyone Active |
Shakespeare, indoors
Shakespeare’s Birthplace on Henley Street is the obvious first stop: the house where he was born, with the gardens at Shakespeare’s New Place on the same ticket. Tickets are £25 for adults and £12.50 for children aged 3 to 17 online (a little more on the door), and they’re valid for 12 months, so a wet day can be the first of several visits. Anne Hathaway’s Cottage in Shottery can be added for £5. Book on the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust’s website.
Holy Trinity Church, by the river, is where Shakespeare was baptised and buried. Entry to the church is free; seeing his grave and memorial in the chancel costs £5 for adults and £1 for under-18s, and pre-school children go free. Check the times before you go: from November to March the church is usually open to visitors only on Saturdays (10am to 3.45pm) and Sundays (1pm to 3.15pm), and it can close at short notice for funerals and services. Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome. Times on Holy Trinity’s website.
The RSC has two good rainy-day options. The Play’s the Thing, its exhibition about how plays are made, is free and open from midday to 7pm (4pm on Sundays) on Level 1 of the Swan Theatre. Its 60-minute Theatre Tour runs daily and takes you into at least one auditorium, with costumes, sets and theatre superstitions along the way: book on the RSC’s tours page. Or book a matinee: see our guide to visiting the RSC.
Museums and attractions
- Stratford Butterfly Farm, Swan’s Nest Lane: tropical butterflies flying freely in a warm glasshouse, which is exactly what you want on a cold, wet day. Adults £11.95, children (3 to 16) £8.95, family £34.95. Open every day from 10am. The farm says mornings are busiest. Butterfly Farm website
- MAD Museum, Henley Street: moving machines, kinetic art and automata. Adults £8.80, children (6 to 15) £6.50, family £25. The museum warns it can’t take pushchairs when it’s busy, and that includes wet days, so bring a carrier for little ones. MAD Museum website
- Tudor World, Sheep Street: a walk-through museum of Tudor life, open 10.30am to 5.30pm every day except Christmas Day. Adults £8, children (5 to 15) £4.50. The museum says some of the subject matter may upset sensitive children. Tudor World website
- Magic Alley, 38 Greenhill Street (it moved from Bell Court): a magical gift shop with an immersive crime-solving attraction, the Crimson Chamber. This autumn it’s running a Halloween experience, Nightmare on Greenhill Street. Magic Alley website
Cinema, swimming and the library
- Everyman Cinema, Bell Court: four screens with armchairs and sofas, a Spielburger kitchen and a bar, plus Kids Cinema and Baby Club screenings. Everyman listings
- Stratford Leisure Centre, Bridgeway: two pools with family swims, and soft play for children up to 8. Times change through the year, so check Everyone Active’s Stratford page first.
- Stratford Library, 12 Henley Street: free drop-in sessions for small children and a Saturday Lego Club. Open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 3pm on Saturday.
Cosy pubs with a fire
When you’ve had enough of museums: the Old Thatch Tavern on Greenhill Street has a real fire, the Bear Freehouse at Bridge Foot has two, and the Garrick on High Street is all low ceilings and old beams. More in our guide to Stratford’s pubs.
Locals’ tips for a wet day in Stratford
- Park under cover. Bridgeway Multi-Storey is covered, and the first hour is free. See our parking guide.
- Book ahead. Indoor attractions fill up fast on wet days, especially in the school holidays.
- Plan a short loop. Shakespeare’s Birthplace, the MAD Museum and the library are all on Henley Street; Tudor World is on Sheep Street; the RSC and Holy Trinity are by the river.
- Check the weather and the river. Stratford Live has the forecast, the river level, and live buses and trains.
If it’s raining all day: further afield
The British Motor Museum at Gaydon, about 25 minutes’ drive away, is almost entirely indoors, with more than 400 historic British cars. For more ideas with children, see things to do with kids in Stratford, and for what’s on this week, the events calendar. In Warwick? See What’s up, Warwick?’s rainy day guide to Warwick.
Rainy day in Stratford: quick answers
What can you do in Stratford-upon-Avon when it rains?
Visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Holy Trinity Church, the RSC’s free exhibition or a Theatre Tour, the Butterfly Farm, the MAD Museum or Tudor World, then catch a film at the Everyman or warm up in a pub with a fire.
Is there anything free to do indoors in Stratford?
Yes: the RSC’s exhibition The Play’s the Thing, Holy Trinity Church (the chancel with Shakespeare’s grave costs £5), and the library’s drop-in sessions for children.
Is Holy Trinity Church open in winter?
From November to March it’s usually open to visitors on Saturdays (10am to 3.45pm) and Sundays (1pm to 3.15pm) only, and it can close for services at short notice.
Alex Harrington
Alex Harrington grew up in Stratford-upon-Avon and runs What's up, Stratford? as an independent guide to the town.
