10 Best Things to Do in Swindon

The STEAM Museum of the Great Western Railroad is housed in a wonderfully restored building and spotlights the vibrant history of the historic railroad. While you explore the museum, you will learn about the men and women who helped build and operate the Great Western Railroad, as well as those who traveled on it.

Realistic-looking characters are featured along with bios throughout the museum, including Isambard Kingdom Brunel, whose engineering and insight made the Great Western Railroad one of the most advanced in the world. The museum is situated next to the Swindon Designer Outlet.

The Museum of Computing features over 70 years of technology on display, including desktop and laptop computers, game consoles, calculators and more. The museum is located in the center of Swindon next to Theater Square. The exhibits are hands-on, and you can even play retro computer games like Pong and Space Invaders.

Some displays are permanent, while others feature items on loan from companies and other collectors. The museum is family-friendly and has much to interest visitors of all ages.

Lydiard Park is a 105-hectare park featuring the Palladian House, a historic estate with beautiful ornate plasterwork, original furnishings, and family portraits dating back to Elizabethan times. The park can be found about 15 minutes west of the Swindon town center. Children can run and climb in the play area, and the park is a wonderful place for a walk, run or bike ride.

There are plenty of picnic spots available as well as designated barbecue neighborhoods, or you can visit the cafe or tea rooms for lunch or an afternoon tea. You can find special events year-round, including an open-air theater, live music and movie screenings.

The Swindon Museum & Art Gallery features a remarkable art collection paired with displays of local history, archeology and geology. The Swindon Collection of Modern British Art found at the gallery is considered one of the most exceptional collections of modern art outside of London.

In the museum, you will find exhibits that outline the history of Swindon starting with its connections to the Roman Empire up to the more modern history of the town. You can find the Swindon Museum & Art Gallery on Bath Road in the Old Town area of Swindon.

Coate Water Country Park offers a multitude of activities while you enjoy the location's natural beauty, including Crazy Golf, a splash park, a children’s playground and fishing opportunities. The park can be found in the southeastern corner of Swindon on Marlborough Road. In the center of the park is the 22-hectare lake, which is surrounded by attractive forests and wildflower meadows.

Because of its diversity, the area is marked as a nature preserve and holds many species of wildlife from ducks to swans, wild birds and fish. You can visit the cafe for a cold beverage and lunch or use the lakeside barbecues to broil your own meal.

The Swindon & Cricklade Railroad offers short rides on historic steam and diesel trains on a section of the old Midland and South Western Junction Railroad. It also features railroad and wartime museums. The trains can be accessed from Mouldon Hill Country Park or Blunsdon Station in North Swindon. Blunsdon is the main station and the site of the Whistle Stop Cafe, a gift shop and both museums.

The railroad museum has an impressive collection of exhibits and antiques from the area. You will find the wartime museum housed in an LNER 12 Ton Van built just after World War II that displays dioramas, models, posters and military memorabilia from 1914 to the present.

Stanton Park is a pristine park containing a 36-hectare nature preserve as well as a scheduled ancient monument where a Roman villa was once located. You can find the park located in northeast Swindon. In the park, you will find a variety of habitats including ancient forests, hedgerows, wildflower meadows, wetlands, lakes, streams, ponds and hardwood trees.

As you stroll through the park, be sure to keep watch for abundant wildlife, as you may spot birds of prey, wildfowl, roe deer, badgers or owls.

Mouldon Hill Country Park is a great spot for a peaceful walk while looking for local wildlife. The park is situated northwest of the town center of Swindon within the parish of Haydon Wick. You'll find several pathways winding through the picturesque terrain, and you may want to pack a lunch and bring binoculars.

There is a hidden lake that is a wonderful spot to enjoy a picnic and watch for birds and other wildlife. Visitors often spot deer and many species of colorful birds.

The Richard Jefferies Museum features a 17th-century cottage, a 3-story farmhouse, gardens, a copse, an orchard and vegetable gardens where famed writer Richard Jefferies resided with his family. You can find the museum on the corner of Marlborough Road and Day House Lane. Once inside, you can examine a large collection of items belonging to Jefferies, such as first editions of his writings, photographs and paintings.

The house has been reconditioned to emulate the inside of a 19th-century farmhouse, with details such as a cheese room and a 4-poster bed. Once you have finished indoors, you can enjoy a relaxing stroll around the gardens and orchards, which are peaceful and well maintained.

Roves Farm features a farm shop and fun activities for the whole family, such as visits with the animals, farm walks and pedal tractors. You will find the farm located on Roves Lane about a 20-minute drive northeast of the town center. The shop features home-reared meat, fresh produce and bakery items, as well as a cafe and gift shop.

There are many summer activities for the kids to enjoy, such as music time, animal racing, play neighborhoods and the pets corner. The farm also hosts seasonal events like Christmas on the Farm, which is a vacation favorite among locals.