Things to Do in Staffordshire

1. Emma Bridgewater Factory

Emma Bridgewater factory sits alongside the Caldon Canal, in the heart of The Potteries. The beautiful sunny Victorian factory is ideally located just on the outskirts of Stoke-on-Trent's City Centre. Head on a fascinating factory tour before you try your hand at decorating a unique piece of your very own Emma Bridgewater pottery. These make the perfect mementos for your visit or make a really special present for a friend or loved one! 

With a gift shop selling the newest designs as well as a gorgeous factory outlet full of your favourite pieces.

The cosy kitchen cafe serves fresh, simple and tasty food, often inspired by Emma Bridgewater’s own recipes. It is a lovely place to meet with family or friends and relax over a delicious, home cooked lunch or enjoy tea and cakes. Relax in the beautiful kitchen sat beside the spotty Aga,or enjoy an afternoon in the delightful garden behind the factory.  

Booking in advance is required.

2. Trentham Gardens

Trentham Gardens encompasses 725 acres of woodland, parkland and a mile long lake. Breath-taking vistas that change throughout the seasons. This stunning contemporary revival of an historic garden is amongst the very best in the UK.

This Capability Brown designed landscape, transformed by multi-Chelsea gold-medal winner Tom Stuart-Smith feature Italian Garden planting, designed within the historic framework of Sir Charles Barry’s original Italianate Garden of the 19th Century.

Enjoy the circular lakeside walk, aside the River Trent, by the bird hide, through the cascading weir and along atmospheric trails. Through the woodland, maze and gardens. Spend time relaxing on the lake and set sail on Trentham’s electrically powered Miss Elizabeth or jump aboard the miniature railway, the Trentham Fern, which travels alongside the lake on a light gauge railway.

Trentham Gardens is a child’s paradise! With a barefoot walk to tantalise your toes. Hide and ‘speak’ in the maze, and swing into action in the adventure playground.  Tackle the assault course, climb nets, fly down the zip wire, build castles in the sand pits.

Trentham also boasts its own shopping village, with shops, cafes and restaurants.

3. World of Wedgewood

World of Wedgwood is a world of luxury shopping, unique events, colourful dining, hands-on learning experiences, picturesque woodland and the V&A Wedgwood Collection. In a world of endless experiences, you can shop at the Wedgwood Store featuring the exquisite range of Wedgwood and Waterford Crystal, as well as our popular Factory Outlet featuring Wedgwood, Royal Doulton, Royal Albert and Waterford to name a few.

You can dine in style in the Wedgwood Tea Room choose from an eclectic menu for brunch and lunch or the iconic afternoon tea.

If that’s not enough join a guided tour of the iconic Wedgwood Factory. As knowledgeable tour guides talk you through the manufacturing process whilst you get up close and personal with skilled workers on a journey of how it’s made. For those looking for a hands experience, try your hand at throwing your very own pot in the Clay Studio where you use a potter’s wheel!

You’ll also find the iconic V&A Wedgwood Collection here; home to over 165,000 works of art, ceramics, manuscripts and photographs charting the factory’s history, designs and ceramic production. Around 3,500 objects are on display in the purpose-built museum, showcasing the commercial and aesthetic history of Wedgwood ceramics from iconic jasperware and black basalt vases and ornaments, to bone china tea-sets and classic 20th-century designs. 

4. The Monkey Forest

Trentham Monkey Forest is home to 140 free-roaming Barbary macaques at Trentham Monkey Forest. Stroll along the ¾ mile path through the beautiful forest and watch the monkeys living in freedom with no cages or bars.

Visitors can walk the 3/4 of a mile woodland path and see the monkeys living as they would in the wild. You will be mesmerised as you watch the monkeys playing on the ground and in the trees, displaying their natural behaviours as they would in the wild, so don't be surprised if they stroll on the path straight in front of you! Helpful guides, are positioned along the paths and are always happy to answer any questions and explain the monkey antics as it happens. With hourly feeding talks.

Banana Café is ideally situated near a playground so you can relax with a cappuccino and cake as your ‘little monkeys’ climb and mimic the games and antics they see in the forest.

5. Waterworld

Water World is a tropical indoor Aqua Park which is open all year round. A great family day out whatever the weather!

The water park is built around a wave pool with slides, rides, flumes, spa and bubble pools. With plenty to do for all ages and is designed with families in mind. The depth of the wave pool ranges from zero depth on the beach to 1.8 metres in the wave pool.

6. Regent Theatre

Originally opened in 1929 as a super cinema, The Regent Theatre was reopened on 22 September 1999 after being fully restored to an art deco theatre boasting a stunning 1600 seated domed autitorium. Her Majesty the Queen officially opened The Regent Theatre in October 1999. As a number one touring venue, The Regent Theatre is capable of taking the largest touring productions and has played host to the very best opera, dance, drama and musicals, direct from Broadway and the West End.

You're sure to find something for the whole family to enjoy!