If you’re looking for things to do near Stonehenge in the county of Wiltshire, England then I’ve got some good news for you – there’s a lot to do in the area!
Stonehenge draws in visitors from around the world to marvel at it’s mystery. Many people just come, visit Stonehenge and then leave but if you wanted to spend a few days around the area you’ll be pleased to know that it’s full of other things to see and do.
We’ve recently been to visit Stonehenge again (late 2022) and incorporated some of these side trips into our day. You might only need a couple of hours there so having a plan of what else to do is a good idea!
I’m a huge fan of Stonehenge and have visited a number of times (most recently doing it the free way!). It always makes me sad when people feel like it’s not worth the trip so one way to mitigate this is to incorporate some other attractions in Wiltshire when you’re here. Read on for some of my favourite places nearby!
Our Top Pick
Stonehenge, Avebury and nearby sights
Rated 4.5/5 – 91 reviews
If you’re visiting Stonehenge from London and want a tour that will take in some of the nearby sights this one is nice and keeps the ancient England vibe!
See Stonehenge and also Avebury where you can even touch the ancient stones!
Wiltshire is a beautiful county in England with amazing countryside and it’s hardly built up at all. It’s truly one of the prettiest places. The fact that it has so much amazing history as well makes it a great place to visit!
These aren’t all historic places and things to do – i’ve grouped them into different sections depending on what you’re after.
Other historic places to visit near Stonehenge
If Stonehenge has whetted your appetite to learn more about the history in this area then these historic sites nearby should be high on your list
Woodhenge
5 miles from Stonehenge. Aproximately 10 minute drive
Woodhenge, as it’s name probably suggests, was a wooden monument that was similar to Stonehenge and dates to the same time. It was just discovered about 100 years ago when an aerial photograph showed up the rings in the landscape
It’s quite a large space and, of course, the wooden posts that would have originally been used are long gone. Nowadays we’ve reconstructed it in a way by using concrete posts to show where the original posts were located.
It’s only a few miles away from Stonehenge so definitely worth combining the two if you can – there are also no entrance charges here.
Avebury & Surrounding sites
25 miles from Stonehenge. Approximately 40 mins drive
I’ve grouped these together, but there are a tonne of sites in and around Avebury that should be high on your list if you want to soak up all the ancient England sites! There are a lot of walks in the area which can incorporate these areas. It’s worth staying nearby if you can.
Village of Avebury – The village itself with the stone circle is worth at least a day. You can get up close to the stones at Avebury and even touch them. Many people think it’s better than Stonehenge for that reason. There’s a museum to learn about the fascinating history of the area and also how the site was reconstructed.
Silbury Hill – A prehistoric man-made mound just outside of Avebury. You can’t climb it but theres parking nearby and information boards
West Kennet Long Barrow – A neolithic burial chamber that you can go inside.
The Sanctuary – A stone circle that was found near Avebury. Similar to Woodhenge it has been marked out for current visitors to show where the original posts were.
Windmill Hill – A neolithic earthworks. Best seen from the air but a nice place to walk all the same!
West Kennet Avenue – Standing stones that connect Avebury and The Sanctuary
The National Trust has some walking routes detailed here for if you have time to explore it all.
Old Sarum
10 miles from Stonehenge. Approximately a 15 minute drive
An important historic site just outside of Salisbury is Old Sarum. There’s a lot to take in here with the stories about the site. It was the original site of the cathedral before it moved to Salisbury, it was a castle and it is on old Iron Age fortifications. Clearly a site that was important to the people in the past!
There’s a lot of ruins to walk among nowadays and plenty of information boards. It’s an English Heritage site and they are generally excellent at explaining it all!
Wilton House
8 miles from Stonehenge. Approximate a 15 minute drive
Bringing our trip through history relatively back to recent times is Wilton House, a country manor house near Salisbury. It’s still a number of years old of course and has history going way back to the 9th century too.
You might like to visit here if you enjoy period dramas and films – it was used as a filming location for Bridgerton and The Crown as well as a LOT of films too!
Closed over the winter
Towns and cities around Stonehenge
Salisbury
10 miles from Stonehenge. Approximately 20 mins drive
With it’s beautiful Cathedral, this medieval city is worth exploring if you have time when you’re visiting Stonehenge. The architecture of the city is wonderful so perfect for exploring and taking photos. Don’t miss the Salisbury museum too and there are also lots of shops and restaurants to keep you busy.
Amesbury
5 miles from Stonehenge. Approximately 10 minute drive
The nearest town to Stonehenge is Amesbury. It’s quite small but a good place to base yourself if you’re looking to stay overnight in the area.
You might want to check out the Amesbury History Centre which is run by volunteers and can give more knowledge on the ancient history of this area and more recent history too.
Lacock
25 miles from Stonehenge. Approximately 45 minute drive
Lacock is a wonderful old English village that some might recognise from many period dramas and films. The village is small but there’s plenty to see there and if you like taking photos you’ll be in heaven!
Don’t miss Lacock Abbey which was used a lot in the first Harry Potter film. There’s also a really interesting museum about photography here too.
Bath
35 miles from Stonehenge. Approximately 1 hour drive
The city of Bath is a great place to add on to your tour around this area of England. It’s a stunning city with history going way back to the Romans. There’s loads to see and do in the city and it’s a good place to stay overnight if you need somewhere too.
If you also like your filming locations it’s been used a lot in period dramas such as Bridgerton – the Georgian architecture here is simply beautiful and not like anywhere else around.
Kid friendly activities around Stonehenge
Cholderton Rare Breeds Farm
8 miles from Stonehenge. Approximately a 10 minute drive
A really nice farm attraction that’s close to Stonehenge and would make a great addition to your trip if you had young kids with you. Cholderton Rare Breeds Farm have a number of animals there and have daily pig races and alpaca rides.
It’s a good place to get a bite to eat as well, have a run around and enjoy the animals.
Longleat Safari Park
20 miles from Stonehenge. Approximately 30 mins driving time
A wildlife safari park with many animals you can see as you drive around the park from Lions to tigers, monkeys and wolves. Much more too – an essential trip for anyone who loves wild animals. There are some more animals to see as well that aren’t on the drive through bit and if you’re interested in Longleat House and Gardens there’s that to enjoy too.
You’ll want a full day at Longleat but it’s not too far to combine with a Stonehenge visit.
Hawk Conservancy Trust
15 miles from Stonehenge. Approximately a 20 minute drive away
Another animal based attraction near Stonehenge! This one has owls and birds of prey that are looked after in this conservation trust.
The Hawk Conservancy Trust has flying displays, up close meetings with some of the birds, vulture feeding, tractor rides and plenty of acres to enjoy the countryside in this beautiful part of England.
National Trust sites near Stonehenge
There are a lot of National Trust sites near Stonehenge so if you’re a member or thinking about joining you might like to explore some of them. Some are small area to walk around with a little bit of history to see and others are a little larger and more of a day out.
Here are just a selection nearby Stonehenge
- Pepperbox hill – High point overlooking chalk downland
- Mottisfont – old manor house and riverside gardens
- Cley Hill – impressive hill with walks to see the area
- Mompesson House – 18th century townhouse near Salisbury Cathedral
- Little Clarendon – 15th century stone house and chapel
Other tourist attractions near Stonehenge
Land Rover 4×4 tours
2 miles from Stonehenge – approximately 5 mins in the car
Very close to Stonehenge is this company running 4×4 tours over land in the area. Much of the area is for military training but there’s obviously a lot of achealogical sites, natural beauty and interesting things to see. The tour guides know all of this and make it fun with the added 4×4 tour!
Boscombe Down Aviation
10 miles from Stonehenge. 15-20 minute drive approximately
A fantastic museum for those in the area who love all things to do with airplanes! There are a number of open planes where you can climb in the cockpit and lots to learn about. A fun place for all ages.
Army flying museum
16 miles from Stonehenge. Approximately 20 mins drive
Another aircraft museum in the area, this time dedicated to army aviation. There are many displays and exhibitions with history going back to the late 1800s. Again this is designed for all ages so kids will love it too
Caen Hill locks
17 miles from Stonehenge. Approximately a 30 minute drive.
Something a little different – Caen Hill Locks is a historic canal system that is on the Kennet and Avon Canal and it dates back to the early 1800s. It has 16 locks in quick succession that allows boats to go up or down a hill.
It’s an interesting place to take a walk with kids, dogs or anyone really. It’s always fun to watch people work the locks and see how it all works.
I hope you enjoyed this round up of things to see around Stonehenge and that it’s encouraged you to look for more to see and do in Wiltshire and the surrounding areas! Any favourites? Or anything new I should look out for on my next trip?
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