Top Stoke-On-Trent Attractions
Stoke-on-Trent, commonly referred to as The Potteries, boasts an abundance of world-class visitor attractions ranging from museums within former factories and forests filled with over 140 monkeys – each offering something special! There’s sure to be something here that catches everyone’s fancy.
Listen to the sounds of 140 free-roaming monkeys at Trentham Monkey Forest or ride one of Alton Towers Resort’s rollercoasters; these top ten things to do in Stoke-on-Trent will surely impress.
World of Wedgwood
Stoke-on-Trent’s rich pottery history makes it a cultural center with something for everyone. From free museums and attractions to luxurious spas, there’s something fun for all in this family-friendly city. Additionally, its world-class restaurants and lively bars make Stoke-on-Trent an excellent way to take in all its culture at your own pace.
World of Wedgwood offers visitors a truly memorable experience that showcases how the Wedgwood brand emerged from the potteries in England’s North West region. Perfect for families, couples and friends alike – visitors can tour the Wedgwood factory, paint ceramics themselves or shop for quintessentially British china such as Jasper ware – you won’t find anywhere else quite like World of Wedgwood!
The World of Wedgwood offers accessibility for visitors with disabilities and limited mobility, including wheelchair-friendly walkways, lifts and ramps. Pets are allowed in the courtyard and gardens but not within the museum, factory tours, shops, Atrium Tea Conservatory or Dining Hall.
If you’re seeking adventure, Peak District National Park provides plenty of ways to pump up the excitement. Offering hiking, biking and picnicking opportunities as well as family-friendly activities such as laser tag and play centers; it is an unforgettable way to make memories that will last a lifetime.
Gladstone Pottery Museum
Gladstone Pottery Museum is the last complete Victorian pottery factory from its heyday when coal burning ovens created fine bone china. With original workshops, huge bottle ovens, cobbled yard and even a gallery dedicated to toilet history! Plus there’s even more…
There’s plenty to see and do at this multi-award winning attraction, which was named “Visit Britain’s Best Small Visitor Attraction” in 2014. Additionally, in 2015 it won Enjoy Staffordshire’s “Best Tourism Experience Award”.
Visitors to the museum can participate in demonstrations of ceramics making, including modeling clay, stacking it for baking in one of three massive kilns, painting or decorating it with glaze, watching potters at work in an old workshop and watching potters create masterpieces in front of your very eyes! Additionally there are regular events including heritage walks, carol sing-a-longs and brass band concerts that visitors can participate in.
Longton Museum can be found near junction 15 of the M6, near bus routes 6A & 6. Bus services 6 & 6A stop right outside its doors.
This museum comprises two buildings from two pot banks: Gladstone and Roslyn Works, protected under European Routes of Industrial Heritage. It boasts an extraordinary collection of kilns – less than 50 remain worldwide – that have survived until today, including some that may be among England’s best preserved kilns like those found at Gladstone Pottery Museum and Longton nearby.
Biddulph Grange Garden
Biddulph Garden in Biddulph to the north of Stoke-on-Trent boasts an exquisite Victorian garden designed by James Bateman to house his extensive plant collection, dating back to Egypt and China. Famous for its Dahlia Walk (June through September each year), where thousands of blooming dahlias are planted between massive yew hedges for display purposes, it is certainly not to be missed!
Along the garden you will discover various play activities for children to enjoy such as giant tic-tac-toe and an area dedicated to outdoor games such as tag. Additionally, there is a quiz/trail available and secret tunnels can be explored while admiring our wide-ranging plant collection from all around the world.
Bateman created his garden to express his passion for horticulture, and its revolutionary nature attracted much acclaim at its time. Today it houses an enormous variety of trees and plants from architectural splendours like Wellingtonia Avenue to perennial delights like Dahlia Walk; not to mention Japanese-influenced water gardens as well as Chinese Gardens where golden and red leaves transform autumn leaves into golds and reds!
In 1988, the garden was given to the National Trust who have worked tirelessly since to restore it back to its former glory. There is still much more to discover too with themes ranging from an Italian terrace and Egyptian pyramid all the way through to Himalayan glen.
The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery
This award-winning museum located in the city centre houses one of the finest collections of Staffordshire ceramics in the world and an outstanding range of decorative and fine art, as well as collections in costume, local history, archaeology and archeology. Additionally, notable features of this award-winning museum are Reginald Mitchell’s RW388 Spitfire designed in Stoke-on-Trent itself; JK Rowling exhibition featuring famous characters as well as displays about pottery production from within its borders; as well as displays on pottery production within Stoke-onTrent itself!
The Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Ceramics showcases works that push back against traditional categories in ceramics, fine arts and design, featuring works by Grayson Perry and Sarah Lucas as well as postwar studio pottery collections such as Bergen and Pinchen collections.
There is an exciting and dynamic temporary exhibition program to complement the permanent displays. Previous shows have highlighted the history and breadth of work from Toby jugs to ornamental pieces; furthermore, local history galleries transport visitors back in time with room settings depicting daily life such as schoolrooms and pubs.
The Potteries Museum has been shortlisted for the Kids in Museums Family Friendly Museum Award 2022. Over the summer holidays, families will visit each of the shortlisted museums to assess their experience against the Kids in Museums Manifesto and select winners in each category. Follow all the action using #FamilyFriendlyMuseumAward2022.
Alton Towers
Alton Towers offers the ideal family day out, full of excitement. As one of the UK’s biggest theme parks, Alton Towers features thrilling rides and attractions that will thrill adrenaline junkies of any sort – with gravity-defying roller coasters, heart-pounding loops, as well as family-friendly experiences like Gangsta Granny the Ride and Curse of Haunted Manor among its attractions.
The park offers plenty of dining and shopping opportunities, offering something to satisfy everyone in your party. Towers Trading on Towers Street provides souvenirs to help celebrate family experiences like Towers Trading offers souvenirs that feature personalization such as personalized photo books.
Numerous rides feature covered queue areas to provide shelter from inclement weather. Thirteen and Smiler are two examples with large indoor queue areas; Boiler House also provides covered waiting space; while Hex, an exciting heist-themed attraction, is sure to delight adventurous visitors.
Extraordinary Golf offers a relaxing activity for guests looking for something quieter to do, with courses themed to rides and attractions at the park that were recently revamped in 2016. In 2023, Alton Towers Spa closed, but later reopened as Merlin brand attraction Alton Towers Dungeons as an upcharge attraction that requires prebooking with timed slots available throughout 2019.
Trentham Gardens
Trentham Gardens provides an unforgettable day trip for all the family. From stunning landscape designs by top architects, to Aerial Extreme high rope adventure and the Trentham Monkey Forest’s 140 free-roaming Barbary macaques, sailing across Capability Brown Lake or trying your hand at rowing boats; Trentham Gardens has something special in store!
The Italian Garden offers an amazing display of colour, from its vibrant flowers and foliage at the top to more subdued hues as you move down towards Lake Como. Don’t miss the Trellis Walk either – a reconstructed 19th century walkway covered with beautiful, fragrant plants like Wisteria!
Discover acres of Capability Brown landscaped parkland perfect for walking, jogging and picnicking; or make use of Trentham Gardens’ exciting events program from contemporary craft fairs to Trentham Live! Stay overnight at their on-site Premier Inn hotel.
On the estate you will find plenty of delicious places to eat and drink ranging from Frankie & Bennies and Willow by Paragon near the North Entrance to Caffe Bello, Six Arches Restaurant and Trentham Garden Centre Tearoom. Additionally there is the Trentham Shopping Village that houses 64 shops as well as 19 cafes/restaurants set within a rustic lodge village setting – ideal for picking up treats!
