Top Tips for Summer

Welcome to summer in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. The days are longer, the weather is warmer which is great as there is so much to see and do! Don't forget to check our regularly-updated What's On page and remember you can book tickets for many events and attractions online here! If you are coming to the Windsor area this summer, here are our top tips to enjoy the longer days in Windsor and the Royal Borough.

Turn your visit into a short break!

You may be thinking of planning a day trip to the Windsor area, but with so much to see and do, why not stay a few nights and make short break of it?

Visit our accommodation pages to discover a huge range of accommodation options to suit all budgets, including five star luxury spa retreats, cosy and comfortable bed and breakfasts, beautifully appointed self-catering houses and apartments and riverside camping.

Read more about our range of short break ideas including weekend breaks, culture breaks, romantic breaks, spa breaks and shopping breaks and start planning your visit.

Great Fosters bedroom with children's teepee

Accommodation with swimming pools

When the weather gets 'hot, hot, hot' we have some great places to stay with indoor and outdoor swimming pools!

Many of our local accommodation have pools which can be used as part of a spa day or pamper package. If you're here for a short break, time in the pool will be the perfect way to unwind and cool off after a day's sightseeing in the local area.

Summer special offers

Take a look at our Special Offers pages. We're updating them all the time so you can take advantage of some great ideas and deals from our local businesses. Whether you are looking for a tempting offer on food and drink or accommodation or want to know what attraction offers there are this summer, visit our Special Offers pages and find out more.

Discover Windsor summer outdoor events and activities

Is anything more representative of English summers than messing about on the river, a picnic basked in sunshine, or dressing up for a highlight of the social event calendar? Enjoy all of these al fresco experiences in and around Windsor, with the ticketed activities and events available through VisitWindsor’s box office. It really couldn’t be easier to get your friends and family together for some memorable summer days out.

For a destination as beautiful as ours, being out in the fresh air is second to none; our outdoor events and activities are a great way to appreciate the Windsor, Eton, Maidenhead and Ascot area.

We’ve got some great options to choose from including trips and tours by boat, canoe, kayak or duck on the River Thames, guided walking tours, horse-drawn carriage rides and beautiful parks and gardens.

Or how about enjoying live music at the weekend as part of our Live at the Bandstand programme? Bring a picnic and head down to Windsor's Alexandra Gardens, located near the River Thames in the shadow of Windsor Castle, where Windsor’s bandstand plays host to a selection of performers on many of the summer's weekends.

Discover a great range of outdoor events and things to do here.

Summer Racing

Royal Windsor Racecourse have a spectacular summer lineup including 6 live music Monday Night Racing events! From Queen to Rum & Reggae and Soul & Motown, there's plenty to choose from in July & August.

Are Saturday's more your style? Gents Day is just around the corner on Saturday 3^rd August! Featuring action-packed Flat racing followed by a 90-minute DJ set by Chris Moyles live after racing.

To finish the summer season with a bang and to kickstart your Bank Holiday weekend, you won't want to miss Saturday 24^th August featuring the Group 3 Winter Hill Stakes, the pinnacle race in the calendar, and a huge afterparty on the Lawn with Sara Cox bringing you the best tunes!

The fun doesn't stop at the finishing post at Royal Windsor Racecourse, get ready for an epic summer where racing and entertainment combine for the perfect summer social.

There's a fantastic summer of racing at Ascot too including Royal Ascot and the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup. Get your tickets here now!

Summer meeting at Royal Windsor Racecourse

Discover Windsor's heritage and history

Sometimes amazing things of interest are just under our noses! Join a guided tour and allow one of our passionate and knowledgeable guides to open your eyes to the wonder of our historic town!

Join Walking Tours in Windsor's local guides every day during summer at 11am or 2pm for a Windsor Town Tour. Discover Windsor's key sights, walking in the footsteps of royalty with your local guide. Book online to secure your spots!

Both Windsor and Eton have their own Walkways that link places of interest with an array of featured attractions and worthy views. Windsor’s walkway is known as The Queen’s Walkway and links 63 places of interest; you can download a brochure to help you follow it. The Eton Walkway starts at the pedestrian bridge that joins Windsor and Eton and connects 18 points of interest in this historic town.

Are you ready for a royal day out? Windsor Castle is the gem in the Royal Borough’s crown and you won’t fail to be amazed at how it dominates our skyline! Visit this summer and you can also experience family activities, history weekends and (from August) the Conquer the Tower tours of the Castle’s stunning Round Tower.

The view from Windsor Castle's Round Tower. Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2024

Learn about Eton College on a Heritage Tour. Cross the pedestrian bridge connecting Windsor and Eton and join one of Eton College's seasonal Heritage Tours taking place on Fridays afternoons until September. Their programme of guided tours focuses on the historic heart of Eton College, featuring many of the earliest buildings and objects from the College Collections

Summer outdoor 'al fresco' dining in the Windsor area

Are you looking for somewhere in the Windsor and Maidenhead area to enjoy food and drink in the fresh air? There are plenty of lovely restaurants, pubs, cafés and hotels with outside space so you can dine al fresco! We’d argue that food definitely tastes better in the open air!

Or why not create a perfect picnic to be enjoyed in one of the Royal Borough's parks and open spaces or areas such as Windsor Great Park? Pick up some beautiful local produce from one of our local food markets or farmers' markets. Or hire a boat and enjoy a floating al fresco experience! What could be nicer…

Patch on the Plaza, Windsor

Enjoy summer activities and events on the River Thames

One of the most beautiful stretches of Old Father Thames runs through the Royal Borough, between Hurley and Runnymede. The summer months offer so many opportunities for enjoying the river. Feed the swans on Windsor Promenade. Hire a boat for the day and catch up with friends. Paddle yourself along on a kayak tour or SUP. Walk or cycle the Thames Path. Enjoy a picnic by the water’s edge. Sit back and listen to the commentary on a passenger boat. Relax and enjoy good food on a restaurant cruise. Visit our Thames Trail page for more inspiration on how to enjoy the stretch of the river with the help of our local businesses.

The Boat Hire Company

Summer itinerary ideas

Be inspired by all that the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead has to offer. There’s so much more to us than meets the eye and by reading our themed itinerary ideas – including Family Fun and the Great Outdoors – you may decide to plan more than just a day visit!

We want you to get more out of your visit so our Windsor and Maidenhead itinerary ideas include some popular themes such as Family Fun breaks, Healthy Living Spa breaks, Cultural Trips, Shopping Getaways, Equestrian, Living the Highlife and Sport. Our itineraries are not timed and you don’t have to pick just one! Be inspired to choose elements and create a bespoke package for yourself.

Summer holiday family fun

Fill the summer holidays with some fun family activities and events right here in the Windsor area. Whether you are here for a day or a few, and whatever the weather, check out our Family Fun ideas and inspiration page and start planning. Castles, theme parks including LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort – check out this summer's Ninjas Unite event – riverboats, fun days, arts & crafts, films, fresh air, parks and gardens, marching guards – get all your inspiration here!

Ninjas Unite at The LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort

Explore some gorgeous summer gardens and parks

It’s the height of summer and for many gardens this is their time to shine, with borders full of summer planting, colour and fragrance. Come and visit the beautiful parks and gardens in the Windsor area. From The Savill Garden, nestled in the corner of the far-reaching Windsor Great Park, to the National Trust’s extensive estate at Cliveden, and Waltham Place, considered Berkshire’s best-kept secret.

According to John Anderson, the Keeper of the Gardens: ‘The Savill Garden in the summer is a continuous delight, with spectacular shows of colour throughout the themed areas.’

This summer you’ll come across blooming hydrangeas in Summer Wood, ribbons of vibrant colours bursting from the Herbaceous Borders and fascinating gems that line the Dry Garden. For a break from the sun, The Hidden Garden offers cover with delightful shade-loving plants.

Summer can now often extend well into September. As well as highlight including the New Zealand Garden, September also brings the return of Art in the Garden – a yearly sculpture exhibition that sees the Garden dotted with eye-catching pieces of art made by the Surrey Sculpture Society.

For the best price, book your Savill Garden tickets online up to 9am on the day of your visit.

The Savill Garden's Summer Borders

Days out on a budget; free things to do in the Windsor area

The school summer holidays are a fun but often challenging and expensive time with long days to fill and both adults and children – from toddlers to teens – to keep entertained.

Check out our guide to free things to do in the Windsor area including watching the guard march, enjoying the river and visiting our museums.

Discover three fascinating Eton museums and galleries open free of charge on Sunday afternoons: the Natural History Museum, the Museum of Eton Life (also open Saturday afternoons) and the Museum of Antiquities.

Windsor Guildhall is home the free Windsor & Royal Borough Museum.

Check out What's On

We are adding new events taking place in the Windsor, Eton, Maidenhead and Ascot areas to our what's on section all the time. Make sure you search What’s On for all the latest event information so you can get the best out of your visit.