To provide you with the best experience, cookies are used on this site. Find out more here.
To provide you with the best experience, cookies are used on this site. Find out more here.
To build your own Itinerary, click 
to add an item to your Itinerary basket.
Already saved an Itinerary?
Welcome to summer in the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead. The weather is warmer and the days are longer which is great as there is so much to see and do! If you are looking for inspiration for a summer day trip, long weekend or short break, here are our top tips to get the most out of your visit to Windsor and the Royal Borough. Don't forget to check our regularly-updated What's On page and remember you can book tickets for many events and attractions online!
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 teenagers – to keep entertained. We're updating our Special Offers pages all the time so you can take advantage of some great ideas and deals from our local businesses including those places taking part in the government's Great British Summer Savings campaign (25 June to 1 September 2026). Whether you are looking for a tempting offer on food, drink or accommodation or want to find some great deals at our attractions this summer, visit our Special Offers pages and find out more.
The Runnymede on Thames
Planning a day trip to the Windsor area? With so much to see and do, stay a few nights with us and make short break of it! Visit our accommodation pages to discover a huge range of places to stay to suit all budgets, including five star luxury spa retreats, cosy and comfortable guest accommodation, beautifully appointed self-catering houses and apartments and riverside camping. For the best deals, book direct with your chosen place to stay and don't forget you'll find some tempting offers for summer savings on our Special Offers pages!
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.
If you are looking for a family-friendly place to stay during the school holidays, check out our family-friendly accommodation page. You'll find useful facilities – such as family bedrooms, interconnecting rooms, child-friendly menus, family mealtimes and plenty of things for the children to enjoy – which make life a whole lot easier!
Relaxing by the pool at Great Fosters
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.
.jpg)
Fi.Fest
From lively music festivals to food and drink extravaganzas and family-friendly fun, there’s something for everyone in the Royal Borough this summer. Visit our Festivals page for more inspiration.
Is anything more representative of an English summer than taking a boat trip on the river, enjoying a picnic in the sunshine or dressing up for one of our summer social season events? 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.
People enjoying Henley Royal Regatta
The English summer social season is a long-standing tradition in the UK, running from spring through to late August. The season includes a wide range of prestigious social and sporting events that attract members of the royal family, high society, celebrities as well as visitors from all over the world! Many of these events take place in and around the Windsor area and include polo, summer horse racing, Royal Ascot and Henley Royal Regatta. They are the ideal opportunity to gather friends together, socialise and celebrate! Read all about it in our summer social season blog.
_1000.jpg)
Summer meeting at Royal Windsor Racecourse
Royal Windsor Racecourse have a spectacular summer lineup including live music Monday Night Racing events! From Rock and Rum & Reggae to Soul & Motown and Country & Western, there's plenty to choose from in June, July and August.
To finish the summer season with a bang and to kickstart your Bank Holiday weekend, you won't want to miss Saturday 29 August's Summer Closing Party featuring Mark Wright DJ set keeping the vibes high after the racing!
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!
World War II History Weekend at Windsor Castle © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust
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 and history weekends.
Al fresco dining at Great Fosters
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…
The Boat Hire Company
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.
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.
Adventure Play, The Savill Garden
Worried about how you are going to keep the children off their phones and away from screens? 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, riverboats, fun days, arts & crafts, films, fresh air, parks and gardens, marching guards – get all your inspiration here!
The Savill Garden's Summer Borders
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, and the new Venus Garden in Windsor Castle, 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. For the best price, book your Savill Garden tickets online up to 9am on the day of your visit.
New for the summer of 2026, visit a new royal garden at Windsor Castle! From 16 July to 13 September, visitors to Windsor Castle can explore a magnificent, newly designed royal garden located beneath the Castle's iconic east façade. The Venus Garden, previously known as the East Terrace Garden, was originally laid out in the 1820s to provide a pleasant view from George IV's new apartments. The garden has been carefully transformed over 18 months in close consultation with His Majesty The King. This opening gives visitors a rare chance to admire stunning views of the Castle’s east façade – an area seldom included in the usual visitor route – and to enjoy a serene outdoor space within the grounds of the 1,000-year-old Castle.
The Venus Garden will be open from 16 July to 13 September and is included as part of a standard visit to Windsor Castle.
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 the top free things to do in the Windsor area including watching the guard march, enjoying the river and visiting our museums.
Discover fascinating Eton museums and galleries open free of charge on Sunday afternoons: the Natural History Museum and the Museum of Antiquities (please note, the Museum of Eton Life is currently closed for refurbishment).
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.
Visit our online shop where you can book tickets in advance to many of our top summer attractions and events.
Ratings & Reviews
Powered By
In partnership with
© Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead 2026. All Rights Reserved
