Discover Stevenage from different perspectives: the history of the first New Town comes to life at the museum, the Old Town preserves the original route of its High Street, and trails around the town offer their own highlights. There is also a theatre, public art and a short walk to remarkable trees. Which themes you choose to combine during your stay depends on whether history, culture or time outdoors matters most to you.
History at the Museum and in the Old Town
The collections at Stevenage Museum tell the story of the town from the Stone Age through its development as the first New Town and into the present day. The archaeological collection also includes evidence of early settlers in the area, including Roman farmers and Saxon inhabitants. This gives a visit to the museum a tangible historical context, spanning the earliest traces of human settlement through to more recent urban development. General admission is free; a small fee may apply for some events.
In Stevenage Old Town, the High Street still follows its original route. It is mostly flat and pedestrian-friendly, making it easy to explore on foot. Markets often bring the street to life. A stroll here is therefore about more than the historic street layout: the market activity, which is regularly part of the High Street’s character, is also part of the experience.
The Avenue offers a different impression of the Old Town: this long, tree-lined path is also known to many locals as Conker Avenue. If you would rather follow a specific theme, the Hampson Park Tree Trail offers a short walk to remarkable trees. It was established in 2007; the trees are numbered, and an information board near the car park helps identify the species.
Trails, Art and Urban Development
The Stevenage Heart Trails comprise more than 27 miles of mostly traffic-free paths through different parts of the town. They pass through various neighbourhoods and showcase public art and heritage along the way. The paths are suitable for walking, wheelchair users and cycling. This gives you a choice of scale: a short, tree-focused walk in Hampson Park or a more extensive network that takes in different parts of Stevenage. Information about the Heart Trails describes the network as a whole; it does not prescribe a specific order for visiting individual sites.
Another work of art can be found in the underpass at Sish Lane. It is part of an important transport link between Stevenage Old Town and Stevenage Town Centre. The urban artwork depicts scenes from the Old Town and the New Town, bringing both town names into its subject matter. For travel planning, two aspects of the town come together here: the transport link between the areas mentioned and an artistic depiction of their distinct identities.
Theatre and Choosing a Focus for Your Stay
The Gordon Craig Theatre opened in 1975. Its auditorium has 501 seats, and its programme includes plays, pantomimes, operas, dance performances and one-off variety music shows. A possible evening at the theatre offers a complement to more history- or activity-focused explorations. If you are planning a visit around a particular performance, check the relevant event dates.
When looking for a hotel in Stevenage, it may help to first decide what you want to focus on during your trip: spending time in the Old Town and exploring its history, following trails through several neighbourhoods, enjoying an evening at the theatre or taking the Tree Trail? You can then compare the locations of the accommodation options you are considering with your plans. The museum, walking trails and theatre offer different reasons to stay, without requiring a fixed itinerary. If you would like to combine several themes, you can arrange them according to your interests and check the relevant dates for events.
Discover more destinations: London Colney, Bishops Stortford, Little Gaddesden, Hatfield, Rickmansworth, Tring, Wigginton, Redbourn.
For the main travel overview: Hertfordshire.
