The Best of Swindon

Even on a grey day, Swindon has a certain charm.

Swindon is the largest town in the South East, so it stands to reason that there’s plenty to get up to come rain or shine. It’s also lucky to be surrounded by stunning countryside and traversed by a particularly pretty canal. There's plenty to do next to the water where it's wonderfully atmospheric and moody on a rainy day, just as it is beautiful on a bright one. We've got some suggestions that will keep everybody happy, whether shopaholic, fanatical foodie, young, old, or anything in between.

Make Friends with the Animals

Start off the day with a wonderfully wholesome activity down by getting to know some of Swindon’s four-legged residents. You'll find lots of them at Roves Farm, a working farm that’s open to the public. Although Roves Farm is a working farm, it’s a relatively small one, meaning that even if you’re being accompanied by those with little legs, you’ll be able to get around the whole thing. Of course, if your legs do get a little tired, you can make use of the hay cart ride to cover some extra ground. Whilst there you can expect to see all of the things you would on a proper working farm, including plenty of adorable animals. Whether goats, pigs, sheep, chickens, or ducks are your thing, you'll be well catered for at Roves Farm. They also sell animal feed so if you've got any budding farmers in your party then they will be able to feed the animals too.

A Break from the Sun

Although Swindon is beautiful when the sun shines - especially lately as we've seen record temperatures - it can be a little oppressive. If you're looking for somewhere to get out of the heat and into some air conditioning then you’ve got the perfect excuse for checking out out Swindon’s Boombar. Here you can grab yourself a drink and take part in any number of weird and wonderful games, including Axe Throwing, Crazier Golf, Electric Darts, Beer Pong and Shuffleboard. It’s a great fun space with a super friendly vibe and staff who’ll be more than happy to give pointers at quieter moments. Those exploring with competitive friends will love it here and if you want to keep the fun going there are other options a little further afield. The Grosvenor Casino is around a half hour train ride away and like the Boombar, there staff are always on hand to help, but if you want to arrive feeling confident then practicing some games online first can be a good idea. Roulette is a great option to start with, as it's very simple to pick up. At PokerStars Casino there is a huge range of variants, so you can find the one that you're most comfortable playing. American Roulette has two zero squares on the board, meaning there's a larger house edge than European roulette where there is just one. You'll also find High Roller roulette that will allow you to place larger bets than the other variants. Having a round or two of each game will help you to feel confident in your abilities and know which game you prefer before you step foot in the casino. Of course, if you just want to cool down then go right ahead, you'll be able to pick things up in no time.

See Swindon by Boat

Exploring Swindon’s canals is a great way to see the town from another point of view.

There's so much water in Swindon and it makes the perfect place to get a really good look at this picturesque town. Always one step ahead of the game, Swindon council got their hands on a gorgeous narrowboat which they named Dragonfly. The boat can carry up to twelve passengers along with crew to operate the boat. Ordinarily, you can enjoy a fifty minute trip on Dragonfly to be caught from the landing stage outside Waitrose. This trip costs £8 for adults and £5 for children, running regularly throhgout the school holidays on Wednesdays. If you’d like a more exclusive boating experience then you can even arrange to charter Dragonfly for £70 per hour. On these chartered trips you can make use of the full kitchen facilities aboard to create yourselves a special lunch and really turn it into a day out to remember.