Sometimes it’s the journey, not the destination

Have you ever wondered what to do on a weekend or after a long day at university? Read the following article to answer your questions. Below is the essential travel guide every University of Warwick fresher (and student) needs!

Welcome back to university and for all the new freshers welcome to your new home, I am sure you will enjoy it! 

Over my two years here I have been privileged to have been able to go on so many day trips including trips to Warwick, London, Kenilworth, and even as far as Accrington. I thought for this edition it may be a great idea to go through some of my favourite destinations you can easily get to from our lovely campus. 

Firstly, I shall just quickly touch on the amazing public transport we have in the area. We have our own bus station with buses taking us to Leamington Spa (U1 or 11), Coventry (11 or 12), and even to Solihull (87). And then from Coventry you can get a train to pretty much anywhere including London in around an hour. If you don’t fancy taking a bus to the train station, you can go to Canley Station which does direct trains to Birmingham, Northampton, and London among other places. So, safe to say we are well connected! 

A top place I recommend going to is Jephson Gardens. It is a beautiful place to stroll about or have a picnic with your friends and it is full of colourful flowerbeds and sculptures

The first place I’d definitely recommend to any new students is a non-drinking trip to Royal Leamington Spa. Yes, most of us go there for our circling, bar crawls, and club nights but during the day this idyllic spa town has so much to offer.  

A top place I recommend going to is Jephson Gardens. It is a beautiful place to stroll about or have a picnic with your friends and it is full of colourful flowerbeds and sculptures. The Gardens are actually Grade II listed on the English Heritage register of historic parks and gardens and have won the Tripadvisor Travellers Choice award twice! One of the things I love to do in these gardens is just to sit down with my meal deal and eat whilst people-watching. And once you have finished strolling around (or sitting around) these beautiful gardens, you can visit The Glasshouse too. The Glasshouse offers a range of amazing tropical and temperate plants as well as a goldfish pond, observation beehive, and a sculpture made of slate. 

After a long day of walking and exploring, you may start to get a bit hungry, and Leamington is the place for food

Conveniently next to the gardens are The Royal Pump Rooms. As the name probably gives away, this used to be one of Leamington’s spa buildings and was in operation until the 1990s. Now, this building houses Leamington’s Art Gallery and Museum with permanent displays alongside exhibitions that constantly change. They also host events for younger kids here as well, making it an ideal stop during your day trip if visiting with your family. One exhibition that is still open and caught my eye is the Childish Things exhibition. Here, visitors can see artwork and objects that explore childhood such as old toys and games, inviting audiences to engage with their childhood past.  

After a long day of walking and exploring, you may start to get a bit hungry, and Leamington is the place for food. Of course, you have your student classics like food at Wetherspoons or the Old Library which you will soon discover. But there are also some more niche places you could try. I really recommend Giggling Squid. They do some amazing Thai food and I am a sucker for their sticky chicken. Italian food is also pretty decent here. I would recommend a trip to Rudy’s which has some really tasty pizza and a drinks list to die for, especially if you are a Spritz fan. But wherever you eat in Leamington, I am sure you will enjoy!  

If you are a party animal, then maybe Leamington may seem a bit too close to home for a day out and some areas may bring up some past trauma from a crazy night out, so how about going to Stratford-upon-Avon instead?  

All this makes a day trip to Stratford perfect for Shakespeare fans and English Literature students too!

I, and probably you too, know this place as being the birthplace of William Shakespeare, the most famous English playwright ever and this town offers so many Shakespeare themed activities to do.   

One of the top things you can do here is a trip to the Royal Shakespeare Company for a play. This is a great way to experience The Company without having to travel to London for it. Currently showing in Stratford is one of the most famous plays, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and in the following months Julius Caesar and As You Like It will be on. The town is also the location of so many Shakespeare sites like his birthplace on Henley Street, Holy Trinity Church where he is buried, and his old school. All this makes a day trip to Stratford perfect for Shakespeare fans and English Literature students too! 

Yet, even if you are not a fan of Shakespeare, there is still so much to do here. Bancroft Gardens offer a fantastic way for you to spend some time strolling around and looking at the array of fountains, statues, and flowers. Alongside the Gardens is the River Avon. Here, you can do a river walk lasting about 2 miles with a free guide (available online) to accompany you which lists all the sites you pass along the way. And if you are feeling particularly adventurous, you can take a river cruise which takes you along the river with a narrator who talks about the history of the town. You even get to go through a lock gate which is actually a really cool contraption that manages water levels.  

I know Birmingham can get a bad reputation as being slightly dodgy place, but for a day out or maybe even a night out, Brum has it all

So, if you are a Shakespeare fan or just looking for a peaceful day out somewhere not too far from home, then Stratford may be the destination for you! 

I feel like the places I’ve discussed so far seem like very chill days out, but if you want a bit more action then this final place I will talk about might be the one for you.  

I know Birmingham can get a bad reputation as being a slightly dodgy place, but for a day out or maybe even a night out, Brum has it all. During the day there are a variety of things you can do. From shopping in the Bullring to doing escape rooms, bowling, mini-golf, and watching movies, there is something for everyone here.  

One of the things I have to recommend that I feel not many students actually do when going to Birmingham is going on a trip to Cadbury’s World. Speaking from experience, for me, this is one of Birmingham’s top attractions. You get to learn about the history of Cadbury’s as well as make your own chocolate and go through an interactive chocolate production line where you get to see all the steps required in the making of chocolate. And of course, there is a gift shop where you can buy all the chocolate your heart desires! 

The great thing about Warwick Uni is that it is so close to so many places that it is the perfect destination for day trips

Then when it gets dark and places start to close, the fun in Birmingham doesn’t end. There are rows and rows of pubs and clubs that all those who partake in these sorts of things can go to. I’d recommend a trip to Barbara’s Bier Haus which is one of the coolest clubs I’ve been to. It is absolutely massive and you can actually get lost inside. And they also sell beer in steins here which really keeps up with the Bavarian theme. 

And for those uninterested in pubs and clubs, Birmingham has other late-night offerings for you to partake in. If going during the Christmas season, I’d recommend a trip to the Frankfurt Christmas Market which offers so many food options and craft stalls. 

If you are not coming during the season, then you can go for some late-night gaming at NQ64 Arcade Bar or you can do what me and my friends did and go do a virtual reality gaming experience. This was such a cool experience, and it felt so real that when I took off the headset it took me a while to readjust. There is also a robot bar machine here which is pretty cool if you fancy grabbing a drink as well. And then after all the action, a nice long snooze might be required. 

The great thing about Warwick Uni is that it is so close to so many places that it is the perfect destination for day trips. If you want fun-packed days or just relaxing, peaceful times, there is a place close by for you to explore!