Things to do
Things to do in Nottingham
52 genuinely worthwhile attractions, days out and experiences across 13 categories — from the castle and the caves to deer parks, live music, sport and adventure. Useful for visitors and residents alike. Use the filters to plan your day.
Nottingham Castle
A ducal mansion and museum on a dramatic sandstone outcrop in the heart of the city, with caves, galleries, landscaped grounds and panoramic views.
City of Caves
A guided underground tour through a network of man-made sandstone caves beneath the city centre, including a medieval tannery and WWII air-raid shelters.
Nottingham Council House & Old Market Square
The domed civic centrepiece of Nottingham, presiding over the largest market square in England.
St Mary's Church in the Lace Market
The grand medieval parish church at the heart of the Lace Market, the largest and oldest church in the city centre.
Nottingham Cathedral (Cathedral Church of St Barnabas)
A striking Gothic Revival Roman Catholic cathedral designed by Augustus Pugin, dedicated in 1844.
Robin Hood Statue
Nottingham's most photographed landmark, a bronze statue of the legendary outlaw beneath the castle walls.
Newstead Abbey
A romantic 12th-century priory turned country house, famous as the ancestral home of the poet Lord Byron, surrounded by lakes and gardens.
Southwell Minster
A magnificent Norman and Gothic cathedral, the mother church of Nottinghamshire, famed for its carved 'Leaves of Southwell'.
Natural History Museum at Wollaton Hall
The county's largest natural history museum, set inside a spectacular Elizabethan mansion surrounded by a free-roaming deer park.
Nottingham Industrial Museum
A volunteer-run museum in Wollaton Hall's stable block celebrating Nottinghamshire's textiles, transport, mining and engineering heritage.
Museum of Nottingham Life at Brewhouse Yard
A social-history museum in a row of 17th-century cottages at the foot of Nottingham Castle, recreating everyday local life over the centuries.
D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum
The restored terraced cottage in Eastwood where novelist D.H. Lawrence was born, presented as a Victorian working-class miner's home.
Nottingham Lakeside Arts
The University of Nottingham's public arts centre in Highfields Park, with free galleries, a museum, the Djanogly Theatre and a year-round events programme.
New Art Exchange
The UK's largest gallery dedicated to culturally diverse art, with free exhibitions, events and a world-food cafe in Hyson Green.
Bonington Gallery
Nottingham Trent University's free public art gallery, running a lively programme of contemporary exhibitions, film nights and events.
Attenborough Nature Reserve
A 220-hectare network of former gravel pits turned wetland reserve famous for kingfishers, bitterns and waterbirds, with a cafe and nature centre on an island.
Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve
The legendary ancient woodland of Robin Hood, home to the 800+ year-old Major Oak, with waymarked trails and a family visitor centre.
Wollaton Hall, Gardens & Deer Park
A 500-acre historic deer park surrounding an Elizabethan mansion, home to wild herds of red and fallow deer just three miles from the city centre.
Victoria Embankment & Memorial Gardens
A landscaped riverside promenade and War Memorial Garden along the north bank of the River Trent, host to major city events.
Nottingham Arboretum
Nottingham's oldest public park, a Green Flag-winning Victorian green space of over 800 trees a short walk from the city centre.
Highfields Park & Boating Lake
A Grade II-listed lakeside park beside the University of Nottingham with rowing boats, adventure golf and lovely landscaped walks.
Colwick Country Park
A free riverside country park beside the River Trent with lakes for sailing, canoeing, fishing, open-water swimming and walking trails.
Bestwood Country Park
A 650-acre country park of woodland, heath and lakes on the edge of the city, with a Victorian colliery winding house at its heart.
Rufford Abbey Country Park
A free-entry country park around a ruined Cistercian abbey, with a large adventure playground and lake.
University of Nottingham Park Gardens (Millennium & Walled Gardens)
The award-winning gardens of the University of Nottingham's lakeside campus, including the Millennium Garden's flower displays, fountains and turf maze.
Clifton Grove
Historic 17th-century tree-lined avenue along the River Trent, Nottingham's classic rural escape for walkers.
Green's Windmill & Science Centre
A restored working windmill with a free hands-on science centre celebrating mathematician George Green.
Stonebridge City Farm
A free community city farm in St Ann's where children can meet and feed traditional farmyard animals.
White Post Farm
A large 25-acre family farm park with over 3,000 animals, indoor and outdoor play, and go-karts.
Wheelgate Park
A 30-acre family theme park near Sherwood Forest with rides, two indoor play centres, a farm and a water park.
Sundown Adventureland
A theme park designed specifically for under-10s, with gentle rides and large indoor play areas.
The Original Nottingham Ghost Walk
A long-running storytelling ghost walk around the historic Castle Quarter, ending in haunted caves beneath Ye Olde Salutation Inn.
Ezekial Bone's Robin Hood Town Tour
An award-winning, character-led walking tour of Nottingham led by a costumed Robin Hood performer, blending legend with real city history.
Castle Rock Brewery Tours
A guided behind-the-scenes brewery tour with tastings, starting from Castle Rock's Vat and Fiddle brewery tap.
Princess River Cruises (Nottingham Princess)
Daytime and evening cruises on the River Trent aboard the Nottingham Princess, the largest river cruiser on the Trent.
Cave Escape
Highly rated escape rooms set inside a genuine sandstone cave system once used as cellars beneath the city.
Escapologic
Nottingham's largest escape-room venue, with around eight immersive rooms ranging from family-friendly to genuinely scary.
Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall
Nottingham's grand twin venue pairing a Victorian theatre with a 2,000-seat concert hall, hosting West End touring shows, opera, ballet, pantomime and classical concerts.
Motorpoint Arena Nottingham
The city's largest indoor arena, hosting arena-scale concerts, comedy, family shows and Nottingham Panthers ice hockey within the National Ice Centre complex.
Albert Hall Nottingham
Elegant Victorian hall near the city centre used for concerts, recitals and conferences, with a Great Hall seating up to around 700.
Metronome
Purpose-built modern live music venue in the Creative Quarter supporting both touring artists and local talent, with bar and atrium spaces.
Trent Bridge Cricket Ground
One of the world's most famous Test cricket grounds, home to Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club and host to international matches.
The City Ground (Nottingham Forest FC)
Premier League Nottingham Forest's riverside stadium, with matchday football and a stadium-and-museum tour celebrating the club's two European Cups.
Nottingham Panthers at Motorpoint Arena
Watch the Nottingham Panthers play fast, atmospheric professional ice hockey at the city-centre Motorpoint Arena.
Clifton parkrun
Free, friendly weekly 5k run/walk every Saturday at 9am on Clifton Playing Fields, open to all abilities.
Holme Pierrepont Country Park (National Water Sports Centre)
A 270-acre country park and elite watersports venue just outside the city, with white water rafting, paddleboarding, a 2,000m regatta lake and family fun.
National Ice Centre
The UK's first twin Olympic-sized ice rink, offering public skating, lessons and ice sports in the city centre.
Depot Climbing Nottingham
A large city-centre bouldering centre set in a former tram depot, billed as one of the biggest indoor bouldering walls in the East Midlands.
Nottingham Climbing Centre
A large indoor climbing centre in a converted swimming baths offering bouldering and roped climbing for all abilities.
Lexus Nottingham Tennis Centre
One of the UK's largest pay-and-play community tennis centres, with covered, grass and outdoor courts plus padel and a gym.
Harvey Hadden Sports Village
A flagship public sports complex with a 50m Olympic-size pool, athletics stadium, gym and multi-sport halls.
Sherwood Pines (Cycling & Mountain Biking)
Nottinghamshire's largest forest with waymarked cycling and mountain-bike trails, a bike park and bike hire on the edge of Sherwood Forest.
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