10 Best Things to Do in Stoke-on-Trent

Mow Cop Castle sits on a hilltop north of Hanley, offering panoramic views of the Staffordshire moorlands. The 18th-century castle isn’t an actual castle – it’s a former summer house built in 1754 to resemble a medieval fortress, complete with a mock stone tower.

You can drive or even walk or ride a bicycle up to the top – it’s pretty steep, so make sure you're up for the climb. While the interior of the ruins is off-limits to the public, the site offers some lovely walks in the surrounding countryside.

Biddulph Grange Garden was established by plantsman James Bateman in the mid-19th-century to hold his extensive collection of plants from around the globe. The diverse series of ‘gardens within a garden’ includes a Himalayan glen, a Chinese water garden housing the oldest surviving golden larch in Britain, plus an Egyptian Court and an Italian garden.

Make sure to visit the unique Geological Gallery, which displays a selection of fossils and geological strata. Bateman created the gallery as a Victorian attempt to reconcile geology with the Christian story of creation. You can reach the gardens after a 20-minute drive north from Hanley. Prebookings are necessary.

World of Wedgwood is an award-winning interactive museum where you can discover the very best of British ceramic craftsmanship. Admire over 3,000 stunning artefacts, including historical pieces dating back to 1759 when craftsman and potter Josiah Wedgwood started the world-famous company.

During the factory tour, you’ll learn about Josiah’s story and how his iconic products journey from the potter’s wheel to the decorating studio. If you’re in a creative mood, you can even create your own pot or a piece of bone china. The onsite flagship store offers the largest selection of Wedgwood products in the world.  After hours of pottery-admiring and shopping, you can indulge in a delectable afternoon tea at the Tea Conservatory.

The 725-acre Trentham Estate is a marvellous landscape in Stoke, with 3 fantastic attractions rolled into one. Plan to spend a couple of hours as there’s an awful lot to do and see here. The beautifully manicured Trentham Gardens occupies the grounds of a former Royal Manor. Besides viewing revitalised Italian gardens and magnificent flower beds, you can enjoy a mile-long walk around a picturesque lake.

For some serious retail therapy, the Trentham Shopping Village features over 70 shops, plus plenty of lovely cafes and eateries. The Trentham  Estate features the Trentham Monkey Forest, a stunning woodland that's home to 140 free-roaming Barbary macaques. You’re free to stroll along the well-kept path while the chimps swing in the treetops above you.

The Cultural Quarter sits in the city centre of Hanley and is a hub of independent retail outlets, restaurants and entertainment venues. Check out the art deco-style Regent Theatre, one of the UK’s leading theatres, which hosts touring West End musicals, national ballets, and concerts. Even The Beatles has played at this iconic landmark.

When you get peckish, head to Piccadilly, the pedestrianised street in the heart of the quarter. Here, you’ll be spoilt for choice with the array of restaurants, delis, and tapas bars serving food from around the globe.

The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery within Hanley’s Cultural Quarter displays fine and decorative arts, local history, archaeology, and natural history. The impressive collection of Staffordshire ceramics and the world-renowned Staffordshire Hoard – the largest stash of Anglo-Saxon metalwork ever unearthed – are alone worth the visit. 

Over in the town of Longton, visit the functioning coal-fired, Victorian-era Gladstone Pottery factory and discover the fascinating history of pottery in Stoke-on-Trent. At the museum, you can see traditional techniques, watch demonstrations and even make a bone china flower yourself. Admission is free.

Intu Potteries Shopping Centre contains over 90 shops including high-street brands like Debenhams, H&M, Primark and Superdry. The mall is within a short walk of the Cultural Quarter in Hanley, so it’s easy to fit a visit into your itinerary. You can watch a movie at the 9-screen cinema or grab a bite at one of the cafes or restaurants.

In the basement of the shopping centre is Hanley Market, the Potteries’ largest indoor market. Housing over 100 stalls, you’ll find everything from hairdressing salons and beauty treatments to art and craft supplies to fresh fruit and vegetables. The centre also offers free Wi-Fi and mobile charging stations.

Alton Towers Theme Park is an amusement park that offers all the thrills with head-spinning rollercoasters, white-knuckle drops, and powerful G forces. There’s a good reason why the park is a longtime favourite of adrenaline-chasers. Hold on tight and brave Oblivion’s spine-tinglingly vertical drop, laugh and scream on The Smiler’s 14 loops or brace yourself on Rita as you go from 0 to 100 km/h in just 2.5 seconds.

Adrenaline rushes aside, Alton Towers Theme Park has plenty of calm, kid-friendly rides and attractions to enjoy. After all the exhilaration, excitement and nerves, recharge at one of the many food outlets and restaurants on-site. The park is a 40-minute drive east from Hanley. Note that the theme park closes in winter.

The Foxfield Railway was built in the 1890s to transport coal from the Foxfield Colliery. Today, the heritage steam stain takes railway fans on a scenic 5-mile round trip from Caverswall Road Station to Dilhorne Park and back. Get your camera ready as you’ll pass lovely moorland, hills and woodland along the way.

Nature lovers can opt to take a train to Dilhorne Park and then walk back to the Caverswall Road Station through the beautiful English countryside. Or, you can do the trip vice versa. The walk is about 3 miles long and will take around 1.5 hours to complete.

The Sugarmill is where you can put on your dancing shoes and enjoy a night out on the town in Stoke. The popular alternative music venue is situated in the Cultural Quarter in Hanley and hosts weekly club nights and regular live music performances of local bands.

The last Friday of every month is the Electric All-Nighter, where you can party until 6 am. When you’re done with dancing, head up to the rooftop bar, which is a great place to hang out and take a breather.