Top 15 Attractions and Activities in Watford, Hertfordshire

Conveniently situated within London’s M25, Watford is a market town that emerged during the Industrial Revolution and was incorporated into the capital during the 20th century.

The town is positioned along the banks of the River Colne and is known for its greenery, featuring expansive parks such as Cassiobury, which was historically the site of a Tudor palace.

Nearby are the Warner Bros. Film Studios at Leavesden, the production site for the Harry Potter films, now hosting an exhilarating studio tour that showcases authentic sets, props, and costumes.

Watford serves as a shopping and entertainment hub, boasting two notable theaters and a rich history at St Mary’s Church, which is home to a magnificent Renaissance chapel.

History enthusiasts can explore the Battle of Britain at Bentley Priory, the former headquarters for the RAF Fighter Command during World War II.

Let us examine the premier attractions in Watford:

1. Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour

The Warner Bros. Film Studios at Leavesden, located within Watford Borough, served as the production venue for all Harry Potter films in the 2000s.

Following the release of the final Harry Potter film, the studio began developing a tour that features genuine props, animatronics, special effects, costumes, and sets from the cinematic series or replicates created by the original film crew.

This three-hour tour immerses visitors in the world of Harry Potter, guiding them through the Great Hall, down Diagon Alley, and onto Platform 9¾, where one can board the original Hogwarts Express carriages utilized in the film.

Devoted fans will relish the opportunity to discover obscure props and meticulously examine details, such as quidditch uniforms, Yule Ball dresses, and the Weasley family sweaters.

2. Cassiobury Park

Cassiobury Park, the town’s main park, occupies the grounds of the former Cassiobury House, once the residence of the Earls of Essex, demolished in 1927. The park is adorned with meticulously maintained lawns and features a variety of exotic trees, including American pin oaks, scarlet oaks, swamp cypresses, and cedars of Lebanon, some of which are centuries old.

Water bodies abound, thanks to the River Gade and the Grand Union Canal, which attract birds such as grey wagtails, water pipits, green sandpipers, and redshanks throughout the year.

Cassiobury Park includes amenities such as two cafes, two outdoor gyms, two children’s playgrounds, and a miniature railway operational on weekends and during school holidays in favorable weather conditions.

3. Cheslyn Gardens

The history of the 3.5-acre Cheslyn Gardens is surprisingly recent, having belonged to the Earl of Essex until 1888. The architect Henry Colbeck and his wife Daisy acquired the property in the 1940s, designing a charming garden over the next twenty years before selling it to Watford Council in 1965. The gardens are delightful, featuring sculptures and exotic plant species collected during the couple’s travels.

A formal garden is situated at the entrance, while wooded areas are located further back. Since the council’s acquisition, additions have included a rock garden, pond, and herbaceous borders. Visitors can also explore an aviary housing a variety of small birds, including quail, finches, and budgerigars.

4. Watford Palace Theatre

Regardless of whether you intend to attend a performance, the Edwardian Watford Palace Theatre (built in 1908) is a striking sight to behold.

Its impressive facade, characterized by alternating bands of brick and white limestone, is crowned by two copper-domed structures.

Initially, the Palace Theatre hosted music hall performances similar to American vaudeville, and welcomed prominent pre-cinema entertainers like singer Marie Lloyd and actress Evie Greene.

More than a century later, the Palace Theatre continues to produce performances, showcasing emerging talents while also presenting touring musicals from London’s West End, as well as choirs, orchestras and live broadcasts of operas from the Glyndebourne Opera Festival during the summer.

5. Bushey Rose Garden

A delightful diversion a few miles from Watford’s center, this charming garden resides on the grounds of the long-closed Herkomer’s Art School, established in 1883 by the noted Victorian social-realist painter Hubert von Herkomer.

After the school closed and was demolished, Herkomer engaged distinguished landscape architect T. H. Mawson to design this formally listed rose garden.

Restored in 2010, the garden features boxwood hedges, mature trees, perennials, bulbs, and a delightful variety of roses. Fragments of the art school provide additional historical context alongside a listed fountain, rose temple, and summer house.

6. Bentley Priory Museum

During World War II, this 18th and 19th-century stately home and deer park in Stanmore served as the headquarters for the RAF Fighter Command, which managed the defense of the United Kingdom throughout the Battle of Britain.

Although the RAF maintained a presence at Bentley Priory until 2008, the historic estate was transformed into a museum in 2013, highlighting its architectural heritage, which includes designs by revered British Neoclassical architect Sir John Soane.

The museum features an exhibition focused on the Battle of Britain, complete with a campaign timeline, profiles of significant figures such as Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding, and a database of active aircrew. Visitors can also explore a recreation of the Filter Room and a model of the Operations Room.

7. Watford Museum

Located on Lower High Street, Watford Museum curates a collection of artifacts pertaining to local industry, archaeology, and the Cassiobury Estate.

Housed in a Georgian townhouse built in 1775 that previously operated as a brewery for 90 years from 1867, the museum showcases valuable artworks from Cassiobury, including family portraits and landscapes of the estate by J. M. W. Turner and John Wootton, a noted Georgian painter.

The collection further includes works by Dutch and Flemish masters, such as Adam Frans van der Meulen, alongside sculptures by Jacob Epstein and others. A dedicated gallery features notable objects from Watford F.C., including a stage costume worn by the club’s most distinguished supporter, Elton John.

8. St Mary’s Church

Located off the High Street, St Mary’s Church, which has stood since the 12th century, is an impressive structure with flint walls and limestone window embellishments.

Most of the church’s older architecture dates back to the 15th century, although significant restorations were undertaken in the 1870s. Notably, the leading Victorian restorer George Gilbert Scott designed the oak box pews in a Decorated Gothic style.

Visitors should pay attention to the south wall of the nave, where a white marble tablet commemorates one Jane Bell, inscribed by the renowned Georgian writer Dr. Samuel Johnson. The Essex Chapel, founded in 1595 for the Cassiobury Estate, features exquisite marble memorials crafted by Nicholas Stone, an eminent 17th-century master-mason for Kings James I and Charles I.

9. Oxhey Park

Oxhey Park, awarded the Green Flag for its safety, maintenance, and community involvement, offers gentle slopes that are popular among sledding enthusiasts during winter snowfall.

This park features unconventional public art, a fishing pond, a children’s playground, outdoor gym facilities, and a mini football pitch. As of the latest updates, the council is considering enhancements such as a skateboard park, cycle paths, and a new café.

10. Rickmansworth Aquadrome

A short distance west of Watford’s town center, the 41-hectare Rickmansworth Aquadrome serves as a nature reserve, created on the site of a former gravel quarry.

Located at the northern end of the Colne Valley Regional Park, the area comprises two large lakes that formed naturally after gravel extraction ceased in the 1920s. Interestingly, some of the gravel was utilized in constructing the original Wembley Stadium in 1923.

Surrounded by oak and willow trees, the lakes provide a habitat for herons, swans, kingfishers, and diverse butterflies, making it an ideal locale for sailing, windsurfing, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing.

11. Watford F.C.

The opportunity to watch the local football team play has never been better since the 1980s.

As of 2018, Watford, known as The Hornets, had secured their position in the Premier League for four consecutive seasons, establishing themselves as a staple in top-tier football under the stewardship of the Pozzo family.

The newly expanded Vicarage Road stadium accommodates 21,438 fans and features a stand dedicated to musician and lifelong fan Elton John, who became chairman in 1976 and guided the club during its glorious era in the early 1980s when they placed second in the league in 1983 and almost clinched the FA Cup in 1984. Additionally, Vicarage Road hosts the Saracens rugby club, who won the English Premiership in 2017-18 and possess a squad filled with international stars, including England fly-half Owen Farrell.

12. Bhaktivedanta Manor

This Arts and Crafts mansion was donated to the prominent Vedic teacher (Hare Krishna guru) A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada by George Harrison of The Beatles in 1972. Bhaktivedanta Manor serves as the London temple for the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), welcoming visitors to its inspiring house and serene gardens for yoga classes, discussions, vegetarian culinary workshops, and a variety of retreats.

Harrison was pivotal in campaigns to save the manor from closure in the 1990s and remained a frequent visitor until his passing in 2001.

13. Hertfordshire Fire Brigade Museum

Adjacent to Watford Museum, this engaging small museum is situated in a purpose-built facility at Watford Fire Station.

The space is filled with archival photographs, historical helmets, banners, vintage fire hydrant signs, and station bells. One of the standout attractions is the collection of vintage firefighting equipment, including a restored steam-powered engine and a 1937 Leyland open pump escape.

The museum operates on a limited schedule, typically open on Saturday afternoons during the summer months.

14. Watford Colosseum

The Watford Colosseum, originally constructed in 1938 and formerly known as the Watford Town Hall Assembly Rooms, garnered significant attention for its exceptional acoustics.

These acoustics have been re-evaluated and proven to be remarkably effective, thanks to the hall’s flat floor, shoebox configuration, and the materials utilized in its construction.

Initially a traditional concert hall, the Watford Colosseum transitioned in the 1990s to host tribute acts, children’s workshops, stand-up comedy, themed party nights, and occasional performances by the BBC Concert Orchestra and Watford Philharmonic Society.

15. Parents Paradise

Families visiting Watford with children under 11 can delight in this indoor soft-play center, offering a fun and stimulating environment for a couple of hours.

Parents Paradise features a bounce pad, slides, climbing nets, and electric go-karts for children aged five to eleven, in addition to a toddler play area and a designated space for infants under 18 months.

A café is available on-site, providing nutritionally balanced meals and accommodations for children with egg, gluten, and nut allergies.