Harlow is lovely during the winter but with the holidays approaching, you might be planning a day trip to explore nearby destinations and experience some festive charm outside the city.
Luckily, there are quite a few choices of great places to visit and there’s no doubt you’ll be able to plan a perfect trip for you and your loved ones. Let’s break them down and help you decide on the perfect winter getaway for this year’s holiday season.
Check out the Streets of London
There’s no need to say that London is always an attractive destination when you’re travelling from Harlow. During the winter, the city transforms into a magical wonderland and there’s a plethora of things to do that will put you in a Christmas spirit. You can marvel at the Christmas light displays that start illuminating the city as early as the start of November, with those in Oxford Street and Mayfair stealing the show every year. During the holidays, London is also home to beautiful Christmas markets that are ideal for last-minute gift shopping. You can check out Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park or Winter By the River on the banks of the Thames. London is only 30 minutes away by train from Harlow and you can spend the ride playing your favourite casino games on Golden Panda. This site features a wide game selection, which includes live casino.
Take a Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour
If you’re a fan of the franchise, cold months are a perfect time to rewatch Harry Potter films. However, you can also go to London and take a tour that will make you feel like you’re in the wizarding world. Situated on the outskirts of the city, Warner Bros. Studio houses an incredible collection of Harry Potter film mementoes. If you decide to take this trip, you’ll get to see some of the most popular sets from the films such as Platform 9 ¾, Diagon Alley, and Forbidden Forest. In addition, you’ll see the costumes and props the actors used in the films and learn about special effects that were used to bring Whomping Willow, the Invisibility Cloak, and other iconic Harry Potter elements to life. Between November and January, you also get to experience Hogwarts in the Snow.
Walk the Beautiful Wivenhoe Trail from Colchester
When the weather allows it, hiking can be the perfect winter activity. If you’re a passionate hiker and you’ve already done all the trails in Harlow, this could be the perfect time to check out the amazing Wivenhoe Trail from Colchester. It takes you from the city centre to the beautiful riverside town of Wivenhoe and offers some spectacular views along the road. You can stop to check out the breathtaking Lightship, a former Trinity House Light Vessel from 1953. The trail is five miles long, so it shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours. Once you finish the trail, you can spend some time in the pretty town of Wivenhoe, where you can find everything from tearooms to museums. You can also pay a visit to the St Mary’s church, a mid-Victorian church situated in the heart of the town.
Enjoy a Cozy Countryside Escape to Dedham Vale
The holiday season is also the perfect time to escape to the countryside and enjoy some peace and tranquillity. Dedham Vale, situated right outside Colchester and on the Essex-Suffolk border is known for its characteristic lowland English landscape and offers the real charm of the villages and rolling farmland. You can admire the scenery that was the inspiration behind many of John Constable’s famous paintings and check out local pubs and restaurants. Another figure of influence in Dedham was the famous horse painter Sir Alfred Munnings. His Castle House has been transformed into a gallery of his work which is another amazing place to see while you’re in the village. If you want to spend more than a day in Dedham Vale, you can always rent a cottage and extend your stay to an entire weekend.
Visit the Chelmsford City Racecourse
Horse races in Chelmsford City Racecourse take place all year long and may be exactly what you were looking for this winter. The popular horse racing venue was opened in 2008 and has since become one of the country’s must-see tracks. The racecourse is best known for its champagne-fluted floodlights which give the entire place a unique intimacy and make it a perfect destination for a memorable evening out during the holidays. Events take place during both daytime and nighttime, meaning that you can plan your day in Chelmsford however you want and still get to see races. While you’re there, you can also take your family to a dinner in Fairwood and enjoy trackside dining. The restaurant offers a perfect combination of a world-class buffet and an amazing view of the final stretch.