A day out at Stonehenge
Updated for 2022. Over New Years in 2019 we headed for a short break in the Somerset Countryside. We were staying 30 minutes away so we decided on a day out at Stonehenge.
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument dating back to 3000 BC to 2000 BC. It is somewhat a cultural icon in Britain and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the UK.
We’ve often passed by it on the way to the South West but have never stopped. So seeing as we were staying so close by we took our opportunity!
Where is Stonehenge?
Stonehenge is in Wiltshire, about 2 miles outside of Amesbury, SP4 7DE. It is an English Heritage Site and is easily located just off the A303.
Getting there, parking and tickets
Stonehenge is well sign posted and is almost directly off the A303 route. There is a huge amount of parking at the Visitors Centre, and a number of parent and child parking spaces which are always appreciated.
We had pre booked our tickets, see below for prices:
| TICKET TYPE | WITHOUT GIFT AID | WITH GIFT AID |
|---|---|---|
| Member of English Heritage and National Trust | Free | Free |
| Adult | £19.50 | £21.50 |
| Child (5-17 years) | £11.70 | £12.90 |
| Concession | £17.60 | £19.40 |
| Family (2 adults, up to 3 children) | £50.70 | £55.90 |
As you can see, it’s not cheap but under 5’s do get in free so that is a small saving.
Even with our pre booked tickets we still had to queue around 20 minutes to collect them and get admission to the site. We thought this was a long time to wait until we saw the queue as we were leaving – it was extremely long, snaking almost all the way back to the car park. So getting there for opening (9.30am) was wise in hindsight.
How do you get to the Stones?
Once you are inside the are shuttle buses nearby that take you directly to the Stones which run frequently. They seemed to be on an almost continuous loop. We briefly considered walking but considering the bus takes 10 minutes it would be quite a considerable walk so glad that we didn’t, especially with two young children.
They do cram the buses full but we managed to get on with the double buggy/stroller folded down with no issues.
The Stones
It’s actually really nice that the stones are separated from the Visitors Centre. It feels like the Stones need their own space and this hasn’t been spoiled by having the Visitor Centre built. There is a path that runs in a loop around the Stones and whilst you can’t get as close as you once could (up until the 1980s you could climb on them!) you still get close enough in my opinion. The loop goes all the way around and takes around 20 minutes. You get to see the Stones from all angles and because the loop is so big you can get photos without people in with ease.
We had a double buggy/stroller with us and it was fine on the path which is mostly boarded. The only time it was tricky was right at the beginning where there was a bit of a bottle neck but there was security guards there who were moving people on so it was completely manageable.
What else is there to do on a day out at Stonehenge?
After we finished at the Stones we caught the shuttle back to the Visitors Centre. Again, it was really busy but we were on the bus within minutes.
Once back at the Visitor Centre we headed to the cafe for a bite to eat. It was really busy and we queued for a long time. The food was actually really nice and we found a table to sit at with ease but considering how many lovely pubs there are nearby that might be a better bet if you wanted to avoid the wait.
After this we went into the Museum which has a number of archeological artefacts including a 5,500 skeleton of a man from the area. It’s worth going into the Museum for this alone!
Outside there are some Neolithic Houses similar to what the builders of Stone Henge may have lived in. Our 5 year old was fascinated by them, she couldn’t believe how people would have lived in them.
There was also a huge stone to replicate the size and weight of the stones used at Stone Henge and people have the opportunity to try and pull them (spoiler, I don’t think you’ll manage to move it!)
Conclusion
We thought our day out at Stonehenge was great. Yes it’s expensive, but it’s one of our primary heritage sites in the UK so you expect it to cost a fair bit. Plus so many UK based visitors are members of the National Trust or English Heritage that they get in for free.
There isn’t a vast amount for young children (although for slightly older children there is a family friendly Audio Guide which would be fantastic). But our two were more than happy with the bus ride and a cookie in the cafe! I’m thrilled we got to show our children this incredible piece of British history, especially our 5 year old as she did take on board how incredible it was. To read more about this region check out our post on a minibreak in Somerset with Kids.
For more on our visit please check out our You Tube review here!
