Summer is here and families will be looking for things to do over the coming weeks and during the school holidays.
Knebworth House, Park, Gardens, Adventure Playground and Dinosaur Trail are now open daily to visitors for the summer holidays with some fantastic events taking place.
Pre-booked general admission tickets are discounted online for the summer. Visit www.knebworthhouse.com
What's on? Here are 15 things to do at Knebworth House, Park and Garden this summer.
1. Venture into the Dinosaur Trail
The 72 life-sized dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures can be found grazing amongst the shrubbery.
Exploring the woodland paths, children can learn about the T-Rex, the Woolly Mammoth and other fascinating creatures.
2. The Great British Food Festival
The Great British Food Festival is back on July 16 and July 17, bringing amazing artisan producers, scrumptious street food, brilliant bars and live entertainment.
It's the perfect recipe for a fun, foodie, family day out!
3. Hear new stories in the Exhibitions
There are three new exhibitions to explore at Knebworth House this year.
‘Rock History’ tells the story of rock concerts in Knebworth Park from 1974 to now.
‘On Location at Knebworth House’ gives visitors an insight into what happens behind the scenes at Knebworth House while a film crew are on site.
‘The Lytton Family in India’ tells the story of the Lytton family's connections to Indian history and includes a unique collection of treasures, states and photographs.
4. Have a Picnic in the Park
Pick a nice sunny day and head down to Knebworth Park for a picnic in the sunshine.
Fly a kite, play ball games and enjoy some downtime.
5. Meet the Gruffalo
On the 31st July, the Gruffalo will be making appearances on the side lawn of Knebworth House at intervals between 10am and 2pm. Come along and join the fun!
Tickets include access to Knebworth Park, Gardens, Adventure Playground and Dinosaur Trail.
6. Go on a House Tour
Every generation of the Lytton family has left something of their style and taste; making Knebworth House an extraordinary walk through 500 years of history.
Stories and heirlooms reflect the family’s contribution to literature, politics and foreign service, alongside visits by characters as diverse as Charles Dickens, Winston Churchill and Mick Jagger. Take a tour of Knebworth House to hear the fascinating tales.
7. Spend the day at the Adventure Playground
The Adventure Playground is a great destination for young visitors.
Children can play all day on the swings, slides, play equipment and splash-play water features. Kids will also love ‘Fort Knebworth’, a wooden adventure fortress.
8. Attend one of the Garden Theatre performances
Catch one of the Garden Theatre performances on the Sunken Lawn of Knebworth House this summer.
Bring a picnic and watch one of the fantastic performances of Shakespeare's As You Like It on August 7 or Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest on August 16. Alternatively, let your hair down while watching Rapunzel on August 25.
9. Get spooked on the Ghost Tour and Bat Walk
On Thursday, August 18 there will be a unique opportunity to tour Knebworth House at night and hear the tales of the incidents that can’t be explain.
Volunteers from the Herts and Middlesex Bat Group will give a talk and will bring in specialist equipment to detect the bats’ high-pitched screech, which helps guests to locate them.
A proportion of the ticket sales will be donated to The Herts and Middlesex Bat Group.
10. Take the kids to The Nickelodeon Experience
Enter the world of Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. at The Nickelodeon Experience this August.
Kids can go behind the scenes of some of Nickelodeon’s most popular shows and meet fan-favourites PAW Patrol’s Chase and Marshall from August 14 to August 27.
11. Have lunch in the Garden Terrace Tea Room
Having fun can be thirsty work! The Garden Terrace Tea Room at Knebworth House offers delicious refreshments and food.
Relax and enjoy a comforting cold drink, hot drink, snack, ice cream, cake or light lunch including salads, sandwiches, paninis and sausage rolls.
12. Attend the Classic Motor Show
The Classic Motor Show is not to be missed. There will be a static display as well as a show arena hosting parades.
Vehicles include saloons, sports, American, commercial, military and classic motorcycles.
13. Enjoy the views from The Watchman’s Tower
Visitors are now able to access the Victorian Watchman’s Tower for the first time.
The tower was originally used by the night watchman, but had been out of use since the 1950s.
It is now open to the public and the views from the top are incredible.
14. Get tails wagging at DogFest
![Welwyn Hatfield Times: DogFest 2017 at Knebworth House [Picture: Casey Gutteridge]](/resources/images/14511098.jpg?type=mds-article-620 "Welwyn Hatfield Times: DogFest 2017 at Knebworth House [Picture: Casey Gutteridge]")
Alert the pup-arazzi! On September 10 and September 11, the nation’s favourite dog-friendly festival is back – DogFest!
Try your paw at a variety of have-a-go activities from dog diving to agility, enter the Fun Dog Show for your chance to win 'Best In Show', or raise some money for Dogs Trust as you admire your stunning surroundings on the Big Dog Walk sponsored by ManyPets.
15. Petrolheadonism Live
Petrolheadonism Live is an incredible weekend of cars and entertainment providing an amazing fun-packed car show for the whole family.
It returns on September 24 and September 25.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here