Entertainment and culture is a big focus in Milton Keynes. Whether you’re stopping off on the way down to London or heading up north, it offers an abundance of options that will keep you busy.
The old days
Before Milton Keynes arrived, the area was home to a small village, some fine buildings and a truly incredible history.
At the centre of it all was Bletchley Park, a 19th-century mansion that became the HQ of the Government Code and Cypher School in World War Two. Inside this grand house, a top-secret team cracked the ‘unbreakable’ Enigma code using one of the world’s first computers, providing crucial intelligence for the Allies and potentially changing the course of history.
Get inside the minds of these genius codebreakers and discover the huge pressures they faced. You can visit the National Museum of Computing too. This houses the world’s largest collection of functional historic computers, leading you through their history from the 1940s to the present day.
Extreme entertainment
Snozone has the UK’s widest and longest indoor ski slope. It’s a great place for a rainy day in Milton Keynes, to practice your skills or just burn off some excess energy. If you want something more extreme, have a go at indoor skydiving at iFLY – within the same action-packed Xscape centre.
On the edge of the town, close to the M1, is Willen Lake where the conditions are perfect for water skiing and wakeboarding. You can also try windsurfing and sailing or hop into a kayak for a relaxing paddle. Suit up and get stuck in, whatever your ability.
Youngsters will love the UK’s biggest high rope adventure course at Treetop Extreme, found within Willen Lake and Park. Clamber over 50 obstacles and whizz down the four zip wires to get your adrenaline pumping.
Relax in the new town
However you like to relax, Milton Keynes has something that fits the bill. If retail therapy is your thing, there are more than 400 stores to choose from, many of them found at the town’s large shopping centre. You can spend hours browsing everything from budget shops to designer stores.
Milton Keynes boasts more than 5,000 acres of green space, so you can find a park, garden or woodland path with ease. Ouzel Valley Park borders the river, while you’ll find local sheep grazing at the central Campbell Park.
Get lost in the labyrinth with a sundial at the centre, then challenge yourself to get back out. Alternatively, stroll alongside the Grand Union canal or enjoy a leisurely cruise on a barge.
Hire a car in Milton Keynes with Hertz to discover the best of this fascinating region.