Canal attractions, visitor centres and waterways museums
You don't need to have a week spare and lots of sunshine to enjoy our canals. There are a large number of canalside attractions for all the family to enjoy for a day or just a few hours.
Many canal attractions are open all year round. Visitor centres and waterways museums make a great family day out and there are a wide range of canal shops, cafes and trading boats, plus heritage and activity centres, where you can spend a few minutes or a few hours.
You can also have a great canal holiday enjoying the fresh air of the canals and the countryside by staying in a canalside cottage, campsite or on a floating hotel.
Visitor Attractions may be affected by the Coronavirus Social Distancing restrictions. Check with the operators before booking.
Anson Engine Museum Close to Lord Vernon's Wharf on the Macclesfield canal.
It houses the UK's largest collection of Internal Combustion Engines.
Black Country Living Museum has a large open air collection of buildings moved from their original sites. It is on the Birmingham Canal System.
Canal Floating Traders. Canal boats selling a wide range of items from handicrafts to food along the canals and at Floating Markets. See our Events page.
Gloucester Waterways Museum Housed in a magnificent old warehouse in Gloucester docks with interesting and interactive displays.
Lyneal Trust Canal side holidays for people with disabilities or other vulnerability and their families. Wharf Cottage and specially adapted chalets sleep up to 14 people and are fully equipped.
London Canal Museum is housed in a building built in the 1860's as an ice warehouse adjoining Battlebridge Basin on the Regent's Canal.
National Waterways Museum, based at Ellesmere Port near Chester it includes a large collection of traditional canal and inland waterways craft.
Shardlow Heritage Centre. Shardlow has a unique place in the history of this country. The 18th century canal port, still has its associated wharves and warehouses.
Standedge Tunnel & Visitor Centre. Take a journey of discovery into the highest, longest & deepest canal tunnel in Britain. New visitor centre packed with information and things to do.
Stoke Bruerne Canal Museum is housed in a restored cornmill alongside the Grand Union Canal locks in the small canal village and has interesting exhibits & souvenirs.
Wharfinger’s Cottage on a private wharf alongside the
beautiful Monmouthshire & Brecon canal in the Brecon Beacons.
The holiday cottage sleeps 6, why not combine with a Beacon Park boat hire?
| Canalside Accommodation, Visitor Centres, Activity Centres, Shops, Cafes, Restaurants | ||||
| Billing Aquadrome Marina | Holiday Park & Events | River Nene, Northants | 01604 408181 Option 2 | billing.marina@aquadrome.co.uk |
| Café on the Cut | Narrow boat cafe | Gloucester. Gloucester and sharpness canal | 07914172610 | vanessaradwell@hotmail.com |
| Canalside Restaurant | Restaurant | Skipton | 01756 795678 | ian@canalsideskipton.co.uk |
| Kings Lock Tearooms | Tearooms | Aylestone , Leicester, Grand Union Leicester Branch | 07722 542034: | kingslocktearooms@gmail.com |
| Marton Road Farm | B&B and Campsite | Long Itchington Warwickshire. Grand Union & Oxford Canal | 01926 634707 or 07989 313985 | info@martonroadfarm.com |
| Paddle Board Adventures | Stand up paddle board tuition | Mytchett Canal Center, Basingstoke Canal | 07415350268 | paddleboardadventures@hotmail.co.uk |
| The Pump Shed | Canal side refreshments | Lock 11, K & A, (adjoining Pulteney Gardens) Widcombe, Bath | enquiries@thepumpshed.co.uk | |
| Union Wharf Narrowboats Ltd | Souvenir Shop | Market Harborough |
01858 432123 |
unionwharfboats@gmail.com |
| Venetian Marina Cafe | Canalside cafe | Middlewich Branch, Shropshire Union Canal | 079 8535 1999 | |