Ad-gifted experience | The last time I wrote about my visit to the Stratford Butterfly Farm with my partner and son in 2022, I was unknowingly pregnant! This time around, we revisited as a family of four. My wonderful inlaws-to-be came with us for a day out, too. There’s always something magical about visiting here as a group and would recommend to anyone.
It’s a sunny Sunday afternoon in August, and my family and I have travelled to Stratford-upon-Avon for the day. In the morning we’ve decided to visit the Stratford Butterfly Farm as a family group. The weather was perfect to mooch around, and thankfully the farm itself was not overly crowded as we headed there early doors around 11AM. There is parking directly opposite the farm that you can use the RingGo app for, but just be mindful it can get quite busy in certain times of the year and especially on the weekends.
Stepping inside the tropical paradise
The tunnel walk up to the main entrance is gorgeous and was buzzing with bees. There’s also a little picnic area to the side of the entrance in case you want to take some of your own lunch with you. It’s worth mentioning the staff are always so happy and pleasant here, and nothing ever seems like too much trouble. I went first in the queue to grab our tickets and we were all given a butterfly stamp on our hands in case we needed to step out for a while. This time around, we had our youngest Evie (aged 1.5 years) with us and we didn’t quite know how she’d cope. Thankfully she seemed to enjoy it just as much as we did. The space inside the farm is wide enough to be able to travel through with a pram and for anyone else with wheelchairs.
I took a snap off the price list also which has gone up by a pound since we last visited, which in my opinion, is completely understandable. We don’t always think about the running costs of popular visitor attractions such as these. You can get tickets on the day but it’s always best advised that you book online and in advance. Adults start at £8.95 per ticket and children ages 3-15 are £7.95. Family tickets, senior and student tickets are also available. Also a quick mention for the fact they’ve received a TripAdvisor award for 2024 – it’s always great to see these places are still here as it’s been open since I was in primary school back in the 90s.
Once we pushed through the black strip curtains (which are there to keep the butterflies in) we were greeted by a kaleidoscope of colours, already fluttering around us. The exploration in total can take as long as you want to, but can take as little as 20 mins if you want to get through a bit quicker. There are so many different species of butterfly dancing around, and it’s always lovely to stop in the pathway to see if one might land on you. It’s easy to forget just how warm it is inside the farm, so wear loose layers to stay comfortable throughout your visit.
A few minutes into the walk, you’ll come to an educational section where a member of staff is usually there doing a show-and-tell type of experience for people to learn more about specific insects and animals. One of the great things about the Butterfly Farm is that there are various display sections dotted around – from the Rainforest area to the Discovery Zone, the Maya section and the new Rainforest Realm that wasn’t even built last time we came. Inside, you’ll find some glass windows that you can get close-up to, and that home snakes, reptiles, amphibians and other invertebrates.
People of all ages can visit the Stratford Butterfly Farm and remember that it’s not just an experience for kids. Although, the gift shop might say otherwise. In the last few visits here, we’ve seen groups of families, friends and have also seen people on dates inside here! Depending on the time of the year, they have various events taking place, so it’s always worth while popping onto their news & events page to see if anything is happening on your chosen date. Thanks once again for having us back, it has been one of my favourite days of the summer holidays this year.
Swan’s Nest Lane, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 7LS
Monday – Sunday: 10am – 5:30pm