Stratford: Cycling, Parkland and Theatre History

Stratford can be approached from several angles when planning a trip: cycling, swimming, parkland, architecture and theatre history each offer a different focus. If you are looking for a hotel in Stratford, the focus of your itinerary can help determine which places to visit. Options range from four Olympic cycling disciplines to a one-hour stadium tour and a nature-rich parkland setting.

Cycling, swimming and a stadium tour

Lee Valley VeloPark in Stratford offers track cycling, BMX, road cycling and mountain biking. These four disciplines give cycling a clear focus: you can shape your itinerary around the type of cycling that interests you most.

The London Aquatics Centre offers family sessions, lane swimming, diving and swimming lessons. The lessons are for children and adults. Designed by Zaha Hadid, the Centre combines a wide range of swimming activities with a direct connection to architecture.

VeloPark and the Aquatics Centre offer different sporting focuses: cycling disciplines take centre stage at VeloPark, while the Aquatics Centre focuses on water activities and lessons. This can help you decide which sporting activities to prioritise during your stay.

The London Stadium offers a 60-minute tour with access to the West Ham United dressing room, the players' tunnel and the pitchside areas. The duration is a useful guide for planning your day; the tour itself takes you behind the scenes of the stadium.

Parkland and nature

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is open daily. Its wetlands and riverside meadows are home to hundreds of birds, waterfowl and amphibians. For travellers who want to include nature watching in their interests, these landscapes offer a different focus from sports activities or a guided stadium tour.

The park's meadows include a gently sloping, heart-shaped lawn featuring the Olympic Rings. There are also wildflower areas around lawns suitable for picnics. This brings distinctive design together with nature-rich meadows, while the picnic areas offer a practical option for planning your day.

Architecture, views and theatre history

The ArcelorMittal Orbit combines a 360-degree viewing platform with the world's tallest and longest tunnel slide. The combination offers two clearly distinct experiences: the view from the platform and the slide as a separate activity.

Theatre Royal Stratford East was built in 1884. From 1953 to 1979, it was home to Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop Company. The two dates point to different historical aspects: the theatre's construction and the later period when the company was based there.

Discover Children's Story Centre in Stratford has two floors of Story Worlds and a Story Garden. The garden includes immersive play areas designed for exploration. These named areas give the Centre a distinctive focus on stories, discovery and play.

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