For a slice of rural life not far from London, visit Bedfordshire, a county with rolling green hills and quaint historic villages. It is known for its excellent zoo and safari, as well as the surviving Georgian architecture of the towns. While exploring the area, sample the Bedfordshire clanger, a rather heavy pastry containing meat on one end and fruit on the other.
Visit the county town of Bedford to get a sense of the area’s history. To the west of the town center is the Bedford Castle Mound, the remains of an 11th-century fortress overlooking the River Great Ouse. The center of the town comes alive with stalls and vendors during the Bedford Charter Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Attend other events in the Bedford Corn Exchange. Relax on a sunny day in Bedford Park or bring your kids to Skirmish Central Paintball.
Venture into the countryside and see the animals at the famous Whipsnade Zoo. Its vast enclosures contain bears, giraffes and elephants. Rent mini safari cars for your kids and look for the cute baby animals.
Drive along the trails of Woburn Safari Park in adult-sized safari cars to get close to white rhinos, tigers and black bears. At the eastern end of Woburn village, check out the majestic Woburn Abbey, with stunning gardens and the enormous family home of the duke and duchess of Bedford.
Learn about the Royal Air Force in the Signals Museum at the Henlow base. Climb aboard the Leighton Buzzard Light Railway, which first opened in 1919.
Bedfordshire is southeast of the center of England. Arrive at Luton Airport and travel around the area by train. From central London, drive north for 60 miles (100 kilometers) to get to Bedford in about 2 hours.
Explore the surrounding area for other stunning sights such as the Chiltern Hills AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), the Cotswolds AONB and the North Wessex Downs AONB.