10 Places To See
As exciting as moving to a new place is, sometimes it’s difficult to know what to do with yourself and any free time you have. Not really knowing anywhere can be daunting, and we want to ensure that you have at least a few places to potentially explore. We’ve tried picking some of the best places to see and experience whilst you’re in Derbyshire, or Derbados if you prefer (that’s like Barbados if you weren’t sure).
1. Derby Silk Mill
Currently undergoing a significant redevelopment the Silk Mill is Derby’s own UNESCO Heritage Site. This is one of Derby’s many museums but is definitely one of the more picturesque within the city. Not to mention it’s situated within the river gardens so it’s still a good place to go on a sunny day. Its so pretty they even hold weddings there!
2. Markeaton Park
Markeaton Park is one of many parks here. But it’s right on the doorstep to Uni and some students may even park here for the park and ride. It’s a beautiful park and hosts lots of events including the bonfire and fireworks, which is always a huge event. But it’s also good for a casual day out with your mates as there’s plenty of green space, cafes and a craft village.
3. The Quad
Derby’s Quad is definitely somewhere you should visit if you’re interested in the arts. They host a vast range of events suitable for a variety of interests as well as having cinema screens, with the most comfortable seats in all of Derby. Complete with a cafe that serves a variety of food and caters for everyone, so if you have strict dietary requirements this could be somewhere for you.
4. Bustler Market
This is one of Derby’s newer attractions. Bustler is an exciting monthly Street food market, situated in the River Lights down the side of Bus Station. If you’re a foodie or not this place is something you should definitely see as it’s such a unique event. It’s back on 29th and 30th of September which is perfect timing for all the new arrivals.
5. Alton Towers
If you care to venture just outside of Derby, then you’ll find Alton Towers right on our doorstep. If you’re a thrill seeker this is the place for you. It’s a great day out and if you’re wanting to check it out soon then you should definitely take the opportunity to go with US during Welcome Week. Alternatively there are buses available and tickets are available at a discounted rate online.
6. Hollywood Bowling
You lot don’t know how lucky you are for years us Derby folks had to adventure outside of the city centre if we wanted to go bowling. But now we have Hollywood Bowl in the Intu Centre. Its fun theme makes it even more exciting and it has a matching eatery. If bowling isn’t you’re thing though there’s always the adventure golf right next door.
7. Elvaston Castle
Elvaston Castle is another one of the beautiful spots in Derby. Whilst most of the castle itself is not open the grounds are free to explore, so it makes a beautiful day out. Plus if it starts to rain the newly opened Wyatts Tea Room’s is the perfect place to grab something to eat, drink and take cover from any showers.
8. Escape Rooms
Derby’s variety means that there’s something for everyone. The escape rooms are one of the newer attractions and is perfect for group outings. Perhaps something to do with your new found flat mates. If you like puzzles and adrenaline then this is the place for you. Can you Escape?
9. Doughnotts
This place only opened on Thursday and by 2pm had completely sold out. Originating from Nottingham this shop has doughnuts to rival that of Krispy Kreme. Doughnotts feature a variety of toppings and fillings including one with a Happy Hippo. Not to mention they’ve got a vegan selection, so everyone can eat here!
10. Alchemy
Housed in an old Jacobs an House Alchemy is a fabulous place for groups. Featuring a wide selection of table top games upstairs and classic boardgames downstairs, as we as a wealth of food and drink offerings. This place is perfect for a relaxing but fun evening with friends. Oh and did we mention they have a bar.
It’s been fairly tough narrowing this list down to just 10, there’s so many things to do in Derby and the surrounding area. We’ve not covered half of the things here so we recommend either getting out and exploring or trying the Visit Derby pages online for ideas. You’ve got at least 3 years here and you might just have gotten through everything by the end of it.
