Maidenhead

Maidenhead sits on a broad stretch of the Thames in Berkshire, and it's the river that shapes both the look of the town and the way people spend their time here. But spend a weekend in Maidenhead and you'll notice it just as much for its food as its water - this is a town with an unusually deep restaurant scene for its size, with 142 places listed covering everything from neighbourhood cafes to destination dining. Places like Iro Sushi, Lee Dynasty and Maidenhead Spice sit alongside Mediterrano and Chef Nand, giving the town a genuinely mixed table, while spots like Green Lane Cafe and Larchfield Tuck Shop cover the simpler, everyday end of things.

For a special occasion, Maidenhead's surrounding countryside pulls its weight too. CIM Moor Hall and Cliveden are the names that stand out among the area's hotels, both set in grand grounds that make a meal there part of a bigger day out. Fredricks Hotel Restaurant & Spa does similar work closer to town, combining a spa stay with its own dining room. For something smaller and more personal, the Crazy Fox Hurley Boutique Bed & Breakfast and Bel & The Dragon Cookham give a flavour of the villages just outside Maidenhead proper, while the Holiday Inn Maidenhead Windsor and Kingswood Hotel offer a straightforward base for exploring the town itself.

Beyond the table, Maidenhead's appeal is largely about the outdoors and the river. Ray Mill Island is a good spot for a slow walk between meals, and The Little Green Boat Company lets you get out onto the Thames itself rather than just admiring it from the bank. Cliveden Gardens and Maze, run by the National Trust, is the big set-piece attraction nearby, with its formal gardens and views over the river valley. Closer to town, Braywick Nature Centre and the BCA Zoo give families somewhere to spend an afternoon, and the Maidenhead Heritage Centre offers a look at the town's history for anyone curious about what came before the restaurants and hotels.

Families are well catered for more generally, too. The Thames Valley Adventure Playground and Maidenhead Mini Golf are both aimed squarely at children, making it easy to fill a day before heading back into town for dinner. It's a town that works equally well as a base for a longer Berkshire stay or as a day-trip destination with enough to fill an afternoon on its own.

What ties it all together is the ease of moving between the two sides of Maidenhead - the quiet, green, riverside side, and the busy, varied eating-out side. You can walk along the Thames in the morning, drop into one of the town's many restaurants for lunch, and still have time for the gardens at Cliveden or a round of mini golf before the evening. Few towns this size manage quite that range.