VisitEngland has published its list of what’s new for 2026 and here are just some of the many highlights!

Castle Howard in Yorkshire © VisitBritain/Daniel Wildey

England is set for a blockbuster year in 2026, with period dramas shining on screen, milestone anniversaries and major cultural openings across the country. Get ready for a year packed with literary legends, seaside celebrations, world-class sport, immersive art, unmissable events and more…

Birthdays and anniversaries

2026 will mark 160 years since the birth of Beatrix Potter, the world-famous author and illustrator who drew untold inspiration from the Lake District, where she lived for most of her life. As well as enjoying commemorative events in the local area, visitors can explore her legacy and holiday home at the National Trust’s Hill Top House, stay at the 17th Century Tower Bank Arms inn – which is illustrated in The Tale of Jemima Puddleduck – and see her stories and characters brought to life at The World of Beatrix Potter attraction in Bowness-on-Windermere.

Lake District National Park, where Beatrix Potter lived for most of her life

One of the most popular children's storybook series of all time, Winnie-the-Pooh will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2026. Fans can honour the occasion with a trip to Ashdown Forest and its Poohsticks Bridge in East Sussex, which was the home of author A.A Milne. Ashdown was the inspiration for Hundred Acre Wood, the fictional forest where Pooh lived with his friends, and it will host a number of commemorative events during the year. Additionally, a touring exhibition of illustrations, manuscripts and memorabilia will visit Nymans in West Sussex, Tatton Park in Cheshire and Anglesey Abbey in Cambridgeshire.

It is 100 years since the birth of Queen Elizabeth II on 21 April 2026 and, this spring, venues nationwide will mark the occasion. One flagship event will be Buckingham Palace’s new exhibition Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style – the largest ever display dedicated to the style and outfits of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch.

Buckingham Palace will host Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style

2026 also sees the 25th anniversary of the release of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the first instalment of the literary phenomenon. The Harry Potter film series continues to put England’s spectacular visitor attractions in the spotlight. What better excuse to revisit Northumberland’s Alnwick Castle as Hogwarts, London’s King's Cross Station (Platform 9 ¾), Oxford University’s Bodleian Library (the Hogwarts infirmary) and other key filming locations? Warner Bros. Studio Tour London will also launch four new tours and experiences this year.

Alnwick Castle © Alnwick Castle

250 years after the birth of John Constable in Suffolk on 11 June 1776, the county’s Christchurch Mansion will host a year-long programme of three exhibitions honouring The Hay Wain painter’s life. Featuring works on loan from the Tate, National Galleries of Scotland, Victoria & Albert Museum, Royal Academy and the Government Art Collection, the exhibitions will commence on 28 March.

The Battle of Hastings 960th anniversary sees the first UK display of the Bayeux Tapestry. The fight for England’s throne in 1066, between the Anglo-Saxons and Normans, altered England’s governance and culture forever. 960 years later, hundreds of actors and horses will recreate the Normans’ victory at Battle Abbey in East Sussex, the very spot where the Battle of Hastings was fought: the biggest reenactment to-date, with living camps and interactive activities (October). In September, the Bayeux Tapestry – which depicts the battle – will be displayed in the UK for the first time at London’s British Museum, ahead of the 2027 Year of the Normans, a cultural celebration across England and France to mark the millennium of William the Conqueror’s birth. 

Battle Abbey marks the site of the Battle of Hastings in 1066

Period dramas shine on screen

According to Expedia, 81% of Gen Z and Millennials plan trips around locations featured in their favourite films and TV. Next year, you can incorporate time-travelling too, with several high-profile costume dramas hitting our screens.

Holburne Museum in Bath where Bridgerton is filmed © Visit Bristol / Evoke Pictures

In January, the movie adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet will bring Shakespeare’s family to life – while showcasing the rural beauty of Herefordshire, where it was filmed. Other highlights include the new Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man movie (early 2026), a fourth season of Bridgerton (Surrey, Bath and London), and the Wuthering Heights movie starring Margot Robbie (Hertfordshire and Yorkshire). Netflix will present a fresh look at Pride and Prejudice (filmed in London, the Peak District and East Sussex) and a new film of Sense and Sensibility is currently in production.

The Black Country Living Museum was featured in Peaky Blinders © Visit Birmingham and West Midlands

Seaside celebrations

England’s coastline will see new openings and anniversaries galore next year – including the 200th year of Cowes Week sailing regatta on the Isle of Wight (August) and the 20th instalment of the Isles of Scilly’s Walk Scilly festival (April). As Hull prepares to unveil the final phase of its £30m new attractions honouring its 800 years of seafaring history, the city has been crowned one of National Geographic’s Best Places in the World to Travel in 2026.

Cowes Week © VisitBritain / Ben Selway

Blackpool Pleasure Beach in Lancashire will mark its 130th birthday and launch its new Aviktas “gyro swing” ride: a giant spinning pendulum, the first of its kind in the UK and the town’s Royal Carlton Hotel will also be restored to its former glory in spring, a timely renaissance for an Art Deco icon.

The final sections of the King Charles III England Coast Path are due to open in spring, when it will become the world’s longest continual seaside hiking route: a whopping 2,700 miles (4,498km) running the length of England’s coast.

The Old Lighthouse, Hunstanton, Norfolk, on the King Charles III Way – East © Natural England

See the world’s sports stars in England

In 2026, we’re gearing up for the cricket ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 which will be held in Bristol, Manchester, Leeds, London, Birmingham and Southampton in June and July, Birmingham’s European Athletics Championships in August, the ISU European Figure Skating Championships in Sheffield in January and the Paddleboarding World Cup on the English Riviera in May.

Top hotel launches across England

From five-star suites to rural retreats, a huge range of new hotels will open across England next year. In Derbyshire, Chatsworth Estate will open a new hotel and restaurant The Hide, while luxury hospitality brand Fairmont will launch Fairmont Cheshire The Mere in Knutsford (summer) – and in Bristol, Hotel Gotham Bristol will transform the city’s historic Guildhall into a lavish new landmark hotel (early 2026). 

Chatsworth Estate in Derbyshire © VisitBritain/Tomo Brejc

High-profile London launches include Fitzrovia’s The Newman (early 2026) and Mayfair’s Cambridge House, Auberge Collection (spring) – plus the hotly anticipated Waldorf Astoria Admiralty Arch in the iconic Admiralty Arch (also in spring).

Trips down memory lane

Many of Britain’s best-loved childhood books, movies and characters will make a return next year, such as a new film adaptation of Enid Blyton’s The Magic Faraway Tree and Netflix’s Narnia film, a retelling of C.S. Lewis’s children’s tale written by Greta Gerwig – who also wrote Barbie.

Fans of Kenneth Grahame’s Wind in the Willows can follow the new sculpture trail at Woodchester Park in Gloucestershire and London’s Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration – founded by the world-renowned BFG and Matilda illustrator – will open in May.

The Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration © Nora Walter

Janet Redler, Managing Director of Janet Redler Travel, said: “There is a vast array of anniversaries, openings, events and activities taking place in England in 2026, so it’s the perfect place for a vacation. Wherever you stay in the country, there’s sure to be lots to enjoy!”

VisitEngland’s comprehensive What’s New in England 2026 overview can be downloaded here.

If you or your group would like to enjoy a tailor-made trip to England in 2026, please do contact our friendly team.