We got to Stratford-Upon-Avon early in the morning during a cool, gray drizzle. "Shakespeare's country" is a very short drive from Warwick. We quickly found a parking garage and went off on foot to search for a tour. While grabbing pastries at a bakery and marveling at the chill in the air in July (!!!), we noticed the City-Sight-Seeing Bus Tour office across the street from a monument that looks like a small church in the main square. We quickly bought our tickets and hopped on our first bus. Though all the hop-on, hop-off buses offer headsets and plug-ins for ongoing commentary, our first bus was hosted by a live guide. Animated and entertaining, she offered plenty of interesting tidbits about the city of Stratford-upon-Avon and its most famous son, William Shakespeare. She pointed out where the Bard's grand retirement home was standing for many years after his death, until its new owner got tired of paying premium taxes on the property. When the city council wouldn't give him a break on finances, he bulldozed the place and put up a smaller building! However, several other properties from the Tudor period are still standing. My favorite was Anne Hathaway's Cottage, with its thatched roof and beautiful garden. Here, Shakespeare surely courted his wife. The children in our party, however, enjoyed Mary Arden's House (Shakespeare's childhood home) the most because they got to watch a falcon in action and pet several animals. Apparently the woods that surrounded this home/farm were a big factor in inspiring the world of Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream.
We were told at our hotel in Warwick that we could "do Stratford" in a couple of hours, but it took us a full half-day, and we even skipped a couple of places! I could have taken much longer. Each of the homes has an additional entrance fee, though you get a price break if you buy these with your bus ticket. It was well worth the money. This was one of my favorite days spent in England.