Guidebook for Park Street & St Albans
Food Scene
Under new management, this pub aims to please. Lovely contemporary menu, and they seem keen on expanding their real ale selection!
Best to call ahead and book for supper 01727 768221 and Sunday lunch. Busiest times: Sunday lunch, Thursday supper.
The Overdraught Freehouse
86 Park StreetUnder new management, this pub aims to please. Lovely contemporary menu, and they seem keen on expanding their real ale selection!
Best to call ahead and book for supper 01727 768221 and Sunday lunch. Busiest times: Sunday lunch, Thursday supper.
Delicious curry house/Indian restaurant with friendly service and a charming space for dining. Also offers home delivery service.
Rami
305 Watford RdDelicious curry house/Indian restaurant with friendly service and a charming space for dining. Also offers home delivery service.
If you're dying for caffeine. It's a popular local hang out, and offers late night hours.
If you're a guest, ask me for some of my free tall latte vouchers!
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Starbucks
201A W End LnIf you're dying for caffeine. It's a popular local hang out, and offers late night hours.
If you're a guest, ask me for some of my free tall latte vouchers!
Excellent take-away and delivery service for Indian food, John's been a customer for years.
The Village Spice
28 How WoodExcellent take-away and delivery service for Indian food, John's been a customer for years.
This pub is family friendly and is nestled in a lovely wooded area across from St Stephen's Church. The food's improved remarkably in the past 18 months and boasts a varied and interesting menu.
The King Harry
2 King Harry LnThis pub is family friendly and is nestled in a lovely wooded area across from St Stephen's Church. The food's improved remarkably in the past 18 months and boasts a varied and interesting menu.
This is our other local fish & chips shop, which also provides tasty fish at reasonable prices and friendly staff. Their fried chicken looks delicious, too.
Rumbles Fish Bar
78 London RdThis is our other local fish & chips shop, which also provides tasty fish at reasonable prices and friendly staff. Their fried chicken looks delicious, too.
This spot used to be an olde olde pub, and it's still ancient. Decent Thai food, within an historic building.
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MUST Wine Bar St Albans
3 George StThis spot used to be an olde olde pub, and it's still ancient. Decent Thai food, within an historic building.
Local branch of this venerable bistro chain. Gorgeous surroundings, nice cocktails, good food.
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The Ivy St Albans Brasserie
1-3 Verulam RdLocal branch of this venerable bistro chain. Gorgeous surroundings, nice cocktails, good food.
Book as soon as you have your travel dates, it's packed weeks in advance. Delicious steak.
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Dylans - The Kings Arms
7 George StBook as soon as you have your travel dates, it's packed weeks in advance. Delicious steak.
Don't forget to pub crawl down this amazing street. We adore the Lower Red for its nice selection of local beers and decent food.
Lower Red Lion
36 Fishpool StreetDon't forget to pub crawl down this amazing street. We adore the Lower Red for its nice selection of local beers and decent food.
Getting Around
We're just minutes away from this station. Occasionally the ticket machine is broken, so bring cash or a credit card with you for your journey as often the conductor will want to check your ticket. Normally when this happens, I will buy a return ticket (2 way) from the machine at Watford Junction or St Albans Abbey Station to cover both legs of the trip.
*UPDATE 2021: Rail replacement buses seem the norm these days, with actual trains only running during peak times. The replacement buses normally don't charge, so I guess that's a slight silver lining.
How Wood station
We're just minutes away from this station. Occasionally the ticket machine is broken, so bring cash or a credit card with you for your journey as often the conductor will want to check your ticket. Normally when this happens, I will buy a return ticket (2 way) from the machine at Watford Junction or St Albans Abbey Station to cover both legs of the trip.
*UPDATE 2021: Rail replacement buses seem the norm these days, with actual trains only running during peak times. The replacement buses normally don't charge, so I guess that's a slight silver lining.
The end of the line. The ride is just 5-6 minutes from How Wood and runs hourly most days. It's convenient if you're going to explore the marvellous city of St. Albans. (If you're a walker, it's 42 minutes on foot)
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St Albans Abbey station
The end of the line. The ride is just 5-6 minutes from How Wood and runs hourly most days. It's convenient if you're going to explore the marvellous city of St. Albans. (If you're a walker, it's 42 minutes on foot)
Essentials
Closest food shop, the Co-op is stocked with drinks, food, snacks and essentials including a cash machine.
The Co-operative Food
24-26 How WoodClosest food shop, the Co-op is stocked with drinks, food, snacks and essentials including a cash machine.
Friendly, family-run chemist/drug store which also offers dry cleaning and a wide range of care products.
How Wood Pharmacy & Travel Clinic
16 How WoodFriendly, family-run chemist/drug store which also offers dry cleaning and a wide range of care products.
One of the best post mistresses in England, this is a family-owned shop and post office counter. They have postcards for sending back home, and they have essential items, beer, wine and sodas as well. Closest post office to us.
Watford Road Sub Post Office
337 Watford RdOne of the best post mistresses in England, this is a family-owned shop and post office counter. They have postcards for sending back home, and they have essential items, beer, wine and sodas as well. Closest post office to us.
Moonlight Wine Co is another convenience store in the same stretch as the Co-op and How Wood Chemists. They keep late hours and they're also an Amazon delivery point, which is convenient if you need to buy anything you've forgotten.
30 How Wood
30 How WoodMoonlight Wine Co is another convenience store in the same stretch as the Co-op and How Wood Chemists. They keep late hours and they're also an Amazon delivery point, which is convenient if you need to buy anything you've forgotten.
Sightseeing
Absolutely a must visit attraction. It's magical, and each time I visit there's something new added, or a detail I missed. It's really cool to go because people come from all over the world, so you hear many different languages.
Highly recommended, but you really have to book in advance.
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Warner Bros. Studio Tour London
Studio Tour DriveAbsolutely a must visit attraction. It's magical, and each time I visit there's something new added, or a detail I missed. It's really cool to go because people come from all over the world, so you hear many different languages.
Highly recommended, but you really have to book in advance.
Stunning ancient church and grounds. It's a nice walk from our house, and really pretty.
St Stephen's Church
Stunning ancient church and grounds. It's a nice walk from our house, and really pretty.
Don't miss it! Have tea or a light meal, buy souvenirs, worship, gaze.
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The Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban
Don't miss it! Have tea or a light meal, buy souvenirs, worship, gaze.
Kitchen used to be really creative, now it's a miss. The place itself is a must visit as it's quite haunted. Come in for drinks.
The White Hart
23-25 Holywell HillKitchen used to be really creative, now it's a miss. The place itself is a must visit as it's quite haunted. Come in for drinks.
The Clock Tower
High StreetIt's open in the Spring, Summer and Fall. Go and climb it!
Drinks & Nightlife
This is our local, it's one of 2 pubs left in the village, which once possessed a thriving pub scene. Lovely crowd, and they now serve a guest beer in addition to Abbott and Green King IPA, and it's often a Tring Brewing ale, which are not to be missed.
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The Falcon
2A St John's HillThis is our local, it's one of 2 pubs left in the village, which once possessed a thriving pub scene. Lovely crowd, and they now serve a guest beer in addition to Abbott and Green King IPA, and it's often a Tring Brewing ale, which are not to be missed.
Suckerpunch St Albans
26a George StReally cool cocktails, served by dishy crew. Book in advance.
My favourite shops
This is by far my favourite shop in St Albans. Every item within appears to have been meticulously selected, and we own several items from the shop which are in your guest suite, including a map print pillow and a framed print of the area. I highly recommend this shop for gift shopping and high quality souvenirs of your visit to the region.
The icing on the cake? Profits from all sales go to cancer charities, something very personal to us.
Raindrops On Roses
15 High StThis is by far my favourite shop in St Albans. Every item within appears to have been meticulously selected, and we own several items from the shop which are in your guest suite, including a map print pillow and a framed print of the area. I highly recommend this shop for gift shopping and high quality souvenirs of your visit to the region.
The icing on the cake? Profits from all sales go to cancer charities, something very personal to us.
Borgartillaga
Samgöngur
To and from London Heathrow
We're 18 miles from Heathrow Airport. Under ideal circumstances it can take 30-40 minutes via the M25.
If you're not hiring a car, we'd recommend using Uber, or pre-booking with a ride service, the latter which are numerous, and searchable online. Typical cost is £40-60. Taxis running on a meter can add up quickly so we do recommend you pre-book or set up an Uber when you get to the Arrivals Hall.
https://www.intalink.org.uk/routes/2857/ Bus
Use Google Map to plot out your different options, as they can change depending on the time of day or weekday. Our post code is AL2 2JA.