Little Virginia

The name alone makes you stop. Little Virginia sits just outside Kenilworth, a curious colonial-era settlement that feels genuinely out of place in the heart of Warwickshire. What you're actually looking at is a collection of early American-style buildings, the remnants of a 19th-century attempt to recreate a slice of Virginia in England - all red brick, shutters, and that particular American aesthetic that sits oddly against the English landscape.

It's more of a historical curiosity than a destination you'll spend hours at. You can walk around and soak up the atmosphere, take some photos, read up on why someone thought this was a good idea. The buildings themselves are fairly modest, so managing expectations matters here. History buffs and anyone interested in unusual English follies will find it more rewarding than families with young kids, who'll likely get bored once they've worked out what they're looking at.

Free to visit, though opening hours seem thin on the ground - the Our Warwickshire website is your best bet for current details. Allow half an hour max, unless you're really keen on the colonial period. It makes a decent stop if you're already in the Kenilworth area exploring the castle or visiting one of the nearby caravan parks like Broadwell Woods or Knight's Village. Pair it with a proper walk around town or a visit to the castle proper, rather than treating it as a standalone attraction. The real appeal is the oddness of it - proof that Victorian England had some seriously eccentric landowners.