DAY TRIPS FROM LONDON - London 2015 - page 759

rounding area. They also have lots of special activities for kids. Ask at the desk if tours are
running to the Guildhall itself (visits are only possible with a guide); if not, it's probably
not worth the admission.
Cost and Hours: £ 2, includes audioguide, Tue-Sat 10:00-16:00, Sun 12:00-16:00,
closed Mon, located in the Guildhall on High Street, tel. [phone],
www.rbwm.gov.uk .
Boat Trips
Cruise up and down the Thames River for classic views of the castle, the village of Eton,
Eton College, and the Royal Windsor Racecourse. Choose from a 40-minute or two-hour
tour, then relax onboard and nibble a picnic. Boats leave from the riverside promenade ad-
jacent to Barry Avenue.
Cost and Hours: 40-minute tour— £ 6.70, family pass from £ 17.90, mid-Feb-Oct 1-2/
hour daily 10:00-17:00, Nov hourly Sat-Sun 10:00-16:00; 2-hour tour— £ 10.50, family
pass from £ 28.20, late March-Oct only, 1-2/day; closed Dec-mid-Feb; online discounts,
tel. [phone], www.frenchbrothers.co.uk .
Horse Racing
The horses race near Windsor every Monday at the Royal Windsor Racecourse ( £ 21-25
entry, online discounts, those under 18 free with an adult, April-Aug and Oct, no races in
Sept, sporadic in Aug, off A-308 between Windsor and Maidenhead, tel. [phone],
www.windsor-racecourse.co.uk ). The romantic way to get there from Windsor is by a
10-minute shuttle boat ( £ 6.50 round-trip, www.frenchbrothers.co.uk ) . The famous Ascot
Racecourse (described next) is also nearby.
NEAR WINDSOR
Ascot Racecourse
Located seven miles southwest of Windsor and just north of the town of Ascot, this royally
owned track is one of the most famous horse-racing venues in the world. The horses first
ran here in 1711, and the course is best known for June's five-day Royal Ascot race meet-
ing, attended by the Queen and 299,999 of her loyal subjects. For many, the outlandish
hats worn on Ladies Day (Thu) are more interesting than the horses. Royal Ascot is usually
the third week in June (June 16-20 in 2015). The pricey tickets go on sale the preceding
November; while the Friday and Saturday races tend to sell out far ahead, tickets for the
other days are often available close to the date (see website). In addition to Royal Ascot,
the racecourse runs the ponies year-round—funny hats strictly optional.