I went twice to Stratford. Once with four girlfriends, and once with a 12 year-old. No need to mention they were two totally different getaways, one involving much more shopping and dining but both revolving around great plays. Every season, you can expect at least four productions of Shakespeare plays, but you can also count on one whimsical play bound to please the whole family. (Each play comes with an audience advisory section you'll want to read.) The tow great venues where the most ambitious plays and musicals are presented are the Festival Theatre, by the river (seating 1,824) and the Avon Theatre (seating 1,093). The other two venues seat less than 500 people. We found Festival Theatre quite impressive when attending the musical Oliver! and everyone in this theatre could obviously get a good view of the stage.
The best thing about staying overnight in Stratford is that it gives you time to do one of their tours, such as the Costume and Props Warehouse Tour where you get to to visit the amazing costume warehouse and dress up at the end of the tour. They show you props, clothes, wigs, shoes and more while giving you interesting details. (Look under Forum on their website for dates and hours). During the summertime, you can enjoy the outdoor Lions Pool by the downtown bridge. Make sure to take in the view of the bridge and surrounding stone buildings for a glimpse of England. Then stroll around the prettiest block in town (York and Ontario Streets).
