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About Warwick

Mayor Frank J. Picozzi

Welcome to warwick.

Thank you for visiting our website and for your interest in our community. I invite you to take some time to explore the site and learn more about all our City has to offer.

From  historic sites  and  beautiful beaches , to  world-class dining  and a terrific variety of  retail and specialty shops , to top-notch  recreational facilities  and  lodging options  to suit every budget, Warwick has it all. As home to  Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport , the  InterLink intermodal commuter rail station  and with convenient access to Routes 95 and 295, we’re perfectly suited to meet all your travel needs.

My family and I have proudly called Warwick home for over five decades. I encourage you to visit us and see for yourself why our community has been ranked one of the best places to live in the nation.

Sincerely, Mayor Frank J. Picozzi

Village Centers

Educational facilities, center of it all.

There’s so much to see and do when visiting Southern New England. To experience as much of this beautiful and historic region as possible, savvy tourists and business travelers stay in the ideal destination: Warwick, Rhode Island! Conveniently…

One-Stop Shopping

If you want to shop until you drop, you’ve come to the right place. Visit bustling Route 2 in Warwick and you’ll see why our city is known as “The Retail Capital of Rhode Island.” We have two large malls offering numerous stores, plus plenty of…

Recreation & Leisure

Does your perfect day include a lot of rest and relaxation? Or would you prefer to be outdoors exploring your surroundings? Either way, you’re in luck when you stay here in Warwick. There are several golf courses, as well as bicycle and walking…

Oceans of Fun!

If you love the water, we invite you to visit our 39 miles of coastline, complete with relaxing beaches and historic lighthouses. Warwick, which sits on gorgeous Narragansett Bay, is home to more boat slips, moorings, and marine services than…

Travel Information

How to get to Warwick

Warwick is located in the rural Heart of England. It is close to Stratford-upon-Avon, Royal Leamington Spa and Kenilworth. The closest cities are Coventry and Birmingham.

Warwick is served by an extensive motorway network. From London and the south east M40, exit at Junction 13 for Warwick. From the south west M5, M42 & M40, exit at Junction 15 for Warwick. From the north west M6, M42 & M40, exit at Junction 15 for Warwick. From the north east M1, M69, A45 & A46 and follow the Warwick signs. From the east take the A14, M6, A45, A46 and follow the Warwick signs.

Parking in Warwick

The town has plenty of long-stay and short-stay parking facilities (see map) as well as on-street parking available for 30 minutes to two hours.

On-street parking is charged during the day from 8am-5pm or 8am-8pm (with some variations – check local signs for details), including weekends and bank holidays.

Please note that the Linen Street car park is now closed.

For further information about parking in Warwick, click here.

By Coach Regular services of National Express.  www.nationalexpress.com Tel: 0871 781 8181

By Train Warwick train station is just 10 minutes walk to the town centre and Castle.  Trains are available to Birmingham, Stratford-upon-Avon, London (Marylebone) and intermediate stations.  Use Leamington Spa for connections to Banbury, Coventry, Oxford and intermediate stations.  Tel 08457 484950. Please note Warwick Parkway Station is situated 1 mile from the town centre.

Taxi Companies

Sapphire Taxis – 01926 881313 Warwick Taxis – 01926 499966

The table below shows the distances from Warwick.

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Warwick Tourism Department

• 3275 Post Rd., Warwick, RI
• 401-738-2000 x6202

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A Tourist Information Guide to the Historical Town of Warwick

Warwick is in the heart of England and borders the northern extremities of the Cotswolds. Warwick is the capital town of the English county of Warwickshire and situated 11 miles south of Coventry and 2.5 miles west of Leamington Spa and 20 miles from Broadway and Chipping Campden in the Cotswolds. Warwick means 'dwellings by the weir'.

Warwick is probably best known for its magnificent castle - one of England's top attractions set in gardens landscaped by Capability Brown.

Warwick Castle

Warwick Castle is the most visited stately homes in the UK. With its staterooms, great hall, dungeons and torture chambers it dates back to the 14th century. The 128 foot Guy's Tower, Caesar's Tower and Clock Tower are magnificent examples of a well preserved heritage. In 2001, Warwick Castle was named one of Britain's "Top 10 historic houses and monuments" by the British Tourist Authority.

Warwick Museums

Warwick Museums include St. John's Museum , the Warwickshire Museum at the Market Hall , Warwickshire Yeomanry Museum and the 14th century Lord Leycester Hospital containing the Queens Own Hussars Museum , Warwick's 600 year old mediaeval treasure .

Warwick Shopping

Warwick Shopping boasts a wide variety of quality specialist shops. Here you can browse in antique, china and gift shops. Market Place is the heart of the town centre, hosting a bustling market every Saturday and monthly farmers' markets.

Swan Street is always a hive of activity and the town’s busiest shopping street. Head down Jury Street and through the impressive Eastgate to discover the charms of Smith Street, Warwick's oldest shopping street. A group of more familiar high street names can be found around Market Street.

The town of Warwick is graced with a wide variety of attractive parks and gardens.

St Mary’s Church

St Mary’s Church is one of the largest and most interesting Churches in England set in the centre of the town. People have worshipped on this site for over 1,000 years, and have left evidence of their faith in the architecture and decoration of the building. The church is open every day of the year, and welcomes a large number of visitors from across the world.

All the major churches hold services in Warwick. There is also an historic Friends Meeting House, Unitarian Chapel and various other nonconformist churches in the town.

Warwick Horse Racing

Warwick Horse Racing Course retains its historic charm and character. Nestled next to Warwick Castle. Warwick racecourse is one of the oldest in the country and with racing having taken place here since the 1700s, this is a course rich in tradition and heritage.

The racecourse enjoys a full racing calendar all year round with both Flat and Jumps meetings taking place on weekdays and weekends, afternoons and evenings. The racecourse has something for everybody from excellent race day packages to elegant hospitality suites, marquees and private boxes. Accompanied children aged 16 and under can come racing for free.

Warwick Folk Festival

Warwick Folk Festival is held every year in July. The main festival location and campsite are in the grounds of Warwick School, which contains the purpose-built Bridgehouse Theatre for intimate acoustic concerts, the Guy Nelson Hall for ceilidhs and workshops and the main marquee for larger concerts. This site also has craft stalls and on-site catering throughout the festival weekend.

Events including dance tours, mumming plays and concerts also usually take place in Warwick town centre which is a short walk from the festival campsite.

Warwick University

Warwick University was established in 1961 and received its Royal Charter of Incorporation in 1965. It is situated on a large 700 acre campus which straddles the boundary between the City of Coventry and the County of Warwickshire.

The university campus was recently voted best in the UK, the University campus balances the calm and beauty of the countryside with the buzz of a social and vibrant community.

Warwick Arts Centre

Warwick Arts Centre is the largest arts centre in the Midlands, attracting around 300,000 visitors a year to over 2,000 individual events. The Arts Centre is situated in the heart of the pleasant greenfield site of the University of Warwick. Served by the roads A45, A46, M40 and M42.

St. Nicholas Park

St. Nicholas Park gives visitors an opportunity to enjoy a wide range of activities as it caters for all ages.

Located near the river Avon the site was acquired by Warwick Borough Council and was first developed in the 1930s with the opening of Formal gardens and a Children’s corner.

After World war 2 further developments to place with progressive improvements over a period of years, as a result the park now has - Play areas, Paddling pool, Roundabouts, Miniature train rides, Crazy golf, Putting, Giant Chess, Boules, Basket ball, enlarged Skate park, BMX track.

Boating is also available with rowing boat and motor boat hire, these situated near the castle bridge.

There is a leisure centre that offers a wide range of activities and a spacious area of level grassland for picnics, kite flying and ball games. There are toilets that have disabled and baby changing facilities.

Warwick on the River Avon

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Warwick Visitor Information Centre

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Warwick Visitor Information Centre - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• Mon - Fri 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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• (0.06 mi) Criterion Hotel Warwick
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• (0.27 mi) St. Mary's Catholic Parish

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Warwick is a picturesque historic market town famed for being home to Britain’s ultimate Castle, Warwick Castle.

Warwick is a town on the River Avon, in England’s West Midlands region. It’s known for the medieval Warwick Castle, founded by William the Conqueror. The Collegiate Church of St. Mary in the heart of the town offers panoramic views from its town and has a Norman crypt. The timber-framed buildings of 14th-century Lord Leycester Hospital cluster by the city’s West Gate. The St. John’s House Museum is housed in a Jacobean mansion with gardens.

The town of Warwick is graced with a wide variety of attractive parks and gardens, both privately and publicly owned. They range from the charming Victorian Hill Close Gardens, the Master’s Garden at the Lord Leycester Hospital and the spectacular Mill Garden to the public spaces of Priory Park, St Nicholas Park and the Pageant Garden.

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Stay in Warwick, see Rhode Island! Home to Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport , Warwick is a transportation hub. You can easily catch a bus to most cities and towns in the state from either the airport or nearby InterLink facility. InterLink also provides MBTA service to Providence, where you can connect to Amtrak, and nearby Massachusetts stations, including Boston’s Back Bay.

Warwick offers a variety of  hotels to choose from, amenities galore and a convenient location in the center of RI , making it the perfect choice for your leisure or business travel needs.  

Enjoy dining by the fireside in a historical setting, traditional New England seafood with a waterfront backdrop or good old-fashioned family dining; the choice is yours. If you love live entertainment, plan a night at  The Gamm Theatre . The theater offers comfortable seating (not a bad seat in the house), on-site parking and easy access from Route 95. An article in  The Boston Globe  spotlighting The Gamm noted, “Versatility, vision, and willingness to challenge audiences, The Gamm has emerged as one of the most dynamic theater companies in New England." 

When it comes to shopping, Route 2 in Warwick is the premier shopping destination in Rhode Island , and home to more than 5 miles of retail, restaurants and two indoor malls. Additionally, within the shopping district you will find family fun activities including a trampoline park, ice skating, horseback riding, movie theaters and more.

Now, if the great outdoors beckons you, head over to Harbor Lights, the Valley Country Club or Goddard Park for a round of golf. Explore our 39 miles of coastline , which includes breathtaking views from Rocky Point, Conimicut Point right through to Goddard Memorial Park, where you can see the coast via horseback.

Be sure you book an extra night or two because you still have the rest of Rhode Island to experience.

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© 2023 Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau Visitor Information Center Rhode Island Convention Center 1 Sabin Street Providence, RI 02903 (401) 751-1177 PWCVB Headquarters 100 Westminster Street Providence, RI 02903 (401) 456-0200

• 01926 411694
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The Court House, Jury Street, Warwick, CV34 4EW

Warwick Town Council

Visitor Centre

Warwick Visitor Information Centre has a wide range of publications, local guides, maps and souvenirs to help you make the most of your visit. We are also the Box Office for many local events, including Warwick Words. Discounted Warwick Castle tickets are also available at Warwick Visitor Centre.

We look forward to welcoming you to Warwick.

There is more information on our Visit Warwick website to help you prepare for your visit. If you have any questions or comments then please e-mail us: [email protected]

Please Note: We will normally reply to e-mailed enquiries within 1 working day of receipt.  If you wish to receive information by post, please call the office on 01926 492212

Home » Travel Guides » Australia » 15 Best Things to Do in Warwick (Australia)

15 Best Things to Do in Warwick (Australia)

In south-east Queensland , Warwick is a bonny old town going back more than 170 years.

In the CBD are churches, hotels and civic buildings composed of local sandstone and raised in a flurry of development at the turn of the 20th century.

You’ll find them on gorgeous tree-flanked streets, made even prettier by the flowerbeds that lend Warwick the nickname, “Rose City”. The town has a long tradition of horsemanship, celebrated by a famous rodeo and campdraft at the end of October each year, while Jumpers and Jazz in July is a delightfully quirky cultural festival.

Go out of town and you’ll be in the bucolic Southern Downs, known for their granite outcrops and vineyards.

1. CBD Walking Tour

Warwick is one of the oldest European settlements in Queensland, and so naturally has a lot of history on its streets.

But something special about the townscape is its sense of unity: The stately sandstone buildings around the CBD mostly date from a period of redevelopment in the late-19th century and early-20th century following a flood.

There’s a concentration of this Federation architecture over a few blocks on the parallel Palmerin, Albion and Guy Streets, waiting to be enjoyed on a gentle walk.

Some of the standouts are Warwick Town Hall (1888), the Court House (1886), St Andrew’s Uniting Church (1870), the Post Office (1898), the Criterion Hotel (1917), Condamine Sports Club (1913) and St George’s Lodge (1887).

2. Warwick Museum – Pringle Cottage

South of the CBD, Warwick’s town museum is in a historical village complex around the heritage sandstone Pringle Cottage.

Set in its original location, this two-storey dwelling dates as far back as the 1860s and was constructed by the Scottish stonemason John McCulloch.

Over the next decades McCulloch worked on a host of sandstone buildings around Warwick.

The cottage is furnished with all kinds of interesting pieces donated by early settler families, and since the 1970s has been accompanied by historic buildings and agricultural machinery from the town and the surrounding districts.

One anchor is the timber-built Overseers Cottage (c. 1890), housing artefacts from saddles to hotel and office furniture, while the old-timey Emporium was erected in 1982 as a reception and display area.

You can check out the development of printing equipment at the Printery and picture yourself out in the wilderness at the primitive Old Shepherd’s Hut.

3. Glengallan Homestead & Heritage Centre

Out in the Darling Downs to the north of Warwick is a grand homestead, constructed between 1864 and 1904 and rescued from dereliction in the 2000s.

To see this sandstone building today, with its beautiful verandah, it’s hard to believe that it was abandoned for more than 30 years.

You can pay a visit Wednesday to Sunday to savour the interiors, find out about the ongoing restoration and learn the Glengallan story, beginning in the 1830s with squatters.

You can buy tasty local produce and handmade gifts from the farm shop, while the Heritage Centre Cafe is a must for tea and scones.

4. Downs Explorer

Warwick’s elegant old railway station is a fitting place to begin a steam train ride through the Southern Downs and Granite Belt.

These trips take place on the Southern Line between Warwick, Toowoomba and Wallangarra, and details can be found on the Downs Explorer Website.

The pride of the fleet is a Queensland Railways C17 class steam locomotive, one of 227 manufactured for the operator between 1920 and 1953, restored to working order in 2000. This and a wealth of heritage rolling stock awaits at the old Warwick Locomotive Depot near the station, where there’s an original turntable, workshops, locomotive sheds and water tower.

The site opens to the public on Wednesdays and Thursdays, boasting a ton of railway memorabilia and rolling stock undergoing restoration.

5. St Mary’s Catholic Parish Church

With a tower just shy of 30 metres, the tallest building in Warwick is this handsome neo-Gothic church, completed in 1926 and an enduring landmark for the town.

St Mary’s has a Queensland heritage listing, not least because of its high aesthetic value and exceptional workmanship.

This can be seen in the facade’s rusticated sandstone blocks, with smooth sandstone for the dressings.

The quatrefoil tracery on the main window is particularly accomplished.

Pass between the granite columns in the porch and you can look up to appreciate the joinery in the roof of the nave.

At the far end, check out the rose window in the chancel, and the high altar, hewn from fine Sicilian marble with panes of Red Verona and Verde Antico.

6. Morgan Park Raceway

In the bush south of Warwick there’s a race circuit dating back more than 50 years and used for a busy calendar of race meets and track days.

In its longest format, Morgan Park Raceway has a boot shape, a little like Monza, but can be modified into five different layouts.

Although the track has been around for decades it has risen to prominence since the late-1990s, now staging important events like the Queensland Super Sprint Championships and the WDSCC Southern Downs Challenge.

In short, there’s some kind of action most weekends, from endurance events to touring cars and open-wheels.

Normally in July or August, the Historic Racing Car Club of Queensland puts on the largest historic racing festival in Queensland at the circuit.

7. Warwick Art Gallery

The cultural mainstay of the Southern Downs region is right here in Warwick.

The Warwick Art Gallery has a program planned years in advance.

In three distinct exhibition spaces you can get a handle on the local art scene and view specially curated exhibitions and important touring exhibitions.

The major shows are held in the Main Gallery, while the work of local artists and groups takes centre stage at the new Orange Wall gallery.

Every year the Warwick Art Gallery stages the Jumpers and Jazz in July festival, an eccentric blend of live jazz performances and yarnbombing.

8. Leslie Dam

Off the Cunningham Highway, ten minutes west of Warwick, is a reservoir named after Patrick Leslie (1815-1881), the first person to buy land in the area.

Leslie’s likeness has been carved into one of the many granite boulders on the shore at the Washpool Reserve.

This is the largest and best appointed of the three places to camp by the Leslie Dam.

At Washpool Reserve there’s a scenic lookout, 33 powered sites, as well as toilet blocks, hot and cold showers, drinking water and ice available.

The Dam is obviously most attractive when it’s partially filled, and becomes a honeypot for activities like canoeing, swimming, waterskiing and sailing.

You can also visit for some freshwater fishing but will need a Stocked Impoundment Permit.

9. Main Range National Park, Goomburra section

The largest sweep of rainforest in south-east Queensland is preserved by the Main Range National Park.

The park has four visitor nodes, the most convenient to Warwick being the Goomburra section, lying in the western foothills of the Great Dividing Range.

Here manna gums and New England blackbutts grow in exposed dry forest, while down in the humid gullies are palms and epihpytes.

Beginning on the west side of the Goomburra section is a pair of loops: The Ridge Track and the Cascade Circuit, setting off from the well-equipped Manna Gum Camping Area.

Go east, further into the range, and there are point-to-point hikes to mountain lookouts and the beautiful Araucaria Falls.

10. Queen Mary Falls

One of the must-sees at Main Range National Park is this plunge waterfall where Spring Creek drops 40 metres into a rocky ravine.

You can visit the falls on a two-kilometre path, taking you to a lookout at the top and then down to the valley floor.

One of many compelling things about the walk is how the vegetation changes from eucalypt forest up on the ridge to lush rainforest deep in the valley.

And on a sweltering summer’s day there’s no better way to cool off than in the mist created at the base waterfall.

11. Queens Park

Queens Park is Warwick’s main public park, home to several local sports clubs.

In the 19th century this space was used as barracks and stables for the police, before becoming showgrounds and then hosting sports events.

Today you can follow a track next to the condamine river, and there are interpretation signs pointing out the wildlife along and in the river.

Queens Park is sizeable, containing ball sports facilities, a skate bowl, outdoor gym equipment, an off-leash dog park, shelters and picnic tables.

12. Darling Downs Zoo

About halfway to Toowoomba from Warwick, in the lovely Darling Downs, there’s a zoo that keeps animals from around the world.

Australia is represented by favourites like koalas, red kangaroos, cockatoos, swamp wallabies, crocs and wombats.

But you’ve also got geographical zones for South America, Africa and South-East Asia, where you’ll encounter the only pride of African lions and the largest herd of zebras in the state.

Some of the many other species at Darling Downs Zoo are cheetahs, the endangered Sumatran tiger, komodo dragons, boa constrictors, Brazilian tapirs, giraffes, ostriches, tamarins, marmosets and capuchins, to name a small few.

Every day there’s a timetable of free events, from wildlife talks to an opportunity to hold a baby crocodile or harmless snake.

13. Warwick Visitor Information Centre

One of many good things about the local information centre is the venue, at the impressive Town Hall from 1888. Naturally this is made from the local sandstone, and has an eclectic design, with an arcade, loggia, roof balustrade, two pediments and a clock tower with a hip roof.

When you visit you can step onto the loggia for a very photogenic view of Palmerin Street.

The staff can call on lots of local knowledge if you need help with food, days out, events, accommodation and much more.

Needless to say there are plenty of brochures and leaflets to hand, while the shop is stocked with heaps of local arts and crafts and produce.

15 Best Things to Do in Warwick (Australia):

• CBD Walking Tour
• Warwick Museum - Pringle Cottage
• Glengallan Homestead & Heritage Centre
• Downs Explorer
• St Mary's Catholic Parish Church
• Morgan Park Raceway
• Warwick Art Gallery
• Main Range National Park, Goomburra section
• Queen Mary Falls
• Queens Park
• Darling Downs Zoo
• Warwick Visitor Information Centre