It's English Tourism Week and a Hitchin and Stevenage bus operator is encouraging local residents to get out and explore the great sights that make the region such a great place to visit and enjoy

Hitchin and Stevenage are home to some famous and interesting destinations, and they are easy to access at a great price by bus - bus travel is still covered by the government's £2.00 single fare cap.

Darren Roe, Managing Director of Stagecoach East said: "We are so fortunate to be home to so many genuinely outstanding pieces of natural and cultural heritage in Hitchin and Stevenage and, as the days get longer and warmer, now is a great opportunity to get out and explore it all. And a trip on your local bus will give you the perfect opportunity to get out and see everything for yourself.

"English Tourism Week runs until Monday, March 25 and is all about celebrating our diverse, exciting and vibrant heritage and culture – everything that make Hitchin and Stevenage great!"

Here's are six highlights for you to see including:

·     British Schools Museum – Join in with children's crafts in the historic Monitorial Schoolroom. From fabulous bunny-spoons, to paper-fold chicks, boing-ing paper cup bunnies to Easter wreaths that double as bonnets! There's something for everyone. (Stop: Hollow Lane, Services: 9A, 9B, 9C, 9D, 89, 100)

·     Stevenage Museum - Find out more about the iconic artist Bill Mitchell and his work in Stevenage and see the work of local young people who used his art as inspiration. (Stop: Stevenage Interchange)

·     North Hertfordshire Museum – Experience a major exhibition of paintings and drawings by three members of the famous Camden Town Group who worked in Letchworth in the years before the First World War, with loans from museums across the country including Tate, the Government Art Collection and the National Museum of Wales. (Stop: Grammar School Walk – Services: 9A, 9B, 9C, 9D, 74, 81, 89, 100, 101, 304, 314, W12)

·     Bury Mead and Millie Spinny Park – Beautiful parkland to explore. (Stop: The Archways Hotel – Services: 9A, 9B, 9C, 9D, 80, 81, 301, 386, 390, 635, 907)

·     Bancroft Recreation Ground and Splash Park – With its pleasant surroundings, the recreation ground houses many specimen trees, shrubs and flower beds. (Stop: Bunyan Road – Services: 9A, 9B, 9C, 9D, 74, 81, 89)

·     The Gordon Craig Theatre - A 501 seat venue with a programme packed full of: Musicals, Live Music, Comedy, Plays, Family Shows and one of the longest running Pantomimes in the country! (Stop: Stevenage Interchange)

Darren Roe, Managing Director of Stagecoach East