Welwyn Garden City is a ‘new town' built just outside of the M25 to ease London's population congestion and give workers a home that was endowed with both countryside character and urban chic. This is still apparent in the town today, with all new plans having to meet a strict aesthetic criteria. Stanborough Park provides much of the town's greenery, and is a short drive for those who hire a car from Welwyn Garden City.
There are excellent shopping facilities thanks to establishments like the Howard Centre, and if you're hiring a car from Welwyn Garden City, visiting neighbouring towns like St Albans is recommended.
The Howard Centre shopping mall is right in the centre of Welwyn Garden City and a good place for modern shops and provisions. For a touch of culture (and something a bit different), you might want to try the Barn Theatre which is exactly as described – a cosy barn converted into a live theatre.
Stanborough Park is just over a mile due south of the city, and if you're hiring a car from Welwyn Garden City you'll find the stately Hatfield House, home to Elizabeth I for many years, just beyond the park on the A1000.
