Nature lovers can enjoy forest walks and riverside strolls in the Wye Valley, just a 30-minute drive west of Gloucester. They can also paddle along the Wye River in a canoe, hike through wildflower meadows, and visit the picturesque ruins of Tintern Abbey over the Welsh border. Additionally, rural pleasures await in the Malvern Hills AONB, just north of Gloucester, where visitors can hike through wooded valleys or bluebell meadows, pitch their tent amid rolling farmlands and fruit orchards, or check into a glampsite with tipis or treehouses in the heart of the forest. Must-sees include the view from Worcestershire Beacon and the Iron Age hillfort at British Camp. Just east of Gloucester, the Cotswolds AONB offers rolling green farmlands, winding country lanes, and idyllic villages built from the region’s characteristic golden stone. A road trip is the best way to explore, stopping to browse the artisan shops in Broadway or Chipping Norton, take a hike in the hills, or spend a night at a luxury glampsite.