I have wanted to visit Stonehenge for over 50 years and I finally had the opportunity. Stonehenge has been on my bucket list for a LONG time, so I was excited to finally check it off- and it certainly didn't disappoint! The sun was shining and it was a great visit. The admission price includes a short shuttle bus ride to the stones. On site, a circular path is laid out so that even with large crowds, you can take photos from all sides without people standing in the picture.
Admission is not cheap, but if you are traveling anyway and also want to see other historical sites, than it is worth accepting the offer to become a member of Heritage Britain", because the annual fee, 80% of the Stonehenge admission is already paid and other admissions are quickly FREE.
My personal experience was that the number of visitors were managed really well. There were frequent shuttles to the stones OR you can cut across fields and wooded areas and walk the 1.3 mile to the monument. We headed to a shuttle bus which took us to the world renowned site. We had a short wait for the shuttle bus to the monument and stepped straight on when we wanted to return.
The site itself is large so doesn't feel overly crowded, although the visitor center was fairly full. I was a little surprised by hoe many people seem interested only in getting a photo so it looks like Stonehenge is in their hand or on their back, or their head, BUT to each their own.
The English Heritage staff up at the monument were extremely knowledgeable and courteous.
The site is well organized and is roped off so that no one can damage the stones; that said, there was one area where you could get quite close. Personally, I think the stone were tall as I had imagined, but they were very mystical. It was busy, with crowds of international tourists, but it was well spaced out. There were plenty of staff on hand at various sections of the walk who were very knowledgeable. The visitors center is also well worth a look, as the history of the stones is mapped out with a 3-D projected walk-through. It is worth a visit if you have never been, but I think 2-3 hours would do it justice.
We arrived at the prehistoric megalithic monument on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England (about 2 miles west of Amesbury and 12 miles from Salisbury) around late morning. Stonehenge was built over 1300 years starting around 3000 BC. It's architectural sophistication unique interlocking stone joints is a sight to see. We went around the rock structures for about 30 minutes just marveling at these iconic structures. The weather was spectacular for pictures. We would have loved to walk to and from Stonehenge, but due to my mobility issues, we chose to take the shuttle bus back. Again the weather was PERFECT.
I also liked the fact they had sign language videos included in the exhibition center so making it very inclusive. It was also nice to see and hear individuals from all over the world visiting the heritage site.
Parking for disabled individuals was free with a blue placard. All the staff were very friendly, especially with helping individuals in wheelchairs on and off the shuttle buses.
You can book private guides, but I am unsure how much they cost. In addition to this, you can also download an audio guide from you wristband, which I can only presume tells you about the site as you walk around. Also offered is a beautiful book explaining the history and makeup of Stonehenge.
They food and drinks were priced much like other major tourist attractions we've visited. They were reasonably priced for the location and the quality was good, so exactly what we expected. The gift shop was a little expensive.
We THOROUGHLY enjoyed our visit and would absolutely recommend it. Even if you are only stopping for an hour or two. Stonehenge is well worth experiencing at least once. It's one of those places you really need to see in person.