The small village of Nottingham Road was originally a military fort set up to protect local farmers from the indigenous San people who used to raid the area for cattle. Today Nottingham Road is a popular tourist destination located in the heart of the famous Midlands Meander tourism route. There are a multitude of various craft outlets and cottage industries within the Nottingham Road area ranging from hand-made leather goods to home-made preserves.

Trout fishing at various small dams and rivers in the district is a popular pastime for both local and visitors alike.

The Nottingham Road Brewery Company is South Africa's most successful independent micro-brewery, producing beers with original names like a 'whistling weasel pale ale', a 'pie-eyed possum pilsner', a 'pickled pig porter' and a 'tiddly toad lager'.

Other attractions in Nottingham Road include the Junction Complex which is host to a variety of interesting shops and restaurants, the Fly fishing and birding shop, which has the largest selection of flies in the Midlands, and Alladins-de-light, which offers fine meals at their country restaurant and deli.

July in Nottingham Road often sees the icy wintry air bringing with it the magic of snow, transforming the village into a Winter wonderland. With Spring comes cosmos and a profusion of wild pink roses to liven up the already picturesque landscape.

The Disney Film, Racing Stripes, was filmed on a stud farm a few kilometres out of Nottingham Road. This location was chosen in preference to possible sites both elsewhere in South Africa and in the USA.