Chances are, if you’re thinking about visiting the UK, you’ll be thinking about visiting London? And even if you’re not, it’s likely you still might fly into one of its whopping 6 different airports that surround the city, which gives you every excuse to explore the capital. That being said, sometimes it’s nice to leave the hustle and bustle on one of the best day trips from London.
With that in mind, I wanted to share some of the best day trips from London that you’ll love. It doesn’t matter if you’re spending a week in the city, exploring for a little longer or even live in London… I’m almost certain you’ll find a day trip that suits you perfectly.
Take a look at some of the very best day trips from London.
1.) The Cotswolds
The Cotswolds is, arguably, one of the most idyllic areas that can be visited from London.
Perched in the rolling hills, quite a bit west of London, it’ll take a few hours to drive – but it is so worth it!
Think quaint villages, charming streets and thatched cottage roofs! Make sure to visit the beautiful little towns like Bibury and Lacock (amongst many others). It really is one of the best day trips from London.
See some of our firm favourites to visit in our Cotswolds posts.
Read more: Best places in the Cotswolds to visit
2.) Cambridge
This gorgeous city is actually relatively small – but don’t let the size put you off, it packs a hefty punch when it comes to things to see.
Around 45 minutes by train from London Liverpool Street Station or London Kings Cross Station, it’s one of the quickest and best day trips from London.
Take a wander around this historic university town. Grab a bite to eat at Cambridge Chophouse and be sure to try your hand at Punting across the river.
Read more: Best places in Cambridge to visit
3.) Warwick
Warwick is around an hour, or so, by train from London and easily reached on any day of the week – make sure to visit the ancient and ridiculously impressive castle, take a wander through the historic streets and experience a tour of the beautiful Lord Leicester Hospital.
I’ve gotta say, the castle alone makes Warwick one of the best day trips from London if you love a little history.
4.) Windsor
Windsor is actually pretty close to Greater London and close(ish) to Heathrow Airport, making it the perfect place to visit if you’ve got a short layover in the city.
Take the train, or drive, and book a tour of Windsor Castle itself.
Alternatively, hop onboard one of the local tour boats that will take you around the waterways – it really is a beautiful and one of the best day trips from London.
Read more: Best things to do in Windsor
5.) Brighton
Around 50 minutes from London Victoria Station, Brighton is one of the most famous seaside towns to visit in southern England.
Make sure to explore the lanes and discover some of the city’s independent shops, cafes and bars.
The vibrant mix of old and new (plus a pretty awesome coast) makes this one of the best day trips from London… especially with a ’99’ in hand.
Read more: Best places to see in Brighton
6.) Bath
Around, two-hours by train from London Paddington Station, Bath is a lovely city to spend a day (or two). Once you’re here, make sure to visit the Roman Baths, grab yourself a bun from Sally Lunn’s and visit the Royal Crescent.
The city has a very different feel from London and it’s one of the best day trips from London to take to explore some of these regions Roman heritage.
Read more: Best things to do in Bath
7.) Salisbury
Salisbury is about a 90-minute drive from the centre of London (traffic depending of course).
Don’t forget, when visiting the impressive cathedral, make sure to stop for a typical bit of pub grub and enjoy the beautiful parks that surround the area too. It really is very special.
If you’re driving it’s easy to partner a visit to Salisbury with a visit to Stonehenge, too. This is what we did and it was so much fun (see our post here).
It really is one fun and the best day trips from London to take.
8.) Stonehenge
Stonehenge is one of Great Britain’s most iconic sites, thought to have been built by Pagans quite a few thousand years ago, it’s one of the places that is well worth a see.
Make sure to wander around this iconic site to learn more about how the stones got to this area (from West Wales).
See more from our post on visiting Stonehenge
9.) Oxford
Oxford is around 50 minutes from the centre of London by bus or car. Visit some of the city’s gorgeous academic buildings and even take a trip to the pretty impressive Blenheim Palace.
It really is a special place.
Read more: What to do when in Oxford
10.) Bristol
Bristol is around two hours by train from London Paddington Station.
Home of the elusive artist, Banksy, make sure you keep your eyes peeled for some of his famous art, visit the museums and make your way to the harbour area for a bite to eat.
Read more: Best things to do in Bristol
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