5 Best Day Trips from London
London. The most wonderful, yet overwhelming city in the World. A bold claim, but live there for a year and you’ll see why.
In England’s capital, you can find a different thing to do every day for several years. We really mean it. But why not venture out for a day or two, and see what else England has to offer?
Check out Spotahome’s list of day trips from London.
1. Winchester
I’m from Winchester, so I’m a little biased.
Four facts that I tell everyone I meet:
- Winchester used to be the capital of England.
- You can find King Arthur’s Round Table at the top of the main high street.
- Jane Austen is buried here.
- It’s got nothing to do with the gun (eye roll).
With its quaint streets, abundance of pubs, and proximity to the countryside, it’s no wonder Winchester is repeatedly named ‘The Best Place to Live in England.’ It’s also been the Christmas Capital of the country, whatever that means.
You can have a great time in Winchester at any time of year. But why not visit during a festival? The Hat Fair and Boomtown Fair are not to be missed.
History
The Cathedral. It’s over a thousand years old, and is one of the largest in Europe. Its grassy grounds are one of the most popular places to hang out in summer.
- The Great Hall. It’s where you’ll find King Arthur’s Round Table. This hall is all that remains of Winchester Castle, which burned down hundreds of years ago.
- The Westgate Museum. This former prison is part of the old city walls. You can see ancient prisoner graffiti, and climb to the top for extensive views of the high street.
Shopping
Winchester has both high street chain shops, high end boutiques and concept stores. Try The Hambledon and Molly’s Den for something different.
Pubs and restaurants
Alfies, The Black Boy, and The Black Bottle are great places to grab some drinks. If you’re into live music, you can’t go wrong with The Railway Inn. For food, I’d recommend Pi, The Chesil Rectory or The Stable. Yummy.
That’s all great, but how do I get there?
Take the train from London Waterloo. It only takes 1 hour. Prices vary.
- Take a National Express coach from London Victoria. It takes less than 2 hours. Prices start at £5 one way.
- Use BlaBlaCar or drive. It takes 2 hours.
2. Brighton
If I moved back to England, I’d probably move to Brighton. The words ‘colour’, ‘vibrancy’ and ‘diversity’ were made for this city. It’s no surprise that half of its name is ‘bright.’
It’s a great place to spend your young years. Famous for its open-minded character, Brighton is the LGBT capital of England. Everyone is welcome here.
This is the place to be an artist, musician or hippy.
Spend the day at the beach, on the pier, or shopping in the ‘laines.’
Why not visit the Pavilion? It was inspired by architecture from India and China. This unique structure looks like it doesn’t belong here, but in Brighton, everything goes.
That’s all great, but how do I get there?
- Take the train – it takes just over an hour.
- The National Express coach normally takes an hour and a half. Prices start at £5.
- You can drive there in an hour and a half.
3. Canterbury
Similar to Winchester, Canterbury is a Harry Potter-esque town which is packed with history and pubs. It’s home to several large universities, so it feels young and lively.
Spend a weekend here and see if you can write some Canterbury Tales of your own.
History
Canterbury is SO important in terms of English history. The Archbishop lives here, and the Cathedral is one of the most famous in the world.
Do a river tour on the River Stour to learn all about the city.
Shopping
This city is filled with all kinds of shops. There are too many to list here, but walk around the centre and find chain stores, vintage shops and little markets.
Pubs and restaurants
Canterbury has one of the highest concentrations of pubs in England. The best pubs and bars include The Parrot, The Canterbury Tales, and Bramley’s.If you’re hungry, go to Café des Amis, or The Goods Shed (one of my favourite places).
That’s all great, but how do I get there?
- Trains leave more than once an hour, and take less than an hour.
- Get a National Express Coach. The journey is 1 hour and 40 minutes.
- Drive or use BlaBlaCar – it’ll take an hour and a half.
4. Whitstable & Margate
Good news, you can live in London, and still go to the beach. Whitstable and Margate are two popular day trips from London.
Whitstable is a postcard-worthy seaside town that’s not far from London.
Margate is equally picture perfect. Go to Dreamland – a renovated theme park/entertainment venue that is both vintage and nostalgic. It’s becoming one of the coolest venues for music. Go to the Demon Daze festival, to see Gorillaz perform for the first time in five years.
That’s all great, but how do I get there?
- Both are very close to Canterbury – you can even cycle to Whitstable from there. Why not make a weekend out of it?
5. Paris
We’re not joking. Paris is a day trip from London. But it’s in France? So what.
Thanks to the Eurostar, you can get to Paris in just 2 hours. From one capital city to another, just like that.
Yes, you can go there and back in one day. But, it’s much better to make a weekend of it. Book in advance and be aware that you might spend a bit of money.
That’s all great, but how do I get there?
- Get the Eurostar from London St Pancras. It takes just over 2 hours and prices vary.