Perfect day trips from London | United Kingdom

When visiting London, you may find the hustle and bustle overwhelming. If you are visiting the city for a prolonged period of time, or if it is not your first visit, there are plenty of places to explore within greater London and beyond. When you can get from London to Paris in just over 30 minutes, it is more than possible to get from your London apartment to most places in under an hour and a half! If you book early enough and plan in advance, the cost of train tickets can also be kept pretty low.

Bluewater shopping centre by Hardo

Hemel Hempstead

Hemel Hempstead is home to the Snow Centre, which brings the outside indoors. To take part in some adrenaline-fueled sports, you can travel from London Euston to Hemel Hempstead train station in just 30 minutes. The centre offers a number of value family packages so this is a great activity for the kids, especially if skiing in the south of France is out of your budget.

Bluewater

Bluewater is a great day out, especially if you want to shop till you drop without the mania of Oxford Street. With 100s of retailers including House of Fraser and John Lewis, you will undoubtedly find whatever your heart desires. Don’t fancy shopping? Throughout Bluewater there are plenty of elegant restaurants, cafes and bars to unwind and relax in. So whether you fancy a three course meal or a burger and a beer Bluewater will have it. If shopping or dining out doesn’t appeal then maybe try to plan your trip around one of Bluewater’s many celebrity appearances or take a trip to the cinema. Or why not make the day of it, and do all four, making the most out of your trip? Best of all, Bluewater is only a 45 minute drive from central London.

Whitstable

Another 45 minutes down the road, you can put your feet in the salty water of the English channel in the cobbled town of Whitstable. Famous for the annual summer oyster festival and its maritime heritage, Whitstable offers a very picturesque harbour and rows of sun-bleached beach huts. The fish and chip shops in the town are a hidden treasure, with many shops having queues of customers winding out the doors. Gaze out across the shingle shore line, eat your paper-wrapped dinner and then enjoy the breeze through your hair.

Henley-on-Thames

A trip to Henley-on-Thames offers the perfect opportunity to indulge in some traditional British cream tea in the heart of Oxfordshire. The winding Thames meanders through the old market town proudly, with old pubs dotted on every corner. Henley is also home to a stunning stone bridge that encapsulates the Thames at its best. With Henley less than an hour away from busy central London, the town offers the perfect day trip for cream teas, scones and long walks. Truly idyllic.

Windsor Castle by gailf548

Windsor Castle

Only 45 minutes from London, you can find one of Britain’s largest tourist attractions, Windsor Castle. Being easily accessible by rail and road, the castle is busy all year round. The Queen’s favourite residence boasts romantic architecture and elegant state rooms and with more than 900 years of history on the site, this gem of English cultural heritage makes for the perfect day trip.

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Category: Cities, Cities