London has historic sites, culture, culinary experiences, art, shopping, and you could spend years exploring England’s capital city without seeing it all. While London has a lot to offer, the rest of the country is packed with exciting things to do as well.

Related to London Travel:

Find the best flights, train tickets, or rent a car for your trip to London. Also, find the list of the best hotels in London to stay in and find top attractions and things to do in London in addition to what already mentioned above here.

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If you’re spending time in London but are looking for a change of pace you have several options for day trips you can easily take.

Here are five of the many day trips from London you will love:

The Cotswolds

For a completely different setting, head to the Cotswolds. This picturesque region is located just two hours east of London and is the place to go if you want to see historic towns and stone-built villages. The Cotswolds were officially designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1966, which is a designation given to regions to conserve them. The region is the third-largest expanse of protected land in England which has allowed it to preserve its storybook charm and picturesque nature. This is the place to go if you’re looking for an escape from the hustle and bustle of London.

While you could likely spend a day just looking around at the beautiful scenery and architecture, there are also some more active things you can do. Walk through the gardens, pick fruit, and shop at the various plant and organic stores throughout the area. For a unique historic and cultural feature, visit St Edward’s Church, Stow-on-the-Wold, and see its north door which is framed by yew trees which is rumored to have inspired Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkein.

Cambridge

If you’ve heard of Cambridge, it’s likely due to the college that was founded there in 1284 that has famous alumni including Charles Darwin, Stephen Fry, John Milton, and Vladimir Nabokov. Or maybe you associate it with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge: Prince William and Kate Middleton. Either way, this incredible university city is full of things to do.

Stroll down Mill Road, which is a beautiful street where you can grab a bite to eat at some of the cafes and browse the selection of shops. The Cambridge University Botanic Garden has a variety of greenery and is a can’t-miss destination if you’re a fan of plants. The famous King’s College Chapel is considered one of the best examples of Perpendicular Gothic English architecture. If you visit during the summer months, take a ride on a boat in the River Cam.

Find more things you can do in Cambridge here.

Bath

It seems like a trick question, but no, Bath really is known for its hot spring baths that were supposedly first discovered as early as 50 A.D. Romans built many elaborate saunas and bathhouses throughout the city and you can see these ruins if you visit today as they’re remarkably well preserved. You can visit them and learn about the culture of the time, but you cannot touch the water in the historic baths. That said, there are many opportunities to experience the natural waters of the hot spring for yourself to this day, although you’ll be bathing in modern facilities with amenities for the current times.

Apart from the baths, you can visit some incredible museums and see fine examples of Georgian architecture like the Palladian style Pulteney Bridge that crosses the River Avon. There are multiple art and history museums to visit when you’re there. The Jane Austen Center is one unique example that offers wax statues and educational materials chronicling the famed author’s life and career. You can also explore other facets of Bath such as the antique shops, restaurants, other stores, and more.

Find more things to do in Bath here.

Rye

For a more unique destination that you may not have heard of but has all the storybook charm you could hope for, head towards Rye which is located on the southern coast of England. This absolutely beautiful seaside city is full of quirky shops and restaurants, historic sites, and picture-perfect scenery. You could simply spend the day strolling the quaint streets and admiring the cottage architecture and historic storefronts. There are also many classic pubs dotting the street that you can step into for a drink or a bite to eat.

It’s also not a hugely popular tourist destination, so it’s a great place to visit if you want a more authentic experience. Most of the people here are locals, and it’s not even a common day trip destination so the city is largely undisturbed and maintains its own culture. The brick structures and cobblestone streets are sure to make for a memorable trip.

Brighton

Brighton is also a seaside town that’s south of London, but the city welcomes far more visitors and has more modern amenities than Rye. It’s an hour away from London by train, but you could rent a car and drive here as well. Brighton has a vibrant and quirky culture which makes it a popular place to visit, and it’s also known for its thriving LGBTQ+ population.

One of the most famous attractions in Brighton is the Brighton Palace Pier. This historic pleasure pier first opened in 1899 and has featured different attractions over the years. Today you can go to Brighton Palace Pier to experience amusement park rides such as roller coasters, sideshows, food, shops, and more. If you’re familiar with Coney Island in New York City, it’s a similar concept to that seaside attraction, but of course, Brighton Palace Pier has its own charm.

You could easily spend several days in Brighton. The Pier is a fun way to spend a day, but you can also browse unique antique shops, spend time in a historic cafe or pub, or explore the many museums and prominent examples of architecture present throughout the city.

Find more things to do in Brighton here.

While London is a fantastic destination, there’s far more to England than just what the capital city can offer. While there are many places you can explore throughout the country, these day trips from London are a great place to start!

Other Day Trips from London

Here are some other amazing day trips from London you might like.

Video Guide: 5 Amazing Day Trips You Can Do from London

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Travel Resources for Planning a Trip to London and Day Trips from London

To make planning your trip to London and day trips from London easier, we included some of our recommended travel resources below. You can search and find the best flights, transportation options, hotels to stay in, tours/activities, and things you can do in each destination during your trip.

Flights: 

Agoda: Search thousands of destinations around the world & quickly compare prices to find amazing deals on the best flights.

CheapOAir: You can find airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, and vacation packages all on one site!

Kiwi.com: What we like about Kiwi is the fact that they are able to create combinations of flight, train, and bus tickets and offer them in a single itinerary. Also, Kiwi has what they called “Nomad” which helps you find the best way of visiting multiple destinations, saving you time and money.

JetRadar: You can search and compare airfares from 726 airlines and dozens of travel agencies and systems.

Hotels: 

Agoda: Agoda is one of the world’s largest online travel accommodation platforms with a network of over 2,000,000 vacation rentals and hotels worldwide.

Hotellook: They have more than 250,000 hotels in 205 countries, working with data from more than 10 online booking systems, such as Booking.com, Agoda.com, Hotels.com, Expedia, and others.

Transportations: 

Airport Transfers: KiwiTaxi, Viator

Train: Trainline or RailEurope 

Bus: Flixbus: Very affordable (as low as $6) and convenient way to transfer between cities in Europe.

Car Rentals: AutoEurope, EconomyBookings, or  GetTransfer (transfers & car rentals with a personal driver)

Bike Rental: BikesBooking (Bikes & scooter rentals) 

Transportation Comparison: Omio (search, compare, and book tickets for buses, trains, and flights all in one site)

Tours & Activities:

TakeWalks (WalkofItaly): This is our favorite site for walking tours & day trips.

Tiqets: Great site for entrance tickets. It offers directly bookable, instantly available, and completely mobile tickets for museums, shows, and attractions all over the world.

Musement: They have good activities and tours in Italy and Spain, also many great day trips you can choose from.

GetYourGuide: A large number of tours, excursions, and other travel activities

Viator: The largest one. It has everything from tours, attractions, shore excursions, and private guides in over 2,700 destinations worldwide. It also has many transportations and transfers options and some unique experiences we didn’t find anywhere else.

Need help planning a trip to London?

Want to plan a trip to London and other European destinations but don’t know where to begin? If you find this type of trip planning to be too complicated to plan on your own, we’re here to help!

At MultiCityTrips, multi-destination travel and complicated itineraries such as a trip to London with day trips outside London are our specialties. Contact us today to learn more about how one of our experienced travel experts/destination specialists can personalize your multi-city vacations at the best price.

Don’t want to start from scratch and need some trip inspiration? Check out our marketplace for customizable pre-designed packages available right now for many amazing destinations.

To learn more about how our process of trip planning works in detail, please see our “How It Works” page or check out our video on “How to Plan a Multi-City Trip to Europe in  5 Easy Steps”  here.

Have questions for us? Schedule a FREE Call with us here or contact one of the travel experts/destination specialists at [email protected], call/text us at (888)223-2316 today.

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