Day Trips from London

When you need a break from the sensory overload of London, Box Hill in Surrey is a great family-friendly place to visit for fresh air, walking, hiking, and wildlife viewing. You can get active along one of several walks, which vary from a gentle stroll suitable for young children to a fairly strenuous 8-mile hike through the beautiful Surrey countryside.

You can visit the remains of the Old Fort, which is one of 13 defensive forts built along the North Downs in the 1890s to defend London. Families can borrow a kite or tracker pack at the Shepherd's Hut and practice balancing skills on the Natural Play Trail and the Stepping Stones Walk. When you have worked up an appetite, you can visit the café for home-made cakes, sandwiches, and light meals.

Situated less than an hour from London and easily accessible by car or train, Cambridge is home to one of the world's oldest universities and is filled to the brim with memorable attractions. At Cambridge University you can take a guided tour of the King's College Chapel and the Fitzwilliam Museum (art and antiquities), before strolling through the Cambridge University Botanic Garden.

There are several other impressive colleges and churches you can visit on a guided walking tour, including Christ's College, Clare College, and Great Saint Mary's Church. The town is filled with other interesting museums – you would need several days to do them all justice. When you need a break from historic attractions, you can go punting on the River Cam.

Bristol is located on the southwest coast of England and can boast an illustrious maritime history. Today, the city is an important cultural center and the former port has been converted into the Harbourside development, where you can visit lively markets, bars, and restaurants and also access a wide range of water sports.

Bristol is best explored on foot and you can join a guided walking tour at the tourist information center on the Harbourside. The famous street artist Banksy grew up in Bristol and fans should not miss the Banksy Walking Tour. Other must-see attractions for art lovers include the Arnolfini, which is a contemporary art gallery, and the Royal West of England Academy. There are plenty of historic attractions to please architecture and history enthusiasts, such as the Architecture Center and Charles Wesley's House.

Setting off to explore the Egham and Runnymede Countryside Circular Walk is a great way to get some fresh air and exercise and see some interesting historic sites at the same time.

The circular trail winds along the banks of the Thames River around the Runnymede Nature Reserve, through ancient woodlands and wildflower meadows filled with rare plant species. You can expect to take about two hours to walk the full trail, which is just under 4 miles long. Along the way you can visit the famous Magna Carta Memorial, where the famous charter was sealed back in 1215, and the John F. Kennedy Memorial, which is situated on an acre of land donated to the USA by England.

Besides being a colorful beach destination for over 100 years, Brighton is also considered to be one of the most cultural cities in Europe. If you are visiting in summer, you can spend some time on the pebbled beach, but even if the notorious British weather is less than perfect you will find plenty of attractions to keep you busy.

You can listen to top bands play at the Brighton Centre, see a West End show at the Theatre Royal, or visit Brighton Dome for music, opera, and ballet. History buffs can visit the Royal Pavilion Palace and Museum and the Edwardian-style Preston Manor. In addition, you can tour several other interesting museums, enjoy great shopping, and take the children to SEA LIFE Brighton.

Strawberry Hill House is internationally renowned as Britain's finest building in the Georgian Gothic Revival style and is a must-see for history and architecture enthusiasts. The house and garden were built by Horace Walpole in the 18th century, when it afforded sweeping views over meadows and woodlands to the Thames River.

You can explore the sumptuous interior on a self-guided tour from around March to October while guided tours are offered on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Highlights of your tour will include the Hall and Staircase, the Great Parlour, the Gallery, and the Round Room. The gardens, which are currently being restored to their original glory, are open all year round and are a great location for a peaceful walk. Come by train or underground from London – there is very limited parking.

Folkestone and its neighboring villages and countryside are the perfect antidote to the hustle and bustle of London, offering a great combination of arty, outdoor, historic, and culinary attractions for day trippers. You can start your visit by exploring Folkestone's unique cobbled Creative Quarter, which is home to over 100 artists' galleries, studios, and eateries.

To catch a glimpse of France you can take a walk along The Leas, a mile-long clifftop promenade, and then take a ride to the Lower Leas Coastal Park to enjoy the beach, amphitheatre, and children's fun zone. History buffs can visit the Kent Battle of Britain Museum and the skull-packed ossuary in the 10th century St. Leonard's Church in nearby Hythe. The area abounds with great restaurants serving up fresh seafood – be sure to try the local Dungeness crab.

If you have ever had the urge to lose yourself in a sea of fragrant purple lavender, you can live out your dream at the Mayfield Lavender Fields in Surrey, just 75 minutes from central London.

This 25-acre certified organic lavender farm is visually stunning in July and August when the flowering plants provide the most amazing backdrop for photographers and the scent of the lavender is at its best. Besides indulging your senses in the fields, you can also visit the shop, which stocks a wide variety of lavender-based products and preserves from the 450-tree apple, pear, and plum orchards. The Lavender Fields are open from June to September.

In just 20 minutes (by train – about an hour by road) you can find yourself in the 2,000-year-old cathedral city of St. Albans, where you can spend an interesting day admiring beautiful medieval architecture and Roman ruins.

You can't miss the impressive St. Albans Cathedral – it is visible from just about any vantage point in town. Come and admire the eclectic architecture and the shrine of St. Alban – Britain's first saint. At the site of the Roman town of Verulamium you can visit the excellent Verulamium Museum, the Roman Theatre of Verulamium, and the remains of Roman shops and residences as well as see the unique Hypocaust, a Roman mosaic. Other top-notch attractions include 21 historic properties on the Wheathampstead Heritage Trail, the de Havilland Aircraft Museum, and the Willows Activity Farm, a firm favorite for families.

The Cotswolds cover over 800 square miles comprising ancient market towns, quaint and charming stone villages, palaces, castles, country houses, and stunning formal gardens – quintessential England in a nutshell. There is certainly too much to see on a single day trip and you should definitely plan to stay in the region for a few days to get the most out of your visit.

The picture-perfect stone villages of Bourton-on-the-Water, Bibury, Upper Slaughter, Lower Slaughter, and many more will vie for your attention, while art lovers should definitely include Cirencester and Chipping-Camden on their list of must-see towns. Blenheim Palace is undoubtedly a must for everyone, while Sudeley Castle, the Pittville Pump Room, and Berkeley Castle will all appeal to lovers of history and architecture.