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20+ Ideas For Family Day Trips From London

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Sometimes you want (need!) to escape the city so we’ve put together a guide to the best places to go on day trips from London.

Once in a while, you need to escape from the capital with your brood, just for the day and head to the countryside or just to a smaller city.

There is an amazing number of enjoyable family day trips from London.

Accessible by train, coach or car you could be on the beach, touring a castle, or checking out historic sights before you know it.

Discover the best day trips from London and immerse yourself in the rich history and stunning landscapes.

Explore the picturesque city of Bath, visit the iconic Stonehenge, or experience the magical Warner Bros. Studio Tour.

With easy accessibility and a range of options, these day trips are perfect for those seeking unforgettable adventures.

Check out these family day out ideas for fun day trips from London:

day trips london

Oxford

Great Western Railway gets you from London Paddington to Oxford in just one hour.

Once there you can visit the world-famous university which began as a seat of learning way back in the 11th century.

visit Oxford on a day trip from London
(c) The Story Museum

Little ones will love The Story Museum, in the city centre, where kids can hear stories, participate in dress-up sessions and grab a snack at the cafe.

Harry Potter fans will happily tour the city to check out some of the locations where the movies were filmed and see some of the historic interiors that stood in for Hogwarts.

Oxford is a good start for what can turn into one of many day trips by train from London.

Cambridge

England’s other top university city makes a great day trip from Central London by train.

In just one hour and ten minutes, you can travel from London Liverpool Street to Cambridge with Greater Anglia and check out the botanical gardens at the university.

You can also picnic at the Midsummer Commons and watch the houseboats on the river.

day trip to Cambridge
(c) Ian Lewis, Visit Britain

Visit the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences to see dinosaur skeletons, fossils and a large collection of minerals and rocks.

Before heading home stop for something to eat at the Full Moon restaurant.

It has a children’s play area complete with a train table, pretend kitchen and chalkboard to keep little ones entertained while the adults eat.

Center Parcs Day Pass

if you have family or friends staying at Center Parcs, ask them to book you a day pass.

center parcs day pass

You’ll get to enjoy all the events and activities available at their park and the pass lasts from 10 am until midnight.

New Forest

It’ll take a couple of hours but it’s worth it, the New Forest is stunning.

the new forest

There’s glades, ancient woodland, open moors, heathland and clifftop walks to enjoy on foot, by bike or even on horseback.

You can sleep over (camping, glamping, hotels, B&Bs and caravan parks) if you’re too tired to travel back home.

Southend-on-Sea

Southend-on-Sea features beaches, a water play area, Adventure Island amusement park, arcades and all the charm of the great British seaside, making it one of the best day trips from London.

Adventure Island Southend

Take the train the length of the pier, the longest pleasure pier in the world, and visit the Lifeboat museum or pop into the cafe.

You’ll also find shops and stands along the promenade selling buckets and spades, hot freshly made doughnuts, and even retro naughty postcards.

You can get to Southend in just over an hour on the train from London Liverpool Street, or in just under an hour by car down the A13 and A127.

Southend Pier

Cycle from Hackney to Epping Forest

Leave the car at home for this one and peddle your way from London’s East End into Greater London and onto the Essex countryside.

You’ll start at Hackney’s Victoria Park and end up in the green woodland of Epping Forest.

Along this circular route through the capital, you’ll encounter landmarks such as Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and travel along the River Lea.

QueenElizabethOlympicParkPlaygrounds

Following the River Lea from east London gives you the chance to escape the crowds and see another side of the capital.

This river runs directly through Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (a complex built for the 2012 Summer Olympics).

Hop off your bikes and enjoy a well-earned break beside the impressive velodrome or relax with a picnic in the parkland.

Once you reach Epping Forest’s lush woodland, refuel at one of the many nearby cafés or enjoy a traditional afternoon tea, before venturing to the historic Queen Elizabeth Hunting Lodge.

Bath

Looking for day trips from London with a toddler?

Children and adults alike will enjoy descending into Bath’s historic Roman baths and learning all about Aquae Sulis.

Ride the hop on hop off sightseeing bus which takes you around the city showing you Royal Crescent and the circus of Georgian homes, The Jane Austen Centre, The Abbey and more.

bath

Pop into Sally Lunn’s home and taste the traditional buns made here since 1680, spread with homemade lemon curd or cinnamon butter they make the perfect sweet treat to end your day trip.

A jaunt to Bath is one of the best day trips from London by train, taking just 90 minutes.

Brighton

To feel a million miles away from smoggy old London head to the south coast and enjoy a day out in Brighton.

You could easily spend the entire day at the beach and enjoy fish and chips or ice cream.

Make sure you also check out the pier which has a variety of rides and arcade games to explore.

brighton

But if you fancy seeing what else the city has to offer you could happily wander around the lanes, looking in quaint shops and stopping for a drink at any of the restaurants or pubs.

Visit the iconic Royal Pavilion where guided tours especially for kids are available.

You can get to Brighton from London Victoria on the train in just 52 minutes.

Colchester

You can reach London’s oldest recorded town in less than an hour from London Liverpool Street, once here be sure to visit the city’s famous zoo, home to orangutans, Komodo dragons and more.

There is also a castle in Colchester, beaches, hobby farms and wildlife trails.

Colchester

Download the clues and see if your family can solve the Colchester Mystery Treasure Trail.

You’ll be led all over town including the chance to see a Norman castle on the way, this affordable self-guided walking tour makes Colchester one of the most accessible day tours out of London.

Margate

Ride the UK’s oldest operating roller coaster at this seaside holiday hotspot featuring a really lovely sandy beach and all the excitement of the Dreamland amusement park.

On cold days or just for the novelty take the kids underground to see The Shell Grotto, where they’ll find winding passageways decorated with 4.6 million shells, the origins of which remain a mystery.

Margate

This attraction especially is a super choice for day trips from London when it’s raining.

Trains run from Kings Cross to Margate making the journey in under two hours, perfect for a one day trip outside London.

Canterbury

You can be in Canterbury and touring the famous cathedral from London St Pancras in less than an hour.

Older kids and teens may also be interested in discovering more about the literary history of the city whilst learning about Chaucer at The Canterbury Tales Visitor Attraction.

Canterbury

If you take the car from London you’ll travel on the M2 or M20 and it will take you under an hour and a half.

If you do drive consider continuing on about 20 minutes to Reculver Country Park.

Here you’ll find cliff and shoreline home to a variety of wildlife and the remains of a Roman fort, take a picnic and spend the afternoon exploring.

You’ll enjoy an exciting family day out in Canterbury.

Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre

99% of kids are familiar with Roald Dahl (and we feel sorry for the 1% who aren’t) and his namesake museum is a wonderful attraction in the heart of Roald Dahl country.

The museum is in the village of Great Missenden in Buckinghamshire, where Roald Dahl lived for 36 years until his death in 1990.

With three galleries, packed with activities perfect for 6 to 12 year olds and their families, kids will learn about Roald Dahl’s school pranks.

roald dahl

They’ll also get to peek into the author’s original Writing Hut and discover how Roald Dahl’s real-life adventures inspired his stories.

The journey takes 45 minutes from London Marylebone with two trains per hour.

Audley End Miniature Railway, Essex

Audley End has:

  • a miniature steam train
  • diesel train rides through Capability Brown designed woodland
  • an enchanted Fairy and Elf walk
  • storytelling sessions
  • an Elf and Fairy workshop,
  • games and craft area
  • a Signal Box cafe on site.

Audley End makes for a brilliant family day out.

Audley End Miniature Railway, Essex

On Mother’s and Father’s Day weekends, mums and/or Dads go free and there are themed events during the school holidays.

Legoland Windsor

Best suited to kids up to age 10, everything Lego-themed and more is here.

If you can go during school time (an inset day would be perfect) the queues will be much shorter.

Legoland

Download the map before you go so you know what you want to ride/see.

There’s a Lego hotel close by if you want to make it an overnight trip.

Windsor isn’t just about Lego, there’s plenty to do there that doesn’t involve bricks!

Spa Valley Railway, Kent

Travel through the Kent countryside on a heritage railway line from Tunbridge Wells to Eridge or Groombridge.

Get off at Groombridge and visit the Enchanted Forest with playgrounds and a treetop walk.

Spa Valley Railway, Kent

Peppa Pig sometimes makes an appearance on the train during the summer school holidays.

Blenheim Palace

Kids will enjoy the Butterfly House, home to a range of butterfly species from countries such as Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines.

Blenheim Palace forest school

There’s also muddy play and discovery in the woods of Blenheim Palace where kids can discover a secret world of minibeast safaris, tree climbing, forest craft, den building, and pond dipping.

Get your period drama fix on the popular Lights, Camera, Action! Trail, which goes behind the scenes of some of the most famous blockbusters in cinematic history which have used Blenheim Palace as a location – from Bridgerton’s Queen Charlotte to James Bond, The BFG to Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation.

netflix queen charlotte

Great Yarmouth

If you’re looking for places to visit outside London by car, try Great Yarmouth.

Great Yarmouth is roughly 2 hours 45 minutes away from London (by car) but the longer journey is worth it when you consider there are so many things to do there.

Hemsby Farm attraction, Hirsty’s Family Fun Park, has a Summer Mega Maize Maze.

It was specially grown to ensure the paths are two metres wide and has a one-way system within the trails to ensure visitors remain safe.

Great Yarmouth Hirsty's Family Fun Park Summer Mega Maize Maze

There’s a barrel train, zip wire, hay bale mountain and crazy croquet.

The attraction also has an open-air cinema drive-in.

Visit Great Yarmouth’s famous Pleasure Beach for white knuckle thrills aboard the Lightning 360.

The custom-built ride sits on a tower with eight arms each supporting a two-seater aeroplane themed carriage, that can be controlled by the user and turn 360 degrees.

Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach

The attraction is one of 26 fun-filled rides including the Freefall Tower, classic dodgems, a Haunted House, a monorail and the log flume.

Ride the Big Apple roller coaster or the cup and saucer style ride and the classic “Twister” experience.

The golden sands and usually calm waters at Gorleston-on-Sea make it a great location for Stand Up Paddle Boarding. 

The family-run Boardin Skool offers all manner of board hire (SUPS, surfboards and bodyboards) plus bespoke taster sessions.

The operator also runs Ripperz Club, a sea education club for kids every Saturday during the summer at Gorleston. 

Honest home-cooking, with freshly baked cakes, scones and daily special meals cooked to order is what makes Sara’s Tearooms, on Great Yarmouth’s seafront, an award winner.

great yarmouth

St Albans

It may be a challenge to cover everything in St Albans if you’re only there for a day, but some of our favourites include:

  • The free family activity trail at St Albans Museum + Gallery
  • Tring Natural History Museum
  • Stockwood Discovery Centre
  • The duck pond and splash park at Verulamium Park

Cadbury World, Birmingham

Just over two hours away by train, prepare to embrace a world of all things chocolate!

ride at cadbury world

The park had something of a makeover in February 2024 and we particularly like that the tours are self-guided meaning you can explore as slowly or as quickly as you like.

There’s a 4D cinema, a car ride, an African adventure play area and of course, the chance to make your own chocolate.

chocolate making

Prepare to spend a small fortune in the on-site shop; can you really come all this way and not stock up on a six-month supply of chocolate?!

Bekonscot Model Village

The oldest original model village in the world with gardens, a children’s play area and a ride-on railway.

Fishers Adventure Farm Park

A family-run adventure farm park set in the beautiful West Sussex countryside with its own horse and tractor rides, animal enclosures, adventure playground and cafes.

Fishers Adventure Farm Park

Over the summer holidays, there are ‘Wiggly Weekends’ with entertainment and hands-on encounters with reptiles, bugs and amphibians from around the world.

Alton Towers Resort, Stoke on Trent

Just over three hours away, we suggest you leave home early and arrive at opening time at 10 am so you can go on as many rides as possible.

alton towers

The park is open from March to November and there are a variety of rides from the gentle CBeebies Land for toddlers, right through to terrifying rollercoasters!

Kew Gardens

Kew Gardens is the most biodiverse place on Earth, their wild botanic garden has 500 acres of woodland and is home to the world’s largest seed conservation project.

Every Sunday (from 1 pm to 3 pm) the team at Kew explores big questions about biodiversity and the delicately balanced relationship between people and plants.

Kew Gardens

Inspired by some of the rarest and most threatened plants in the world, these stories will bring to life some of the amazing collections and newly discovered science.

The new Children’s Garden is specially designed for children from 2 to 12 years old.

Based in a natural setting the size of 40 tennis courts, children can explore all the things plants need to grow; earth, air, sun and water.

Kew Gardens

On the last Monday of every month, there are Little Explorers 90-minute learning sessions aimed at children aged 2-5.

Take part in a fun-packed adventure in the Gardens with games, stories, crafts and dressing up.

Kids will find out what makes plants grow, where your food comes from and some of the ways that we use plants in our everyday lives.

Investigate animal habitats, insects, bees and pollination and the changing seasons.

You can’t go all that way and not stop in the glorious Palm House.

Palm house kew gardens - VisitBritain/J Baxter

Paris

If you’re looking for long day trips from London, why not consider a day trip to Paris?

Check out our suggestions of things for kids to do in Paris.

Day trip to Paris

Hampton Court Palace

Less than an hour from London Waterloo, Hampton Court Palace was the official home of King Henry 8.

The on-site Magic Garden at Hampton Court provides a new and unique way to explore the palace’s past.

Meet mysterious beasts, storm the battlements and discover the secret grotto.

Hampton Court Palace

Looking for something a little different on a family day out?

How about a day spent underground?

Days Out Underground is a new book packed full of ideas for fun days out with a quirky twist.

From caves to nuclear bunkers, abandoned mines to secret railways, labyrinthine tunnels to ancient crypts – each place is ideal for exploring regardless of the weather (and who doesn’t love a weatherproof day out?).

Tunnelling underground on a day trip

There are 50 places to visit and the section on the South East has loads of suggestions for exploring the secret world beneath our feet, each suited to young kids and teenagers, and all within a stone’s throw of London.

Try:

  • Grime’s Graves
  • Kelvedon Hatch Secret Nuclear Bunker
  • Ramsgate Tunnels
  • Brighton Sewers

Buy a copy of Days Out Underground here to find the other 46 places you can visit underground.

Bristol

Bristol is only two hours away by train and perfectly marries the city with the countryside.

You can search for Banksy on the walls or sharks under the water at Bristol Aquarium.

BristolAquarium
(c) Bristol Aquarium

Climb the rigging on Brunel’s SS Great Britain, travel through space in the Planetarium at We The Curious or pilot Concorde at Aerospace Bristol.

There’s also Bristol Zoo Gardens, the Wild Place Project and dinosaurs at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery.

If you want to spend time in the great outdoors, try nearby:

  • Longleat
  • Cheddar Gorge
  • Tyntesfield NT
  • Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm
  • Puxton Park
  • Wookey Hole.

Bear Grylls Adventure, Birmingham

A nippy one hour and 15 minutes from central London, Bear Grylls Adventure is perfect for kids who like (or need a little push to) stay active.

There are 11 experiences available including indoor climbing walls, an archery range, the iFLY wind tunnel and escape rooms.

beargryllsadventure

The best castles to visit on day trips from London

Highclere Castle

Highclere Castle

Most famous for all things Downton Abbey, it’s important to check before going as the castle is still a residence so isn’t open every day.

Pushchairs are not allowed in the castle so if your babe is still in your arms, bring a sling.

Windsor Castle (under an hour by train)

Windsor Castle

The oldest and largest occupied castle in the entire world, the official residence of the Queen and where Harry and Megan got married, young visitors can take part in workshops or listen to child-friendly stories.

Kids will also enjoy the pomp of watching the changing of the guard.

Just 40 minutes by car on the M4, this is a quick trip to take when time is tight.

Hever Castle (one hour by train)

Hever Castle

Kids will love the three mazes plus on site archery lessons, shield painting and jousting.

Leeds Castle (2 hours by train)

Leeds Castle

A brilliant maze with a grotto at the end. Plus, an episode of Dr Who was filmed here.

They’ve recently added rooms for guests to stay within the walls of the castle itself for the first time ever.

Warwick Castle (1.5 hours by train)

Warwick Castle

There’s an official Horrible Histories maze, live-action daily shows and a dungeon.

As the site is run by Merlin, it’s perfect for children and teens.

Plus, you can sleep over in one of the Medieval Glamping Tents.

Arundel Castle (2 hours by train)

Arundel Castle

Their Family History Days give you the opportunity to meet a variety of historical characters – a Knight, Pirate and Medieval Surgeon.

You can have fun with a range of have-a-go activities, including archery (over 8s only), falconry, face painting and storytelling.

Dover Castle (2.5 hours by train)

Dover Castle

Run by English Heritage, kids can step inside the Great Tower, sit on the royal throne and learn about life in a medieval castle through interactive exhibits and games.

They’ll enjoy exploring the secret wartime tunnels of the Second World War, deep underground in the white cliffs on a Dover family day out.

It’s easy to get to from the south if you’re looking for places to visit outside London by car.

For more ideas on day trips from London, see:

Some of our other favourite family day trips from London by train include:

Have fun discovering the best days out from London.

Immerse yourself in history at the stunning Windsor Castle or explore the picturesque Cotswolds with its charming villages.

Potterheads can spend the day at the Harry Potter Studio Tour.

Harry Potter Studio Tour

For thrill-seekers, why not head to a theme park?

Most kids like Thorpe Park and Alton Towers.

Or have a relaxing retreat in beautiful Brighton. There’s something to suit every taste just a short trip from the bustling capital.

What is your favourite day trip from London with kids?

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