After a short bout of rain and thunderstorms, Londoners have been\u00a0promised that the sun is on its way back to the capital.\u00a0We\u2019re well into summer now, so there\u2019s every chance that you\u2019ve now\u00a0exhausted all there is to do in the city on a scorching hot day. The solution? Get out and go on a day trip.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s loads of wonderful places that are within easy reach of London \u2013 our expertly day trips curated list<\/a>\u00a0is packed with historic cities, cosy pastoral towns and charming villages perfect for whatever kind of\u00a0excursion you fancy. If it\u2019s a seaside trip you\u2019re after, we\u2019ve got just the place.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Time Out\u00a0named Whitstable our favourite day trip from London<\/a> for summer 2025, but coming in close second was St Leonards-on-Sea<\/strong>. The smaller\u00a0sister town\u00a0to Hastings, St Leonards is a must-go destination all on its own. It was supposedly Queen Victoria\u2019s favourite coastal resort back in\u00a0the 1800s and these days boasts a\u00a0fab array of galleries, indie coffee shops, art deco architecture and antique treasure troves.\u00a0<\/p>\n Londoners\u00a0can get\u00a0to the town via an easy one hour and 18 minute train journey from Charing Cross, so there\u2019s really no excuse not to go and see it for yourself.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ella Doyle, Time Out\u2019s guides editor, said that St Leonards is a particularly\u00a0delightful\u00a0spot for foodies. She wrote: \u2018There\u2019s a reason so many Londoners moved to St Leonards-On-Sea during lockdown \u2013 it\u2019s a cracking day out from the Big Smoke for beachside drinks and a tonne of great food spots.<\/p>\n \u2018Head to food market\u00a0Heist<\/a>\u00a0(basically a much nicer version of Boxpark) for orange wine and street food, then sink pints at\u00a0Goat Ledge<\/a>, a vibey, colourful shack right on the beach. If you fancy splashing out a little, book dinner at the fabulously old-school\u00a0St Clement\u2019s<\/a>\u00a0for white tablecloths and delicious seafood.\u2019<\/p>\n There\u2019s plenty more to do besides wining and dining, though.For a\u00a0bountiful\u00a0cave of vintage treasures, stop by Teddy Tinkers and\u00a0for a good dose of art, we recommend walking along the seafront to Hastings Contemporary. There you\u2019ll find\u00a0rolling exhibitions from some of the world’s leading contemporary artists, including the likes of Jake and Dinos Chapman and Sarah Lucas.<\/p>\n Find our full list of recommendations for Hastings and St Leonards here<\/a>.<\/p>\n See the rest of Time Out\u2019s best day trips from\u00a0the\u00a0London<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke \u2013 from news and reviews to events and trends. Just\u00a0<\/strong>follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n