{"id":512217,"date":"2025-10-19T15:32:45","date_gmt":"2025-10-19T15:32:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/512217\/"},"modified":"2025-10-19T15:32:45","modified_gmt":"2025-10-19T15:32:45","slug":"the-best-day-trips-from-london-for-2026-named-by-experts-full-list","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/512217\/","title":{"rendered":"The best day trips from London for 2026 named by experts – full list"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are plenty of lovely day trips within a couple of hours of the capital\"OnThere are plenty of lovely day trips within a couple of hours of the capital(Image: Getty Images)<\/p>\n

London is a beautiful city with lots to keep us entertained, but every now and then, an escape from the capital offers a breathe of fresh air. With winter approaching, there are plenty of lovely day trips<\/a> within a couple of hours<\/a> of the capital for a wander and explore.<\/p>\n

Cond\u00e9 Nast Traveller<\/a> has put together a list of 25 of the best places to visit from London. These locations stretch from Kent to Oxfordshire, Surrey to Sussex – all reachable by train in under two hours.<\/p>\n

There are costal getaways, such as Margrate and Brighton, if you fancy a walk on the beach or dip in the sea. If you would rather get a taste of countryside living, there are the rolling hills of Surrey or the historic town of Canterbury.<\/p>\n

Plenty of bustling cities are also close enough for a day trip from London. The picturesque and arty city of Bristol has plenty of spots to explore, while Bath is renowned for its spa hotels.<\/p>\n

Top 25 day trips from London 20261. Margate, Kent\"ViewMargate is a thriving seaside town in Kent(Image: Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Margate is a thriving seaside town in Kent which is perfect for foodies. It is full of places to get a bit to eat, such as Peter’s Fish Factory or Williams Ice Cream Bar, says Cond\u00e9 Nast Traveller.<\/p>\n

This Kent town is famous for its colourful beach huts which sit on its shore. Just behind site Dreamland, a funfair for children to enjoy – making Margate a perfect day out for the family.<\/p>\n

You can catch a train from London St Pancras to Margate that takes around an hour-and-a-half.<\/p>\n

2. Windsor, Berkshire\"WindsorThis Berkshire town is home to lovely markets(Image: Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Home to Windsor Castle, this Berkshire town is home to lovely markets where you can pick up fresh fruit and vegetables, alongside other artisan goods.<\/p>\n

There’s plenty to do beyond the castle – why not visit one the Windsor and Eton Brewery or visit the Windsor Great Park for an autumnal walk?<\/p>\n

You can catch a train from London Waterloo to Windsor in 55 minutes.<\/p>\n

3. Southend-on-Sea, Essex\"Southend\"Southend is a quick trip from London(Image: Scott Baldock\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

This costal town in Essex is a perfect place to go if you want to dip in the sea. In the colder months, its shore makes the perfect place for a brisk walk.<\/p>\n

There are plenty of other things to do, such as exploring Southend-on-Sea’s local parks or its theme park Adventure Island.<\/p>\n

You can catch a train from London Fenchurch street to Southend-on-sea in around an hour.<\/p>\n

4. Canterbury, Kent\"PuntsCanterbury is a historic town which is the famous location of Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales(Image: Getty )<\/p>\n

Canterbury is a historic town which is the famous location of Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales. Its stunning cathedral is a must-do for anyone heading to the area for a day trip.<\/p>\n

This town is the perfect place to soak in traditional English pubs and history. It also has great cultural scene with theatres, art galleries and museums.<\/p>\n

You can reach Canterbury from London St Pancras in one hour.<\/p>\n

5. Whitstable, Kent\"WhitstableWhitstable is the perfect place to enjoy oysters on the beach(Image: Lynda Morris photography\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Whitstable is the perfect place to enjoy oysters on the beach, says Cond\u00e9 Nast Traveller. Both The Lobster Shack and Wheelers Oyster Bar serve up great seafood near Whitstable’s coastline.<\/p>\n

After eating your fill, head for a walk around the harbourside or along Whitstable beachfront.<\/p>\n

You can get to Whitstable from London St Pancras International in around 40 minutes.<\/p>\n

6. Rochester, Kent<\/strong>7. Broadstairs, Kent<\/strong>8. Elmley Nature Reserve, Kent<\/strong>9. Bath, Somerset<\/strong>10. The New Forest, Hampshire<\/strong>11. Hertford, Hertfordshire<\/strong>12. Deal, Kent<\/strong>13. Rye, East Sussex<\/strong>14. Eastbourne, East Sussex<\/strong>15. Brighton, East Sussex<\/strong>16. Lewes, Sussex<\/strong>17. Folkestone, Kent<\/strong>18. Oxford, Oxfordshire<\/strong>19. Cambridge, Cambridgeshire<\/strong>20. Ashdown Forest, East Sussex<\/strong>21. Dungeness, Kent<\/strong>22. Surrey<\/strong>23. Hastings and St Leonards<\/strong>24. Stratford-upon-Avon<\/strong>25. Clifton, Bristol<\/strong><\/p>\n

Got a story? Please get in touch at katherine.gray@reachplc.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Looking for more from MyLondon? Subscribe to our daily newsletters here<\/a> for the latest and greatest updates from across London.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"There are plenty of lovely day trips within a couple of hours of the capitalThere are plenty of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":512218,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5018,3,4],"tags":[748,12232,393,4884,1144,712,6417,183,16,15,1764],"class_list":{"0":"post-512217","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-britain","8":"category-uk","9":"category-united-kingdom","10":"tag-britain","11":"tag-days-out","12":"tag-england","13":"tag-great-britain","14":"tag-northern-ireland","15":"tag-scotland","16":"tag-things-to-do","17":"tag-travel","18":"tag-uk","19":"tag-united-kingdom","20":"tag-wales"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115401568460630007","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/512217","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=512217"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/512217\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/512218"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=512217"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=512217"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=512217"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}