5 Day Trips from London That you Can Take If You Are Short on Time

The great thing about the UK as a whole is that it is very easy to get from place to place, and you can either hire a car and drive, walk the shorter distances, jump on a train, or book a long distance coach journey, usually through companies like Mega Bus or National Express.

If you’re basing yourself in London and you fancy a day away from the hustle and bustle of the capital then you’re lucky that there are several places nearby which only require a short bit of travel, and are fantastic destinations in their own right.

Travelling further afield will give you more in terms of what you see, as the scenery and experiences the further north you travel are totally different to what you will experience down south. For example, heading north to Derbyshire will show you the beauty of the Peak District, with quaint countryside towns such as Matlock and Bakewell to experience. Alternatively, you could head even further north to North Yorkshire and visit the famous moors and jump on the steam train that runs through them, or over the Pennines to Lancashire, before heading down and into Wales to explore there. North of everything you of course have Scotland and those beautiful, mysterious lochs and mountains.

Basically the UK is huge, and there is a lot to see.

But if you only have a short space of time to see a little outside of London however, there are also one day trips you can take from London. Check out our Singapore Food Blog & Travel Blog‘s day trip excursion ideas for size:

Thorpe Park – 1hr drive from London

If you want a day screaming your head off with rides and entertainment at your fingertips then this major named theme park is for you. Located near Staines, Surrey, you’ll find hotels nearby if you fancy staying over for the night, to help you recover from screaming your lungs out on such rides as Nemesis Inferno for example.

The key attraction of Thorpe Park has to be the “Stealth” ride (featured above), which is one of Europe’s fastest coasters that can launch you from 0~130kmph, vertically upwards to a height of 60ms under 2 secs.

Warner Brothers Studio Tour (The Making of Harry Potter) – 1hr drive from London

Any potter heads and fans of the films should definitely be heading here! After they were done filming the Harry Potter series, the producers were left with a whole bunch of movie artifacts and treasures that they decided to put it all together under one roof at the Warner Brothers studio tour.

Make sure you book your tickets in advance as they are not sold at the studios themselves. You will find the original Hogwarts Express on platform 9 3/4 , along with all the fun of the films and a bit of insider knowledge too. If you haven’t yet been to a Harry Potter theme park, you would also be able to try the famed butter beer right here!

Brighton – 1.5hr drive from London

If you’ve never experienced all the fun of the British seaside then a visit to Brighton is a definite. Check out the pier, the beach, fish and chips, amusements, and hopefully catch yourself a tan if the weather is good enough! If you’ve been to the Brighton beach houses in Melbourne, you would probably be able to spot the similarities.

Southend on Sea – 1.5hr drive from London

This is a real Londoners’ day out, and this is pretty much where all the locals go to head way from the city for a spot of coastal fun! Jellied eels, proper cockney rhyming slang will be all around you, and again, seaside vibes to enjoy.

Oxford – 1.5hr drive from London

You’re not swapping one city for anther here, as Oxford is a totally different kettle of fish to London. This charming university town is fantastic for a breath of fresh air, cycling through the gorgeous scenery, with the comfort blanket of all the perks of a city to hand too. The other perk is that it is only an hour and a half’s drive away from London.

London itself might be jam packed with things to see and do, but getting out of the city can also fill your mind with wonder and excitement.