Day trips near Heathrow airport-up to 2 days post RS London tour ?.

Heathrow isn’t really a great place to base yourself for day trips. There won’t be any organised trips available and wherever you want to get to by public transport will be harder from there than from a central London location. For me the only reason to spend a night at Heathrow is if you have an early flight departure.

Windsor is the only major sight close to Heathrow but I think you will see that on your RS tour? Anywhere else is almost certainly easier to access from central London.

You might look at both Oxford and Richmond - both offer more than enough to fill a weekend, and both have relatively easy access to LHR.

I think there are buses that run from Heathrow <-> Oxford that take about 90 minutes.

Bath would be another possibility, or Stonehenge, but both are a bit farther afield.

I think you can perhaps find a reasonably priced hotel that is decent in the vicinity
of Paddington; that would give you access to many trains as well as easy return trip
to LHR for flight home. Depending on where you stay around the airport, it could
take more time than you think to get back to the Central Bus Terminal, and with the
free bus no longer existing, your overall cost advantage is less than you think (Hotel
Hoppa is 12 GBP roundtrip).

Nothing happens on the last day of the tour except you eat breakfast on your schedule. Why not stay the two full extra days in London. Your tour will not cover everything and there is so much to still see.

Alan, with so many things to see and do in London itself, and easy transportation options I agree with others who suggest you rethink your idea of staying those extra days out near Heathrow. Stay in London and you can easily get out to LHR by 9 AM for your noon flight on Monday - by tube, taxi or Uber. Or if you decide to do a daytrip outside of London on Sunday, you'll have easy access to transportation. If you choose to stay at a town outside of the city look at the National Express bus service schedules for direct routes to LHR on Monday morning. As mentioned by another forum member, Richmond is a lovely town, with a pleasant Thames River waterfront, easily walkable and attractive city center, Kew Gardens with its Chihuly glass sculptures, Ham House and Gardens ( a National Trust property) and Richmond is also fairly close to Hampton Court Palace. Another town that I liked very much for a daytrip, catching the train at Waterloo station, is Canterbury. The historic city center is compact, flat, picturesque and the cathedral is expansive. Easy town for walking.

Thanks for all your posts and suggestions. I am in London at the Strand (near Trafalgar) for 2 days pre tour. Looking to see a bit more than the city, but I'm open for considerations.

Hi Alan,
Quite a few of us here on the forum have stayed within walking or bus distance of Paddington Station with easy Heathrow Express access on the morning of the flight. I’m typically returning to the East Coast on a 12 noonish United or BA flight, and I still have time to eat the hotel breakfast or grab a coffee & croissant on the way to the station. Look at hotels around Bayswater Road & Lancaster Gate, for instance, near Hyde Park. From Paddington, you can take a day trip to Bath or other destinations served from that station. I agree with others; you don’t have to base near Heathrow. Have a great tour & trip!

Long time visitor to London. First stay 1972. Last stay November/December 2024.

You’ve mentioned you are a walker…IMHO it’s the best way to explore London….

Day trips I’ve taken over the years have included Oxford, Alexandra Palace, Chiswick House and Gardens, Kew Gardens, Hampton Court, Bletchley Park, Isabella Plantation in Richmond Park, Hampstead Heath and discovering places by strolling along the lengthy Thames Path.

Last year enjoyed a quiet meander about the Walthamstow Wetlands. Also a sojourn on the Parkland Walk (flat and well signed ) from Finsbury Park to Crouch End.

In the Trip Report section you’ll find mine for my 6 week stay last year. Maybe some intel from it would be beneficial.

We’ve done the popular day trips too, but not from Heathrow; Cambridge, York, Bath, and Hampton Court Palace. On our current trip we’ve gone to Oxford and Hampstead Heath.