I'll be spending 3 days in London and two in Bath. I have one additional day/night and would like to spend it somewhere that is close to Gatwick Airport, so I can easily get there in the morning of my departure back home. Any suggestions would be appreciated?
Posted by
Buckinghamshire
374 posts
Brighton. About 30 minutes by train. The Pavilion is well worth a visit.
Posted by
Twin Cities, Minnesota
2313 posts
How about Royal Tunbridge Wells. It's only 45 min to an hour away. I see there is even a castle nearby (Scotney Castle, less than 5 miles away.) Hever Castle isn't far either if you liked Wolf Hall on PBS or are interested in Anne Boleyn.
Posted by
Illinois
29 posts
Another possibility is Lewes, the county town of East Sussex, about 30 minutes from Gatwick by train. It was named the prettiest town in the UK by the Telegraph in 2023. It has a castle with beautiful views, the Anne of Cleves house, and a charming high street.
Posted by
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
5307 posts
I 2nd the above suggestion. We spent a couple of days in Lewes in 2023 and it's easy to get to the airport from there.
Posted by
UK (London - Chelsea Harbour)
378 posts
What time of year? Brighton can be tons of fun in the sun… less so when it is kind of deserted and it is raining sideways.
I like the other suggestions too!
Posted by
Lake District, England
10288 posts
The question is, how early do you need to be at Gatwick, and are you using public transport to get there.
If so you need a Plan B for if the trains are up the creek.
I will bat for Tunbridge Wells all day long, but there is no bus alternative.
At least Brighton has a 24/7 National Express bus service to Gatwick.
Posted by
OP
Staten Island, NY, United States
10 posts
Thank you for all the suggestions. It will be on October 13th and my flight out of Gatwick is 13:05, or 1:05PM as we say in the States. Lewes appears to be the best option...it seems?
Posted by
Buckinghamshire
374 posts
Lewes is an attractive town, and I don’t think the extensive ruins of Lewes Priory have been mentioned. But you may find it easier and cheaper to find a hotel in Brighton and get a train or bus to Lewes rather than stay there. It isn’t a mainstream tourist destination.
Posted by
Moncton NB
1315 posts
If you want more the Weald / downs than the coast, East Grinstead and Horsham are nice.
Posted by
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
5307 posts
Here's a link to my Trip Report from 2023. If you're interested, day's 1 and 2 were about Lewes. Maybe it will help you decide if it's a good choice for you. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/trip-report-the-south-of-england
Posted by
Lake District, England
10288 posts
Horsham has a 24/7 direct bus service to Gatwick, as well as trains.
East Grinstead has the Bluebell Railway - one of the premier steam railways in the UK. Trains don't go direct to Gatwick, but buses go to Crawley - change for Gatwick.
Buses also go to Brighton from both towns.
Posted by
101 posts
The PremierInn at Hayward’s Heath has a non-refundable £47 rate and is a short walk to the station.
It is about 10 minutes to Gatwick and is on the mainline to Brighton before the lines split so you could drop off your bags, then get an off peak return ticket to either Brighton or Lewis.