Best Day trips from London

The best trip for me was going to Bath. Wish I had more time there. Second choice is Windsor Castle- wanted to see how the British Big Wigs live while not in London. Very interesting. Taking the train to both sites was wonderful, I could sit back and look out the window while someone else drove. Both places are pedestrian friendly, but do have hills and inclines.

I would second Kelly's suggestions of Bath and Windsor and would add Oxford whose history is
fascinating in a city easily accessible from London.

I agree with both (more time in Bath even that just one day is ideal), and add Hampton Court Palace.

We enjoyed Oxford. Even though the little guy found most of it "boring". He did enjoy the Oxfam bookstore that is just down the street from the Eagle and Child pub, and he really LOVED the Borders bookstore that was a bit beyond that. I must say, they really know how to do up a kids section! Almost 3/4 of the whole first floor!

York tops my list. I really enjoy that city- lots to see and do and great shopping. Cardiff would be next, esp. if you like shopping. Stratford-upon-Avon and Canterbury are great, too. I wrote and article for Carolina AAA's "Go" magazine about day trips from London you can access it here http://www.aaacarolinas.com/Magazine/index.htm use 28208 as the requested zipcode and look for the Jan/Feb issue.

Thanks for everyone's comments. Toni: Nice article!

Ray, my daughter and I just booked a day tour with EvansEvans tour company which tours the Cotswolds and Blenheim Palace....This perfectly met our desire to see a real palace and to roam through the cutest villages in England

I will second many of the above suggestions like Bath, Windsor Castle, and Hampton Court.

Buy the pass that includes the tube and buses.

This will take you out to Windsor Castle. Ask when you purchase the pass.

I went to Oxford and Blenheim (Churchill was born in a closet here but the Marlbourghs own the house). Then I stayed overnight in Buckingham and visited Stowe. I love the Cotswolds, especially Bourton-on- the-Water.

The Cabinet War Rooms in London where Chruchill worked in WWII are very interesting and don't take long.

The Westminster to Greenwich Cruise is neat. You can stand with one foot in the Eastern hemisphere and the other in the Western hemisphere!
In the evening the Pub Walk along the Thames was interesting.
Day trip to Salisbury and Stonehenge. Day trip on train to Canterbury and white cliffs of Dover.
Check the train passes. They had cheap same day return. The fare was less going out from the city when the rush hour was coming in & vice versa.

Ann, what kind of pass includes the tube and the busses? This sounds like a great deal. We were planning to fill up a couple Oyster cards with 24 pounds each, which will give us 8 days unlimited tube use, but I don't know what the busses there cost, and our hotel has bus 24 stopping by the door so I know we'll want to take that often (the Pimlico tube station is 3 minutes walk and Victoria station is 10 minutes walk).

Dave- the oyster card or a Visitor Travel Card (which you must get through a travel agent here before you go- check AAA) are both good on Tube and buses. They are NOT good for the train to Windsor.

If you were to do a day trip to the east (Kent), I suggest a one day car rental (pick up in Canterbury). That way you could see some of "old England" in all of its glory...Leeds Castle, Canterbury Cathedral and the town of Canterbury...then off to Dover.

There is no need to buy a travelcard in advance. You can buy one-. three- and seven-day paper travelcards at any Tube station or mainline train station. Or you can load a seven-day travelcard on an Oyster card which you can buy at any Tube station. In any case, buy your travelcard when you get to London.

Cambridge makes for a great day trip. King's College Chapel was a highlight for me.