One of my favourite ways to spend a Saturday is going on a day trip. Living in London, I’m blessed with being able to hop on a train and travel to many charming towns and cities within a reasonable time. Today, I’d like to share with you 10 ideas for a day trip from London. Best of all: you don’t need a car! All of these destinations can easily be reached by train. Whether you prefer a serene afternoon in the seaside or a day filled with sightseeing, I’m sure you’ll find something for yourself in this list.
One tip regarding all of these day trip ideas: if you choose to go by train, the earlier you book your tickets, the cheaper they will be!
1. Canterbury
The first on my list is Canterbury, a city best known for its cathedral – and rightly so! If you like to admire medieval architecture, Canterbury is the place to go. The cathedral itself is stunning, with tall, arched stained glass windows. Once you’ve visited the cathedral, make sure to have a stroll through the city centre, located within the old city walls. I highly recommend trying some of the local fudge, which comes in a variety of flavours. There are many shops selling nothing but fudge near the Canterbury cathedral! You can also visit a museum or take a walk through the Westgate Gardens. For more information, check out this post about my day trip to Canterbury.
2. Folkestone
Folkestone is one of my personal favourite hidden gems in the UK. A town I discovered by randomly studying Google Maps on a rainy afternoon, having nothing better to do. You can get to Folkestone from London by train in just an hour, and it’s a fantastic place for a relaxing day in the seaside – summer or winter, it’s great in both! What can you find in Folkestone? A steep road filled with cafes and independent shops (great for your Christmas or birthday gift shopping), two types of beaches – a sandy one and a pebble one, and a harbour arm stretching out into the sea, where you can take a walk like you would on a pier. East of Folkestone, you can see some majestic white cliffs stretching all the way to Dover. If you ask me, Folkestone is one of the best choices if you want to get a break from the hustle and bustle of London. You can read more about one of my trips to Folkestone here.
3. Winchester
When I search for ideas for my day trips, I often find them on the list of English cathedral cities. Essentially, if there’s an old catherdral, there’s a good chance there will also be a charming old town around it. Winchester isn’t one of the famous cities everyone knows about, but it turned out to make a great daytrip nonetheless. There were even ruins of an old castle, free to visit! And let’s not forget about the legendary round table, linked to King Arthur. You can read more about my time in Winchester in this post.
4. Salisbury
Like Winchester, Salisbury is known for its cathedral. And not just any cathedral. In fact, it’s a cathedral with the tallest spire of all English cathedrals – and you can book a tour of that tower, which was one of the highlights of my trip to Salisbury. This charming city has it all – a museum, romantic cathedral quarter with stunning architecture, and green gardens by the side of river Avon. It was also fun to see sheep grazing on the vast lawns near the cathedral, making you feel like you’re in the countryside. If you’d like to learn more about my day trip to Salisbury, check out this post.
5. Margate
Margate, a seaside town in the south-east of England, is one of the best known seaside resorts. Easily reachable by a direct train from London, it has sandy beach, which is rare in this part of the English coastline. The town is a great choice for a relaxed day. You can rest on the beach, have a stroll along the sea and enjoy fresh ice cream in one of the many ice cream shops. And if you fancy seeing something unique, make sure to check out the shell grotto. If you’d like to read more about my afternoon in Margate, check out this post.
6. Brighton
Brighton appears to be Londoners’ second home. It’s by far the most popular choice for anyone wanting to go from London to the seaside. The trains between the two cities are always packed, especially on weekends in the summer. But is it worth a visit? For sure! Brighton has something to offer for everyone. The iconic Brighton Pier provides loads of entertainment and beautiful views. The Royal Pavilion – or Brighton Palace, as it’s often called – is truly unique in its architecture and interior design. There is also a tall i360 tower providing panoramic views of the city, and Sea Life Brighton – presumably, the oldest aquarium in the world. And of course, let’s not forget about all the pubs, ice cream shops and cafes along the beach. You can read more about one of my day trips to Brighton here.
7. Rochester
Rochester, a town just outside of London, is one of my favourite finds. I visited Rochester before Christmas, when the annual Christmas market took place just outside of Rochester Castle – you can read more about it here. The market itself was fantastic, with places to buy mulled wine and snacks, but also unusual gifts – very different to London Christmas Markets, which are all pretty much the same. But, Rochester is a great place to visit any time of year. Apart from the Castle ruins, you can visit Rochester Cathedral and admire its architecture – for free, which is unusual for English cathedrals. There is also a traditional high street with plenty of unique, independent shops.
8. Southend-on-sea
If you want to escape London but don’t want to go too far, consider Southend-on-sea. This resort town in the Thames Estuary has the longest pleasure pier in the world! And once you’ve walked the 1.3 mile path to the end of the pier (and the same distance to go back), consider visiting Sealife Adventure – a small aquarium/zoo with the most amazing butterfly house. You can read more about my time in Southend-on-sea in this post.
9. Rye
Getting to Rye takes a slightly longer train journey, but it’s 100% worth it. It’s a small town, but probably the most beautiful one I’ve visited in England so far. The cobbled streets lined with medieval houses transport you to another world. Rye is a great place to spend a sunny afternoon in, drinking a coffee outdoors and enjoying the surroundings. Although, I recommend getting there early in the morning if you want to take photos of the empty streets. You can read more about my day trip to Rye in this post.
10. Dover
And last – but not least – on my list is Dover. A town best known for being a transit hub for those travelling between France and the UK, it also has some unique tourist attractions. One of the highlights of Dover is the majestic Dover Castle. Superbly maintained, it will keep you busy for a few hours as you walk through the castle grounds, explore the interiors and join some of the interactive tours. And if you prefer to spend time out in the nature, the White Cliffs of Dover provide plenty of hiking trails with stunning views. You can read more about my day trip to Dover in this post.
And there you have it – my selection of 10 places to go on a day trip from London by train. Have you visited any of those towns? Or maybe there are others you’d like to add to this list? Let me know!
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