Our Favourite Day Trips Outside of London

By Megan Hills
Published: July 17, 2024

See more of Britain with these fantastic day trips outside of London below

With an amazing range of fantastic attractions both inside and outside the city, there's plenty to see when visiting London. Venture a little further outside central London and you'll find beautiful historic castles, royal residences and nature reserves. Discover some of the country's most popular landmarks with some of our favourite day trips outside of London.

Windsor Castle

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Venture beyond the city limits and see one of England's most famous castles, Windsor Castle. With 39 monarchs inhabiting its grandiose halls for over a thousand years, it was originally built in the 11th century and is the largest occupied castle in the world. Since then, it has seen a number of face lifts and additions, which make the structure a blend of Gothic, Victorian amongst other architectural styles. Queen Elizabeth still organises regular weekend visits to the castle and frequently entertains visiting politicians there - an easy way to check if she's around is to keep an eye out for her standard fluttering above the castle, which is only raised when she's in residence. Highlights include St George's Chapel, a stunning building which houses numerous royal tombs and honours the Order of the Garter, the lavish State Apartments which are decorated with artistic masterpieces by the likes of Rembrandt, Rubens and Canaletto.

Hampton Court Palace

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Formerly the home of King Henry VIII who was renowned for his love of pomp and grandeur, Hampton Court Palace's sprawling grounds and massive medieval structure is worth a visit. In fact, King Henry VIII's crown has since been reconstructed and is now on display in the castle at the Royal Pew. There's an entire day's worth of activities: spend hours exploring the massive Tudor Kitchens, imagine Shakespeare's theatre troupe performing for the court amidst the Great Hall and get lost in the emerald hedges of its world famous maze. In the spring and summer, the Hampton Court Gardens are nothing short of beautiful with over 20,000 bulbs blooming and transforming the grounds into an explosion of colour.

Stonehenge

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Take a train out to Bath, a beautiful city steeped with history and Georgian architecture. Full of popular tourist attractions like the Bath Abbey, Roman Baths and the Jane Austen Centre, it's a slower pace of life than London and a city made for leisurely strolls with something picturesque on every corner. Once you've finished in the city, make your way to Stonehenge: a gigantic stone prehistoric stone structure and one of England's greatest mysteries. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it's well protected and remains a symbol of English history.

Harry Potter Studio Tour

Step into a world of movie magic at the Harry Potter Studio Tour, which provides a sneak peek behind the scenes of the iconic film franchise. Bringing to life iconic locations like Diagon Alley, the Great Hall and Privet Drive, this massive trove of Potter treasures includes real costumes worn by the actors, fantastic props and even a cheeky Butterbeer stand for a taste of Hogsmeade's favourite brew. Be enthralled by their recent expansion dedicated to the Forbidden Forest! Home to fantastical creatures such as Hippogriffs and Acromantula, the Forbidden Forest will take you deep into Harry Potter's world. With several hours of magical entertainment, it's a reason to get away from the bustle of central London and the perfect way to keep the whole family entertained. Remember to bring a bit of extra pocket money for the gigantic merchandise store at the end of the tour, where you'll be able to buy your own Hogwarts robes and choose your favourite wand.

Stratford Upon Avon

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Discover the charming hometown of William Shakespeare, one of Britain's greatest literary legends. Located further north in the Midlands, it's a quiet market town filled with old pubs, colourful boutiques and even the home where Shakespeare was born in. See the barges lined up on the River Avon and take in the old architecture before venturing to the RSC, home to the world-renowned theatre troupe Royal Shakespeare Company, and see one of Shakespeare's masterpieces come to life in its intimate theatre.

Leeds Castle

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Travel a little ways outside of London and discover the hidden gems of Kent. With almost 900 years of history, Leeds Castle boasts a beautiful 500 acres of parkland that includes an intricate garden maze, grotto, adventure playgrounds and moat. Built in 1119, the castle was a royal residence for over 300 years before becoming a private country home. Used by Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon, Leeds Castle is one of the most popular historic buildings in Britain.

Megan Hills
London Travel Expert

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The Best Football Pubs in West London

Now that the Premier League season is up and running again (will it ever end?), we thought we’d give you a rundown of the best West London pubs where you can catch games this season. From small neighbourhood boozer with welcoming atmospheres, to bigger sports-oriented bars with more screens than the HQ in The Truman Show, this list has it all. So, the best football pubs in West London, coming up. Including... A multi-award winning sports pub A Chelsea classic And a Bavarian-themed boozer Famous Three Kings, Fulham Voted UK Sports Pub of the Year in 2016, 2017 and 2018, the Famous Three Kings is where many searches for the best football pubs in West London start. Often, it’s where the search for the best Football pubs in West London ends. It’s a perfect venue to watch football, with a cheery and lively atmosphere and a wealth of HD TVs and pulldown screens. It’s the positioning of the screens that makes it so well-suited for sports-watching though, with screens high up on the walls and round every corner. There are loads of different seating and standing areas, so you never feel like you’re stuck with an immovable mass of people between you and the bar. When it comes to drinks, they’ve got an especially good selection of gins to go with the massive amounts of craft beer they pump out. So if you feel like mixing things up...you could do worse than turning up at the Famous Three Kings for a night on the G&T’s. They have regular drinks deals on each week too. The food menu is a dream for those coming in a group...there’s a hell of a lot of choice. They’ve got separate burger and pizza menus with a lotta, lotta toppings to choose from. And they do a whole range of mains, including gooey Mac and Cheese, Katsu Chicken and a number of mouth-watering pies. 171 North End Road, Fulham, London W14 9NL The Cross Keys, Hammersmith A good looking pub with a great atmosphere, The Cross Keys has long been a popular place to watch the footy (and rugby, but that’s for another article) when match day comes around. It’s a bit of a hidden gem, with a small but pretty entrance allowing it to blend in with the style of this rarefied neighbourhood. There’s a large TV showing the football, and a lot of different seating areas to choose from. The good size beer garden is a particular treat. It’s well-known for having friendly, attentive staff, and a pleasant set of locals. So don’t expect to leave The Cross Keys without having thoroughly set the world to rights. As a Fuller’s pub, you know the menu is going to focus on pub classics and that the food is going to be reliably tasty and affordable (particularly for this swanky part of town). 57 Black Lion Lane, Hammersmith, London W6 9BG The Sporting Page, Chelsea This is a fun and welcoming place to watch a game, and very popular with the locals. It’s also a nice place to hang out if you’re looking at a full program of games on a Sunday, because of its fine setting and excellent food menu. Grab some snacks before the game: The Sporting Page has a great set of freshly made bar bites, including delicious chorizo scotch eggs, calamari and chicken goujons. Drinks-wise, they have a wide selection of draught beers and an extensive wine list. Sometimes wine is nice with football. You don’t have to miss so much of the game in the loo. They’ve got a good number of TVs and a big screen, so you’ll be hard pushed to get a bad view in this place. Rumour has it Mick Jagger was a regular here in the 70s, and the place still has some sprinkle of celebrity in the air. It attracts a nice mix of football-crazy locals, families and well-to-do folk looking for a reliably good pub lunch. They’ve got a fabulous sun terrace too, for when extra time’s nearly over, you’ve bitten your nails down to the quick and you just can’t watch the shootout. 6 Camera Place, Chelsea London SW10 0BH The Kings Arms, Ealing OK, so this is more of a rugby pub, but it’s a great place to watch association football on the weekends. It’s a lovely neighbourhood boozer with a good choice of beers and pleasant atmosphere. It’s a very family-friendly place too, with good kids menus offering a large selection of little bites for the little ones. Their fajitas are something special too. On Sundays, The Kings Arms really comes into its own, with a great Sunday Lunch menu and all the football action you could need. It isn’t a ‘cram them in and let them fight amongst themselves’ kind of place, either. It’s got a few rooms and some nice outdoor areas which really eases the flow, even at the busiest of times. And, if you think you’ll need to bed down immediately following a tense game, they even have hotel rooms onsite. 55 The Grove, Ealing, London W5 5DX Octoberfest Pub, Fulham Say hello to the wildcard. Or, actually, say “Hallo!” This is one of the funnest and most unusual football pubs in West London, that’s for sure. It’s Oktoberfest-themed, and boasts the largest selection of German beers in the UK. Yep, there are over 60 imported German beauties available here. They’ve got a superb menu of Bavarian delicacies to choose from, including pretzels, bratwurst and schnitzels. You’ll need something to soak up all the alcohol once you’re doing guzzling from one of their massive beer steins, full to the brim with ice cold German beer. When it comes to sport, they show pretty much anything that’s on, with two giant pull-down screens and a number of widescreen TVs to plop down in front of. It’s the home of the official Bayern Munich UK Fan Club too. 678-680 Fulham Road, London SW6 5SA So that's where to go when the game's on in West London. But where do you go for a little bit of history with your pint? Here is where.
Matthew Pearson
Windsor Castle
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Did You Know? 10 Facts About Windsor Castle

It's one of London's most iconic landmarks, but how much do you really know about this royal castle, beloved by King Charles III and the late Queen Elizabeth II? Read on to learn 10 facts about Windsor Castle, including: The reason Deliveroo drivers hate it How many visitors it gets a year And how its name has changed the course of the UK monarchy   1. It’s the longest-occupied palace in Europe The original building was constructed in the 11th century, after the Norman invasion of England. Construction started under William the Conqueror, who built it as a fortress, but it has been used as a royal residence since the reign of Henry I. Henry VIII used it as a giant pleasure dome, enjoying shooting, dancing, wrestling, and playing tennis on its grounds. It was a favourite weekend retreat of the late Queen Elizabeth II, who lived in Windsor Castle. Around 40 other reigning monarchs have lived here throughout history. It’s located a fair distance from Buckingham Palace - about 22 miles. 2. It caught fire in 1992 Windsor Castle has suffered multiple serious fires over its 1000-year history. But the most recent — and most damaging — occurred in November 1992. A portion of the castle was undergoing renovations and it is thought that a curtain was too close to a construction spotlight and set alight. The fire spread quickly, and 200 firefighters arrived to help tackle the flames. Fortunately, because of the renovation work, many rooms had been emptied of their artworks, furniture and other historical treasures. However, over 15 hours, the fire burned through much of the Upper Ward, destroying nine state rooms and severely damaging around 100 others. The restoration work cost around £67m in today’s terms. The question of who should pay for the repairs was a complex and fiercely debated one. In the end, it was decided it would mostly be paid for by opening Buckingham Palace to the public at certain points of the year.  3. Windsor Castle has a fantastic art collection It’s just as well the rooms had been cleared during the renovations, or the country would have lost a fantastic collection of artworks. One of the highlights of any trip to Windsor Castle is seeing the fabulous art collection on display. Masterpieces by Rubens, Michelangelo, Van Dyck and Rembrandt can all be seen during a tour of the many luxurious state rooms, halls and galleries. Inside Windsor Castle, the collection speaks to the wealth and tastes of the monarchy over the centuries. 4. The castle has 300 fireplaces Yep, and it’s one bloke’s job to look after them all. The King’s fendersmith (possibly the only person left with that awesome job title) is responsible for cleaning and lighting all 300 of Windsor Castle’s fires. He’s been doing it for decades, taking over from his dad in 1984. It’s a big old job, and it needs to be done with a level of care and attention fit for a King, so it hasn’t been subcontracted out as yet. 5. ...and nearly 400 clocks And again, it’s one man’s job to be in charge of them all. The castle’s horological conservator is responsible for the maintenance of all the historic timepieces. Many of them have outdated, highly complex mechanisms, so it takes a lot of skill to keep them all ticking over. The two busiest weekends of his year are when the clocks change. It takes him around 16 hours to move all of them forward an hour in spring. But moving the clocks back is even more time-consuming. This is because the conservator has to wind them for 11 or 23 hours, rather than just back one. Despite its size, the castle is contained within just one time zone, which makes it all a bit easier. 6. The kitchen is the oldest in the country The oldest working one that is. It’s been feeding kings and queens for centuries and is a huge operation, particularly when the castle is holding a state dinner. And the sense of pomp and ceremony doesn’t make it easy for the kitchen staff: for instance, each little lump of butter has to be hand-rolled and stamped with the royal crown. To keep the whole dinner service running efficiently, the clocks in the kitchen are set (by the one bloke, as we now know) five minutes fast. If you want to test your knowledge of Windsor Castle, check out our True or False self-test! 7. There is a changing of the guard at Windsor Castle too Just like at the Queen’s other main residence, Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle has a changing of the guard. A ceremony that signifies a new group of soldiers becoming responsible for guarding the palace, the Changing of the Guard usually takes place at 11am each day. Try and time your visit to witness this iconic military event. The proximity and historical ties between Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle are echoed in these ceremonial traditions. 8. Windsor Castle attracts over a million visitors each year And you could be one of them, with admission to the castle included with your London Pass. Its most famous visitor (until you show up, of course) is His Majesty King Charles III and his predecessor, Queen Elizabeth II, who has a long-held affection for the castle.  And if you're wondering how far Windsor Castle is from Buckingham Palace, it's about a 50-minute drive, making it a perfect day trip destination. 9. The Royal Family got their family name from the castle The current Royal Family is originally of German descent, and their name was previously Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. During the First World War, George V changed the name of their royal house, because of anti-German public sentiment and the name’s highlighting of the family’s German lineage. So, the family name was changed to Windsor and remains so to this day. Many assume that the castle is named after the family, but that isn’t so. Unusually in the world of royal naming, it is the building that gave the name to the royals, rather than the other way round. 10. Windsor Castle has a very, very long driveway There is a 2.65-mile approach to the front door of Windsor Castle. That’s a long stretch to cover before you get inside. Apparently, the late Queen had to meet all Deliveroo drivers at the gates to the drive. And she’s had flaming rows with Uber drivers who just want to drop her off at the gates and make her walk the rest. But how many rooms in Windsor Castle are there for a visitor to explore? Well, the castle boasts an impressive 1,000-plus rooms, reflecting its stature as a home of the monarchy. Summing up why you need to visit Windsor Castle... Windsor Castle is a must-see landmark that boasts both architectural and historical significance. As Europe's longest-occupied palace and a favoured home of the late Queen, its heritage covers hundreds of years and is hard to match, Visitors can enjoy over 1,000 rooms filled with an extensive art collection, learn about the Castle's role in significant events, and witness daily ceremonies like the Changing of the Guards. Despite surviving destructive fires, the Castle remains standing as a testament to royal tradition. It's no wonder that it attracts over a million visitors annually. For those interested in British monarchy or architecture, a visit offers a unique opportunity to appreciate its grandeur and gain valuable cultural insights. You might even say... it's fit for a king. Experience everything London has to offer with The London Pass® Planning your London trip? With The London Pass®, you can explore big-name landmarks, local hotspots and epic tours, all on one pass, all for one price. Not only that, but you'll enjoy savings of up to 50% compared to buying individual attraction tickets. ✈️ Buy The London Pass® ✈️
Matthew Pearson
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