Today I want to bring you my guide to a day trip to Stonehenge. It’s easy to take a trip from London to the stones for a day, and a fun way to explore the English countryside.

Day Trip to Stonehenge

Stonehenge

My high school English teacher used to lead a trip to England every summer. He took students to see the literary highlights of London, the birthplace of Shakespeare in Stratford-upon-Avon, and the mysterious sarsen stones near Salisbury.

Students returned from England raving about the sights they saw and the beer they imbibed, but the one facet of the trip that always piqued my curiosity was the day trip to Stonehenge. I made it a goal to go there someday.

The first obstacle to achieving my goal was the fact that I was located on the wrong continent. With that minor detail corrected, I set about determining the best way to get to Stonehenge from London.

How to Get to Stonehenge from London

Thus did I become aware of my second obstacle: everyone I talked to told me how difficult it was to get to Stonehenge without a car. Undaunted, I figured I could make do with public transport.

After some research I found that it’s actually pretty straightforward, so long as one is willing to take both a train and a bus. Not bad.

I hopped on a train at Waterloo station and rode the rails to Salisbury. It took an hour and a half. From the station in Salisbury, I took a quick bus to Stonehenge.

Stonehenge

Day Trip to Stonehenge

Once there, my day trip to Stonehenge officially began as I purchased my entry ticket and picked up my audio guide.

The area around Stonehenge is set in the typically English picturesque style, with rolling green hills and lots of sheep.

Perhaps it’s that backdrop that makes the stones seem so striking, rising up in the middle of nowhere in all their massiveness.

Or maybe it’s the mystery surrounding Stonehenge’s purpose and meaning that makes the place so enchanting. Probably both.

Either way, I had myself a good time walking around, camera in one hand, audio guide in the other, giving even the most intrepid tourists some good competition.

Stonehenge

Salisbury

On the way home from my day trip to Stonehenge I stopped in Salisbury to see the cathedral. With the tallest spire in all of England, it was pretty easy to find.

I walked around inside for a while before making my way to the 13th-century Chapter House, which is home to one of the few remaining originals of the Magna Carta.

Salisbury Cathedral

Dodging the loquacious volunteer that was standing sentry, I spent a few minutes admiring the document.

Aside from being awed by its historical significance, I was amazed that something so old could could be so well preserved.

Salisbury Cathedral Sculptures

Best Day Trip to Stonehenge

After seeing the cathedral, I hopped on a train to Waterloo and traveled back to London in time for a burger at the pub with my boyfriend.

It amazed me how easy it was to take a day trip to Stonehenge, and how much history I had seen in one day. If only it were that easy to get to the bottom of why the stones exist in the first place.

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Day Trip to Stonehenge

2 Comments on Lady’s Guide to a Day Trip to Stonehenge

  1. Nice article Back in 1989 I was able to rent a bike at the youth Hostel and rode to Stonehenge. Wonderful ride, beautiful route If you go first thing in the morning you will beat the buses. On the way back stopped at a pub in the country and in the wonderful out door beer garden had a fabulous glass of cider. We were able to ride to the ruins of the old churhc

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