What are the best winter day trips from London? This is one of the most common questions people ask me, so today I’ve decided to dedicate a blog post to answering it. I hope you find it helpful if you’re in London during the winter months.
Winter Day Trips from London
You can do any day trip from London in the winter, but there are a few that stand out for specific reasons.
The 5 best winter day trips from London are:
1. York
2. Rye
3. New Forest
4. Stonehenge
5. Stratford-upon-Avon
I’ve done all these day trips in the winter, so I’m recommending them to you from personal experience. There’s more about each one in the beautiful Escape London: Days Out within Easy Reach of London book. You can get it here.
1. York Day Trip
I’ve always loved York, and winter is a good time to visit for several reasons.
First, the city goes all-out for Christmas. From markets to ice skating rinks, it’s a great place to spend a day during the festive season. But York is worth a day trip even after the holidays.
This is not least because there are fewer crowds to contend with, which is meaningful in a place where streets are so narrow you can touch the buildings on either side with your arms outstretched.
2. Rye Day Trip
The little town of Rye in East Sussex is one of my favorite places to travel in England. Its charming streets and chocolate-box ambiance make it a joy for my inner photographer.
On top of that, winter turns Rye into a foodie paradise. Rye Bay Scallop Week takes place every February, and the town is worth a trip just for the shellfish.
3. New Forest Day Trip
For outdoor types, one of the best winter day trips from London is England’s New Forest.
The misty paths are atmospheric in the colder months, and a long walk in the woods is the perfect way to burn off those Christmas calories.
Then again, there are so many good restaurants in the New Forest that it might be worth putting off the wight-loss regime until spring.
4. Stonehenge Day Trip
Stonehenge is another great winter day trip from London. For those in the mood for a spiritual experience or just a spectacle, there’s a big event on the winter solstice where hundreds of people gather to watch the sunrise above the stones.
But it’s worth visiting on other days, too. Since Stonehenge doesn’t take long to see, it’s an ideal day out in months with less daylight hours. It’s also beneficial to visit in the winter since lower visitor numbers mean easier photo opportunities.
5. Stratford-upon-Avon Day Trip
Shakespeare’s home town of Stratford-upon-Avon is another of my favorite day trips from London in winter. It’s easy to keep warm by heading indoors to see a play at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Swan Theatre, or The Other Place.
Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Shakespeare’s New Place, and Anne Hathaway’s Cottage are other good spots for keeping the cold away, and there are lots of ye olde pubs with cozy fires.
I’m so excited about Stratford-upon-Avon that I even went one February for a whole winter weekend getaway.
Winter Day Trip Tips
Whichever one you decide to do, here are my top tips for winter day trips from London:
– Remember that England gets dark early in the winter, so it pays to arrive in the morning. Depending on when you travel, it may be dark by 4 or 4:30pm.
– Dress warmly and check weather forecasts, especially if you’ll be outdoors for a lot of the day. My winter packing list for London has lots of good tips for how to dress for the cold.
– Check opening hours before you travel. Many museums and attractions have reduced hours during the winter season or are closed between autumn and spring.
– Charge your camera batteries before you go. Cold weather can sap battery life quickly, so it’s a good idea to leave London with a full charge.
Have you been on any good winter day trips from London? Where did you go?
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24 Comments on Lady’s 5 Winter Day Trips from London
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Great selection. I’m thinking of exploring Buckinghamshire soon.
Cheers,
finja
Thanks! I hope you have fun exploring Buckinghamshire. There are a lot of great places there.
I’m doing Bath this week and am hoping that similar to Stonehenge there will be less crowds!
Yeah, I bet there will be. I’ve been to Bath twice in the winter and there were fewer crowds both times.
they’re all on my list:) but I’ve been to Stonehenge:)
Nice!
I love The Mermaid Inn in Rye! It’s also very haunted! X
Yeah! I love all the ghost stories there.
Awesome suggestions. I’ve been to Stonehenge (September 2016) and Stratford-upon-Avon four times during 2016. Rye in East Sussex sounds lovely. I haven’t done York yet, and I’m based in Cambs! Definitely going to be heading there in Feb. 🙂
Nice! You’ll love York!
Hi Julie,
I have only went (which I remember) to Stonehenge.
I would like to go to the other 4. I will be in London a few months.
Want to travel right now! 🙂
A hug from Malaga.
Bo
That’s great that you’ve been to Stonehenge! I hope you can visit the others on future trips.
Last year I did winter touring and I saw Bath, canterbury, leeds castle for black swan
Nice! That’s great. I hope you had a good time.
I found your blog just before Xmas and love it. London is my favourite city so I’m interested in the opinions / suggestions of a fellow Londonphobe. I’ll be there for a wedding this September and will be planning various day trips based on your posts.
All the very best for 2017
Ian from Downunder (Melbourne)
Thanks, Ian! I hope you enjoy your upcoming trip.
I love Stratford-Upon-Avon! I’ve been there twice! But not in winter. Maybe it’s worth giving it a go these days. Oh, what if it snows there? Should be very romantic!
True!
I enjoy your blog and gorgeous photos – your suggestions are providing much inspiration for an upcoming trip! Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m glad you’ve found inspiration in it. Have a great trip!
Hi there!
I’ve just discovered this helpful blog. I’m chuffed to bits because my dad and I are going to London next week. Well, we’ve already been to Oxford, Canterbury, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick and Coventry as well. Rye seems such a cozy town. Honestly, it’s quite fascinating. Hope I’ll be able to head there.
By the way, would you recommend me any cool literary spots in London or nearby? I’m asking because I’m looking for bookworms’ haunts as well as nice places to visit on a Winter day.
Thanks in advance. Loving your articles.
Greetings from Italy ?
Thanks! I just wrote a blog post about that, so please take a look at the most recent posts or use the search box to find it and others I’ve published about books.
Julie, I will be in London again sometime this next winter. Rye and the Cotswolds are the day trips that seem most interesting to me of those you posted, also referring to your winter weekend in the Cotswolds post. Beautiful scenery, preserved villages, old churches and castles are probably what most interests me most. Would those be your two highest recommendations for me if I were to do two day trips from the city? Thank you!
It all depends on your interests, so I recommend taking a look at my Travel Planning Services page.