The Best Day Trips from London, according to US.

But, wait… why is this London tour company giving us advice on things to do OUTSIDE of London? 

As much as we love our home city and the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, eating, drinking and carousing in lovely local pubs, we are also aware that there are incredible, unmissable things to do just outside the Big Smoke that you really shouldn’t miss on your London vacation. 

We can arrange you a private tour to Windsor, to Canterbury or any of the below but if you fancy adventuring out yourselves, here’s everything you need to know about the four best day trips from London, according to US.

Windsor –

At the time of writing there is even more talk about the Royals than usual due to the Platinum Jubilee in early June, so it makes sense that we start with a day trip to Windsor where you’ll find one of Queen Elizabeth’s favourite castles – she has a few to choose from!

With 1000 years of history at your fingertips, Windsor Castle is still very much a working state residence but unlike Buckingham Palace in London, is open to the public all year round. Thursday to Monday, check out sumptuous state rooms, Queen Mary’s gorgeous little doll house and yes, even a changing of the guard ceremony. 

Windsor itself is a quaint and historic market town with plenty of posh hotels to take afternoon tea – even with a little glass of bubbles for those taking the train! 

Speaking of which, Paddington to Windsor in 30 minutes, with one change at Slough. There is also a longer train from London Waterloo to a different station but that involves a very steep climb to the castle. Driving takes around 1 hour. 

Canterbury –

You have probably heard of the Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer’s famous collection of stories, written in Middle English. 

In this tale, a group of pilgrims make their way from London (the Tabard Inn, which used to stand near Borough market incidentally ) to Canterbury to worship at the shrine of Thomas Becket in Canterbury cathedral. 

Well, the cathedral is real (and stunning), the town in Kent is charming, historic and flanked by old city walls and they have an excellent little farmers market meets food hall by the train station called The Goods Shed where you can try the very best of English cheese, veggies, fruits and wines. Yes, we make wine and yes, it is VERY good. 

Trains from London to Canterbury can take up to three hours but there are some high-speed options that will help you do the journey in just 50 minutes – Chaucer’s pilgrims would have loved that. To drive, it’s just 60 miles. 

Bonus suggestions: If you fancy diving deeper into Kent with a trip to the coast, you can also check out Margate (very cool, very foodie, East London-On-Sea with incredible restaurants and a vintage amusement park), Whitstable (some say the best oysters in the whole country, very evocative little seaside town) and Deal (home to two, yes,  TWO castles and the cutest backstreets you’ve ever seen). Fish and chips at any of these? Top notch.

Stratford-Upon-Avon –

“To be, or not to be: that is the question’.

Actually Willy, we think the question here is actually, have you been to Stratford-Upon-Avon? If not, we must rectify this. Quickly.

Quaint little market town and birthplace of Britain’s most famous playwright and inventor of over 1700 words from amazement and puppy dog, to obscen and gloomy. We are of course talking about Mr William Shakespeare. 

Visiting sites linked to his life (and death), drink in atmospheric pubs and wander by the River Avon (that the town of Stratford is upon.)

You can get there in just two hours 15 minutes by train from London Marylebone; or if you’re with a car, around a two hour drive.

Bath-

Just one hour 30 minutes by train from London Paddington, you’ll find the UNESCO town of Bath and a deep, DEEP history of Regency-era debauchery, Roman… baths, one of the last covered bridges left in Europe and the long-lost (but recently found) Anglo-Saxon abbey where the first King of England was crowned in 973 AD. 

Not bad eh? 

Bonus suggestions: Stonehenge. Off-the-beaten track? Definitely not. An essential part of the English experience? You bet. There’s a special bus that runs from Bath to Stonehenge or, hey, we can help you. Fancy a private tour to Stonehenge in your very own black cab? Join US.

Duration
3 hours 30 minutes
Group Size
Up to 15

Royal Westminster Small Group Guided Tour and Entrance to Buckingham Palace

Get inside Buckingham Palace on an incredibly small group tour of London’s royal City of Westminster - one will be doing the Royal wave before one knows it.

Discover thousands of years of royal history on a spectacular walking tour that includes a ticket to get inside Buckingham Palace, the monarch's official London residence.

Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall, Horseguards Parade - the stones of the landmarks of Westminster tell tales of centuries of England’s royal dynasties from Saxon Kings to Virgin Queens and onwards through the longest-reigning monarch of all time - our beloved Queen Elizabeth II - to her son King Charles III.

Come along on a small-group adventure with your expert English-speaking guide through over 1000 years of history. Capture the ultimate Westminster snapshots as you visit the most iconic telephone box in the city and the Lifeguards who, on horseback, guard the entrances to the royal residences.

No tour of Royal Westminster would be complete without seeing a Royal Palace or two en route and on this tour. You’ll see three with the crowning jewel being the home of King Charles III - Buckingham Palace.

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£66
Duration
4 hours
Group Size
Up to 6

Iconically LDN - The Best of London in a Black Cab tour

Want to have your cake and eat it too? You absolutely can on this 4-hour private excursion through the very best of everything London has to offer in a private black cab. It’s adventure time.

  • Take to the streets of London on a 4-hour private taxi tour with an expert local driver/guide.
  • From the big hitters to the hidden gems, discover our city with your expert/local guide.
  • Fun for all the family, wheelchair-accessible with Central London pick-up.
Duration
4 hours
Group Size
Up to 6

Exclusively LDN - The Hidden Gems of London in a Black Cab tour

Scratched the surface of our city? Seen the big sights? We’ve got you. If you’re looking to delve a bit deeper and go where the locals know, then this London black cab tour has your name all over it.

  • Take to the streets of London on a 4-hour private taxi tour with an expert local driver/guide
  • Tap into the expert local knowledge of your driver/guide to discover unique, quirky spots and get the photos to prove it
  • Fun for all the family, wheelchair-accessible with Central London pick-up
Duration
2 hours 30 minutes
Group Size
Up to 6

Famously LDN - The Highlights of London in a Black Cab Tour

Short on time? No worries. Come see the iconic sights on a whistle-stop adventure through the best of the Big Smoke.

  • Take to the streets of London on a 2 hours 30 minutes private taxi tour with an expert local driver/guide
  • Learn all about the history of this fascinating global city and take lots of lovely photos and stop at iconic places like Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, and Tower Bridge
  • Fun for all the family, wheelchair-accessible with Central London pick-up
Duration
Group Size
no limit

Bespoke Tours and Experiences in London

Perhaps you have a definite dream about how your trip will look- an exploration into Roman Londinium and the Mithraeum with a Blue Badge Guide, a historical culinary exploration of the East End with a local chef ending with dinner at one of the buzziest restaurants in town, a speedboat ride down the Thames, a fun-filled kid friendly ride through 1000 years of regal history, gin distillery and brewery adventures, a whirlwind tour of the city in a day, a cooking workshop with a social enterprise, a visit to the vineyards of Kent to try a sparkling wine that has taken down Champagne down a peg or two, a day trip to marvel at Stonehenge, ancient baths, stately homes and castles worthy of Bridgerton and the Crown, two hours, two days, two weeks... you name it, we can sort it.