tilburg

What 's your favorite day trip from London that you would recommend for a family with two teenagers (19 male and 14 female)? Kids like history, but don't want to spend a day inside of a museum. We are looking for something that includes the history, cute town, countryside, etc.? A friend recommended Dover. Our family previously visited Bath/Stonehenge and enjoyed it. Although my family has not been to Oxord, I have. So I was looking for other options. Thank you.

KayF

I would avoid Dover. The castle is good but the rest is not. I would suggest Windsor, the castle is wonderful and the town is right next door with loads of shops and places to eat. You can walk along the river path and Eton is 5 min walk away as well. Windsor is also not very far by train from central London.

Kay

mohun

Cambridge comes to mind. It's a bit smaller than Oxford, and a decent walking town with no real necessity to attend museums. Bath, which you've seen, is really too much to adequately see in a day although it's only a couple of rail hours away. Another traditional quick trip is down the river to Greenwich to visit the International Time line and a small related museum. It's a nice boat trip one way and a return to London by train can be an alternative.

lincasanova

I have been told I must go to Hampstead Heath on a lovely day.

avalon

They might enjoy a trip to Portsmouth Harbour. There are some museums and there is the Victory to go thru, you can do a boat ride on the harbour, shops and restaurants. It's about an hour from Waterloo , maybe a bitmore I forget. You get off the train right at the harbour.

sassy_cat

You could combine a trip to Hampton Court Palace and Kew Gardens in Surrey.

http://www.hrp.org.uk/hamptoncourtpalace/

http://www.kew.org/

On public transport you can get there in under an hour from central London or you could even take a boat (in the summer). If you're really ambitious hire a private boat!

There's a lovely restaurant to eat at within Kew or pick a pub in Richmond for lunch. You could also go via Kingston to get to Hampton Court.

Or hire a car.

Hever Castle is another favourite day trip.

http://www.hevercastle.co.uk/

Do try to make your day trip on a weekday when these places will be less crowded (but if you're coming from London I guess you might want to get out of town on the weekend too!)

historytraveler

Winchester is, IMO, one of the best places in England. I believe it's only a 45 minute train trip from London. For places to visit , there's the cathedral, the Great Hall with King Arthur's Round Table, a fake but interesting nonetheless, the ruins of Wolvesey Castle and Palace, the Hospital of St. Cross and the City Mill as well as some excellent restaurants.

For a bit of the countryside, there's Keat's Walk through the water meadows to St. Cross, Catherine's Walk ( both only about a mile) River Walk along the Itchen and Sunset Walk for great views of Winchester.

texasbookworm

I would highly recommend Dover for the castle (several hours' worth) and a walk along the White Cliffs. If the weather is not ok to good, that walk might not be so pleasant, but on a nice-ish day, it would be great.

Hampton Court would appeal. So would Greenwich which could be a half-day, as could Hampton Court.

Why not introduce them to Oxford, though? So much to see there! That's my favorite day trip.

janisj

Dover is THE castle and well worth it. But Dover the town is a total dump. So that won't meet your criteria. Now, if you just want to visit the castle - Dover is great. A doable but rushed day trip by train would be London > Canterbury (ticks all the history and town boxes) > Dover (castle only) > London.

If you want a shorter semi-half day trip --Hampton Court Palace is good --but no adjacent town to explore.

Winchester is good - terrific cathedral and lovely town.

Or Windsor or Cambridge would be equally good. Windsor has the castle/Eton/river/town. Cambridge is very like central Oxford -- colleges/river/punting etc.

You really can't pick wrong -- all are good (as would be 50 other possibilities) but you probably don't have time for more than one.

lincasanova

I'm assuming my friend suggested I go to Hampton COURT, not Heath.. correct?

sassy_cat

lincasanova, no your friend may well have suggested HAMPSTEAD Heath. It's a park and great for walks on a nice day plus panoramic views of London.

sap

I vote for Hampton Court or Windsor. Both are easy train rides from London; can take up the better part of a day; and would probably appeal to teens. Kew Gardens can be interesting, but maybe not for teens. I have yet to make it over to Winchester, so cannot comment on that, but it sounds lovely.

tilburg

Thank you so much for your recs! You provided some new ideas for us. Our family trip is in June.

Palenque

Oxbridge - either college town is my favorite - when i go to Cambridge i think it is the fairest college town of all then when i go back to Oggsford i think it is the best

But to me either one is my favorite day trip.

lincasanova

sassy_cat. I'll have to write and ask her.

avalon

I've been to Oxford, Cambridge, Windsor Hampton Court,Winchester , and they do not make an enthusiastic enough trip for me if I Am only taking one day trip. Then of course I've been to London at least 50 times and don't require a day trip. St Albans might be a place to add though I haven't made there yet. Don't know how long your trip is but London provides enough for several weeks without leaving the city

sap

lincasanova: The "lovely day" part of that recommendation leads me to believe your friend did actually mean Hampstead Heath with its views and picnic-perfect hill. I think it could be nicely combined with a stroll along the canal.

lincasanova

Thanks. I hadn't realized there were so many "Hampstead" sites!!

Cholmondley_Warner

Hampstead isn't "out of london" it's on the bloody Northern Line.

But it does have the heath (good for picnics) Kenwood House - just fabulous - and gay nude bathing (it's up to you).

Otherwise there's not much there. The town itself is pleasant, but nothing special.

If you want to leave London I'd look at (in no real order):

Salisbury
Bath
Winchester
Canterbury
Oxbridge
Penge.

sassy_cat

Penge!!

wot?