My family and I (husband and 12 year old daughter) will be visiting London in early July and planning a day trip to Bath during our 7 day visit. We have never been to Bath so a few of the things we are most interested in doing/seeing: Roman Baths, the Abbey Church, Pulteney Bridge, visit Sally Lunn's House for some buns and see the Royal Crescent and The Circus. We'd love to enjoy the town as well if time allows, so any suggestions/tips are welcome.

I'm planning on buying advanced train tickets from Paddington to Bath Spa soon since I'd like to take advantage of the lower rates (there is a great family ticket option). The train ride is approximately 1.5 hr each way. We are open to either staying ALL day in Bath and leave after supper, or take an early evening train back to London and have a later supper back in London. The Roman Baths open at 9am and, as of now, there are plenty of tickets available from opening until later in the day. I'm guessing that would probably be our very first stop, so could you please help me decide what time to book our train (both departing London and returning)? Are there any pros to arriving in Bath really early so that we could enter the Baths between 9 and 9:30am? If we did that, then what time would you suggest we depart to head back to London? The cost as of now is the same whether we leave at 7am or 9am (or somewhere in between).

Thanks!

Check because there used to be free walking tours by historians that left from the Pump House around 9:00 or 10:00 am and it was the best tour I have ever taken. So many tours are dry or rushed or forgettable. Not that one! It covered the unique and fun history of Bath with the connection to the Americas, Nash’s control and influence of the fantastic social scene and the architecture. Of course, there are also the Jane Austen Connections if that interests you or your daughter. We did that tour one morning and the Roman Baths in the afternoon. We went from London the night before, stayed a couple of days and stopped in Oxford for a night to see Blenheim on the return to London. Honestly, I don’t think Bath makes a great day trip. It would feel rushed and you don’t get the ambiance of Bath at night. I highly, highly recommend spending at least one night in Bath, even if you get there late (though nice to get there in time to have dinner in Bath), so you are rested and fresh to enjoy touring Bath and the Baths the next day. Doesn’t matter then what time you return to London.

Thanks Sassafrass. Are you referring to The Mayor of Bath's Honorary Guides? If so, looks like the tour times are either 10:30am or 2pm for their regular tour. Sounds like you just show up. It's looks fantastic!

I think so. Sounds right. When we were there, I think they were only once a day and I thought we signed up, but perhaps not. I never make notes so forget specifics. They were superb! I was so surprised by how good a tour it was. It was a good bit of walking. Jane Austen mentions the Pump House in at least some of her books. The Abby is stunning inside. Bath is really, really special.

"that left from the Pump House " . . . "Jane Austen mentions the Pump House in at least some of her books."

Shhhhh -- its the Pump Room

If you book an early morning train it will cost more. A Day Return ticket leaving London after around 9:30 (after peak hours) will cost a lot less than a train even half an hour earlier.

But if money is not a major issue, to maximize time, I'd book a 07:00-ish train and get to Bath between 8:30 and 9AM. Do the Baths first because they get extremely crowded the later it gets. The Baths, Abbey, Pulteney Bridge, Sally Lunn's, the Royal Crescent, Royal Victoria Park and the Circus is an easy day. The biggest time investment is the Roman Baths. It takes some up to 2 hours to tour but count on 90-ish minutes anyway, then there is the adjoining Pump Room (the PR doesn't take long unless you are eating or having tea there). The Abbey is right next door to the Baths, and Sally Lunn's is just around the corner. If it was me -- I'd plan on an early dinner in Bath and train back to London around 7:30 or 8 PM

I am laughing. Janisj. thanks for the correction. I have read Jane Austen so much. How could I do that? It is funny, probably comes from being on farms with irrigation systems and pump houses as a kid. I usually catch myself though. Did the Pump room have anything to do with the water system in the Baths, or water from the Baths? I do not remember why it was called the Pump Room. Have to look that up.

If I was doing this, and I'm not and only you know your family, I'd plan for an early supper in Bath and then a late train home. This gets you out of the commute traffic process and sets you a target to eat at say 6:30 or 7:00 pm. That does allow you to come on a later train from London which tend to be cheaper and have a sensible breakfast etc.

If you like Austen then Bath is for you. I found it all a bit faded charm sad, but each to their own. I recommend the Roman baths used to have two audio talks, one for adults and one for kids. Get both.

I've been a few times and found that lunch time meals need booking as well so make reservations.

You should book your train tickets immediately if you haven't done so already -- the farther in advance you book them, the cheaper it will be: www.thetrainline.co.uk. Bath will be a LOT less crowded on a weekday than a weekend, but as another traveller commented above, morning rush-hour tickets on weekdays can be expensive. Hopefully by booking two months in advance (and having some flexibility about which day during your visit you make this day trip) you'll still find a cheap option. (As you'll see, each departing train is priced differently, kind of light flights on Southwest). Given how much you want to see, and how beautiful Bath is, I'd go very early so you get into the Roman Baths when they are still uncrowded (it will only get worse as the day progresses), and come back to London late evening after dinner. In July it's light past 10 PM, so even if you're riding that late you'll still see the scenery.

the trainline is just a reseller, not bad but I'd buy from the train operator (slightly cheaper) but gives you updates etc

I've never found Trainline to be more expensive than booking direct. By all means book through the individual train companies if you know which one to use. But if your knowledge of the British rail network is not comprehensive, you can wind up booking a needlessly expensive and/or indirect route because you didn't know that another train company offers a better option.

I always start with
https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ which sorts it all out for you

As long as you go to nationalrail.co.uk, you're good. But nationalrail.com is a nasty site that overcharges you.

Trainline charges a booking fee and so is always going to be more expensive. Nationalrail doesn't charge a booking fee and just send you to the individual train operators site to buy the ticket. Just had to buy tickets Oxford to London and checked on both sites both had the same fare but Trainline charged a booking fee of 79p. I am surprised you have never found Trainline to be more expensive.

Fair enough. As long as people go to nationalrail.co.uk, and NOT nationalrail.com, all good.