I went to London, Bath, Cotswolds, Stonehenge, etc. (guided tour), Edinburgh and Lake District last year with my sister. When I came home hubby decided that he wants to go next summer.

We've planned out time in London and a guided trip to Paris. We've got 1 or 2 extra days in our planning that we could do another day trip. What are some suggestions on where to go? We'd prefer just a day trip. Possibly something military or coastal related that we could do on our own? We don't want to rent a car, though.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Oxford--neither coastal nor military but my favorite day trip--lovely, CSLewis and Tolkien connections, Harry Potter ties--just lovely

Winchester--neither coastal nor military but nice

Dover--both coastal and military if you count the fabulous castle's long history including WWII ties--and the walk along the cliffs never to be forgotten

Brighton is coastal but I didn't fall in love with it.

Bletchley is still on my want-to list--definitely military ties

In London--did you go to the Churchill War Rooms and the Imperial War Museum? Two fantastic spots

Play it by ear since there is soooooooo much to see/do in London you may decide to not leave town. But Dover would be a terrific day trip -- NOT the city itself, but the castle. Take the train, and then a taxi up to the castle -- it is very UP so don't try to walk , just take the short cab ride. Then you could walk along the coast some

http://www.whitecliffscountry.org.uk...ng-Routes.aspx

How about Brighton or Cambridge? Both have lots to see, the Royal Pavilion in Brighton was spectacular inside. If you visit Dover Castle be aware that the town area was truly depressing when we visited.

Have a look at London Walks, they do day trips as well as guided London walks and you can pick up some ideas there.

http://www.walks.com/

Kay

Another possibility is by train to the Historic Dockyard at Portsmouth. Admiral Nelson's ship, HMS Victory, is in perfect condition, ready to sail again. Also there is the remains of the Mary Rose, Henry the VII's flagship, that unexpectedly sank and was preserved in the mud.

And another vote for London Walks. Loads of choices. You don't have to commit ahead of time. Just show up at the meeting point.

I vote for York, although that might be a long day trip.

I wasn’t a huge fan of Brighton but the Royal Pavilion was worth the trip.

You don’t say how much time you’ve got in Paris and London- I’d skip the day trip and add on to either or both.

Also coastal and military, though a bit of an also-ran by comparison with Portsmouth, would be the naval dockyard at Chatham.

http://thedockyard.co.uk/explore/history-buildings/

There is also Greenwich, just a short train ride from London, and loads to do and see for a day....
http://www.visitgreenwich.org.uk/greenwich/

Another vote for Portsmouth’s historic ships & naval dockyard - both military AND coastal.

Easy to do - train from Waterloo station in London to Portsmouth Harbour; takes 90 minutes. Dockyard is a couple of minutes’ walk. HMS Victory is amazing - it’s in really good condition and you can get the feel of what naval warfare was like in the early 19th century. Plus the fascinating remains of the Mary Rose and also the Warrior, the first of the Victorian iron-clad warships.

Also a museum.

Plus the tang of salt in the air.

Nearby, Gunwharf has a decent outlet shopping centre, lots of restaurants overlooking the harbour and the Spinnaker Tower.

Then there’s the Spice Island area of Old Portsmouth nearby, with quaint old houses and pubs, sea walls and defensive towers. And a little further away but still walkable via the seafront is a gaudy tacky funfair and the seaside resort of Southsea.

Agree with ^^^^^.

You can also get the train from London Victoria, takes a bit longer than the Waterloo route, but passes through gorgeous West Sussex countryside, with great views of Arundel Castle. The train also stops at Chichester, which is much like Winchester.

You can often get good discounts on the train from Victoria by booking online in advance on... https://www.southernrailway.com/

If you do decide to visit by train, then you need to note that there's 2 train stations, Portsmouth & Southsea, and Portsmouth Harbour. You need to get off at the terminus which is Portsmouth Harbour. You'll notice HMS Warrior as soon as you exit the train station, which is the direction you need to head, takes a couple of minutes.

Don't be tempted to go up in the town, nothing special there.

The Historical Dockyard really is a great attraction. I'm lucky that I live on the other side of Portsmouth Harbour in Gosport, so basically within spitting distance. Every time I go into town I get fantastic views across the Harbour with HMS Warrior, HMS Victory, the Spinnaker Tower, Old Portsmouth, and any Naval ships alongside in the Dockyard all in the same vista.

Another vote for Portsmouth. I didn't realize it was do-able as a day trip from London as this wasn't my route this past September, but if it works, I thought the tour of the HMS Victory was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.

However, if you have any difficulty with claustrophobia, or going up and down steep, narrow steps, the ships many levels may be hard for you. Also, definitely take one of the audio guides, but be sure the battery is fully charged. My audio tour ran out of juice in the ship's hold. Also, strike up a chat with the docents there. I had the kindest, most wonderful docent, (on the top deck), who was getting a masters in naval history, tell me of various aspects of the ship. He was an older gentleman, completely passionate about history, and hearing him speak really opened my eyes to what makes the ship so spectacular. Should be a world heritage site.

I didn't go through the Mary Rose, though it looks quite amazing, too. My historical interest is Regency/Victorian, so the Victory was my choice.

The ticket to tour a ship, I believe, is good for a full year, so if you need a break, you could leave for a rest, and head back. The Gunwharf Quay shopping center (easily seen as it's capped by the Spinnaker Tower, a close walk to Naval Dockyard), has lots of eateries, and for Americans, some outlet shopping for young nephews/nieces at home (like SuperDry, Jack Wills).

Have fun planning!

Southsea is an interesting addendum to Porstmouth, there is a small Henry 8 castle down on the front, a lot of five views towards the sea and the main drag is buried in some great restaurants.

>>You don’t say how much time you’ve got in Paris<<

Not sure, but I read it as they are doing a guided day trip to Paris since they are asking for ideas for 'another' day trip.

I will add another voice in support of Portsmouth. If you do this, then definitely do the harbour boar trip - there's a very informative talk. There's also a life in the Navy museum onsite.

Charles Dickens's birthplace isn't far away either, and is quite nice for a short add-on, as it doesn't take long.

How about Windsor ? There’s an article in the NYT Travel Section today.

I vote for Canterbury as a great day trip. I realize it is not military nor coastal, but it is still a lovely day trip full of history. Visiting the Cathedral, taking a small boat tour, doing some shopping and having a good meal should fill your day.
It is only a one hour train ride from London Victoria station.

Possibly something military or coastal related that we could do on our own?>

Arundel and its imposing castle is an easy day trip from London by train:

https://www.google.com/search?q=arun...hrome&ie=UTF-8

Or Battle - battlefield of Norman the Conqueror's final triumph over Saxon King- walk through original battlefield and neat small village: https: //www.google.com/search?q=battle+england+images&tbm=isch&tbo=u&sour ce=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiY--zC5LfYAhVH6IMKHf_CAwEQsAQIKA&biw=1920&bih=949

Take trains right to Battle (by Hastings, a nice old port).

Yes Windsor Castle and Windsor city is so neat too and Eton - famous prep school - just across the Thames.

Many folks love Hampton Court palace - Henry VIII Stomping Grounds - short train ride from London.

So many great places so little time.

Also, re: Charles Dickens' birthplace in Portsmouth, do check the opening times. I, sadly, couldn't visit on my visit.

Another vote for Canterbury. There are city walls, but the cathedral is the main draw, with its beautiful stained glass.

Agree with pretty much all the above recs.

I would just do a trip to London and out of Paris instead of doing London and day trips outside of London and to Paris.