wilees

My husband will have a rental car because of work this weekend so we have a last minute opportunity to get out of London this weekend without having to rely on trains and buses.

Does anybody have any suggestions of places to visit as a day trip from London that are much better done by car i.e. so we make the most of the car and not waste time on places we can easily do by train??

I was thinking maybe Battle. We have already been towards and around Somerset (i.e. Stonehenge, Wells).

I have looked at a few maps and guidebooks but there are just so many options? Help!

mclaurie

Blenheim Palace in Woodstock and/or the Cotswolds.

Lori

Battle (Hastings) and Rye are a great day trip. Also consider Hever Castle, it's lovely. We've been to these places and enjoyed them alot.

janisj

While I love the Cotswolds - I think I'd hed to Kent/East Sussex. Gardens, castles, seaside, all w/i easy reach of each other.

Rye, Battle, Dover, Deal, Walmer, Sissinghurst, Scotney Castle, Bodiam, Hever, Penshurst, -- plus wineries, steam trains etc.

janisj

Oops - didn't mean to hit post . . .

Pick any 2 or 3 of the above and you will have a great day out.

highflyer

Hever castle is my favorite. Childhood home of Anne Boleyn.

DCJones

If you like gardens I would go for Sissinghurst near Cranbrook in Kent. It could be incorporated with a trip to Rye or Battle. I agree Kent/East Sussex would be best.

travelrene

We went to the Chiltrens area three years ago and loved it.

mclaurie

Just a heads up that Rye is on a train line. But it's not easy to get around to the other areas from there that janisj mentions. It's really lovely.

Morgana

How about Constable Country (north Essex) and some of the medieval villages of Suffolk?
This is a beautiful area which definitely needs a car to do it justice.
You could visit Flatford Mill, Dedham, take a boat on the Stour etc. This website gives details -
www.constablecountry.co.uk
You could also see some of south Suffolk. Lavenham is wonderful - all timbered medieval houses leaning
at crazy angles.
www.lavenham.co.uk
Long Melford is a couple of miles from Lavenham - full of antique shops. The Suffolk wool churches in Lavenham and Long Melford are worth a visit in their own right. There's also other little villages such as Polstead and Kersey.
www.longmelford.co.uk
Long Melford Hall (National Trust) and Kentwell Hall are close by.
www.kentwell.co.uk
Let me know if I can assist - I was born and raised in Suffolk!

Slatters

I'd agree with Mclaurie, the Cotswolds would be an ideal place to visit for a day - not too far from London (depending on exactly where in London you live !) Lot's of great places to visit, all not that far from each other - Burford, Bourton-on-the-Water, Upper/Lower Slaughter, Stow-on-the-Wold to name but a few.

wilees

Thanks for all these ideas. Much appreciate. We live central London so it will be at least an hour just to get to the M25

ucsun

i liked oxford and cambridge. you can train, but it's a nice car drive to either one.

janisj

&quot;<i>Just a heads up that Rye is on a train line. But it's not easy to get around to the other areas from there that janisj mentions</i>&quot; . . . The whole point wilees post is that they <u>will</u> have a car. I would never have recommended most those places if they were relying on the trains.