We will be doing an extended layover in London for 3 days in May on our way to Italy. Since I've already seen about half of the sights I wanted to in London, was thinking of taking a day trip one day. Has anyone been to Stonehenge or Bath/Cotswolds? How about Stratford-Upon-Avon? About how far is each (or how long a trip is it to get there)? How much time should we plan to spend while there? How expensive is it to go there and to spend time there? Any preferences? Advice on organized tours (or ease of independent travel? We won't be renting a car.)? Any help is appreciated, thanks.

<BR>Pandina - <BR> do a search on this forum for Bath. You will find lots of posts on Day trip choices. <BR><BR> I personally loved Bath - it is an easy train ride from London, lots to see, free guided walking tours, etc. <BR><BR>I also did a day trip to Cahir , by train from London. Also very nice. (bonus - I can now say I was in all of Great Britain - England, Scotland AND Wales. just need N. Ireland to complete the UK ----or is it the other way around?)

oops - can you tell Ireland is on the brain? <BR><BR>I meant - day trip to CARDIFF not Cahir.

Though you can easily get to Bath by train, I took an Evans and Evans tour that went to both Stonehenge and Bath. It was excellent. They picked me up at my hotel (they have a number of pickup points), there was plenty of time to see what I wanted to see and the bus was comfortable. I believe the cost was about &pound;50. The guide was excellent, and I didn't have to worry about how to get from the train to Stonehenge or making connections from there to Bath. I'd recommend E&amp;E tours any time. Their web address is www.evansevans.co.uk<BR>

Hopped on this request as I have a similar question--hope this is okay to do???? Has anyone taken the Evans &amp; Evans three day trip to Scotland or booked travel to Scotland from London and if so, how was your experience and what company did you book through? Also, could a trip such as this be done arranged on your own?

I would highly recommend Bath (which you can do in a day trip) but definitely not Stratford-Upon-Avon. It is very small and I found it to be too cheesy and touristy. It is a pretty town but not much to see really. Just my opinion though.

Mary,<BR><BR>I honeymooned in London and took the train to Edinbugh from Kings Crossing. We stayed for one night and returned to London. It was the best part of the trip. All we did is showed up to Kings crossing and bought a ticket, I might have called on the departure time before hand I don't remember. It was pretty simple. We arrived in Edinbugh and went to the visitor's center right outside the station and got a room at the Stewart House. I highly reccomend this B&amp;B.

I would suggest Leeds Castle in Kent and/or the Bray/Maidenhead area which is lovely. If you do the Bray/Maidenhead area, stop and have lunch at the Compleat Angler Hotel on the Thames.

ttt

I did enjoy Stonehenge, although it was very cold and rainy that day (gee, imagine!) However, I understand you can get a private tour in the evening, a small group, that goes among the stones. Haven't verified this, and it costs a bit more, but do a search on the web, you should be able to find it.

You can take a tour with Astral Travels that includes after-hours Inner Circle Stonehenge access, or you can correspond directly wtih English Heritage, which supervises the site.

We took the Salisbury, Stonehenge, Bath tour, and it was very good. A full day, but if you don't have much time it gives you a nice taste.

A nice trip to do is to take the boat to Greenwich and go see the Royal Observatory and learn about why they call it Greenwich Mean Time. It's a really nice excursion, a little off the beaten track, and very relaxing and interesting.

Have been reading day trips from London with interest. Any opinions on whether it is good/bad idea for day trip if only there for 3 1/2 days for first timers? I know there's lots to do in London, but my thinking is....opportunity to let our late teen son pick something out of town. Thanks.

MARY, a trip to Scotland is quiet easy to arrange on your own. If you would like to spend your time in Edinburgh, for example, you can either fly or take the train from London and back.<BR>The trains leave fron London's Kings Cross station and take about 5 hours to reach Edinburgh.<BR>The planes leave from various London airports, the trip takes about an hour ( but then you have the usual wait at the airport.) Check fares and schedules for Easyjet and British Airways.<BR>Airfares are inexpensive.<BR><BR>BELLAROSE, Your time in London is short and there is so much to see, but if your son really wants to arrange a daytrip, I suggest Windsor Castle. It is only 30 miles away from London and you can get there by train and still have time to do something in London in the evening.<BR>The same goes for Hampton Court, it is so near London that you can get there and back and have time for late afternoon London sightseeing. You can take the train .<BR>

Hello Bellarose,<BR>I highly recommend Windsor and Hampton Court.<BR>But another idea for a half-day trip outside central London is St. Albans.<BR>There is a lovely cathedral, Roman ruins , museum , a medieval belfry ( with some narrow spiral steps!) , and several old pubs where you can have lunch.<BR>You can take a Thameslink train from Kings Cross Station to St.Albans, the trip takes about 25 minutes.<BR>

I live 40 miles south of London;<BR>(a) Don't EVEN consider driving in London.........you can't drive and read maps at the same time as the junctions arrive thick and fast, plus parking is a nightmare....buy a travelcard and use the underground.<BR>(b) You could go anywhere in UK and find something of interest to see, Rochester, Canterbury and Leeds castle in Kent could be visited in one day by rail.<BR>(c) All this moaning about driving on the left....don't forget we British have to drive on the right when we are abroad, which we manage to do without much trouble, just consider it part of the fun......except in London!<BR>(d) Hampton Court Palace...river trips from London on the Thames is very good as well also in the other direction Greenwich.

York, a two hour train ride from Kings Cross station in London. Walk the walls, see the "Shanbles", See the Minster, the largest medieval church in England. Also, the National Railroad museum, York museum and much, much more.