Stonehenge/Salisbury
 

I am currently debating on whether it will be worth the time/effort to take a day trip to Stonehenge/Salisbury. My kids have done research about it and really want to see it. Can anyone tell me what is the best/most efficient way to accomplish this day trip?

Is it better to arrange/book transportation in advance (particularly from Salisbury to Stonehenge)?

Does a London Pass cover any of these transportation and admissions costs?

Will Stonehenge be a disappointment? I went over 20 years ago as a college student and was blown away, but I also had little expectations and was old enough to appreciate it. Were you kids pumped up then let down?

I have been three times and love it. we send almost all our guests on the London Walks Salisbury and Stonehenge tour. www.walks.com look for their explorer days. You get two walks (one of stonehenge and one of salisbury cathedral) and discounted train fare. no one has been disappointed with this so far...

I'm not sure why you're asking about being "blown away"

Only you know what your children's expectations are (or indeed how old they are): why do you think anyone else can tell you whether Stonehenge will meet them?

For children under about 10, I'd say Stonehenge might be a bit dull: you can't easily get near the stones - though if they've found research like finding the Timewatch programme about recent excavations, this might not matter.

Avebury (nearish, and accessible by public transport from Salisbury) and the Rollright Stones (really need a car, though they're nearer London than Stonehenge) are both megalithic stone circles you can wander around. My experience is that children prefer them to Stonehenge - but if they've really researched Stonehenge, they'll want to show their knowledge off, and they'll be more interested in that than geting up close.

As with all questions about children, though, only the parents can possibly have the foggiest whether their kids will like something.

I loved Stonehenge, well, because it's Stonehenge, but we spent more time discovering Avebury. The henges, the church, the graveyard are all beautiful. We also found Avebury to be less crowded. I love it when kids have done a little research (adults too). It just adds a lot to your trip and your fun discoveries.

If your kids have done research on Stonehenge and really want to see it, then you have answered your own question. People here are always telling parents to let their kids do some of the planning. In my own experience, this is easier said than done.

Since your kids evidently have taken this approach, I would make the most of it and go where they want to, unless it is a clearly impractical choice, which this is not.

You are only in London for a very short time - the day trip to Stonehenge by public transport is long -- train to Salisbury and then a tour bus from there to the Stones (I understand the local regular buses don't run by there any more and you'd have to walk 4 or 5 miles otherwise). Wouldn't be the best use of time w/ 3 small kids.

So if you decide on doing Stonehenge, I recommend you rent a car and do it as a driving day tour. You could hit Stonehenge early in the AM, then go to Avebury which will be really fun for them after being roped off at Stonehnege. Then, if you have time you could stop in Windsor in the late-ish afternoon to see the Castle and then turn the car in at LHR and take public transport back into London.

You'd see a lot more than just Stonehenge, could check Windsor off your list - and spend less ££ on transport.

My kids thought Avebury was much more fun because you can walk around the whole site.