I am traveling to London in November. Is there an easy way to get to Stonehenge for a day trip? Is it worth it the time?

It's very easy to get to Stonehenge from London. Take a train to Salisbury (I think it leaves from Paddington but my memory could be wrong on that) and right at the train station there are buses that make the 1/2 hour drive. Salisbury is also a very nice little city, with a cathedral that is truly beautiful. You have plenty of time to go to Stonehenge and then spend time in Salisbury. You can also decide to go see the standing stones in Avesbury, about another hour beyond Stonehenge. That was a lot of fun for the kids, they can run wild around prehistoric standing stones. As to whether it's "worth it" to go to Stonehenge that's a pretty personal decision. My 12 year old said as the bus went over the hill and he caught a glimpse -- "it's a bunch of rocks." Depends on whether you can be awed by the mysteries of the past.

Opinions vary considerably--I've read messages in newsgroups (and this website) which either LOVE Stonehenge or HATE it. I'm one of the haters--the site is not very scenic (next to a bleak stretch of highway, the stones are behind a low fence, and this is not one of the prettiest parts of Britain)and there are other stone circles which are FREE and more beautiful (I love the smaller but infinitely more scenic circle at Keswick). You might wish to look into traveling to some other site relatively near London.

My advice? Forget Stonehenge. You can't get near it and I guarantee you'll be disappointed when you see it. I was.

But Avebury is excellent. I grew up about 5 miles from there and have been for many lovely walks around the circle. The village is lovely and still retains a mystic air. The pub, the Red Lion, is haunted and many customers have seen the ghost!

This part of Wiltshire with its rolling hills is beautiful--much more so than the Salisbury Plain area which is quite bleak. There's Silbury Hill nearby--a man made hill that still leaves archaeologists baffled as to its purpose. (Some believe it is a fertility symbol representing a pregnant woman). Also, the West Kennett Long Barrow is a must. It is an ancient burial mound on a hill nearby and you can actually step inside the chambers. My mother played a trick on me there when I was little--She told me to go inside the chamber, then ran off and left me there for a joke! I was terrified!

This is a lovely part of England with many beautiful villages. You might also see a crop circle--there's one in a field near Avebury right now. E-mail me if you'd like more details.

I suppose Stonehenge is a bit disappointing, but I'm so glad I've seen it. Iwouldn't have missed it for anything, but then I have a very active imagination and have read a lot of English history and literature. In fact, in this life I'm a former English teacher and presently a librarian. In past lives I'm certain I lived somewhere on those Salisbury plains... 8-) Judy

My advice from a dear English friend in London was to take the train to Salisbury have a nice lunch, walk around a bit and then allow about 1 1/2 hours to take the bus to Stonehenge and back quickly. Her advice was excellent. I've seen the other circle up north---it's in a cow pasture or at least used to be. I suppose it's worth seeing, but I think it's more interesting to read about it and all the speculation. It's not in a pretty area--crowded with tourists, and you need a telephoto to get a decent shot of it. We would never go back, but are glad we took our friend's advice. BTW we had lunch in a very historic pub called the Haunch of Venison which is supposed to be haunted (?) any very much enjoyed the walking tour of Salisbury Cathedral and its grounds, much more than the trip to Stonehenge! I would think it's even more of a disappointment for children!

Pretty sure that the trains go from Waterloo----we just did this last summer. Check the Britrail web site.

I'm the former English teacher who posted earlier on this topic. As much as I'm glad that I've been to Stonehenge, my stay there didn't last over 20 minutes. We also went on to visit the Salisbury Cathedral where we attended a vespers service and had high tea at a wonderful tearoom right across from the entrance. My husband decided he loved cucumber and tomato sandwiches and I loved the scones. So if you can work a side trip in to Stonehenge, do so, but don't think it is worth a complete day visiting it...My opinion... Now what was the question?

I just came back from a vacation to Great Britain. It was my husband's second visit and he too advised against visiting Stonehenge for some of the same reasons mentioned. We went anyway and I was very glad we did. There is now a self-guided tour of the site using a portable recorder (~$4/pp). The narrative is very interesting as it explains as you walk in a certain sequence the uncanny history, peculiarities and how it all ties the past to the present. I wouldn't had miss it!

I agree that you either love or hate Stonehenge. My husband was a true skeptic, but after his experience with the divining rods, he is a believer that there is something truly mysterious at Stonehenge. We were there in August of 94 (going back this August) and it was cold and rainy...very few tourists. I enjoyed the solitude and it didn't bother us that we couldn't touch the stones. Salisbury is a lovely town. We too have had a pint at the Haunch of Venison. Bath is a great day trip out of Salisbury too. We had the best time doing the Aussie Walk-about tour of Bath. You actually get to see the home of John Crapper (no joke), as well as the last remaining Victorian Hexagonal Mailbox. You don't miss a thing! Stonehenge is worth seeing if you don't have to go out of your way to see it. I am interested in seeing the other site that someone mentioned this time...

I've been to Stonehenge three different times; early morning before anyone was there, afternoon with the crowds, and dusk when everyone had left. To me and my husband, it is a magical place. We both experience an erie feeling, there is just something about it I can't really explain. It's not as impressive in size as Avebury but there is just something different about it. I love to go there and get those "goosebumps". And hey, I got to see a crop circle in the Wiltshire area while driving down a highway, so I didn't get to stop but it was SO exciting! I think you should go to Stonehenge. Maybe you won't be impressed but on the other hand, maybe, like me, you will.

As an English citizen I must say that Stonehenge is a national disgrace. It is one of the world's great sites (and sights!) but has been terribly neglected. There are plans to reroute the nearby road and put things right so that the site is once again presentable. But this may take some years. <BR>In the UK there are thousands of wonderful historic sites which you will enjoy more than Stonehenge.