Contents
- London: The Perfect Base for Exploration
- Stonehenge
- Oxford
- The Lodge Nature Reserve
- Stratford-upon-Avon
During the long-awaited summer holidays, it isn’t always easy to keep kids entertained. A lot of parents may struggle to keep their kids busy and engaged during the summer holidays. After all, children may be perfectly happy spending hours playing on the iPad or engrossed in video games, but sitting in front of a screen probably isn’t the best use of their precious free time during the summer!
Summer is the perfect time to head out to explore new places, and taking your kids on a mini adventure is a fantastic way to spend a summer day. Not only that – it’s also a great way to teach kids about geography if you have them follow along the map as you’re travelling. If you’re looking for a fun family-friendly day trip near London, you’re in luck - there are plenty of great destinations nearby to choose from, and we’ve compiled your best options here. 🚙
We all know travelling with children isn’t always easy, but these day trips from London are easy to manage with kids in the backseat! Keep reading to see our best picks for family trips from London with children, whether you’re keen on visiting sites of historical and educational significance for your kids or exploring nature and wildlife.
London: The Perfect Base for Exploration
For families based in or near London, there’s a wealth of interesting sites and attractions to explore – but the city also serves as a fantastic base to explore the wider region. There’s no shortage of wonderful day trips you can take from London with kids, whether you’re hoping to visit a site of historical significance, cultural attractions or letting your children take in the wonder of nature in the great outdoors. If you’re hoping for a low-cost day out, there are plenty of options for cheap day trips from London with kids.
These day trips are not only fun for the whole family, but most of these destinations also have an educational benefit to them. A fantastic way to capitalise on what your kids learn during their day out would be to have them draw or write about the most interesting parts of their day out after you’ve come home. It could spark an interest in learning more for them, and who says summer learning can’t be fun?
We’ve put together our top picks for family trips near London so you can pick the best option for you. If you’re looking to get out of the city for a day, these family-friendly day trips from London are all easy to get to in a couple of hours and will provide a fun and educational day out for your kids.
Stonehenge
Stonehenge is a truly unmissable site to visit, especially with kids. This famous prehistoric monument inspires curiosity and wonder in almost everyone who visits, and can spark some interesting conversations with your kids. There’s no doubt that they’ll be excited to share the story of their Stonehenge experience with their classmates when school starts back up!
If you’re visiting Stonehenge on a day trip from London, it’s best to make an early start as the drive will take about 2,5 hours each way. Keep your kids entertained on the way with our guide to fun road trip activities! You could also get the train there, or if you’re looking for a full educational experience without worrying about having to drive, why not join one of the Stonehenge tours on offer?
Oxford
If you’re looking for day trips near London with children, Oxford is a fantastic option. It’s a cost-effective day trip as there are several excellent free museums in Oxford, such as Pitt Rivers Museum filled with interesting archaeological and anthropological collections that are bound to fascinate kids. The medieval Oxford Castle also has a Victorian prison which is another site of interest for kids, and can inspire great conversations about history. For kids who enjoy reading, Oxford is a great location – it is the birthplace of Alice in Wonderland, and several scenes from Harry Potter were filmed in Oxford’s grand colleges. 🏫
Oxford is one of the easiest day trips to take from London as there are plenty of ways to get there in a short space of time. It takes about an hour to travel to Oxford from London by car, bus or train.
The Lodge Nature Reserve
Beautifully set within Bedfordshire, The Lodge Nature Reserve is a fantastic destination for families looking to explore Britain’s nature and heritage. It will be of special interest to animal lovers as there is plenty of wildlife to explore, and kids will love roaming around the 220 hectares of heathland. 🚶🏽
You can borrow rucksacks with wildlife guides, binoculars and other gear that will make your experience walking the winding trails very educational for kids who want to see all the birds, wildlife and bugs the site is home to. It’s a wonderful active day trip – after a day of exploring this lush natural area, your kids will be ready to fall into bed!
This is a wonderful option if you’re hoping for a low-cost day out, as the reserve is absolutely free to explore. You can get the train from London in under an hour, or make the drive in about 1,5 hours.
Stratford-upon-Avon
All kids in the UK will be studying Shakespeare’s plays and poetry at some point in their school career, so it’s a great idea to give your children an early start with the Bard. In order to bring history to life for them, what could be better than to experience Shakespeare’s birthplace? A visit to the beautiful and historic market town Stratford-upon-Avon offers plenty of chances to explore Shakespeare and his works as well as the history and culture of the area. 📖
Travelling to beautiful Stratford-upon-Avon is easy, and driving or getting the train from London to Stratford-upon-Avon will take about 2-2,5 hours.
We hope this list of family-friendly day trips from London helps you plan your next day out with the kids! Visiting a site of historical importance, exploring the wonder of nature and taking in the interesting displays at museums is a fantastic way to get your kids excited about learning during the summer. If you’d like to make sure your child is prepared for the next school term, why not consider online tutoring during the summer holidays? You can try a lesson for free to see if it’s a good fit!
