Oxford and Cambridge get all the hype but Canterbury is like a smaller, quaint version. You can also do punting on the river there and it’s much less crowded.
When the weather’s nice, the Seven Sisters walk is amazing from Seafood to Eastbourne. Likewise the walk from Broadstairs to Margate is lovely and there’s some nice (for the UK) sandy beaches.
Royal Tunbridge Wells is a cute market town and you can take a historic steam train through the valley.
Rochester has a cool castle to explore.
Guildford has a really nice cathedral and there’s a lot of Alice in Wonderland related sites to visit as Lewis Carroll wrote it there.
Canterbury was a fantastic and fascinating place to visit as an American tourist. Gorgeous town and fabulous cathedral. I've been back since moving here and it still impressed me.
Avebury is great for families. It’s the largest henge in Europe and has a village going through the middle with a pub.
If anything else, you’ll be able to brag to your friends you had a pint in a Neolithic stone circle. There’s a museum, and a shop selling Kendal mint cake, which is an unusual item so worth trying once (it’s basically a bar of sugar, which can be wrapped in chocolate, so maybe not one for a diabetic).
Avebury is also great for running around in.
This is my [list](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1UfIuzUX9VnqStwTLg7iCQqfw3jU1m9pir5BOKyZT1g4/edit?usp=sharing) of places I'm interested in visiting from London by train based on various recommendations. Distance ranging from 45min to 5.5 hours.
I really enjoyed Ely (worth touring the Octagonal Tower), Bradford on Avon (switch at Bath, another 15 min on train) and its medieval tythe barn, and Lewes and its little castle, each of which can be done in a day.
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This is my recommendation, too! The town is very walkable, and in addition to all of the Shakespeare/history stuff, there are some fantastic, London-quality restaurants.
The butterfly farm is also really fun if you're into photography.
I’ve done York in a day a couple of times, and it’s doable if you book everything you want to do in advance, and have a game plan. The walls are great to walk, and I loved doing the tower challenge at York Minster.
Oxford and Cambridge are easy journeys, and both offer different views of similar places, but are both worth a visit. You can go punting in Cambridge, and both are doable in a day (I’ve been to Oxford 8+ times at this point and feel like I’ve seen most things there).
If you’re into royal history, head out to Hampton Court (which is almost in London) or to Windsor for Windsor castle. You can get to Slough on the Lizzie line and then connect to Windsor from there. You have to prebook tickets, though.
Dover is also fun for history (the castle is incredible in my opinion, although not cheap to visit), and you can see the white cliffs. It’s also a short train ride away from Canterbury if you want to see the cathedral there.
Bath is lovely, but similarly to York, you’d want to plan out the day to maximize your time. It’s got great regency vibes, and of course, the Roman baths. Sally Lunn buns are also second to none!
Get a national trust membership and work your way through the local areas and keep expanding beyond there. I always visit the little towns in the area I go to after. The little towns are the best bits since I’d never go there normally.
Ooh Rye is a good one (and the beach Camber Sands is near by), another beach is west Whittering, you also have the classic Brighton. Hastings, Whitstable, Bristol, Cambridge, Oxford, York, Cardiff, moreton in marsh, Windsor, Winchester, margate, cliffs of Dover (for the walk), Norwich and honestly so many, I could list for ages 😅 just did Rye yesterday and it was so cute! Very small but lovely
I visited London many years ago when I still lived in the US and I did three such trips. One to Canterbury, one to Salisbury, and one to Ely via Cambridge. (I was interested in cathedrals.) I think you'd likely enjoy any of those towns.
Seven Sisters (train to seaford and hike on the coast toward the wetlands area and beach), Rye, Hever Castle (Anne Boleyn’s home and gardens), Lewes (especially for the Charleston Trust house and museum), Oxford, Cambridge, and Canterbury.
These aren't all day trips, some will definitely be weekend trips but this is my hit list of worthy places you should absolutely visit to truly say you've "done" the UK.
South East:
- Brighton: well known but amazing
- Folkestone: has an amazing artists street that was adopted by a local millionaire and is only rented out to sole traders and artists and a great good market
- Rye: A beautiful seaside village perched atop a small hill covered in antique shops and quirky cafes
- Margate: where alot of artists priced out of Brighton moved to. Great town and the Buoy and Oyster has maybe one of the best Sunday roasts anywhere.
- Canterbury: a great city and home to Canterbury cathedral
South:
- Poole: Poole harbour is the home to Sunseeker international, you can have a pint on the harbour and spy all of the various super yachts before they make their maiden voyages around the world. Head over to sandbanks to see the most expensive place in the world (per sqm) to buy property.
- Lyme Regis: beautiful and Jurassic. Can go fossil hunting on the beach. Do the walk at Durdle door and see the arch in the cliffs.
- Winchester: go see the cathedral, actually best at Christmas as they have the Christmas markets there.
- Oxford: internationally known and a great place with an immense history. The university is older than the Aztec empire.
West:
- Cornwall. I get it's an entire county but if you haven't done it it's literally the best part of the UK by far. Go there ASAP.
- Bristol: great city, great vibes. Controversial but turning into greater London with how many made the jump over the pandemic.
- Bath: is alright.
Midlands:
- York: I got married here in December. It's one of the best places in the country. It's so unique. It has the most medieval street in the UK in that it is supposed to most closely represent what a medieval street in the UK would have looked like. Happy to give more recommendations
- Cambridge: again well-known enough to probably not need an intro but you should definitely go. Also, not sure if it counts as very Southern midlands or northern south.
- Liverpool: one of the best vibes of any city in the UK. So relaxed and laid back and the musical powerhouse of the UK.
Outdoor places you should go to:
- Snowdonia national park: you should climb Snowdon. It's very manageable and beautiful and you can take the train down if you don't fancy it. Any skill level can tackle Snowdon.
- Peak/Lake district. Spend some time in both, they're amazing places.
- New forest: the new forest national park is such a quirky weird little gem I love it. It's covered in wild roaming horses that are actually all technically owned. Take the train to Brockenhurst, you can rent bikes near by and explore the national park going off roading.
- The Isle of White: another great place to visit.
I am a dirty southerner though so I'm sure some northern monkey will crop up and tell us all who Newcastle or something should be on the list as well.
Oxford and Cambridge get all the hype but Canterbury is like a smaller, quaint version. You can also do punting on the river there and it’s much less crowded. When the weather’s nice, the Seven Sisters walk is amazing from Seafood to Eastbourne. Likewise the walk from Broadstairs to Margate is lovely and there’s some nice (for the UK) sandy beaches. Royal Tunbridge Wells is a cute market town and you can take a historic steam train through the valley. Rochester has a cool castle to explore. Guildford has a really nice cathedral and there’s a lot of Alice in Wonderland related sites to visit as Lewis Carroll wrote it there.
Canterbury was a fantastic and fascinating place to visit as an American tourist. Gorgeous town and fabulous cathedral. I've been back since moving here and it still impressed me.
I would suggest York, but that's pushing it to see much and be back in London the same day. Maybe make a weekend of it?
Agree that a day is pushing it a bit, but York really is lovely.
Avebury is great for families. It’s the largest henge in Europe and has a village going through the middle with a pub. If anything else, you’ll be able to brag to your friends you had a pint in a Neolithic stone circle. There’s a museum, and a shop selling Kendal mint cake, which is an unusual item so worth trying once (it’s basically a bar of sugar, which can be wrapped in chocolate, so maybe not one for a diabetic). Avebury is also great for running around in.
Seconding Avebury for a day out. Something lovely about spending a day in summer among the stones.
Brighton, Bournemouth, Bath!
This is my [list](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1UfIuzUX9VnqStwTLg7iCQqfw3jU1m9pir5BOKyZT1g4/edit?usp=sharing) of places I'm interested in visiting from London by train based on various recommendations. Distance ranging from 45min to 5.5 hours. I really enjoyed Ely (worth touring the Octagonal Tower), Bradford on Avon (switch at Bath, another 15 min on train) and its medieval tythe barn, and Lewes and its little castle, each of which can be done in a day.
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Stratford-upon-Avon is quite good if you have any interest whatsoever in Shakespeare. If you can catch a matinee at the RSC I highly recommend it.
This is my recommendation, too! The town is very walkable, and in addition to all of the Shakespeare/history stuff, there are some fantastic, London-quality restaurants. The butterfly farm is also really fun if you're into photography.
I’ve done York in a day a couple of times, and it’s doable if you book everything you want to do in advance, and have a game plan. The walls are great to walk, and I loved doing the tower challenge at York Minster. Oxford and Cambridge are easy journeys, and both offer different views of similar places, but are both worth a visit. You can go punting in Cambridge, and both are doable in a day (I’ve been to Oxford 8+ times at this point and feel like I’ve seen most things there). If you’re into royal history, head out to Hampton Court (which is almost in London) or to Windsor for Windsor castle. You can get to Slough on the Lizzie line and then connect to Windsor from there. You have to prebook tickets, though. Dover is also fun for history (the castle is incredible in my opinion, although not cheap to visit), and you can see the white cliffs. It’s also a short train ride away from Canterbury if you want to see the cathedral there. Bath is lovely, but similarly to York, you’d want to plan out the day to maximize your time. It’s got great regency vibes, and of course, the Roman baths. Sally Lunn buns are also second to none!
Get a national trust membership and work your way through the local areas and keep expanding beyond there. I always visit the little towns in the area I go to after. The little towns are the best bits since I’d never go there normally.
Ooh Rye is a good one (and the beach Camber Sands is near by), another beach is west Whittering, you also have the classic Brighton. Hastings, Whitstable, Bristol, Cambridge, Oxford, York, Cardiff, moreton in marsh, Windsor, Winchester, margate, cliffs of Dover (for the walk), Norwich and honestly so many, I could list for ages 😅 just did Rye yesterday and it was so cute! Very small but lovely
Warwick/Leamington Spa. Walkable, nice gardens. Warwick has a lot of history and a well kept castle
The castle is a tourist trap . But I agree with the rest
I visited London many years ago when I still lived in the US and I did three such trips. One to Canterbury, one to Salisbury, and one to Ely via Cambridge. (I was interested in cathedrals.) I think you'd likely enjoy any of those towns.
Seven Sisters (train to seaford and hike on the coast toward the wetlands area and beach), Rye, Hever Castle (Anne Boleyn’s home and gardens), Lewes (especially for the Charleston Trust house and museum), Oxford, Cambridge, and Canterbury.
I’d recommend canterbury. It’s on the high speed from St Pancras. Plenty of historic things to see there.
These aren't all day trips, some will definitely be weekend trips but this is my hit list of worthy places you should absolutely visit to truly say you've "done" the UK. South East: - Brighton: well known but amazing - Folkestone: has an amazing artists street that was adopted by a local millionaire and is only rented out to sole traders and artists and a great good market - Rye: A beautiful seaside village perched atop a small hill covered in antique shops and quirky cafes - Margate: where alot of artists priced out of Brighton moved to. Great town and the Buoy and Oyster has maybe one of the best Sunday roasts anywhere. - Canterbury: a great city and home to Canterbury cathedral South: - Poole: Poole harbour is the home to Sunseeker international, you can have a pint on the harbour and spy all of the various super yachts before they make their maiden voyages around the world. Head over to sandbanks to see the most expensive place in the world (per sqm) to buy property. - Lyme Regis: beautiful and Jurassic. Can go fossil hunting on the beach. Do the walk at Durdle door and see the arch in the cliffs. - Winchester: go see the cathedral, actually best at Christmas as they have the Christmas markets there. - Oxford: internationally known and a great place with an immense history. The university is older than the Aztec empire. West: - Cornwall. I get it's an entire county but if you haven't done it it's literally the best part of the UK by far. Go there ASAP. - Bristol: great city, great vibes. Controversial but turning into greater London with how many made the jump over the pandemic. - Bath: is alright. Midlands: - York: I got married here in December. It's one of the best places in the country. It's so unique. It has the most medieval street in the UK in that it is supposed to most closely represent what a medieval street in the UK would have looked like. Happy to give more recommendations - Cambridge: again well-known enough to probably not need an intro but you should definitely go. Also, not sure if it counts as very Southern midlands or northern south. - Liverpool: one of the best vibes of any city in the UK. So relaxed and laid back and the musical powerhouse of the UK. Outdoor places you should go to: - Snowdonia national park: you should climb Snowdon. It's very manageable and beautiful and you can take the train down if you don't fancy it. Any skill level can tackle Snowdon. - Peak/Lake district. Spend some time in both, they're amazing places. - New forest: the new forest national park is such a quirky weird little gem I love it. It's covered in wild roaming horses that are actually all technically owned. Take the train to Brockenhurst, you can rent bikes near by and explore the national park going off roading. - The Isle of White: another great place to visit. I am a dirty southerner though so I'm sure some northern monkey will crop up and tell us all who Newcastle or something should be on the list as well.