What’s the furthest distance time-wise that you would prefer to drive for a day trip?

[RoseLattice]

Not the maximum but the longest preferred?

Theres a place about 1.5 hours away and I’m hemming and hawing over it. I think my maximum is an hour. I have a friend who will happily drive 2 hours which seems so long to me.

Probably about 3 hours for something we really wanted to do. Travelling 1.5 hours each way for a hobby thing is a twice weekly occurrence for me anyway.

Under 10 hours.

So reality is 4.5 each way, because then it gives space for stops and heavy traffic. If over 10 hours will stay over.

Due to our location, and the location of things we want to do this isn't unusual. Having a large automatic car makes it much easier.

I have flown to another country for a day. Everyone will have their own lines on what they will find enjoyable and where it is too far/long

The furthest place we regularly visit is 1.5h, that about the maximum. There is somewhere about 2.5h away, that we'd do maybe once or twice a year, but it always feels like a lot.

As several others have said, it depends so much on the motivation for being there, and what the possible alternatives are.

So, I wouldn't travel more than about 10 - 15 mins for a meal out with the people I live with, as where we live there are hundreds of places you could eat in that radius, but I would travel 2.5 hours to get to the beach, as I LOVE a day at the seaside, and that is the minimum we need to drive to get there.
I do travel two hours to an elderly relative who we are very close to, as there is no way of seeing him otherwise, but if meeting friends / cousins, I'd be less likely to drive that far, so would either get them to meet 1/2 way, or, more likely, make time to go and stay overnight (just taking sleeping bag and kipping down anywhere - whereas my elderly relative would want to be making up beds and getting food in, etc).
I appreciate how lucky I am to live within about 25 mins travel of several theatres so am often surprised that people travel 2 hours on a coach for a show. But, if you don't have them where you live (like I don't have the sea / a beach) then the motivation is stronger.

So, I wouldn't travel more than about 10 - 15 mins for a meal out with the people I live with, as where we live there are hundreds of places you could eat

For me this sums it all up. There isn't even a crappy takeaway within 10 minutes and the nearest pub is now 20mins away. So it all depends on what you are used to..

Depends on what you're used to. I live 1.5 hrs away from family and have no issues driving up for a meal and coming back. When I first moved, they seemed to be keen to stay over and I'd say no, it's not a long journey.

For a day trip around 2/2.5 hours for a happy distance. 3.5 for a max.

To be honest tho, i don't really want to see them. That's why I moved 1.5 hours away 😂😂😂

We regularly drive 2 hours each way for day trips - theyre long days but doable with a car picnic and good music. We did 2.5hrs each way earlier this year and while it was fine, it was definitely about my comfortable limit. 5 hours in a car is more than enough each day!

Nope. Large town with one museum, one theatre, one cinema, lots of restaurants, train station. We have two large cities, two national parks, multiple beaches, EH&NT sites, stately homes, gardens, all within an hours drive. I can think of 6 different theatres I've been to in different towns round us, all within an hour (the one in our town is <5 minutes drive or 20 mins walk) and including one that does the big musicals that people would travel to London for (and most people would take the train to London, not drive, since it takes half the time). The nearest city has a premier league football team and there are several smaller teams closer by. Think that covers most types of cultural events. I have had holidays or short breaks in places that are less than 2h drive away, it makes for a very relaxed break.

I grew up in a very remote part of the country, if we wanted the big city experience it always required at least one overnight. Most people do what is available in their local region so e.g. growing up days out included lots of trips to the beach, walks, picnics, bird watching, archaeological sites etc. But when I lived in a city as a student I went to theatres, museums, art galleries, concerts etc.

DC do a lot of athletics/cross country. Rule of thumb is anything over 2hrs we stay overnight in a hotel. Under 2 hrs we do it in a day and back.

1.5 to 2 for us.
DD is at Uni 1 hr 45 minutes away and its easily doable - but I would drive however long it took me to see her really

A lot of it would depend what it is, where it is and what the roads are like.

For example I drove three hours eachway recently for a concert that I wanted to go to. The road was mainly motorway and it was well worth it for me.

I was invited to a festival recently and passed as although it was not anything near as far it is on awful awful so called roads. I wasn't too bother about the festival itself so skipped it.

As a rule, for a day trip, max an hour. For a "special" day trip - 90 minutes (visiting people we haven't seen, beach etc). For something really big - a concert/sports event etc - 2-2.5 hours.

Context is everything.

I happily do 3 hours each way providing there is time to do what we want when we get there . I love driving . We live in Kent and often go to the Hawk conservancy for a day trip and I’ve done Disney Paris as a day trip before although that was with 2 drivers as it was 4am to 4am for New Year’s Eve .

Start time is another factor for me. Sports fixture 3 hours away that starts at 3pm? Easy day trip. Same fixture beginning at 9am? Overnight stay please!

I think we’re outliers!
I live in south london so any journey takes an hour- any less and I’d walk or bus.
I drove down to Devon for the eclipse for the day, regularly drove to Durham and back for dc University. I’ve driven to Cardiff, and Swansea (missed train, funeral)
Both sets of parents are 2/3 hours away.
My dearest friends are 2 hours away and I wouldn’t think twice of going to theirs’ for the day.

Pre kids, up to 2 hours. With a toddler around an hour max, unless a special occasion. Ideally only 30-45 mins for a normal weekend trip. Agree with others that I don't like the drive to exceed the time spent there so it varies depending on the activity!

Yes I’ve done Paris several times for the day from South London. And Calais shopping but that’s not doable now post brexit.

It's 6 hours drive each way from London to Paris. So you drove for 12 hours in a day? That is unsafe and nothing to boast about. If you were driving for work it is against the law to drive for more than 10 hours in 24 hours. So please, for your sake and for the others on the road, understand that this is not normal or healthy and don't do it again.

Of course it isn't against the law to drive more than 10 hours in 24 for work, don't be ridiculous.

I doubt anyone drives from London to Paris either as the Eurostar is so much faster.

About 90 minutes here too. That's at least 3hrs of the day lost travelling.

I think 2 hours for most things, and 3 hours each way for something either very fun or as an infrequentc trip (i.e. we go and visit DH's best friend, which is about 3 hours away, for the day, but it's only once a year as usually he travels up here to see family and we see him then). I've driven 4.5 hours each way to London and back for an event before now but that was exhausting.

My rule of thumb is never drive for longer (there and back) than the activity will take...

If I'm the only one driving, I'd rather 2-2.5hrs each way, if we're sharing the driving, then 3.5-4hrs. DD is at Uni 5hrs drive away (if no traffic problems), which we do with an overnight. PIL live 3.5hrs away, it's a day trip (DH now tends to do alone).