Day trips

[TheNumberBlocks]

Those that live in London where do you go for day trips on the train only please? (I don’t drive) my son said we don’t travel to many places, so I want to do some more day trips further out this summer but no idea where to go! Must be a day trip, no overnights. We have been to margate, broadstairs, Brighton, so none of those. Where do others visit for a day trip out of London?

Can you post the age of your son, and any other children (if you'll bring them along)? Any special interests?

I take visitors of all ages to Canterbury because it is so very different from London, like a peek into England all the way back to medieval times, and yet just an hour each way by train. And actually smart to go by train even if you could drive, because southwest-bound traffic would hold you up a lot, especially in summer. Definitely pick a day with a good weather forecast for this trip though, because besides visiting the cathedral a lot of the fun is just walking outside and seeing what you find.

Dover's another possibility (about one hour fifteen minutes one way). The town is a bit run down, but the Dover Castle complex is amazing, and you can easily walk down from there to the port and see the famous white cliffs.

With older children, Oxford (about an hour and a half each way) could be good - just the atmosphere and physical/architectural beauty, plus a sense of history and loads of museums.

My estimated times are from King's Cross, so adjust as needed depending on your starting point.

Windsor? He might like the castle. You could do legoland - it would be an early start to get there by train from London mind you as you have to get to Windsor and then to the park by bus.

Also Hampton Court - theoretically in London as it's in Richmond, but you get the train there, it's zone 6.

Also Chessington World of Adventures. Also in London (Kingston) but another train (zone 6).

Oxford is an hour by train from Paddington. There’s parks, canal walks, College tours. Lots of Harry Potter stuff.

I don't live in London but I know these places:

Leeds Castle, Kent https://leeds-castle.com
By Train
Southeastern runs frequent services to Bearsted and Hollingbourne stations. There are direct trains to both stations from: Ashford International (25-30 mins) and London Victoria (70-75 mins). It’s then a 5-minute taxi ride or a 30-40 minute walk to Leeds Castle.

Portsmouth Dockyard https://www.visitportsmouth.co.uk/things-to-do/portsmouth-historic-dockyard-p54183

You can get almost anywhere from London.

Oxford
Cambridge
St Albans
Brighton
Southend on Sea
Windsor

Are all places you can easily spend a day walking around.

Legoland
Harry Potter World
Chessington
Thorpe Park
Whipsnade Zoo
Woburn Safari Park
Milton Keynes snow dome
West Wycombe caves/The Hellfire Caves
Beckonscott model village

Are all attraction that are reasonably easy to get to by train.

How old is he? What are his/your interests?

Chatham Dockyard (although I see someone has suggested Portsmouth Dockyard).

Arundel for the castle and gardens (the view of the castle from the train is amazing).

Sevenoaks for Knole house (National Trust property - not sure how interesting for a child) and woods (there are deer). Bit of a long walk from the station though.

Walmer and Deal in Kent: train to Walmer, visit Walmer Castle then walk along the beach (pebble unfortunately) to Deal and visit Deal Castle (both were Tudor coastal fortresses). Mooch around Deal and train back to London.

Eastbourne for the Seven Sisters Country Park & Cliffs. Haven't been myself but the buses from Eastbourne look frequent.

Portsmouth? Straight train from Waterloo to portsmouth harbour and then you can do the historic dockyard, gunwharf quays outlet shopping and the spinnaker tower, then walk along to the beach where you have a small funfair, some splash pools, a sea life centre. And your usual seaside things like crazy golf, piers, food places etc

Come north it’s a direct train from King’s Cross to York, takes just over 2 hours. The station is central and York is an easy city to walk around. Worth visiting National Railway Museum (free) it’s opposite the station. Walk along the city walls for some stunning views especially of the Minister. Picnic in York gardens, Castle museum is good.

We go to Southend. It has a great theme park - Adventureland. We normally take the little train down the (v long) pier and walk back. Normal seaside attractions, arcades, ice cream, paddle in the sea. There’s also an old fashioned sweet shop so we each get a quarter of pear drops, cola cubes etc

St Albans to see the Roman ruins and museum and the cathedral.
Cambridge or Oxford.
we used to go to Manchester by train for the day to visit family.

Thank you for the suggestions, he is 13 no particular interest that he want to visit he just loves transport so I think it’s an excuse for him to go on some trains that we don’t usually go on 😂 younger children will be 11 and 8

My suggestions have already been mentioned. IF you have another adult that will be travelling with you (doesn't need to be a partner, could be a friend) there is a two together rail card which last 12mths and saves money. DH and I went from London to Edinburgh and re-couped the cost of the card in that trip alone.

https://www.twotogether-railcard.co.uk/

Bletchley park?

Also second the idea of York, it’s a couple of hours away but he might enjoy the railway museum

Tunbridge Wells might be an idea. You could go on the Spa Valley Railway whose station is about 15 min walk from the actual Tunbridge Wells Station. The steam-hauled trip might be of interest.

He might like Brooklands Museum in Weybridge. It doesnt do trains but lots of other trandport. You can go inside old airplanes including a Concorde. https://www.brooklandsmuseum.com/

Family and friends railcard is a good idea of you are travelling with children - £30 for the year.

If you like transport, you could get the train from Waterloo - Alton then a steam train on the Watercress line.

Or the Isle of Wight is fun - train to Southampton, boat trip to the island. Their overground trains are old tube trains.

Or National Space Centre in Leicester, train to Leicester and bus from there.

Or for planes, imperial war museum in Duxford (presuming you have already been to the one in North London) - train Liverpool Street to Whittlesford parkway and bus from there.