Minibreak close to London

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I'm looking to take my dd18 away in December. would like a hotel or air&b close to London (using public transport).

Would love an area that has walks and nice touristy things to do and decent vegetarian/vegan food and feels like a real break away from the city without travelling too far.

Really hoping for some ideas and recommendations, as would love a mini holiday without going abroad.

Stratford upon Avon? Winchester?

Canterbury

Salisbury or Bath. Both only 1hr 20 on the train.

This does depend a bit on your definition of close to London. 😁

Worthing/Brighton

Thanks everyone.

Would anyone be able to recommend hotels or send links to nice things to do in those areas? struggling a bit for ideas

Definitely Brighton.

I agree with Canterbury - loads of food options, beaches nearby, woodlands, rivers to walk alongside, farm shops and village pubs. The city centre is definitely having a renaissance from 5 years ago when it was quite desolate and lots of independent shops.

For Canterbury if you are on a budget there is a travel lodge and loads of BnB's. I'd recommend The Goods Shed right by Canterbury West station for a lot of local produce from cheese/sausage rolls/local apple juice and a nice coffee or lunch if you want to try local food. You can walk along the river by Westgate Towers or get a punt along the river with some history (2 different operators who do slightly different journeys - seem to remember the one by the Westgate Towers is better). Also escape room within the towers. Then you can walk up the high street and around the back to the Cathedral and see some of the independent shops. Beaches (pebble) in Whitstable if you like oysters and The Neptune is a popular pub on the beach. I'd drive along the cost around Margate (sandy) and find a free parking spot to walk along the seafront (maybe not in this windy weather though!) as you can walk along the coastal path for miles and stop for tea at various pubs and cafes (Reculver also a good place to start/stop for this) - good if you have a dog.
Touristy things are The Beaney - local library with Turner paintings and rooms with various displays on the high street, obviously the Cathedral and the Hogwarts feel of that - often they do silent disco or light shows within that you can book tickets for, plus the Canterbury Tales experience which has just re-opened and I haven't seen so can't vouch for but used to be memorable and finally the quite small Roman Museum where you can see the depth of the original pavement from Roman era.

Marlow , Oxford , Cambridge?

Bristol or Bath or Oxford. Bristol and Oxford have Mollies which I’ve not been to but looks quite cool .https://mollies.com/

^^ although not sure if Mollies is close to train or coach station. You could look at Secret Escapes, we found decent priced hotel stays there.

Bristol came to mind

I have the perfect place for you but I’m not sure about the public transport.. The Grove hotel Watford. Walks, bike hire, spa etc, a weekend there feels like a week away. A mini holiday.

Oxford is lovely. I enjoyed going to Blenheim Palace, had an open top bus tour, found a place selling gorgeous pinsa's and found lots of little independent shops to browse and shop in. I found a Woucher deal for 2 nights in a coaching inn with breakfast and it was near to a meadow and river we walked along.

Tunbridge Wells is pretty.

Cambridge and Bristol both good calls. Bristol is brilliant for vegetarians.

Thanks. Bristol sounds promising. Any idea what the weather is generally like late December? and crowds after xmas? is it all a bit quiet or bustling?

Get the train to Liverpool, it doesn't take long. Excellent restaurants, nice buzz in the shopping areas for Christmas, there's a bunch of good museums. Eat anywhere on Bold Street but Maray is lovely. The Cathedrals are great to look at. Really nice bars and pubs.

Lots of good hotels - the Old Town Hall is good but pricey.

Thanks for this. what's the atmosphere like after Xmas? as that'd be when I'm planning to go?

If try Salisbury, there are quaint and high street shops, the cathedral is lovely and may have concerts on around Christmas. You can get a bus to Stonehenge and avebury but they can get busy or go the other way to the New forest Brockenhurst and around there is pretty and there are wild horses, the number 3 bus used to run from Salisbury through the forest to Ringwood, it's much cheaper than a tour bus. It's going to be cold and damp in December, you might be lucky and get sunshine.

How close to London do you want to be?
If you want close enough to go into London one day, Windsor. It's a town and not very big but there are lots of places you can easily get to on the train. I can't think of a vegan/vegetarian restaurant there.

If you want a touristy city easy to get to from London, Oxford or Bath. Both are delightful.

Bristol doesn't do it for me but the shops are good and there are things to do there (I used to live there and I didn't like it).
Salisbury is worth a visit but I'd go for the day not a mini-break.

Liverpool is well worth visiting. There is plenty to do there.
If you can, spend an afternoon in Chester, which is just over an hour away on the train, but I've not been for years.

Basically this is going to anywhere in the UK op!!
You said close to London, do you want to go into London or away from it?
Also it would help to know a budget as current you have a Travelodge or The Grove, Watford which starts at around £700 a night!

Your budget would help, what london station would you travel from, have you checked for engineering works, sometimes national express is better and a lot cheaper

A few years ago I went to a wedding at his hotel. Its at cockfosters, so the end of the Picadilly line. It felt an absolute world away from central London, yet close enough if you wanted to do day trips there. The grounds are extensive and lovely to walk around the arboretum and there is a golf course. I'm sure there are other things to do locally, but I was only there for the wedding.

They had various room options from ones within the main building to larger rooms in a separate garden lodge. Those rooms (at the time) had access to a hot tub.
https://www.westlodgepark.co.uk/

A friend raves about Broadstairs on the Kent coast but I'm yet to go. Brighton/Hove would be a great option for vegan food.

We've been to Edinburgh in 4hrs on the train. DH and I got the two together rail card. Its not a means tested one. Its saves 30% off train travel at certain times and last 12mths. You do have to travel with the other person listed- so your son, but it can be used by friends, neighbours, anyone if travelling together. The cost saving on that trip to Edinburgh, more than paid for the cost of the card.

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

between Christmas and New Year? The lights will still be up and it'll still be a good atmosphere.