Top UK Day Trips

Alton Towers

Alton Towers is the UK’s largest theme park, and is home to some of the most thrilling rides in the world. Of particular note is “Nemesis” , the world’s first legs-free inverted roller coaster.  It lasts 2 and a half minutes, reaching speeds of 110km per hour and achieving a total G-force of 4.5G’s…it’s not for the faint hearted!

If that sounds like a bit too much, there’s also a motor museum and a children’s farm.

Cotswolds

If you’re looking for the quintessential English countryside experience, look no further than The Cotswolds. Filled with picturesque villages and towns, and accompanied with a sweeping countryside, it’s one of the most beautiful areas in Britain.

Aside from the historic and enchanting  location, there are many attractions here, such as a steam railway, a Golden Dragon maze, museums, health resorts for the exercise lovers out there and a model village.

Brighton Sea Life Centre

Featuring black-tipped reef sharks, two giant sea turtles, a shipwreck, and much more, The Brighton Sea Life Centre, with its amazing views afforded by the underwater tunnel, is one of the best aquariums in Britain.

Stonehenge

One of the most enigmatic and famous landmarks in the world, Stonehenge is a must see.

How the ancient Britons quarried, carved and lifted these massive stones, and how it was constructed over 5000 years ago, is still a mystery.

Sissinghurst Castle

This moated Tudor house was built in the 16^th century, but over time fell into disrepair. In 1930 however it was restored by Vita Sackville-West and her husband Harold Nicolson, who transformed it into the beautiful horticultural centre that it is today.

With it’s amazing gardens that each have their own colour scheme, rare plants, and a beautiful Rose garden, Sissinghurst is not to be missed at any time of the year.

Stratford

Set in the heart of the Midlands by the River Avon, the house that Shakespeare was born in is the biggest tourist attraction outside of London.

It has been lovingly restored to what it would have looked like in Shakespeare’s time, and the rest of the town too seems to be from another time.

Legoland

Offering a variety of rides, shows and interactive attractions, Legoland Windsor is one of the best theme parks in the UK, and has something for all ages. Definitely make sure to check out the lego facsimiles of cities from around the world, the attention to detail is amazing!

Hampton Court Palace

Hampton Court Palace used to be just a small manor house in 1514, until it was handed over to Cardinal Wolsey, who transformed it into a magnificent palace. He subsequently gave it to King Henry VIII in 152, who made it into what it is today.

Hampton Court Palace is both educational and fun. The mix of Tudor and Baroque architecture along with the various tapestries and paintings give a great insight into English history, and features like the maze, oldest tennis courts in Britain and sunken garden are fascinating. It is also a great plece for wedding reception.

Thorpe Park

One of the biggest theme parks in the country, Thorpe Park is famous for having the world’s first ten looping rollercoaster. To keep everyone entertained, there are scale model buildings and a petting zoo.

Colchester Zoo

Colchester Zoo is one of the best zoos in Europe. It spans across 60 acres of beautiful parkland and lakes, features over 250 species and is in a constant programme of development, so there’s always something new to see.

There are also opportunities to get up close and personal with the animals, such as feeding elephants and giraffes, or even touching a giant African land snail if you have the stomach for it!

Windsor Castle

Originally built as a fort by William the Conqueror in 1070 to protect London from the West, Windsor Castle has since become a home for the royal family, with them often visiting on weekends.

In itself a spectacular building with amazing traditional features, it also houses a enormous array of famous paintings, tapestries, porcelain, sculptures and armour.