4 Perfect Road Trips from London: Bath, Cambridge, Brentwood & Peterborough

📍 4 Perfect Road Trips from London

Bath — approximately 2.5 hours’ drive

Bath has enough packed into it that if you’ve only got a day, a guided walking tour is the easiest way to see the landmarks that matter without missing anything.

Things to do in Bath

If you’re a Bridgerton fan, head to Royal Crescent — the location of the Featherington household, and one of the best examples of Georgian architecture in the country.

Just around the corner is Royal Victoria Park, a public park built in the early 19th century that’s free to enter. There’s plenty to do here year-round, from ice skating in winter to adventure golf in summer.

Bath itself is a UNESCO World Heritage City — one of the few in the UK recognised for the whole city rather than a single site — so it’s worth just wandering, but a few stops are worth planning around: the Roman Baths, well-preserved Roman spas steeped in history, and Bath Abbey, one of the last great medieval churches built in England and one of the most visited sites in the area.

Visit the Jane Austen Centre to learn what inspired novels like Pride and Prejudice, then stop at the on-site Regency Tea Room for a traditional afternoon tea.

Stroll along Pulteney Bridge, completed in 1774, for views over the River Avon, and stop by the Beazer Garden Maze on your way. From there, it’s a short walk to Bath Rugby’s grounds — one of the oldest rugby clubs in the world, founded in 1865 by the Lansdown Cricket Club as a winter pastime.

Where to Stay in Bath

• Splurge: The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa — set right in Royal Crescent itself, a 15-minute walk from the city centre. Worth it if you want the full Bath experience for a night.
• Budget: The Z Hotel Bath — rooms are small but clean, with everything you need, and it’s just moments from the Roman Baths.

Cambridge — 1.5 hours’ drive

Cambridge is a working university city with a river running through it and enough history to fill several days, though it works well as a single-day trip too.

Things to do in Cambridge

Home to one of the oldest universities in the world, Cambridge’s colleges are worth seeing up close. Join a 1.5-hour guided walking tour of King’s, Clare and Trinity Colleges — Trinity is where King Charles studied, making him the first British monarch to complete a university degree.

In the warmer months, take a punting tour down the River Cam. Sit back while your guide punts you past the colleges, narrating what goes on inside each one.

Weather permitting, the Cambridge Botanical Gardens are worth a look — free tours, though there’s a garden admission fee. Opening hours vary by season, so check before you go.

If you’re pushed for time, the Cambridge hop-on hop-off bus lets you prioritise what you want to see and skip the rest, with a map included so you know where you’re headed.

Cambridge also has more museums than you can reasonably fit in — the Fitzwilliam Museum on Trumpington Street is the best known, but the Museum of Cambridge and the Cambridge Museum of Technology are both worth a look if you have time.

Where to Stay in Cambridge

• Splurge: The Varsity Hotel and Spa — on Thompson’s Lane right by the River Cam, with comfortable rooms, good river views and friendly staff.
• Budget: Holiday Inn Express Cambridge West – Cambourne — clean, comfortable and reliable, though it’s 13km from the city centre so isn’t ideal if you want to walk to the main sights.

Brentwood — approximately 45 minutes’ drive

Brentwood, in Essex, became internationally known thanks to the reality show “The Only Way Is Essex” (TOWIE). Its older history is quieter: early settlers reportedly named the area Burntwood, after the town is believed to have originated in a small forest clearing left by a fire — some 18th-century maps still carry the old name.

Things to do in Brentwood

Beyond the High Street’s boutiques, clubs and restaurants you’ll recognise from TOWIE, there’s a hint of the medieval period at the ruins of St Thomas Becket’s Chapel, built around 1221 and still standing on the High Street today.

The Gruffalo Trail is about a 7-minute drive from Brentwood High Street and recreates the children’s story with hand-carved trail markers of the characters — a good one if you’re travelling with kids.

Brentwood Brewery runs tours that take you behind the scenes of the brewing process, covering the ingredients and technique in as much depth as you want — or just stop by for a pint instead.

Brentwood Museum, housed in a small cottage, covers the area’s social and domestic history from 1840 to 1970. It keeps limited hours — 2:30–4:30pm on weekends and 10:30am–12:30pm on Mondays — and these vary, so check the website before visiting.

Where to Stay in Brentwood

• Splurge: Silverings, a Beautifully Designed Luxurious Townhouse — about 11 minutes outside the town centre, sleeps up to 8 — a good option if you’re travelling as a group, or a genuine splurge for two.
• Budget: De Rougemont Manor — surprisingly affordable given the tennis court, outdoor pool, restaurant and free parking on site. Rooms are bright and clean.

Peterborough — approximately 2 hours 15 minutes’ drive

Peterborough rarely makes it onto anyone’s list, which is a shame — the city’s history goes back to 992, when it was known as St Peter’s Burgh. It was largely rebuilt after being burnt down in 1070, and has grown into the city it is today around its cathedral.

Things to do in Peterborough

Catch a match at Weston Homes Stadium, home of Peterborough United (‘Posh’) — book tickets online ahead of the game. It’s not a Premier League-sized ground, but it’s a solid day out.

Crowland Abbey is about a 20-minute drive from the city centre. Once a Benedictine monastery in Lincolnshire founded in memory of St Guthlac in the early eighth century, it’s still open for prayer today, with visitors welcome between 11am and 3pm.

Ferry Meadows, about 12 minutes from Peterborough, has a lake in Nene Park set up for water sports, windsurfing and sailing courses, plus paths for jogging, cycling or flying a kite if you want a slower afternoon.

Peterborough Cathedral is home to the tomb of Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s first wife, and was also the original burial place of Mary, Queen of Scots, before her remains were moved to Westminster Abbey. The site has been a place of worship since the 7th century, though the current building is one of the finest surviving Norman cathedrals in England.finest Norman cathedrals in England.

Where to Stay in Peterborough

• Splurge: Park Inn by Radisson Peterborough — walking distance to the train station if you’d rather leave the car at home — clean, modern rooms at the standard you’d expect from Radisson.
• Budget: Signature Suites — great value, with comfortable, well-decorated rooms, free parking and Wi-Fi, and a kitchenette if you’d rather eat in.

❓ FAQ: Road Trips from London

Plan Your Route

Any one of these four makes a solid escape from London, and none of them require more planning than picking a day and checking opening hours. Book the car or the tour, and get out of the city for a bit.

Go on — pick a direction and go.

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