10 best day trips from London to take in July

I’m so excited to start this new monthly feature – the best day trips to take from London In! One of the things I have been really trying to embrace since our return from Qatar is getting out and about to see all the UK has to offer. As London is my home base, I have started compiling the list of what to see when! So without further ado here are my best summer day trips to take from London in July including the best beach day trips to take to escape a  London heatwave to historic homes and much much more! 

For me July is all about (theoretically at least) sunshine, outdoors and all things floral! To make the most out of the good weather here are:

The Best Garden Day Trips to Take From London in July

RHS Wisley Gardens

A new favourite in the Wandermust Household. RHS Wisley is a beautiful botanical garden run by the British Horticultural Society.  It is the second most visited garden in the UK after Kew!

The garden covers over 240 acres and has beautiful glasshouses, arboreteum, orchard, children’s play area and café.

Although great at any time of year in  July, the bright blooms are out in full force

Mayfield lavender

A very seasonal pick! Lavender blooms from June – August in London but in my opinion July is the perfect time to visit!

Be warned however that the farm can get  very busy at weekends and during the school holidays so I would recommend going on a weekday if possible!

If you have to go at weekends or during holidays be sure to get there very early to ensure you get parking and to get the best morning light for photography!

While on site be sure to visit the cafe and try the amazing lavender scones and lemonade!

Check out our full indepth review here!

Hampton Court Palace

I love Hampton Court Palace, and the gardens are spectacular in July. For an added bonus, the Palace hosts the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show in July for real flower enthusiasts. Smaller than Chelsea but less busy this is a great flower show to attend!

Hampton Court can get busy so we recommend buying your tickets in advance!

You can get your entrance tickets via Viator online HERE

How to Get to Hampton Court Palace: Getting to Hampton Court Palace from central London is easy and best done by train. There is a direct train from Waterloo Station. 

Kew Gardens

Great at any time of year, but Kew is glorious in the summer. The roses are out in full force and it really is the perfect palce to have a picnic. Great as well as it is easily accessible by tube on the District line!

Why not round off your day by enjoying an evening of musical entertainment by attending the Kew the Music Festival!

We have a full review of the best things to do at Kew here! 

How to get to Kew: This is the last but one stop on the District Line (West end towards Richmond) and then is just a short walk from the station!

The Best Sporting Day Trips to Take From London in July

One of the things I love about July is how sporty London and its surrounds become!

Henley upon Thames

Henley is a beautiful market town by the river. In good weather it is glorious to take a boat ride down the Thames or go for a stroll along the pathway. For real rowing enthusiasts, July in Henley also means the famous Henley Regatta!

More information: Check out our 48 Hours in Henley Guide!

Wimbledon 

My personal favourite sport! Wimbledon is now entirely a July event! You have to apply months in advance for tickets and they are really hard to come by!

For those visiting London in Summer I would recommend during the famous Wimbledon queue and taking a chance that you can get ground passes. I have done this on several occasions and even on the years that I didn’t get into the ground I had a lot of fun!

While there, why not check out the Wimbledon Tennis Museum!

The Best Beach Day Trips to Take To Escape a London Heatwave

If the weather is good really and if you get a London heatwave then is there anything better than fish and chips and ice cream on the beach!

Brighton

One of the most accessible beach destinations from central London. Although a stony beach the Brighton beach is a great one to visit and on the plus side if the weather turns bad, there are plenty of attractions in the town itself!

While the beach is stony it is still great to visit and if you rent a deck chair it really doesn’t matter whether you are sitting on sand or stones. Brighton also has a great promenade that stretches a long way down the coast which is perfect for a stroll. You can actually walk to Hove (about 2km away) and the beach really empties out the further along you walk so if you want to escape the crowds this is the place to go! There are also loads of adorable coloured beach huts that make great photo opps! 

And no visit to Brighton is complete without a visit to the Brighton Pavillion (otherwise known as the Royal Pavillion) which is a truly stunning architectural gem. 

Whitstable

A beautiful beach and a great foodie destination for those who like seafood. July marks the end of the oyster season but it is a great time to go and join in the Whitstable Oyster Festival held annually in July!

The beautiful coloured beach huts that line the beach front are great spots to get your instagram photos! 

Margate 

About an hour and a half away from London on the train. This is a bit of a Marmite town with some people loving it and some people hating it but you never know until you try it. 

This is a  staple English seaside town! Famed for having the Margate Pleasure Beach kids will love trying out all the rides. 

For art lovers there is also the Turner Contemporary Gallery to visit. 

The Best History Day Trips to Take From London in July

Windsor and Eton

Windsor can get very busy during the summer holidays so try and beat the toursits by heading here in earlyJuly. Windsor looks glorious in the sunshine and the Great Park is the perfect spot for a summer picnic!We also love taking a cooling boat ride down the river if there is a heatwave! 

For a full run down of the best things to do in Windsor check out this post!

Head back at the end of the month to check out our super summer ideas for August day trips from London!

BEST DAY TRIPS TO TAKE DURING A LONDON HEATWAVE – HOW TO ESCAPE LONDON WHEN ITS HOT #london #londonheatwave #daytrip #londonescape #londontravel #uk #uktravel