dosage54

Headed to London the day after Thanksgiving. Staying near Victoria Station. Can anyone suggest any day trips by rail from there? Looking for interesting towns to walk and shop, and grab a bit of history. Thanks in advance.

Gagravarr

Oxford would seem to be a good option - at peak times you've got 10 express coaches an hour from Victoria! (6 Oxford Tubes, 4 Oxford Expresses). It'd be slightly quicker to take the underground (tube) to Paddington and the train from there though. If you get off a Queens Lane / High Street, you'll be surrounded by colleges, not too far to walk to some of the parks, and close to shops

Otherwise, take the train to Brighton, shop and wander round in the Lanes, walk on the sea front etc

nux

This previous thread has some ideas: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/u-k-i...-victoria.html

Swanhunter

Arundel has an interesting castle and a small but attractive centre. Otherwise Brighton has plenty of shopping but a little less history.

slawecki

we went to windsor castle,also down the thames to greenwich(by boat),

Mizter T

Arundel as already noted, Chichester, Lewes, Chatham (for the Chatham Historic Dockyard), Canterbury - note for Canterbury, the fastest trains from London are now from St Pancras station (next to King's Cross), but it's still perfectly do-able to get there on a slower train from Victoria (it's also a bit cheaper). Eastbourne and Tunbridge Wells are newer towns (by British standards) but of interest.

If willing to change at Clapham Junction, or otherwise start from Waterloo station, then perhaps Salisbury, Romsey, Brockenhurst, Lymington, Portsmouth (for Portsmouth Historic Dockyard).

There's a lot out there depending upon what you're after.

You could take a look at the Days Out Guide website produced by the train companies, which might provide some ideas - it also shows various offers available to those who hold train tickets. Perhaps take a look at the interactive map at the bottom of this page, focussing on the counties of Hampshire, West and East Sussex, Kent and Surrey.

Both the National Trust and English Heritage look after many places of historic interest - the National Trust also owns and preserves places of natural beauty - their websites include details of all of these.

"The Beautiful South" / Visit South East England website might also provide inspiration.

flatlander

Victoria Line to Kings Cross then train (1 hour) to Cambridge. Buses from outside the train station to the centre, or walk (1.5 miles ish). If walking, it's nicer to exit through the car park and walk into town along Mill Road (check google maps).

Walk round the colleges, try your hand at punting, buy some stuff at the market, visit a couple of the central museums if you like, etc. Have a pint at the Eagle (Bene't Street), look into the back room and see the ceiling graffiti from WW2 US Army Air Corps pilots (contrast with part of the back room which is Elizabethan (or similar age).

On the way back to the station, there's good food near the station off Mill Road at the Kingston Arms or the Cambridge Blue. Al Amin Asian grocers do the best fresh samosas at the counter in the back.

VickiSoCal

Is punting a thing in late November? Check hours of any castles/country homes as they are more limited in off season.

iluvcruising2

Oxford, best accessed by bus or train. We tried driving in and it got a bit dicey.

Here are some videos I made of the trip.

Parked at Gloucester Green. Parking isn't cheap.

Visited Christ Church. Unfortunately, the Great Hall was closed.

Since we had a rental car, we drove to Bicester Shopping Village to take a look. Just shopping, nothing much else. I even penned a poem.

Bicester Shopping Village - 21st Century Pillage

60 Miles out of London, we came to Bicester Shopping Village
What a glorious sunny day, amidst British tillage
Driving here was part of our voyage.
Designer Outlet Goods, stocked in many a cottage

Polo, Ralph Lauren, Prada & Ferragamo
Intense shopping by Arab, Indian, Chinese supremo
Watch the world go by, sipping my cappuccino
Wondering why no Russian and Latino

Life aint' fair, I can't afford a Gucci
My wife understands, she still gives me a smoochie
At least back home we have mangosteen and lychee
While I relax and focus on my tai-chi

60 Miles out of London, we came to Bicester Shopping Village
What a glorious sunny day it was, amidst British tillage
Visa/Mastercard, no swords - 21st Century pillage
Thank God for a holiday, what a great privilege!

flyingbee

Is Bath too far for a day trip? I can't remember how long it takes to get there by train. One advantage is the station is in the city centre - although it is a bit of a walk up to the key sights. The view from the train as you arrive into Bath is pretty good.

UKtravelbear

Bath Spa is around 2 hours by train from Paddington.

Ditto for Cardiff. And York is around the same too.

All three (and plenty more) are perfectly doable as day trips and if you book in advance aren't that expensive and you can get some good deals for first class which include meals.

RichardInSF

The impressive railroad museum and York Minster are both within easy walking distance of York station, between the two of them it should make a nice day.

liamvad

Take the 702 bus from Victoria and go to Windsor,nice bus ride,and see the castle and sit by the river Thames with a pint....lovely.

LindaTerrill

+1 for both Windsor Castle (about 1-hr train) and Greenwich by boat on the Thames.

http://www.visitlondon.com/discover-london/london-areas/thames-river-and-waterways

RichardInSF

Hampton Court Palace can also be reached by boat on the Thames during the summer.