Looking for day trips from London in winter that are still fun when it is cold, dark by 4pm and probably raining? London is a brilliant base for seeing more of England, and so many places are an easy day trip from London by train. But not every classic day trip works in winter. Brighton seafront in a gale or a windy field at Stonehenge are great in summer, not so much in January!
So in this post you will find winter day trips from London with plenty of indoor things to do, cosy cafes and pubs to warm up in, and lots of Christmas markets and festive events in November and December. I lived in London for years and these are the trips I would still pick between November and March (because winter comes early and leaves late in the UK!).
So keep reading for ideas for winter 2026/27, including train routes, opening days and this year’s Christmas market dates, so you can plan without any nasty surprises.
1. Harry Potter Studio
Harry Potter and winter just go together which is why this is top of the list, and the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London is entirely under cover, so the weather does not matter one bit.
The best time to go is during Hogwarts in the Snow, from 14 November 2026 to 17 January 2027, when the Great Hall is laid for a Christmas feast and the giant Hogwarts castle model is covered in snow. Adult tickets are £58.50 and there are no tickets on the door, so book well ahead, especially for weekends and school holidays. Allow at least three and a half hours inside.
Whether you are travelling solo, as a couple or as a family with young kids, you’ll find the Harry Potter Studio totally magical, especially in winter!
- Train from London: London Euston to Watford Junction in about 20 minutes, then the electric shuttle bus to the studio (around 15 minutes, included in your ticket). Buy tickets on The Train Line here!
- Prefer not to do the train? You can book a tour from central London with transport included
- Studio Tour Website
2. Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace is on the edge of London, so it is perfect for a last minute winter day out without travelling too far. Its festive events make it one of the best day trips from London in winter and you can buy tickets to enter the house and gardens in advance here to give you a place to hide if it’s wet.
Inside Henry VIII’s palace you can explore the Tudor kitchens and state apartments, then head out to the gardens if it is dry. The real winter draw though is the festive season. The Hampton Court Palace Ice Rink sits in front of the palace from 20 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, and skating there after dark with the palace lit up is so magical! The rink is a separate ticket from the palace.
The palace also hosts its Festive Fayre with over 100 artisan producers on 4 to 6 and 11 to 13 December 2026, included in palace admission.
- Train from London: London Waterloo to Hampton Court, around 35 minutes. Buy tickets on The Train Line here! Or look into buses.
- Good to know: the ice rink is closed on Christmas Day
- Hampton Court Palace Website
3. Oxford
Oxford is one of the most popular day trips from London, and luckily it is just as good in winter. So much of the city happens indoors: the college halls, the museums and Oxford Castle & Prison, where a costumed guide takes you through 1,000 years of history in about 50 minutes. If the rain sets in, you can hop from one attraction to the next and barely notice.
From late November, Broad Street turns into a Christmas market with wooden chalets and live music, running 21 November to 31 December 2026 (closed Christmas Day). It sits right between the Sheldonian Theatre and Balliol College, so it is a gorgeous spot once the lights come on.
To warm up, the much loved Vaults & Garden cafe has moved from Radcliffe Square to 2 King Edward Street, just across the High Street, and still does its famous scones. Punting is not really a winter activity, so save that for a summer visit! Oxford has a hop on hop off bus which I’d recommend for seeing the sights but in a covered and
- Train from London: London Paddington to Oxford, around 1 hour (or London Marylebone, a similar time). Buy tickets on The Train Line here!
- Good to know: Oxford Castle & Prison tours are cheaper booked online ahead
- Oxford Castle & Prison Website
Related Post: More things to do in Oxford on a day trip from London!
4. Windsor
Windsor is so close to London that it is one of the easiest winter day trips from London, and Windsor Castle is mostly seen from the inside, which makes it perfect for a cold day. Winter is also much quieter than summer, so you get the State Apartments and the pretty lanes around the castle without the summer crowds.
From 26 November 2026 to 4 January 2027, the castle puts on its Christmas displays, with a 20 foot tree from Windsor Great Park and the State Apartments dressed in green and gold. One thing that catches people out: the castle is closed every Tuesday and Wednesday, apart from 22 and 29 December this year. Adult tickets are £32 if you book ahead (£36 on the day).
If the weather is dry, wrap up and walk part of the Long Walk through Windsor Great Park for that classic view back to the castle.
- Train from London: London Paddington to Windsor & Eton Central, changing at Slough (30 to 50 mins), or the direct train from London Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside (about 55 mins). Buy tickets on The Train Line here!
- Winter hours: 10am to 4.15pm, last entry 3pm
- Windsor Castle Tickets
Things to do in Windsor:
5. Bath
Imagine sitting in a steaming rooftop pool looking over Bath Abbey while it is freezing outside. That is exactly why Bath is one of the best day trips from London in winter! Thermae Bath Spa is Britain’s original natural thermal spa, and a two hour session includes the open air Rooftop Pool, the indoor Minerva Bath and the steam rooms. It costs £42.50 on weekdays and £47.50 at weekends, it is adults only (16+), and it gets busy, so book ahead and pack your swimwear!
The Roman Baths and the Jane Austen Centre are both indoors too, and if you visit between 26 November and 13 December 2026, the Bath Christmas Market fills the streets around the Abbey with over 200 wooden chalets. Note it finishes earlier than most UK markets, so do not leave it until the week before Christmas.
To help you get around Bath when it’s cold and especially if it rains when you’re in Bath, you can use the hop on hop off bus to see all the top sights from! Going out on a river boat cruise is one of the popular things to do in Bath and boat cruise like this have an inside area where you can see the city but stay dry and warm.
Finish with a proper British afternoon tea somewhere cosy before the train home.
- Train from London: London Paddington to Bath Spa, around 1 hour 20 minutes. Buy tickets on The Train Line here!
- Good to know: Thermae Bath Spa is closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day
- Thermae Bath Spa Website
Related Post: More things to do in Bath on a day trip from London!
6. Cotswolds
Wandering the honey coloured villages of the Cotswolds is mainly an outdoor thing, so why is it on a list of winter day trips from London? Because in summer the crowds are huge, and in winter you have the lanes almost to yourself. With frost on the roofs and Christmas lights in the windows, villages like Bourton on the Water, Burford, Castle Combe and Stanton look like something off a Christmas card and are the best villages in the Cotswolds in Winter.
The trick is to have somewhere warm to dive into between villages, and there are cosy tea rooms and pubs with open fires everywhere. Do not leave without a cream tea!
This one is much easier by car, as buses between villages are limited, especially in winter. No car? A Cotswolds day tour from London does the driving for you and the guide will know the prettiest stops.
- By car: around 2 hours from London, or hire a car here
- By train: London Paddington to Moreton in Marsh in about 1 hour 30 minutes, though you will need a taxi or bus beyond the town. Buy tickets on The Train Line here!
Related post: 5 PRETTIEST Places to Visit in The Cotswolds!
7. Birmingham
If you love a Christmas market, Birmingham is the big one. The Frankfurt Christmas Market is the largest authentic German Christmas market outside Germany and Austria, filling Victoria Square and New Street with chalets, bratwurst and mulled wine. In 2026 it runs from 5 November to 24 December, so it is perfect for an early festive fix.
Away from the market, the Library of Birmingham has a rooftop garden with views over the city, and the Bullring and Grand Central are right by the station for warming up and shopping. Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery has reopened in phases, with the Pre Raphaelite collection and new Birmingham history galleries, and it is free, but check which days it is open before you go.
- Train from London: London Euston to Birmingham New Street, around 1 hour 20 minutes. Buy tickets on The Train Line here!
- Good to know: Weekend evenings at the market get very busy, so a weekday afternoon is much more relaxed
- Frankfurt Christmas Market Website
8. York
York looks far away on the map, but the fast train gets you there in under two hours, making it one of the easiest day trips from London in winter if you want to see the North!
It is also packed with places to escape the cold. Start inside the enormous York Minster, browse the little shops along The Shambles, then head to York’s Chocolate Story in King’s Square for a guided tour of the city’s chocolate history (KitKat and Terry’s Chocolate Orange were both born here) with plenty of tasting along the way. Older kids who like a good scare will love The York Dungeon too.
From 12 November to 21 December 2026, the St Nicholas Fair Christmas market fills Parliament Street and St Sampson’s Square, and the medieval streets look magical all lit up. It gets very busy on December weekends, so go on a weekday morning if you can.
- Train from London: London King’s Cross to York, just under 2 hours. Buy tickets on The Train Line here!
- Cosy extra: a lunch cruise on the River Ouse lets you see the city from a warm boat
- York’s Chocolate Story Website
9. Winchester
If you only do one Christmas market day trip from London, make it Winchester. The Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market is regularly named one of the best in Europe, and for 2026 it runs from 20 November to 22 December, free to enter with no booking needed. Plus, Winchester is one of the easiest day trips from London by train!
What makes it special is the setting, with handpicked wooden chalets in the Inner Close right beside the cathedral. Pop inside the cathedral itself too, as there are over 1,000 years of history to explore. Just a heads up if you remember the old ice rink here: there is no rink any more, so do not pack the skates!
Warm up afterwards next to the fire with some hearty pub food at The Old Vine, a short walk from the cathedral.
- Train from London: London Waterloo to Winchester, around 1 hour. Buy tickets on The Train Line here!
- Market hours: usually 10am to 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays, 10am to 6pm the rest of the week
- Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market Website
10. New Forest
Sometimes in winter you just need a really good walk in the countryside, and the New Forest National Park is the perfect place for it. It is low lying and sheltered by woodland, so it feels gentler than the hills or the coast on a blustery day.
Spend the morning on one of the many walking trails, keep an eye out for the famous New Forest ponies (please do not feed them!), then reward yourself with lunch by the fire in a traditional country pub. Villages like Brockenhurst, Lyndhurst and Beaulieu all make a lovely base for a few hours.
This is one of the day trips from London where a car really helps, so you can see more of the forest and still enjoy a scenic drive if the weather turns.
- Train from London: London Waterloo to Brockenhurst, around 1 hour 30 minutes, with walks straight from the station. Buy tickets on The Train Line here!
- By car: around 2 hours from central London
11. Hastings
There is something lovely about a blustery walk by the sea on a crisp winter day, and Hastings lets you do it with an easy escape route. When the wind picks up, retreat into the charming Old Town, with its independent shops, galleries and cosy cafes.
Hastings also has two Victorian cliff railways. The West Hill Lift runs through a tunnel in its original wooden carriages, while the East Hill Lift is the steepest funicular railway in the UK. Last winter the West Hill Lift ran daily and the East Hill Lift at weekends only, so check before you go.
For an indoor stop, Hastings Contemporary gallery sits right on the beach by the fishing huts.
- Train from London: London Charing Cross to Hastings in about 1 hour 30 minutes, or from London St Pancras with a change at Ashford. Buy tickets on The Train Line here!
- Hastings Cliff Railways Info
12. Norwich
Want a city that is not on every list of winter day trips from London? Add Norwich! It has a big new reason to visit, as Norwich Castle Keep reopened in August 2025 after a £27.5 million transformation. The Norman keep now has its medieval floors back, recreated royal rooms you can walk through, a new medieval gallery and step free access to every level. It is all indoors, so it is ideal for a wet winter day.
Norwich also has two cathedrals, which is pretty rare for a UK city, and the cobbled lanes around Elm Hill are lovely for a wander. When you need warming up, head to the Adam & Eve, which claims to be the oldest pub in Norwich with records going back to 1249. It is tiny, low beamed and wonderfully cosy.
- Train from London: London Liverpool Street to Norwich, just under 2 hours. Buy tickets on The Train Line here!
- Norwich Castle Website
Winter Day Trips From London Tips
Start early. In December and January it is dark by about 4pm, so get an early train to make the most of the daylight. The upside? If you are visiting a Christmas market, you will see it lit up by late afternoon and can still be home for dinner.
Layer up. It might be freezing outside, but trains, cafes and museums in the UK have the heating on full blast, so you will go from cold to toasty all day long. Layers you can peel off are much better than one giant coat. Always pack an umbrella too!
Check opening days. Lots of attractions close one or two days a week in winter. Windsor Castle is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, for example, and some Christmas markets close on certain days, so check before you travel.
Book trains early. UK trains are great but can be expensive. Advance tickets are usually the cheapest. Check for engineering works too, especially at weekends and over Christmas. Book your train on Trainline here!
Book the big hitters ahead. The Harry Potter Studio, Thermae Bath Spa and Hampton Court ice rink all sell out in December, so do not leave them to the last minute.
Day Trips From London in Winter FAQ
What is the best day trip from London in winter?
For a mix of indoor sights and festive atmosphere, Bath and York are hard to beat. Bath has the steaming rooftop pool at Thermae Bath Spa, and York has the Minster and the St Nicholas Fair. For something closer, Windsor or Hampton Court Palace are both under an hour away.
What are the best Christmas market day trips from London?
Winchester (20 November to 22 December 2026), Bath (26 November to 13 December 2026), York (12 November to 21 December 2026), Oxford (21 November to 31 December 2026) and Birmingham (5 November to 24 December 2026) all have Christmas markets you can reach by train.
Which day trips from London are best on a rainy day?
The Harry Potter Studio is fully indoors, and Oxford, York, Norwich and Windsor all have major indoor attractions within walking distance of each other. Thermae Bath Spa is great in the rain too, as you are getting wet anyway!
What are the closest winter day trips from London?
Hampton Court Palace is about 35 minutes from Waterloo, the Harry Potter Studio is about 20 minutes to Watford Junction plus a 15 minute shuttle, and Windsor can be as quick as 30 minutes from Paddington.
Is Windsor Castle open in winter?
Yes, Windsor Castle is open all winter from Thursday to Monday, 10am to 4.15pm with last entry at 3pm. It is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, though it opens on 22 and 29 December 2026, and it is closed on 25 and 26 December.
Do I need to book Christmas markets in advance?
No, the Christmas markets on this list are free to wander with no booking. Attractions nearby like Thermae Bath Spa, the Harry Potter Studio and the Hampton Court ice rink do need booking, especially in December.
Thank you for reading! I hope these day trips from London in winter help you plan a cosy day out or two.