Day trips

The 9 Best Day Trips from Brighton

Drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan for every place worth the trip.

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There are 9 good day trips from Brighton, United Kingdom, led by London, Reading, Southend-on-Sea. The closest is Croydon, about 1 hr 10 min by car. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.

Day trips from Brighton at a glance

Destination	Distance	Drive time	Best as
London	76 km N	1 hr 30 min	Full-day trip
Reading	91 km NW	1 hr 25 min	Full-day trip
Southend-on-Sea	99 km NE	1 hr 35 min	Full-day trip
Southampton	89 km W	1 hr 25 min	Full-day trip
Milton Keynes	142 km N	2 hr 15 min	Long day or overnight
Luton	118 km N	1 hr 50 min	Full-day trip
Portsmouth	67 km W	1 hr 15 min	Full-day trip
Le Havre	149 km S	2 hr 20 min	Long day or overnight
Croydon	62 km N	1 hr 10 min	Full-day trip

Drive times are estimates from the distance. Check live traffic before you leave.

The best day trips from Brighton

1
London, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 1 hr 30 min by car76 km north of Brighton3 hr round trip
Known for Cyberdog.
Also nearby: Brent, Islington, City of Westminster, Bexley, Barking, Archway.
2
Reading, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 1 hr 25 min by car91 km north-west of Brighton2 hr 50 min round trip
3
Southend-on-Sea, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 1 hr 35 min by car99 km north-east of Brighton3 hr 10 min round trip
4
Southampton, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 1 hr 25 min by car89 km west of Brighton2 hr 50 min round trip
5
Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
Long day or overnight
About 2 hr 15 min by car142 km north of Brighton4 hr 30 min round trip
6
Luton, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 1 hr 50 min by car118 km north of Brighton3 hr 40 min round trip
7
Portsmouth, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 1 hr 15 min by car67 km west of Brighton2 hr 30 min round trip
8
Le Havre, France
Long day or overnight
About 2 hr 20 min by car149 km south of Brighton4 hr 40 min round trip
9
Croydon, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 1 hr 10 min by car62 km north of Brighton2 hr 20 min round trip

A sample day trip: Brighton to London

A realistic pace for London, 76 km from Brighton. Packy AI builds this for any place on the list, with a route, opening hours and timings you can edit.

08:30Leave Brighton
10:00Arrive in London (1 hr 30 min drive)
10:15Cyberdog
12:15Lunch
13:30Explore the old town, markets and cafes of London
16:00Head back to Brighton
17:30Home in Brighton

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

What are the best day trips from Brighton?: The best day trips from Brighton are London, Reading, Southend-on-Sea, Southampton, Milton Keynes. The closest is Croydon, about 1 hr 10 min away by car.
What is the closest day trip from Brighton?: Croydon is the closest, 62 km north of Brighton, roughly 1 hr 10 min by car. Best as a full-day trip.
What is the biggest city near Brighton for a day out?: London is the largest city in day-trip range, 76 km north of Brighton and about 1 hr 30 min by car. With that much to see, start early or stay the night.
How far is too far for a day trip from Brighton?: Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Le Havre at 149 km, around 2 hr 20 min by car, which is better as a long day or an overnight stay.

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