Day trips

The 12 Best Day Trips from Bristol

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

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There are 12 good day trips from Bristol, United Kingdom, led by Birmingham, Cardiff, Coventry. The closest is Cardiff, about 45 min by car, and 1 of them fit into half a day. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.

Day trips from Bristol at a glance

DestinationDistanceDrive timeBest as
Birmingham124 km N1 hr 55 minFull-day trip
Cardiff41 km W45 minHalf-day trip
Coventry129 km NE2 hrFull-day trip
Reading113 km E1 hr 45 minFull-day trip
Swansea95 km W1 hr 30 minFull-day trip
Southampton103 km SE1 hr 35 minFull-day trip
Milton Keynes143 km NE2 hr 15 minLong day or overnight
Northampton147 km NE2 hr 20 minLong day or overnight
Portsmouth128 km SE2 hrFull-day trip
Slough139 km E2 hr 10 minFull-day trip
Bournemouth96 km SE1 hr 30 minFull-day trip
Oxford98 km E1 hr 30 minFull-day trip

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

The best day trips from Bristol

  1. 1

    Birmingham, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 55 min by car124 km north of Bristol3 hr 50 min round trip

    Known for Cadbury World.

    Also nearby: Wolverhampton, Dudley, Walsall.

  2. 2

    Cardiff, United Kingdom

    Half-day trip
    About 45 min by car41 km west of Bristol1 hr 30 min round trip
  3. 3

    Coventry, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 2 hr by car129 km north-east of Bristol4 hr round trip
  4. 4

    Reading, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 45 min by car113 km east of Bristol3 hr 30 min round trip
  5. 5

    Swansea, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 30 min by car95 km west of Bristol3 hr round trip
  6. 6

    Southampton, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 35 min by car103 km south-east of Bristol3 hr 10 min round trip
  7. 7

    Milton Keynes, United Kingdom

    Long day or overnight
    About 2 hr 15 min by car143 km north-east of Bristol4 hr 30 min round trip
  8. 8

    Northampton, United Kingdom

    Long day or overnight
    About 2 hr 20 min by car147 km north-east of Bristol4 hr 40 min round trip
  9. 9

    Portsmouth, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 2 hr by car128 km south-east of Bristol4 hr round trip
  10. 10

    Slough, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 2 hr 10 min by car139 km east of Bristol4 hr 20 min round trip
  11. 11

    Bournemouth, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 30 min by car96 km south-east of Bristol3 hr round trip
  12. 12

    Oxford, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 30 min by car98 km east of Bristol3 hr round trip

A sample day trip: Bristol to Birmingham

A realistic pace for Birmingham, 124 km from Bristol. Packy AI builds this for any place on the list, with a route, opening hours and timings you can edit.

  1. 07:30Leave Bristol
  2. 09:25Arrive in Birmingham (1 hr 55 min drive)
  3. 09:40Cadbury World
  4. 11:40Lunch
  5. 12:55Explore the old town, markets and cafes of Birmingham
  6. 15:25Head back to Bristol
  7. 17:20Home in Bristol

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

What are the best day trips from Bristol?
The best day trips from Bristol are Birmingham, Cardiff, Coventry, Reading, Swansea. The closest is Cardiff, about 45 min away by car.
What is the closest day trip from Bristol?
Cardiff is the closest, 41 km west of Bristol, roughly 45 min by car. Best as a half-day trip.
Where can I go within an hour of Bristol?
One place is within about an hour's drive of Bristol: Cardiff (45 min).
What is the biggest city near Bristol for a day out?
Birmingham is the largest city in day-trip range, 124 km north of Bristol and about 1 hr 55 min by car. With that much to see, start early or stay the night.
How far is too far for a day trip from Bristol?
Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Northampton at 147 km, around 2 hr 20 min by car, which is better as a long day or an overnight stay.

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