Day trips

The 11 Best Day Trips from Cambridge

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

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There are 11 good day trips from Cambridge, United Kingdom, led by London, Birmingham, Leicester. The closest is Luton, about 1 hr 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 Cambridge at a glance

DestinationDistanceDrive timeBest as
London79 km S1 hr 30 minFull-day trip
Birmingham141 km W2 hr 10 minFull-day trip
Leicester98 km NW1 hr 30 minFull-day trip
Coventry113 km W1 hr 45 minFull-day trip
Nottingham120 km NW1 hr 55 minFull-day trip
Reading111 km SW1 hr 45 minFull-day trip
Southend-on-Sea84 km SE1 hr 20 minFull-day trip
Derby134 km NW2 hr 5 minFull-day trip
Milton Keynes62 km W1 hr 10 minFull-day trip
Northampton68 km W1 hr 20 minFull-day trip
Luton51 km SW1 hrHalf-day trip

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

The best day trips from Cambridge

  1. 1

    London, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 30 min by car79 km south of Cambridge3 hr round trip

    Known for Cyberdog.

    Also nearby: Brent, Islington, City of Westminster, Bexley.

  2. 2

    Birmingham, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 2 hr 10 min by car141 km west of Cambridge4 hr 20 min round trip

    Known for Cadbury World.

  3. 3

    Leicester, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 30 min by car98 km north-west of Cambridge3 hr round trip
  4. 4

    Coventry, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 45 min by car113 km west of Cambridge3 hr 30 min round trip
  5. 5

    Nottingham, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 55 min by car120 km north-west of Cambridge3 hr 50 min round trip
  6. 6

    Reading, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 45 min by car111 km south-west of Cambridge3 hr 30 min round trip
  7. 7

    Southend-on-Sea, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 20 min by car84 km south-east of Cambridge2 hr 40 min round trip
  8. 8

    Derby, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 2 hr 5 min by car134 km north-west of Cambridge4 hr 10 min round trip
  9. 9

    Milton Keynes, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 10 min by car62 km west of Cambridge2 hr 20 min round trip
  10. 10

    Northampton, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 20 min by car68 km west of Cambridge2 hr 40 min round trip
  11. 11

    Luton, United Kingdom

    Half-day trip
    About 1 hr by car51 km south-west of Cambridge2 hr round trip

A sample day trip: Cambridge to London

A realistic pace for London, 79 km from Cambridge. Packy AI builds this for any place on the list, with a route, opening hours and timings you can edit.

  1. 08:30Leave Cambridge
  2. 10:00Arrive in London (1 hr 30 min drive)
  3. 10:15Cyberdog
  4. 12:15Lunch
  5. 13:30Explore the old town, markets and cafes of London
  6. 16:00Head back to Cambridge
  7. 17:30Home in Cambridge

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

What are the best day trips from Cambridge?
The best day trips from Cambridge are London, Birmingham, Leicester, Coventry, Nottingham. The closest is Luton, about 1 hr away by car.
What is the closest day trip from Cambridge?
Luton is the closest, 51 km south-west of Cambridge, roughly 1 hr by car. Best as a half-day trip.
Where can I go within an hour of Cambridge?
One place is within about an hour's drive of Cambridge: Luton (1 hr).
What is the biggest city near Cambridge for a day out?
London is the largest city in day-trip range, 79 km south of Cambridge 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 Cambridge?
Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Birmingham at 141 km, around 2 hr 10 min by car.

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