The 12 Best Day Trips from Leicester
How far each place is, what to see there, and a plan for the day.
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There are 12 good day trips from Leicester, United Kingdom, led by London, Birmingham, Manchester. The closest is Nottingham, about 40 min by car, and 3 of them fit into half a day. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.
Built from 12 nearby places, with sights from real traveler trips, on Packy AI. Last updated November 2026 by the Packy AI Travel Team.
Day trips from Leicester
- 1
London, United Kingdom
Long day or overnightAbout 2 hr 15 min by car143 km south-east of LeicesterKnown for Cyberdog.
- 2
Birmingham, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 5 min by car55 km west of LeicesterKnown for Cadbury World.
- 3
Manchester, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 50 min by car119 km north-west of Leicester - 4
Sheffield, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 20 min by car86 km north of Leicester - 5
Leeds, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 2 hr 5 min by car132 km north of Leicester - 6
Bradford, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 2 hr 5 min by car135 km north of Leicester - 7
Coventry, United Kingdom
Half-day tripAbout 40 min by car36 km south-west of Leicester - 8
Nottingham, United Kingdom
Half-day tripAbout 40 min by car35 km north of Leicester - 9
Reading, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 2 hr 5 min by car132 km south of Leicester - 10
Kingston upon Hull, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 2 hr 5 min by car134 km north-east of Leicester - 11
Derby, United Kingdom
Half-day tripAbout 45 min by car39 km north-west of Leicester - 12
Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 15 min by car82 km north-west of Leicester
A sample day: Leicester to London
- 07:30Leave Leicester
- 09:45Arrive in London (2 hr 15 min drive)
- 10:00Cyberdog
- 12:00Lunch
- 13:15Explore the old town, markets and cafes of London
- 15:45Head back to Leicester
- 18:00Home in Leicester
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
- What are the best day trips from Leicester?
- The best day trips from Leicester are London, Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds. The closest is Nottingham, about 40 min away by car.
- What is the closest day trip from Leicester?
- Nottingham is the closest, 35 km north of Leicester, roughly 40 min by car. Best as a half-day trip.
- Where can I go within an hour of Leicester?
- 3 places are within about an hour's drive of Leicester: Nottingham (40 min), Coventry (40 min), Derby (45 min).
- What is the biggest city near Leicester for a day out?
- London is the largest city in day-trip range, 143 km south-east of Leicester and about 2 hr 15 min by car. With that much to see, start early or stay the night.
- Where can I go for a weekend from Leicester?
- For a weekend away from Leicester, pick the places far enough to be worth a night: London (143 km, 2 hr 15 min), Bradford (135 km, 2 hr 5 min), Kingston upon Hull (134 km, 2 hr 5 min), Reading (132 km, 2 hr 5 min). Closer places on this list work better as a single day.
- How far is too far for a day trip from Leicester?
- Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is London at 143 km, around 2 hr 15 min by car, which is better as a long day or an overnight stay.
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