Day trips

The 8 Best Day Trips from Portsmouth

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

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There are 8 good day trips from Portsmouth, United Kingdom, led by London, Bristol, Reading. The closest is Southampton, about 40 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 Portsmouth at a glance

Destination	Distance	Drive time	Best as
London	104 km NE	1 hr 40 min	Full-day trip
Bristol	128 km NW	2 hr	Full-day trip
Reading	74 km N	1 hr 25 min	Full-day trip
Brighton	67 km E	1 hr 15 min	Full-day trip
Southampton	25 km NW	40 min	Half-day trip
Milton Keynes	140 km N	2 hr 10 min	Full-day trip
Luton	129 km N	2 hr	Full-day trip
Ilford	117 km NE	1 hr 50 min	Full-day trip

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

The best day trips from Portsmouth

1
London, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 1 hr 40 min by car104 km north-east of Portsmouth3 hr 20 min round trip
Known for Cyberdog.
Also nearby: Brent, Islington, City of Westminster, Bexley, Barking, Archway, Croydon.
2
Bristol, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 2 hr by car128 km north-west of Portsmouth4 hr round trip
3
Reading, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 1 hr 25 min by car74 km north of Portsmouth2 hr 50 min round trip
4
Brighton, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 1 hr 15 min by car67 km east of Portsmouth2 hr 30 min round trip
5
Southampton, United Kingdom
Half-day trip
About 40 min by car25 km north-west of Portsmouth1 hr 20 min round trip
6
Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 2 hr 10 min by car140 km north of Portsmouth4 hr 20 min round trip
7
Luton, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 2 hr by car129 km north of Portsmouth4 hr round trip
8
Ilford, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 1 hr 50 min by car117 km north-east of Portsmouth3 hr 40 min round trip

A sample day trip: Portsmouth to London

A realistic pace for London, 104 km from Portsmouth. Packy AI builds this for any place on the list, with a route, opening hours and timings you can edit.

07:30Leave Portsmouth
09:10Arrive in London (1 hr 40 min drive)
09:25Cyberdog
11:25Lunch
12:40Explore the old town, markets and cafes of London
15:10Head back to Portsmouth
16:50Home in Portsmouth

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

What are the best day trips from Portsmouth?: The best day trips from Portsmouth are London, Bristol, Reading, Brighton, Southampton. The closest is Southampton, about 40 min away by car.
What is the closest day trip from Portsmouth?: Southampton is the closest, 25 km north-west of Portsmouth, roughly 40 min by car. Best as a half-day trip.
Where can I go within an hour of Portsmouth?: One place is within about an hour's drive of Portsmouth: Southampton (40 min).
What is the biggest city near Portsmouth for a day out?: London is the largest city in day-trip range, 104 km north-east of Portsmouth and about 1 hr 40 min by car. With that much to see, start early or stay the night.
How far is too far for a day trip from Portsmouth?: Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Milton Keynes at 140 km, around 2 hr 10 min by car.

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