Day trips

The 12 Best Day Trips from Reading

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 Reading, United Kingdom, led by London, Birmingham, Bristol. The closest is London, about 1 hr 10 min by car. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.

Day trips from Reading at a glance

DestinationDistanceDrive timeBest as
London59 km E1 hr 10 minFull-day trip
Birmingham131 km NW2 hr 5 minFull-day trip
Bristol113 km W1 hr 45 minFull-day trip
Leicester132 km N2 hr 5 minFull-day trip
Coventry112 km N1 hr 45 minFull-day trip
Southend-on-Sea117 km E1 hr 50 minFull-day trip
Brighton91 km SE1 hr 25 minFull-day trip
Southampton68 km SW1 hr 20 minFull-day trip
Wolverhampton148 km NW2 hr 20 minLong day or overnight
Milton Keynes67 km N1 hr 15 minFull-day trip
Northampton88 km N1 hr 25 minFull-day trip
Bexley78 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 Reading

  1. 1

    London, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 10 min by car59 km east of Reading2 hr 20 min round trip

    Known for Cyberdog.

    Also nearby: Brent, Islington, City of Westminster.

  2. 2

    Birmingham, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 2 hr 5 min by car131 km north-west of Reading4 hr 10 min round trip

    Known for Cadbury World.

  3. 3

    Bristol, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 45 min by car113 km west of Reading3 hr 30 min round trip
  4. 4

    Leicester, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 2 hr 5 min by car132 km north of Reading4 hr 10 min round trip
  5. 5

    Coventry, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 45 min by car112 km north of Reading3 hr 30 min round trip
  6. 6

    Southend-on-Sea, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 50 min by car117 km east of Reading3 hr 40 min round trip
  7. 7

    Brighton, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 25 min by car91 km south-east of Reading2 hr 50 min round trip
  8. 8

    Southampton, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 20 min by car68 km south-west of Reading2 hr 40 min round trip
  9. 9

    Wolverhampton, United Kingdom

    Long day or overnight
    About 2 hr 20 min by car148 km north-west of Reading4 hr 40 min round trip
  10. 10

    Milton Keynes, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 15 min by car67 km north of Reading2 hr 30 min round trip
  11. 11

    Northampton, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 25 min by car88 km north of Reading2 hr 50 min round trip
  12. 12

    Bexley, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 30 min by car78 km east of Reading3 hr round trip

A sample day trip: Reading to London

A realistic pace for London, 59 km from Reading. Packy AI builds this for any place on the list, with a route, opening hours and timings you can edit.

  1. 08:30Leave Reading
  2. 09:40Arrive in London (1 hr 10 min drive)
  3. 09:55Cyberdog
  4. 11:55Lunch
  5. 13:10Explore the old town, markets and cafes of London
  6. 15:40Head back to Reading
  7. 16:50Home in Reading

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

What are the best day trips from Reading?
The best day trips from Reading are London, Birmingham, Bristol, Leicester, Coventry. The closest is London, about 1 hr 10 min away by car.
What is the closest day trip from Reading?
London is the closest, 59 km east of Reading, roughly 1 hr 10 min by car. Best as a full-day trip.
How far is too far for a day trip from Reading?
Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Wolverhampton at 148 km, around 2 hr 20 min by car, which is better as a long day or an overnight stay.

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