Day trips

The 9 Best Day Trips from Southampton

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

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There are 9 good day trips from Southampton, United Kingdom, led by London, Bristol, Cardiff. The closest is Portsmouth, 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 Southampton at a glance

Destination	Distance	Drive time	Best as
London	112 km NE	1 hr 45 min	Full-day trip
Bristol	103 km NW	1 hr 35 min	Full-day trip
Cardiff	139 km NW	2 hr 10 min	Full-day trip
Reading	68 km NE	1 hr 20 min	Full-day trip
Brighton	89 km E	1 hr 25 min	Full-day trip
Milton Keynes	134 km N	2 hr 5 min	Full-day trip
Luton	128 km NE	2 hr	Full-day trip
Barking	125 km NE	1 hr 55 min	Full-day trip
Portsmouth	25 km SE	40 min	Half-day trip

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

The best day trips from Southampton

1
London, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 1 hr 45 min by car112 km north-east of Southampton3 hr 30 min round trip
Known for Cyberdog.
Also nearby: Brent, Islington, City of Westminster, Bexley, Archway, Croydon.
2
Bristol, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 1 hr 35 min by car103 km north-west of Southampton3 hr 10 min round trip
3
Cardiff, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 2 hr 10 min by car139 km north-west of Southampton4 hr 20 min round trip
4
Reading, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 1 hr 20 min by car68 km north-east of Southampton2 hr 40 min round trip
5
Brighton, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 1 hr 25 min by car89 km east of Southampton2 hr 50 min round trip
6
Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 2 hr 5 min by car134 km north of Southampton4 hr 10 min round trip
7
Luton, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 2 hr by car128 km north-east of Southampton4 hr round trip
8
Barking, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 1 hr 55 min by car125 km north-east of Southampton3 hr 50 min round trip
9
Portsmouth, United Kingdom
Half-day trip
About 40 min by car25 km south-east of Southampton1 hr 20 min round trip

A sample day trip: Southampton to London

A realistic pace for London, 112 km from Southampton. Packy AI builds this for any place on the list, with a route, opening hours and timings you can edit.

07:30Leave Southampton
09:15Arrive in London (1 hr 45 min drive)
09:30Cyberdog
11:30Lunch
12:45Explore the old town, markets and cafes of London
15:15Head back to Southampton
17:00Home in Southampton

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

What are the best day trips from Southampton?: The best day trips from Southampton are London, Bristol, Cardiff, Reading, Brighton. The closest is Portsmouth, about 40 min away by car.
What is the closest day trip from Southampton?: Portsmouth is the closest, 25 km south-east of Southampton, roughly 40 min by car. Best as a half-day trip.
Where can I go within an hour of Southampton?: One place is within about an hour's drive of Southampton: Portsmouth (40 min).
What is the biggest city near Southampton for a day out?: London is the largest city in day-trip range, 112 km north-east of Southampton and about 1 hr 45 min by car. With that much to see, start early or stay the night.
How far is too far for a day trip from Southampton?: Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Cardiff at 139 km, around 2 hr 10 min by car.

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