Day trips

The 13 Best Day Trips from Watford

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

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There are 13 good day trips from Watford, United Kingdom, led by London, Birmingham, Leicester. The closest is London, about 40 min by car, and 6 of them fit into half a day. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.

Day trips from Watford at a glance

DestinationDistanceDrive timeBest as
London25 km SE40 minHalf-day trip
Birmingham138 km NW2 hr 10 minFull-day trip
Leicester120 km NW1 hr 55 minFull-day trip
Coventry113 km NW1 hr 45 minFull-day trip
Reading46 km SW55 minHalf-day trip
Southend-on-Sea78 km E1 hr 30 minFull-day trip
Brighton94 km S1 hr 30 minFull-day trip
Southampton109 km SW1 hr 40 minFull-day trip
Milton Keynes50 km NW1 hrHalf-day trip
Northampton74 km NW1 hr 25 minFull-day trip
Bexley45 km SE50 minHalf-day trip
Luton25 km N40 minHalf-day trip
Barking36 km E40 minHalf-day trip

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

The best day trips from Watford

  1. 1

    London, United Kingdom

    Half-day trip
    About 40 min by car25 km south-east of Watford1 hr 20 min round trip

    Known for Cyberdog.

    Also nearby: Islington, City of Westminster.

  2. 2

    Birmingham, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 2 hr 10 min by car138 km north-west of Watford4 hr 20 min round trip

    Known for Cadbury World.

  3. 3

    Leicester, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 55 min by car120 km north-west of Watford3 hr 50 min round trip
  4. 4

    Coventry, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 45 min by car113 km north-west of Watford3 hr 30 min round trip
  5. 5

    Reading, United Kingdom

    Half-day trip
    About 55 min by car46 km south-west of Watford1 hr 50 min round trip
  6. 6

    Southend-on-Sea, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 30 min by car78 km east of Watford3 hr round trip
  7. 7

    Brighton, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 30 min by car94 km south of Watford3 hr round trip
  8. 8

    Southampton, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 40 min by car109 km south-west of Watford3 hr 20 min round trip
  9. 9

    Milton Keynes, United Kingdom

    Half-day trip
    About 1 hr by car50 km north-west of Watford2 hr round trip
  10. 10

    Northampton, United Kingdom

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 25 min by car74 km north-west of Watford2 hr 50 min round trip
  11. 11

    Bexley, United Kingdom

    Half-day trip
    About 50 min by car45 km south-east of Watford1 hr 40 min round trip
  12. 12

    Luton, United Kingdom

    Half-day trip
    About 40 min by car25 km north of Watford1 hr 20 min round trip
  13. 13

    Barking, United Kingdom

    Half-day trip
    About 40 min by car36 km east of Watford1 hr 20 min round trip

A sample day trip: Watford to London

A realistic pace for London, 25 km from Watford. Packy AI builds this for any place on the list, with a route, opening hours and timings you can edit.

  1. 08:30Leave Watford
  2. 09:10Arrive in London (40 min drive)
  3. 09:25Cyberdog
  4. 11:25Lunch
  5. 12:40Explore the old town, markets and cafes of London
  6. 15:10Head back to Watford
  7. 15:50Home in Watford

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

What are the best day trips from Watford?
The best day trips from Watford are London, Birmingham, Leicester, Coventry, Reading. The closest is London, about 40 min away by car.
What is the closest day trip from Watford?
London is the closest, 25 km south-east of Watford, roughly 40 min by car. Best as a half-day trip.
Where can I go within an hour of Watford?
6 places are within about an hour's drive of Watford: London (40 min), Luton (40 min), Barking (40 min), Bexley (50 min), Reading (55 min), Milton Keynes (1 hr).
How far is too far for a day trip from Watford?
Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Birmingham at 138 km, around 2 hr 10 min by car.

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