The 13 Best Day Trips from Watford
How far each place is, what to see there, and a plan for the day.
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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.
Built from 13 nearby places, with sights from real traveler trips, on Packy AI. Last updated November 2026 by the Packy AI Travel Team.
Day trips from Watford
- 1
London, United Kingdom
Half-day tripAbout 40 min by car25 km south-east of WatfordKnown for Cyberdog.
- 2
Birmingham, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 2 hr 10 min by car138 km north-west of WatfordKnown for Cadbury World.
- 3
Leicester, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 55 min by car120 km north-west of Watford - 4
Coventry, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 45 min by car113 km north-west of Watford - 5
Reading, United Kingdom
Half-day tripAbout 55 min by car46 km south-west of Watford - 6
Southend-on-Sea, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 30 min by car78 km east of Watford - 7
Brighton, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 30 min by car94 km south of Watford - 8
Southampton, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 40 min by car109 km south-west of Watford - 9
Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
Half-day tripAbout 1 hr by car50 km north-west of Watford - 10
Northampton, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 25 min by car74 km north-west of Watford - 11
Bexley, United Kingdom
Half-day tripAbout 50 min by car45 km south-east of Watford - 12
Luton, United Kingdom
Half-day tripAbout 40 min by car25 km north of Watford - 13
Barking, United Kingdom
Half-day tripAbout 40 min by car36 km east of Watford
A sample day: Watford to London
- 08:30Leave Watford
- 09:10Arrive in London (40 min drive)
- 09:25Cyberdog
- 11:25Lunch
- 12:40Explore the old town, markets and cafes of London
- 15:10Head back to Watford
- 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).
- Where can I go for a weekend from Watford?
- For a weekend away from Watford, pick the places far enough to be worth a night: Birmingham (138 km, 2 hr 10 min), Leicester (120 km, 1 hr 55 min), Coventry (113 km, 1 hr 45 min), Southampton (109 km, 1 hr 40 min). Closer places on this list work better as a single day.
- 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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