The 15 Best Day Trips from Wigan
How far each place is, what to see there, and a plan for the day.
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There are 15 good day trips from Wigan, United Kingdom, led by Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield. The closest is Preston, about 40 min by car, and 5 of them fit into half a day. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.
Built from 15 nearby places, with sights from real traveler trips, on Packy AI. Last updated November 2026 by the Packy AI Travel Team.
Day trips from Wigan
- 1
Birmingham, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 2 hr by car128 km south-east of WiganKnown for Cadbury World.
- 2
Manchester, United Kingdom
Half-day tripAbout 40 min by car27 km east of Wigan - 3
Sheffield, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 15 min by car80 km east of Wigan - 4
Leeds, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 30 min by car77 km east of Wigan - 5
Liverpool, United Kingdom
Half-day tripAbout 40 min by car27 km south-west of Wigan - 6
Leicester, United Kingdom
Long day or overnightAbout 2 hr 15 min by car142 km south-east of Wigan - 7
Bradford, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 15 min by car65 km north-east of Wigan - 8
Coventry, United Kingdom
Long day or overnightAbout 2 hr 20 min by car147 km south-east of Wigan - 9
Birkenhead, United Kingdom
Half-day tripAbout 35 min by car30 km south-west of Wigan - 10
Nottingham, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 50 min by car119 km south-east of Wigan - 11
Preston, United Kingdom
Half-day tripAbout 40 min by car25 km north of Wigan - 12
Derby, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 40 min by car104 km south-east of Wigan - 13
Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 45 min by car112 km south of Wigan - 14
Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 15 min by car67 km south-east of Wigan - 15
Oldham, United Kingdom
Half-day tripAbout 40 min by car34 km east of Wigan
A sample day: Wigan to Birmingham
- 07:30Leave Wigan
- 09:30Arrive in Birmingham (2 hr drive)
- 09:45Cadbury World
- 11:45Lunch
- 13:00Explore the old town, markets and cafes of Birmingham
- 15:30Head back to Wigan
- 17:30Home in Wigan
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
- What are the best day trips from Wigan?
- The best day trips from Wigan are Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, Liverpool. The closest is Preston, about 40 min away by car.
- What is the closest day trip from Wigan?
- Preston is the closest, 25 km north of Wigan, roughly 40 min by car. Best as a half-day trip.
- Where can I go within an hour of Wigan?
- 5 places are within about an hour's drive of Wigan: Preston (40 min), Manchester (40 min), Liverpool (40 min), Birkenhead (35 min), Oldham (40 min).
- What is the biggest city near Wigan for a day out?
- Birmingham is the largest city in day-trip range, 128 km south-east of Wigan and about 2 hr by car. With that much to see, start early or stay the night.
- Where can I go for a weekend from Wigan?
- For a weekend away from Wigan, pick the places far enough to be worth a night: Coventry (147 km, 2 hr 20 min), Leicester (142 km, 2 hr 15 min), Birmingham (128 km, 2 hr), Nottingham (119 km, 1 hr 50 min). Closer places on this list work better as a single day.
- How far is too far for a day trip from Wigan?
- Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Coventry at 147 km, around 2 hr 20 min by car, which is better as a long day or an overnight stay.
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