10 Best Day Trips from Bath
by Private Car (2025)

Castle Combe frequently tops lists of England's most beautiful villages — and it deserves the reputation. A single medieval street lined with honey-stone cottages, a market cross, a babbling brook and barely a modern building in sight. Just 8 miles from Bath, it's the easiest half-day escape. Get there early to beat the coach tours, and allow time to walk the footpath along the By Brook.

Stonehenge needs no introduction — but most visitors don't know that Avebury, just 8 miles away, is arguably the more impressive site. It's the world's largest stone circle, built earlier than Stonehenge, and you can walk freely among the stones. A private day trip from Bath can take in both sites comfortably, with time for the excellent visitor centre at Stonehenge. Book Stonehenge tickets in advance via English Heritage.

The Cotswolds is a full chapter on its own — see our Cotswolds Grand Tour for a detailed guide. For a day from Bath, the best circuit combines Bibury (Arlington Row is one of England's most photographed scenes), Bourton-on-the-Water (the Venice of the Cotswolds), Burford and Stow-on-the-Wold. A full day is needed — allow 8 hours.

Wells is England's smallest city and contains one of its most beautiful cathedrals — the medieval West Front with its 300+ carved figures is extraordinary. A 15-minute drive from Wells brings you to Glastonbury and the iconic Tor, with panoramic views across the Somerset Levels. Together they make a perfect half-day or easy full day, with good lunch options in both towns.

Lacock is owned almost entirely by the National Trust and has appeared in more period dramas than any other village in England — Pride and Prejudice, Downton Abbey, Harry Potter, Wolf Hall and many more. The Abbey and Fox Talbot photography museum are both excellent. A morning in Lacock pairs naturally with Castle Combe (just 10 minutes away) for a combined half-day in North Wiltshire.

Bradford-on-Avon is just 8 miles from Bath and often overlooked by visitors who stay in the city. It has a stunning medieval town bridge with an unusual lock-up, a Saxon church that is one of the finest in England, and a beautiful stretch of the Kennet & Avon Canal with traditional narrowboats. The town centre has excellent independent cafés and delis.

Longleat is one of England's great stately homes — a magnificent Elizabethan house surrounded by landscaped grounds. The famous Safari Park (the first outside Africa when it opened in 1966) still draws visitors for close encounters with lions, giraffes and rhinos from the comfort of their vehicle. Just 25 miles south of Bath, it's an easy and memorable full-day trip, especially with children.

Tetbury is a classic Cotswold market town — antique shops, Georgian architecture and strong connections to the Royal Family (Highgrove, the King's private residence, is just outside town and open for garden tours by advance booking). The nearby Cotswold Water Park — 150 lakes formed from former gravel pits — is excellent for walking and watersports.

Salisbury Cathedral is one of England's greatest Gothic buildings — and it houses one of only four surviving originals of Magna Carta (1215). The 123-metre spire is the tallest in the UK. The city itself is beautiful and compact, with a historic market square and excellent restaurants in the Cathedral Close. Salisbury can be combined naturally with Stonehenge (20 minutes away) for a full Wiltshire day.

Cheddar Gorge is Britain's largest gorge — a dramatic limestone canyon rising to 138 metres, carved by glacial meltwater at the end of the last Ice Age. The caves contain stunning stalactite formations and Britain's oldest complete skeleton (9,000 years old). Walking the clifftop trail above the gorge gives extraordinary views across the Somerset Levels to Glastonbury Tor.