The 26 best weekend trips from London in 2026

To be completely honest, there are far too many things to do in Birmingham to fit into a single weekend. For art, you’ve got to visit Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (home to the largest collection of pre-Raphaelite paintings in the world), for theatre, book a seat at The Rep and for booze, journey down the Stirchley Beer Mile. Make time to roam around Digbeth, a hip district southeast of the city centre. Sift through vintage gems at Redbrick Market, browse titles at indie bookshop Voce Press, fill up on a filthy burger at Original Patty Men, catch a niche movie at Mockingbird Cinema, sink pints at The Ruin dive bar, then get down at the first ever purpose-built Northern Soul and Motown club The Night Owl. An oft-quoted fact is that there are more canals in Birmingham than there are in Venice – famous walking routes include Curzon Street to Aston Junction, Livery Street to the Mailbox and the stretch between Brindley Place and the Gas Street Basin.

📍 Check out all of the most brilliant things to do in Birmingham here. 

How to get there: Birmingham is an hour and half on a train from Euston. You can drive there in two hours on a good day.

From this summer, it will have never been easier to get from London to Stirling. Budget train operator Lumo is set to launch the first ever direct service between the two cities, so it’s only right that you book a weekend trip to celebrate. Soak up Scottish history at Stirling Castle and National Wallace Monument, take a tour of Scotland’s smallest distillery and peruse all the work on display at the Stirling Smith Art Gallery. The beauty of a weekend trip is that you also have time to venture a little further afield. So, put aside a morning or afternoon to explore the Trossachs via the Trossachs Explorer, which is run by Stirling Council and takes passengers by scenic spots like Ben Venue, Loch Katrine, Ben A’an, Brig o’ Turk, and Kilmahog. 

⭐️ Why Stirling should be on your travel bucket list for 2026.

How to get there: When Lumo launches its London to Stirling service in June 2026, you’ll be able to get there in five and a half hours. Tickets are available to book now.

Think of the English countryside and chances are you think of the Cotswolds: 750-odd ridiculously green and pleasant square miles straddling Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Warwickshire, Wiltshire and Worcestershire. Each county has its own unique charm, but for a textbook weekend stick to Gloucestershire, land of Jilly Cooper, honey-coloured stone cottages and retired rock stars. Bibury and Bourton-on-the-Water are two of the most picturesque places but are very often overwhelmed with visitors. Instead, spend time in the slightly more under-the-radar town of Cirencester (named one of Time Out’s best places to visit in the world in 2026). There, you can take a dip in the beautiful Cirencester Open Air Swimming Pool (it’s heated!), delve into Roman history at Corinium Museum and the Amphitheatre, and dine on standout Mediterranean fare at Téatro. 

🌳 Discover the 20 best things to do in the Cotswolds here. 

How to get there: One hour 30 minutes by train from London Paddington to Moreton-in-Marsh; around two hours 30 minutes by car.

Bath is one of a handful of cities across the world where the entire place is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was listed in 1987 for its Roman landmarks, Georgian architecture (best exemplified by the grand Royal Crescent) and ancient hot springs (which visitors can enjoy at the rooftop Thermae Bath Spa). By day, explore those historic masterpieces, browse indie gems in the Walcot Artisan Quarter or have a gander of the fascinating works at the Holburne Museum. By night, catch a show at the Theatre Royal  then sip cocktails in a converted church at The Hideout. For the finest food Bath has to offer, there are 12 Michelin Guide restaurants peppered across the city to choose from. Some of Time Out’s favourites include the Olive Tree, Beckford Bottle Shop, Oak and Chequers. 

🍝 Take your pick of the 16 best restaurants in Bath here.
🌳 Why Bath is officially the world’s best city for green spaces and nature in 2026.

How to get there: One hour and 20 minutes by train from London Paddington. It takes around three hours to drive.

Kent has more than its fair share of top-tier seaside towns – the Garden of England dominates our guides to the greatest day trips and beaches near London – but if you’re going to spend an entire weekend in a Kentish coastal spot, Whitstable is by far the best shout. And that’s because not only is this a gorgeous looking place and as pretty as British seaside towns get, but it’s absolutely packed with excellent food, drink and shopping. Whitstable’s foodie scene can go bite-to-bite with anywhere in the land, whether with its traditional expertise of seafood and oysters (like at Wheelers Oyster Bar, The Forge and Lobster Shack) or innovative modern joints like The Sportsman and Harbour Street Tapas. Legendary beach-side boozer the Old Neptune leads a formidable pub roster, while the high street boasts killer charity shops, charming tiny galleries and a resplendent selection of indie boutiques. Oh, and the pebble beach has an absurd hit-rate for marvellous sunsets. 

The 22 best things to do in Whitstable.

How to get there: About 75-90 minutes by train from Victoria or St Pancras, and about the same (maybe a tad longer) by car. 

Whether you’re comparing craft brews in the Port Street Beer House, crate-digging in Piccadilly Records or dancing your socks off on Canal Street, it’s impossible not to get caught up in Manchester’s civic pride. Make timelessly cool neighbourhood Ancoats your base. The former industrial district is home to Michelin-starred gem Mana, stylish small plates place Erst and famed neighbourhood kitchen Elnecot as well as a parade of drinking dens like clandestine gothic bar Peste; cocktail spot The Jane Eyre; natty wine purveyors Kerb and elevated boozer The Edinburgh Castle. But don’t miss out on the rest of this glorious city. Soak up culture at The Lowry, The Whitworth Art Gallery and Factory International, refuel on Curry Mile or at the Mackie Mayor food hall then party like you never have to go to work again at The Warehouse Project. 

🍽️  See all the best restaurants in Manchester here.

How to get there: Two hours by train from London Euston; around four hours 30 minutes by car.

Cornwall and Devon tend to steal all the glory when it comes to conversations about Britain’s coastline. But the west coast of Wales gives both a real run for their money. Hop on a train to Tenby and you’ll be rewarded with cute colourful streets, hidden coves and perfectly-formed beaches. A 20-minute bus from the town takes you to Saundersfoot, Time Out’s favourite seaside town for 2026. While away the time there lounging on Coppet Hall Beach, unwinding in the dreamy outdoor pool at St Bride’s Spa Hotel and dining on fresh fish at Catch Beach Club. And don’t come to Pembrokeshire without spending at least a few hours walking the glorious Welsh Coastal Path, keeping an eye out for seals, dolphins and seabirds. 

How to get there: Roughly a four and a half hour train journey from London Paddington to Tenby.

If you don’t feel like you’ve had a weekend away unless you come home with mucky boots and a sunburned nose, this one’s for you. More than 900 square miles of wilderness dotted with chocolate-box villages, the Lake District is wild and wonderful all year round. If the sun’s out, stock up on Kendal Mint Cake and climb Scafell Pike – it’s England’s highest peak, but not too tricky if you don’t mind a long walk. Less strenuously, you can take a Steamer across Ullswater, visit The World of Beatrix Potter and stock up on toothsome treats in the Grasmere Gingerbread Shop – its world-famous wares are made to a 170-year-old recipe. Brimstone Hotel is a swish resort with an impressive spa in the Langdale Valley while Another Place on Ullswater has a cluster of swish shepherds huts with stargazing roofs and firepits to enjoy. 

⛰️ Discover the 15 best things to do in the Lake District here. 

How to get there: Two hours and 38 minutes by train from London Euston to Oxenholme; around five hours by car.

Gorpcore-clad, carabiner-carrying east Londoners will feel right at home in parts of the Welsh capital. When you spend the weekend here, our best advice is to go beyond the city centre. In Canton (a couple miles west), Chapter Arts Centre offers everything from indie flicks and vogue balls to top-class cocktails; Hard Lines Coffee boasts exquisite lunch offerings and Corp Market is a defunct pub refashioned into a brilliantly eclectic traders market. Paradise Garden is a cool music caff north of the city centre, Gorse is a homely fine-dining spot in a cute quarter of Pontcanna (and the city’s only Michelin-starred restaurant), and a seven minute train ride will take you to Penarth where you can chill out at the floating Sauna Flô. That’s on top of all Cardiff’s worthy heavyweight attractions, like the National Museum, Cardiff Bay and Cardiff Castle. 

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Check out Cardiff’s best restaurants here.

How to get there: Around two hours by train, or drive in just under four hours.

The Fringe in August is of course when the Scottish capital comes into its own, but Edinburgh’s brimming with things to do and see during the other 11 months of the year. Climbing Arthur’s Seat is obligatory, as is trekking up the Royal Mile Edinburgh Castle – then an evening picnic on the Meadows before hitting the dancefloor at small but legendary venue Sneaky Pete’s. Come bedtime, Rabble has gorgeous mid-century ‘rough-luxe’ rooms in the heart of the New Town, with a top-notch restaurant downstairs. While we’re on the subject of food: new dining destination Brown’s of Leith is well worth a visit for a street food feast, as is top-tier seafood specialist Barry Fish. To really push the boat out, book a table at Moss, where every plate of exclusively Scottish produce is a genuine work of art. 

🍷 Explore all the best restaurants in Edinburgh here. 
👟 Why Edinburgh is the second most walkable city in the world in 2026.

How to get there: One hour and 20 minutes by plane; four hours 20 minutes by train from London King’s Cross; around eight hours by car.