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Stonehenge and Bath are great day trip options from London. This is a recap of a trip we took with Day Tours London that included both in one day!
Stonehenge – Where did it come from? Who built it? How did they do it?! How many articles have you read where people ask the exact same questions? There are many theories, as is the same with other historical monuments of gigantic proportion (like the Pyramids of Giza, for example). However, no one can really say with 100% certainty how they got there.
Seeing things like Stonehenge will make you want to jump into a time machine and see how these wonders came about yourself. Alas, since time travel has yet to become a reality, we have to rely on logic, poorly-documented history (thanks humans), and science to try and formulate opinions on how things like Stonehenge came about.
While I do love the fun theories speculating alien involvement or magical wizardry, there are some pretty logical explanations to help answer all of our undying questions.
But really, how cool would it be if it were some ancient gateway to traverse the universe to Neverland? A girl can dream.
A Little Bit of History
Stonehenge is pretty old…like prehistoric old – meaning it was built in the B.C. years. Different parts of the site are dated differently as they were built in stages, but the main stone circle construction is thought to have taken place around 2500 B.C. Thank you science!
The area around Stonehenge also serves as a giant Neolithic cemetery with about 64 cremations excavated at that site (and possibly the home of some 150 remains!). Maybe a little creepy, but I actually did not know this fact until we visited. Thank you archaeologists!
Some of the stones have been reinforced over the years with concrete and it’s pretty evident when you walk around the monument and view it at different angles. But hey, it’s stone and still subject to the elements of nature. You can’t expect things to stand forever, can you?
Truthfully, though, I’m not here to write a history paper on Stonehenge (you can find all that good stuff on this website). I am here, however, to write about our own personal experience and what it meant to us.
Stonehenge Tour Details
We traveled to Stonehenge and Bath with Day Tours London (booked via Viator), which included a morning tour to Stonehenge, an afternoon drive through the English countryside, and a stop off in Bath, Somerset.
Travel Time
Stonehenge is roughly an hour and a half outside of London, so if you plan on taking a day trip there, go early! We took a group tour on a big bus because 1) it was pretty cheap, and 2) we didn’t have a car. We did not want to attempt driving in England on our first trip there
Bath is an additional hour drive from Stonehenge, so it’s nice to break up the trip with the stop at Stonehenge in between.
Tour Meeting Point
Our group met at the Gloucester Road tube station in London (just across from the Stanhope Arms pub). I appreciate a meeting point close to a tube station as it makes it a little less stressful to get to the right meeting spot on time (even though we totally took an Uber).
Notes:
- Day Tours London may have several different tours meeting up at the same location. Be sure to listen to instructions from the guides! A couple ended up on the wrong bus tour (and they most certainly will not turn around for you)!
- Also, be sure to bring your printed tour voucher with you.
Food for the Day
Food was not included on our tour, but that was to be expected as it was a budget tour. However, there’s a Pret a Manger café at the meeting spot, which is perfect for grabbing a bite to take on the bus. Note only cold foods are allowed on the tour bus.
When you stop in Bath, there will be plenty of time to wander and find a good place to eat lunch (more on that below).
Booking with Day Tours London
You can book this same tour via Viator.
Arriving at Stonehenge
Upon arrival to Stonehenge, buses and cars are directed to park in the parking lot at the Visitors’ Center. As visitors aren’t allowed to drive straight up to the monument itself (for preservation purposes), they have a special shuttle that takes you from the parking lot area up to the site.
If you’re traveling with a tour, you’ll likely get your audio guide at this point. The audio guide, in my opinion, is a necessity because it’s full of information on the history of the settlers in the area around the time Stonehenge was built.
Personal Thoughts on Stonehenge
Back to Stonehenge itself. I can’t honestly say that I wanted to visit Stonehenge for any reason other than to say I did. I know it’s terrible to admit that, but I hadn’t really done a lot of historical research on it beforehand, nor did I find any sort of spiritual connection deep down inside of me that drew me there. Just being honest here!
What I did find in going there was an overwhelming amount of history that I would not have otherwise bothered to learn had we not visited in person. I used to really love world history but this made me realize how much knowledge I actually lacked. So, thank you, Stonehenge, for the enlightenment.
Full disclosure: This is an incredibly popular attraction to visit. I mean, it is Stonehenge after all! That being said, be prepared to share this special space with a lot of other travelers. Unfortunately, there was a large group of other tourists there that were obnoxiously loud – so much so that we could barely even hear our audio guide over their incessant shouting and lack of regard for their fellow travelers. They nearly ruined our time there.
I mean, you’re in one of the most visually recognized monuments in the world, wanting to learn more about the history and science of it all, but all you can focus on is other people yelling at each other trying to coordinate their perfect photo, pushing past you without respect for your personal space. Ugh. Tourists behaving badly.
All in all, I’m very glad we went if even just to check this one off the bucket list. Regardless of our environment while traveling, we always have to try to focus on the good and just revel in the fact that we actually get to see some of the amazing things the world has to offer in person.
Attraction Details
If you’re traveling to Stonehenge without a tour, here is some pertinent details to help you plan.
Alternative Transportation to Stonehenge
If you’re traveling to Stonehenge without a tour, you can rent a car and drive to the countryside on your own. Alternatively, you can take the train to Salisbury and hop on this tour bus to finish the journey to Stonehenge.
Stonehenge Entry Cost
Adult entry tickets start at £34.50 (reduced cost for seniors 65+ and children). Tickets can be purchased for timed entry here. Be sure to book your tickets in advance so that you can have guaranteed entry to the site.
Hours Open
Stonehenge visiting hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (with last entry 2 hours prior to closing). They are open every day of the year except Christmas Eve and Christmas.
Up Close and Personal
The stone circle part of the Stonehenge monument is roped off so that visitors cannot approach the actual stones. They have guards around watching!
However, they do open the stone circle for visitors to get up close and personal on private tours. You can also apply for a spot through the English Heritage site. Entry times are either very early in the morning or later in the evening – outside of normal access hours. Tickets come at a premium price, but if you want a more intimate experience, this is definitely the way to go.
As always, even though you are closer to the stones, you are not permitted to touch them (again, preservation!). You can request Stone Circle Access here.
Gift Shop
Of course, you’ll find an extremely modern gift shop amidst a hugely historical attraction. I purchased a magnet for my home magnet board!
Neolithic Hut Replicas
Near the gift center, you’ll find traditional hut replicas which are pretty fascinating. You can circle these while pondering what life was like back in the Neolithic era for humans.
A Visit to Bath – a UNESCO World Heritage Site
After our tour of Stonehenge, we drove through the English Countryside in our big green bus, passing miles and miles of green fields and hills before descending upon the beautiful city of Bath.
I like to maximize my travel, so I wanted to include a little something extra with our visit to Stonehenge. Bath was clearly a popular option, and the drive through the countryside really made this prospect extra enticing.
Some Fun Facts About Bath
- It was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987
- The city was badly damaged in bombings during World War II, wherein some 400+ residents lost their lives
- Bath is a combination of Roman, Georgian and Victorian architecture
- Spoiler for Les Miserables fans: The scene where Russell Crowe as Inspector Javert jumps to his death was filmed here at the Pulteney Bridge
- Nicholas Cage once owned a home in the famous Crescent Circle (you’re welcome for that fascinating pop culture trivia)
Jane Austen History
If you are a fan of the author Jane Austen, they have a whole center/small museum dedicated to her in Bath as she resided there for a period of about five years. Bath is also the inspiration for two of her Novels – Persuasion and Northanger Abbey.
If you’re interested in adding a stop here to your itinerary, this website has more info for you.
Pulteney Bridge
The Pulteney Bridge is definitely a worth photo op in Bath! This bridge is one of only a handful in the world to have shops span the length of both sides of the bridge. Another noteworthy of these bridges (and probably the most famous) is the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Italy (which we have also visited).
You might notice that there is a distinct color palette in the stone architecture of Bath. Much of the city was constructed using a particular limestone which is actually referred to as “Bath stone.”
Bath Abbey
Bath Abbey (below) is a stunning church in the center of the city, and also worth checking out. You can pay a small entry fee to tour the inside but we didn’t have enough time.
Other Sites Worth Visiting in Bath
- Sally Lunn House: Another noteworthy stop in the city is the oldest house in Bath, which was built in 1482 (shown below). It was once the home of legendary baker Sally Lunn of Sally Lunn’s buns!
- The Roman Baths: This is the most popular sight to see in Bath (it is the city’s namesake after all). With limited time in Bath, we didn’t plan ahead to be able to get into the baths and still have time to eat lunch and wander around the city. You can purchase tickets ahead of time here.
- Fashion Museum: I really wanted to browse this museum and will totally put this on my list if we are ever back in Bath. Entry tickets are pretty cheap, and you get access to see both contemporary and modern fashion on display.
A Seafood Lunch in Bath
We had about a half-hour walking tour with our guide when we first arrived in Bath. Our guide pointed out some main sights, and then we were free to explore Bath on our own. It was lunchtime at that point, so we wandered for a bit and came upon this lovely seafood restaurant called Loche Fyne. They had a 3-course lunch special for only £13.50 (including a glass of wine!).
Note: Sadly, this restaurant closed during the pandemic but I will still detail what we had as part of our experience!
We each chose a soup to start – the courgette (vegetarian) for me, and the fish soup (for him), served with Gruyere and Granary Bread. Both good but I preferred the courgette to the fish (and also learned that courgette is another word for zucchini. The more you know!).
Micah also had to try the scallop starter (a la carte of course), as his favorite seafood is scallops.
Our mains were simple but flavorful – a king prawn spaghetti for me, with roasted chili oil, lemon, and an incredibly healthy portion of garlic (maybe a wee bit too much if you ask me). My husband got the fish cakes with wilted spinach, white wine, and provencal cream sauce with a side of fries. Yummy.
For dessert, we opted for the crème brûlée and the Eton Mess (strawberries, whipped cream, and meringue), the latter being my personal favorite.
I’d give Loche Fyne a thumbs up for value (food & wine to price ratio), though I think they could improve on their desserts just a tad. Not bad for a randomly-chosen restaurant on our part!
Final Thoughts on Bath
Spending only a few hours in the city definitely did not do it justice. If you want to take a day trip to Bath, make sure it is a full day or even an overnighter. Since we didn’t have a lot of time, we didn’t go into the Roman Baths. The line was unfortunately quite long and we had limited time in the city.
I would also have loved to check out some of the museums such as the Jane Austen Centre and the Fashion Museum, and explore more of the foodie options in the city.
Things I Didn’t Like About Bath
Bath had wayyyy too many shops for such a historic city. Do we really need an H&M and Urban Outfitters? I get that cities need anchors to stimulate the economy, but I think Bath gets plenty of tourists that aren’t there for the shopping. It was a little off-putting, but I definitely would still return to Bath to explore a little more.
It was also very crowded, which I have no room to complain about since we came in on a big bus tour. But, it seems like the hub of the city exists simply to welcome tourists rather than be a place where people live and work. To be continued until the next visit…
Ending Our Tour
It is important to note that our tour did not end in the same place it began. We were dropped off at the Stamford Brook Station outside of the City Center, which meant a commute back to Central London.
Thankfully, there was an excellent pub right across the street from the train station called The Raven. The pub warmly welcomed us with hot Thai food (seriously delicious Drunken Noodles), cold beers and wine, and big screen TVs to watch rugby on.
I really felt like this was the local experience we needed after such a touristy day at Stonehenge and Bath, and highly recommend you do the same.
All in all, this was such a great value of a tour with Day Tours London. Our driver (Marius) and guide (Alicia) were both great (please remember to tip them at the end of the tour)! It is an all-day affair, so be prepared for a long day, but I’m grateful to be able to add two UNESCO World Heritage Sites to my list of visited places.
Exploring the world is such a special privilege that we very much take to heart, and we hope that our personal experiences can help aid you in your journey as well.
Happy Traveling!
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- Harry Potter Studio Tour Day Trip from London
- Afternoon Tea at the Egerton House Hotel in London
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I’ve lived in the UK since I was born (29 years) and I’ve never been to Stonehenge or Bath – they’re both on my list though! I really enjoyed your post and can’t wait to go see it for myself. If you ever get the chance to go to England again I’d recommend going north – it often gets forgotten about but there are some beautiful places – I’d recommend York and the Lake District 🙂
Thank you Emma! I hope you get to visit them both soon! England is one of my favorite places we’ve traveled to. I absolutely would love to travel north and explore more. I will put York and the Lake District on my list – thank you for the suggestions!