Best Day Trips from Cambridge

Best Day Trips from Cambridge – Days Out Near Cambridge

This is a round-up of some of the best day trips from Cambridge. There are many great days out near Cambridge. I have picked out some of my favourites within one hour of Cambridge and a couple of big hitters that are a bit further away. Whether you are looking to visit an interesting town or city, explore the countryside or uncover a local attraction I hope you will be able to find your ideal day trip from Cambridge.

We live in Cambridgeshire and have explored East Anglia as a family. Most of my suggestions are fun for adults too though so don’t be put off by all my talk of Cambridge and beyond with kids. If you are looking for family days out in Cambridgeshire then you will find them in this post.

Best Day Trips from Cambridge – Towns and Cities Within an Hour

Ely, Cambridgeshire

Distance from Cambridge to Ely by car: 32 minutes

Distance from Cambridge to Ely by train: 14 minutes

Ely is an easy small city to get to from Cambridge. It is an excellent Cambridgeshire day out. The full name of the city is Isle of Ely because in times past it was an island surrounded by fen. The fens have long since been drained but the isle is still a striking sight above the low-lying farmland. The riverside is close to the railway station and perfect for a walk or you can head up the hill into the town. The main reason to visit Ely is the magnificent cathedral which is stunning both inside and out. The Tower Tour is fascinating, and the view is well worth the 170 steps.

Read more about what to do in Ely with kids here.

Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk

Distance from Cambridge to Bury by car: 44 minutes

Distance from Cambridge to Bury by train: 39 minutes (note it’s an easy trip by train but the train station is a 10-15 minute walk from the town centre in both towns)

I’m a little biased as Bury St Edmunds is my hometown but I think it is one of the best day trips from Cambridge. The town has everything, good shopping, regular markets, lots of places to eat and history in spades. The Abbey Gardens are the most interesting attraction in Bury and make this a great family day out. Head down Abbeygate Street and through the gate to visit this wonderful park which was built around the ruins of an Abbey.

Read more about visiting Bury St Edmunds as a tourist here.

Newmarket, Suffolk

Distance from Cambridge to Newmarket by car: 28 minutes

If you like horses (or at least have a passing interest) then Newmarket is the place for you. Located just outside of Cambridgeshire, it is an easy day trip from Cambridge. We’ve never been to the museum or any of the many studs but those are an option for horse nuts. If you would like to experience the Newmarket vibe without getting too immersed in the horse culture I would recommend a walk on the gallops. After 1 pm you can enjoy a stroll without the horses and enjoy the views. Before 1 pm you can go along to watch the racehorses going through their paces. Go early to make sure you catch the best of the spectacle.

Lavenham and Long Melford, Suffolk

Distance from Cambridge to Lavenham by car: 54 minutes-1 hour

Distance from Cambridge to Lavenham by train: There is no train station (the closest is Sudbury but it takes 3 hours from Cambridge)

South Suffolk is quintessential England at its best. Lavenham and Long Melford are both cute places to walk around. Lavenham attracts tourists for many reasons but more recently it’s because scenes from Harry Potter were filmed there. Long Melford has two interesting stately homes, Kentwell Hall and Melford Hall. Beatrix Potter was a regular visitor to Melford Hall so they have some great displays on her work.

Book Recommendations for Cambridgeshire

If you are looking to explore the Cambridgeshire countryside there are plenty of books to guide you to plan your days out around Cambridge. Here are some of my favourites:

Cambridgeshire Walks with Kids

Cambridgeshire Walks for Grown-ups

Best Day Trips from Cambridge – Further Afield

London

Distance from Cambridge to London by car: It is 1 hour 40 to central London but it is unlikely you would want to drive there. We usually drive to Westfield shopping centre near the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (1 hour 16 minutes) and use the easy car park there. From car park B you can be on the underground to central London in 5 minutes. Use the contactless on your card at the barriers and you don’t even have to worry about buying a ticket.

Distance from Cambridge to London by train: 49 minutes to 1 hour 23 minutes direct to Kings Cross, St Pancras or Liverpool Street.

There have been many words written about things to do in London with and without kids. What makes it one of the best day trips from Cambridge is just how easy it is to do. It is less than an hour on the train to central London. Once you are in London you can get anywhere you like quickly on the underground which is an adventure in itself. If you are visiting the UK then you probably already have London on your itinerary. If you don’t but are wondering if you can do it in a day I would say, yes, you can tick off the main sights (Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge etc.) You will need several day trips from Cambridge if you start adding things like the museums to your list as most can absorb a day by themselves.

Free things to do in London from Parenthood4ever.

Oxford, Oxfordshire

Distance from Cambridge to Oxford by car: 1 hour 55 minutes

Distance from Cambridge to Oxford by train: 2 hours 36 minutes to 3 hours. The route is via London and requires at least to changes on the underground.

If you’ve come to Cambridge to check out the history and architecture then the chances are you are also interested in how it compares to Oxford. The spires of Oxford are certainly an impressive sight and it is a great city to walk around. It is not the easiest day trip from Cambridge but it’s definitely doable. I probably wouldn’t recommend this one if you are travelling with kids. Two hours in the car to look at some ‘boring’ building probably won’t go down too well.

Best Day Trips from Cambridge – Local Attractions and Interesting Places

Denny Abbey and the Farmland Museum, Cambridgeshire

Distance from Cambridge to Denny Abbey by car: 21 minutes

If you are interested in the history of Cambridgeshire then this is worth combining with a trip to Ely. Farming is really important to the area and this museum showcases farming through the ages including lots of cool machinery. Entrance to the museum also gives you entrance to Denny Abbey. This shell of a building is not much to look at on the inside but it does have an interesting history.

They also have lots of fun activities for kids and is a great family day out. Read about my visit with Ted here.

Linton Zoo, Cambridgeshire

Distance from Cambridge to Linton Zoo by car: 24 minutes

Linton Zoo is a small wildlife breeding centre in the village of Linton and is a pleasant family day out. It has an interesting story and lots of genuinely awesome animals. If you have kids they will love the lions, zebras, lemurs and tapirs.

Read more about our favourite animals in this post.

Anglesey Abbey, Cambridgeshire

Distance from Cambridge to Anglesey Abbey by car: 15 minutes

Anglesey Abbey is a Cambridgeshire stately home and parkland just outside of Cambridge. It is known for its snowdrops and beautiful Himalayan birches. The circular walk around the grounds is an easy stroll that everyone will enjoy. The house and grounds are owned and managed by the National Trust.

You can read about the best walks with children at Anglesey Abbey in this post.

Houghton Mill, Cambridgeshire

Distance from Cambridge to Houghton Mill by car: 40 minutes

Houghton Mill is a working watermill in the heart of Cambridgeshire that you can explore. It is the perfect place to access walks and experience the countryside. From here you can take a stroll or row a boat along the River Great Ouse. There is enough to do here for a fun day trip from Cambridge.

Wimpole Home Farm, Cambridgeshire

Distance from Cambridge to Wimpole by car: 26 minutes

Wimpole Estate is the final National Trust property I’m going to talk about here. It is another Cambridgeshire stately home and park combination. The parkland is much bigger than Anglesey Abbey, as is the house. This property also has a farmyard with lots of interesting farm exhibits, although you do have to pay extra for this.

There are five National Trust properties in Cambridgeshire that you can visit (including the three mentioned here). Read more about the best ones to visit in this post.

Audley End, Essex

Distance from Cambridge to Audley End by car: 35 minutes

Audley End Miniature Railway and Fairy Walk is a great day out for young children from Cambridge. The kids loved spotting all the fairies, making crafts and having a go at the games. The train ride was a real treat for adults and kids alike. Also at Audley End is an English Heritage owned stately home.

There are more details about Audley End Fairy Walk in this post.

Day Trips to the Countryside near Cambridge

The countryside around Cambridge is largely flat and characterised by its rivers and waterways. Suffolk and Norfolk have different environments to explore too. Many of the attractions mentioned above have extensive outdoor spaces. However, if you are looking for a purely outdoor day trip from Cambridge then keep reading below.

Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire

Distance from Cambridge to Wicken Fen by car: 34 minutes

Wicken Fen is another National Trust property to the north of Cambridge but it is very different from Anglesey Abbey. Wicken Fen is managed and restored fenland. Short walks are possible from the visitor centre along boardwalks to explore the habitat. These are There are also much longer walks, all with interesting things to see along the way.

We rented bikes and went on a longer loop around the fens. You can even reach Wicken on the cycle paths from Cambridge. You can click here to find out how we got on.

Thetford Forest, Suffolk and Norfolk

Distance from Cambridge to Thetford Forest by car: 52 minutes (to High Lodge)

If you would like to see something a little bit different from the fen farmland of Cambridgeshire then you could head out through the Brecks to Thetford forest. There are miles of walks, mountain bike trails and much more through this managed forest area. It’s a great place for active people to explore.

We like High Lodge and Brandon Country Park with the kids. Both are perfect family days out for active children. Read more about what’s available in this post.

Norfolk Broads National Park

Distance from Cambridge to Norfolk Broads by car: 1 hour 30 minutes (to Wroxham)

The closest National Park to Cambridge is the Norfolk Broads. There are several places to access the waterways and rivers of the Broads but the most popular gateway is the small town of Wroxham. There are enough small attractions here to keep most people busy on a day trip and you can also reant a boat to take you in to the heart of the National Park.

Read more about the things to do in Wroxham here.

Beaches Near Cambridge

Cambridge is about as far from the seaside as it’s possible to be in East Anglia. However, East Anglia has hundreds of miles of stunning coastline so no list of day trips from Cambridge would be complete without a list of the best beaches. Below are three that I would recommend but you can’t really go wrong on the Norfolk and Suffolk coasts. These are some of the nearest beaches to Cambridge.

Hunstanton

Distance from Cambridge to Hunstanton by car: 1 hour 20 minutes

Hunstanton on the North Norfolk coast is the closest seashore to Cambridge. It’s is also on the only western-facing coastline in East Anglia and has fantastic views out across The Wash to Skegness. Hunstanton is a typical English seaside town with lots of things to do. The beach is a mixture of sand and pebbles with some fascinating rock pools to explore.

Find out more things to do in Hunstanton in this post.

Great Yarmouth

Distance from Cambridge to Great Yarmouth by car: 1 hour 25 minutes

At the other end of the Norfolk coast to Hunstanton is Great Yarmouth. Great Yarmouth is a fun-filled seaside town on the mouth of the River Yare. Amusements are spread along a long, sandy seafront. There are lots of small and medium attractions around the town.

Find out more things to do in Great Yarmouth in this post.

Southwold

Distance from Cambridge to Southwold by car: 1 hour 40 minutes

Southwold, on the Suffolk coast, is a less commercialised seaside town. It’s famous for its brewery and expensive beach huts. It’s a charming little town with a sandy beach. 

Find out more about Suffolk, including Southwold, in this post.

Coach Trips From Cambridge

If you are looking for places to book day trips from Cambridge by coach then here are a few options:

• Greys of Ely
• Richmond’s Coaches
• Roots Travel
• Cambridge Tours

Where to Stay in Cambridge

Booking.com Booking.com

For Pinterest

• 

• 

• 

Related Posts