How to Plan your perfect Day Trip to Bath

I love day trips!  You are able to leave your worldly belongs back in your base city, and go explore the surrounding world in just a day.  It’s a fun way to see more of an area!  And London (or the London area) is such a great base city.  There are so many fabulous places to explore that are worthy of a day trip.  You may be wondering if Bath is a day trip from London! Well, yes! Bath is actually an easy day trip from London! So, if you happen to be spending time in London, then a day trip to Bath, England is a great idea!

There is so much history and so many interesting things to see and do around Bath.  There is a fascinating mix of modern and ancient throughout the city!  And, while some might argue (and rightly so) that Bath is worthy of more than just a day trip, I’d say if you’ve only got time for a day trip, it’s worth it!

How do you get to Bath from London

Time: 1-1/2 hrs.

Train – There are several trains each day that travel between London and Bath. You’ll spend approximately an hour and a half each way, so plan accordingly.  Of course, it’s cheaper to go at an “off” time.  Off time travel means your time is Bath is a bit more limited, so weigh your options and figure out if you want more time or less money!  Either way, the train makes this an easy day trip to Bath!

Car – Of course, if you have a rental car, you can drive over for the day!

Getting Around

There are buses and taxis to get you to the outskirts of town, but the best way to explore Bath is by walking!  I love being in a city where walking is easy!  It is so much nicer to be part of it all from ground level and not be speeding by everything.  If you have trouble getting around on foot, there is a service that will rent out a scooter for the day (Shopmobility).

What Things to Do During your Day Trip to Bath

Roman Baths

Time: 1 to 1-1/2 hours

Cost: Approximately $29 USD (Discount for seniors and students)

Certainly one of the most popular destinations in Bath is the Roman Baths!

The Roman Baths are a well preserved public bath from Ancient Roman times.  Because it is one of the finest historic sites in Northern Europe, it is also one of the top visited.  There are four main features to the Bath:

• The Sacred Spring – Lying within the Temple of Sulis Minerva, water from the Sacred Spring feeds into the Roman Baths.
• The Roman Temple – The Temple was once the focal point of worship in the Baths.  It was built in later 1st Century AD, and is one of two temples in Britain built in the Classical style.
• The Roman Bath House
• The Museum

To make the best use of your time during your day trip to Bath, do a little planning ahead of time.  Figure out what you want to see and check what are the less busy hours. And, just in case you are wondering, you cannot swim in the Roman Baths! If you are interested in swimming and the spa treatment, you can visit the Thermae Bath Spa.

If you want to do the full tour, you can get audio and wander at your own pace learning about everything.

 

Bath Abbey

Time: 30-60 min.

Cost: donation requested

If you are a fan of visiting churches when you travel, you’ll want to make time for the Bath Abbey. There is always so much of a city’s (or country’s) history in their churches. Both in artifacts and architecture, Bath Abbey is a beautiful piece of history!

Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul of Bath, or more commonly known as Bath Abbey, was founded in the 7th century.  The Abbey has been refit several times over the centuries, and this latest version is from the 1860s.  The church contains war memorials for locals and monuments to notable people in the form of stained glass.  On the west front of the Abbey, there are two stone ladders with angels climbing to heaven.

The Abbey still holds regular church services for locals and visitors alike.  The Abbey welcomes almost a half-million visitors each year.  It is well worth the time when on your day trip to Bath!

A couple of the top things to see in the Abbey are the West Window and the Tomb of James Montagu. The West Window tells stories from the first five books of the Bible, everything from Creation to Noah’s Ark.

 

The Jane Austen Centre

In my opinion, no day trip to Bath would be complete without a Jane Austen element to it!

Our favorite stop of the day was The Jane Austen Centre!  Dedicated to Jane’s time spent in Bath, the Jane Austen Centre shows the influence the city had on her life and literature.

The tour through the museum was very interesting, so much I didn’t know about Jane Austen!  And the Regency Tea Room was the bomb!  We tried a variety of their offerings – including finger sandwiches, scones and clotted cream, and a variety of sweets!  Even my son and husband really enjoyed this!  It was a great break at the end of a long day of walking around Bath.

If you are a Jane Austen fan, this is a must on your day trip to Bath!!  And, definitely make time for their Tea Room!  You’ll be glad you did.

The Royal Crescent

The Royal Crescent is a beautiful display of Georgian architecture. It was designed for the rich to be able to stay in the city while feeling like they are in the country. Today the Royal Crescent is home to the five-star hotel The Royal Crescent Hotel!

Prior Park Landscape Garden

Cost: Just under $10 USD (discount for children & a family rate)

If your day trip to Bath has worn you out and you’re ready to spend some time away from the busy city, Prior Park is the perfect spot to chill! Enjoy the beautiful gardens year round. And, if you’re a National Trust member, you’ll get in for free!

Where to Eat during your Day Trip

Pump Room

The Pump Room is one of the more elegant places to go in Bath to eat!  It is open for Breakfast, Lunch and Afternoon Tea.  Reservations are recommended, especially if you are interested in their Afternoon Tea.

Sally Lunn’s Historic Eating House

Sally Lunn’s Historic Eating House is a must on most visitor’s must-do list!  It is one of the oldest houses in Bath.  And, home of the world famous Bath bun!  Originally baked by Sally Lunn, this sticky bun is now world renowned!  Sally Lunn’s is another place where reservations are recommended, especially during high season!

Booking.com

 

Roman Baths Kitchen

We had lunch at the Roman Baths Kitchen. And because our morning had been so busy at the Roman Baths, we found it to be the perfect place.  The location is fantastic, the wait staff was efficient and personable, and the food was fabulous!  Between the four of us we wound up trying a bit of everything, I think!  Here’s what we had:

Roast cod with a herb crust served with fondant potatoes, cauliflower and saffron sauce
RBK burger; West Country beef served with fries and black ketchup
English tomato, Grilled aubergine, and mozzarella with a salad
Vegetable soup and Bath baked bread
Vanilla Creme Brûlée with cinnamon shortbread biscuit

                        

A Great Day Trip to Bath

All in all, we had a very memorable day in Bath!  The train trip home was a lovely time to rest and relax after a long busy day on our feet.  By our account, this was an incredibly successful day trip!  I would enjoy going again because there are so many places we missed seeing.  As I mentioned early, Bath is certainly worthy of more than just one day.  We were not able to visit the outskirts of the city.  I would have liked to have seen some of the beautiful gardens or the Thermae Bath Spa….but, those will have to wait until our next trip!

Have you been to Bath?  What have your favorite places to visit been?  Or, if you haven’t been, is it on your Bucket List?

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