If you have some transit time at London Heathrow airport and are looking for things to do, here are the best easy day Trips from London Heathrow (that go beyond central London.)
Guildford
There's a direct RailAir bus from Heathrow to Guildford, a town with connections to Lewis Carroll and Alice in Wonderland. (I was a bit confused by the name at first but despite the words "Rail" and "Air", the service is actually a bus service.)
It takes about 55 minutes, passing Woking along the way. Note that it stops at 2 places in Guildford- Guildford The Chase University of Surrey and Guildford Rail Station. (The latter is the terminal stop and the one you want to get off at, as it is closer to the town centre.)
You can buy RailAir tickets online or get tickets at its booth in the airport but the process is a bit slow. (Don't get the ticket from the bus directly as the driver told me it's more expensive that way!)
Note: there are bus services to other parts of England such as Southampton but I personally find that too far to be a day trip!
When you first get off the bus, the surroundings look a bit dreary- modern(ish) buildings which the UK does not do well. However, persevere and you'll find yourself charmed.
Guildford has an amazing setting: it is surrounded by hills and has the River Wey running through it. There are also a few pubs with beautiful riverside seating.
The town centre is picturesque AND pedestrianised at certain times of the day, making it much more convenient! You even get a lovely view of the hills from the High Street.
If you have any questions about what to do, see or eat at Guildford that this article (and the one linked to) do not answer, you can stop by the Tourist Office, at the top of the Guildford High Street, and ask. The staff there is very helpful.
There's also a small craft shop on the premises (sadly not a great selection.)
Typically between May and September, there are free guided tours of Guildford town! If you've a taste for the macabre, between April and November, there are also ticketed Guildford ghost tours held on Friday nights (8pm, about £10 per person.)
Guildford not only has a ruined castle, it also has a rather unique cathedral! Just note that the cathedral is quite modern and it's a bit of a walk out from the town centre.
The castle grounds were actually my favorite part of my Guildford excursion- if you visit before Christmas, it's wonderfully decked out with Christmas lights (and free to enter!)
As a single female of color, I felt safe wandering around Guildford town centre.
Windsor & Eton
The National Express bus takes under an hour to get to Windsor from Heathrow Airport.
Windsor & Eton are just a short walk from each other. The famous attraction is Windsor Castle (expensive entrance tickets FYI) but both towns also have cute shops.
As a single female of color, I felt safe wandering around Guildford town centre.
Tip: get the audio guide if you go to Windsor Castle AND go for the guided tour
Hampton Court Palace
You can reach Hampton Court Palace from Heathrow by direct bus, 111. It takes just over an hour.
There isn't really much to do in the area besides visit the magnificent palace (the grounds are particularly beautiful in spring) although there is a cute secondhand shop opposite the station (see the photo above.)
Richmond
Richmond is only 44 minutes by direct bus (490) from Heathrow.
You can explore the shops in the town centre, visit the cute Hollyhocks cafe or elegant Petersham Nurseries (so beautiful but I'm not a fan of the food to be honest), enjoy the view from Richmond Hill, or admire the deer in Richmond Park.
Central London
And, of course, you can always take the Paddington Express train straight into central London! Services run about every 15 minutes, and take about 20 minutes, so it's very low-stress. (There's also a bus service but it's only attraction (to me) is its lower price- keep in mind that the road traffic from Heathrow can be awful!)
Any questions about what to do in Heathrow? Let me know in the comments!
