Our day trip to Stonehenge, Windsor, Bath from London: Tour Review
During our trip to London, we wanted to explore a bit of the English countryside and popular nearby places without the hassle of renting a car or figuring out train connections. With just a few days in the city and so much to see, planning a self-guided trip felt overwhelming.
So we booked this Stonehenge, Bath, and Windsor day tour from London as an easy way to check off three iconic places in one day. I took the trip with my husband and our two teen kids, and this tour worked really well for us. It was organized, ran on time, and gave us a taste of places we wouldn’t have been able to cover on our own in our one-week London trip.
Of course, the trade-off with a packed day like this is that you only get a short time at each stop, especially at Windsor, where we had to rush to see the highlights.
But even with the limited time, I’d still choose this tour again. It was a long day, but one of the most memorable from our 7 days in London.
In this post, I’ll walk you through what our day looked like, what we enjoyed, what felt rushed, and a few tips from our experience if you’re thinking of doing the same tour.
Quick Overview of Our Day Tour to Windsor, Stonehenge, and Bath
We booked this full-day tour through Viator, which made it easy to visit Bath, Stonehenge, and Windsor Castle in one day, without having to plan train routes, timings, or buy individual tickets.
The tour started promptly at 8 AM from Victoria Coach Station in London. We took the Underground to get there and arrived a little early to check in. We returned around 7 PM, making it a full but well-organized day.
Transportation was by a comfortable coach, and our guide took care of all the entrance tickets at each stop. We didn’t have to worry about timing or logistics once we were on the bus.
What we liked about the tour
- Covered three popular destinations in one day
- Everything was handled for us – transport, entry tickets, timings
- The guide kept everything on time and well-organized
- The guide gave good information before each stop about what to explore
- Comfortable coach with air-conditioning
What to keep in mind
- Limited time at each stop (Windsor felt rushed)
- It’s a long day, with a lot of time on the bus
- There was no scheduled lunch break, so we had to eat snacks when available instead of a proper lunch
- The guide stayed with us until we entered each site, but we explored on our own. They gave us a set time to be back on the bus.
If you’re short on time and want to get a taste of England beyond London, this tour is a great option.
➡️ Here is the tour we booked – Stonehenge, Windsor Castle, and Bath from London
First Stop: Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is an official residence of the British royal family and the oldest continuously occupied castle in the world. It was our first stop of the day, and it ended up feeling the most rushed.
We were scheduled to spend about two hours here. Although we arrived on time without much traffic, the line to enter the castle and go through security was long and took nearly an hour. That left us with just one hour inside. The tour didn’t include skip-the-line entry, but the guide handled all the entry logistics.
On the way to the entrance, there was a guard procession happening, so we had to wait another 20 minutes before we could cross. The upside was that we got to see the guards marching up close, which was pretty cool to witness.
The guide told us that when the Royal Standard flag is hosted on the Round Tower, it means that the king is at Windsor Castle. It was a good day to visit, but it was also very crowded.
With the time we had left, we managed to walk through the State Apartments and St George’s Chapel (where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle got married), but that was about it. Photos weren’t allowed inside either space.
We also had to manage about 10 minutes using the restrooms at the castle, which cut into our time a bit more. We didn’t have time to get any food, explore the gift shop, the grounds, or Windsor town. We saw a glimpse of Windsor town while we were walking from the bus parking to the castle entrance.
Even though it was rushed, this tour worked for us as we didn’t have a full day to spare just for Windsor. If Windsor Castle is high on your list and you want to explore it more thoroughly, including the town, it might be better to do a trip focused just on Windsor, either through a tour or on your own.
Next Stop: Stonehenge
Stonehenge is a prehistoric stone circle in the English countryside, believed to be over 4,000 years old. It was our second stop, and we had about an hour here, which felt like enough time. The guide again took care of the entry tickets.
There’s really just one main thing to do here: see the stone circle. After arriving, we took the shuttle bus from the visitor center to the stone circle. We walked around, took photos, and enjoyed the views before heading back.
Before boarding the shuttle, we had time to use the restrooms and grab a quick snack from the café. We got some dry snacks and ice cream, which we ate on the bus. Hot food wasn’t allowed on board out of consideration for anyone who might get nauseous, which I think was great.
Stonehenge itself was beautiful and peaceful, and surrounded by greenery everywhere. This part of the tour didn’t feel rushed.
Final Stop: Bath
Bath is a historic spa town known for its Roman-built baths and Georgian architecture. Bath was our final stop of the day, and we had around two hours here, just enough time to get a feel for the town.
We started with a visit to the Roman Baths. Our guide took care of the entry tickets, and then we were free to explore on our own. We spent about 30 minutes walking through the site.
The Roman Baths date back to around 70 AD and are nearly 2,000 years old. The Baths felt ancient and well-preserved. The Great Bath, which is the main attraction here, had green and murky water, and there was a distinct smell throughout the space.
Right next to the Baths is Bath Abbey, and from there we walked over to Pulteney Bridge, which was beautiful with the weir, a cascading waterfall, flowing underneath. I would have loved to visit the Jane Austen Centre, but we didn’t have time for it on this tour.
This was the only stop where we had time for a more filling meal, which was much needed after a long day. The town area around the Roman Baths was lively, with lots of cute shops and cafes.
I really liked the architecture and vibe of the town. If I ever return to England, I’d love to spend a whole day or even stay overnight in Bath to explore more. If I ever do, staying at The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa would be such a treat!
Was the Day Tour Worth It?
Yes, this Stonehenge, Bath, and Windsor Castle tour from London was worth it for us.
With our limited time in London, there’s no way we could have managed to see Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, and Bath all in one day on our own. This tour made it possible without the stress of figuring out transportation or tickets.
We got a taste of three very different and iconic places, and that was exactly what we were looking for. I left wanting to return to Bath for a longer visit someday, but for Windsor and Stonehenge, the short time we had felt enough.
If you’re short on time and want to see more of England beyond London, I’d recommend this tour.
Tips from Our Visit
- Arrive early at Victoria Coach Station. Our tour started at 8 AM sharp, and we gave ourselves extra time for check-in and boarding by reaching there around 7:30.
- Wear comfortable shoes. There’s a good amount of walking at each stop.
- Bring snacks and water. There’s no scheduled lunch break. We had snacks and ice cream at Stonehenge and a proper meal in Bath.
- Use restrooms when you can. There was no bathroom on the bus, so make sure to use the restroom at each stop.
- Photography is restricted in some areas. For example, no photos were allowed inside parts of Windsor Castle.
- Expect long lines, especially at Windsor Castle. Even with our guide managing tickets, we waited nearly an hour to get in.
- Know it’s a quick overview. You won’t have time to see everything, but it’s a great way to get a taste of three iconic places in one day.
- Be back at the bus on time. The guide stuck closely to the departure schedule at each stop, with only a 5-minute grace period. We were warned that they would leave us behind, although everyone managed to be back at each stop.
- Might not be ideal for young kids. It’s a long day with lots of bus time and a tight schedule.
Final Takeaways
This day trip was one of the highlights of our week in London. It was a long day, but we were able to visit three iconic places without the stress of planning anything ourselves.
Yes, time at each stop was limited—especially at Windsor—but the tour was well-organized and gave us a good overview of places we may not have been able to visit otherwise. It left me wanting to come back and spend more time in Bath, and I was glad we got to experience Stonehenge and Windsor, even if briefly.
If you’re short on time and want to see more of England beyond London, this tour is a great option.
➡️ Here is the tour we booked – Stonehenge, Windsor Castle, and Bath from London
More of my UK and Europe Travels
Check out my travels to other UK and European destinations below:
