Family day trips from London

Easily accessible from London, Brighton is the quintessential beach escape. It may have been heavily gentrified but there are still enough reminders of the classic British seaside – think penny slot machines and a tempting vinegary whiff of fish and chips in the sea air – for a nostalgia fix. Head to the top of the British Airways i360 tower, the world’s tallest moving observation deck, for a seagull’s-eye view of the city and surrounding coastline. If you'd rather stay at sea level, take Volk's Electric Railway, a Victorian train which runs along the seafront.

Right on the seafront, the Hilton Brighton Metropole has modern amenities and Victorian charm.

You can reach Brighton by train from London in around an hour.

The city’s waterfront has UNESCO World Heritage Status and you can explore it from one of the Mersey Ferries cruises. If your children think the Beatles were simply an ancient version of One Direction, then this is the place to educate them – the Beatles Story comprises two museums exploring the life and times of the Fab Four.

Modern and sleek, the four-star Hotel Indigo Liverpool is just five minutes from the waterfront, and easy walking distance from the city centre.

Trains take just over two hours from London Euston. You can drive in about four-and-a-half hours.

The ancient stone circle is one of the most famous sights in Britain, and an early trip to Stonehenge (before the hordes turn up) and its mysterious ancient mighty stones will enthral children. You can explore the landscape around the stones, looking out for hundreds of burial mounds – just book an express trip to Stonehenge from London. For history of the more recent kind, go on to Bath, which is an hour away. It’s a beautiful city to walk around if little legs can take it, but it also has attractions that will appeal to children – the Roman bath museum has water to try not to fall in, characters in costume and an audio guide narrated by the former Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen.

The Francis Hotel is set across a series of beautiful Grade-I listed Georgian townhouses on one of the city’s prettiest squares.

Trains from London Paddington take around an hour-and-a-half. You can drive to Bath in around three hours.

The Cotswolds, with its quaint cottages and thatched roofs, is about as English countryside as you can get outside of a Richard Curtis film. You can take a coach tour of the area, but children might prefer somewhere they can run free – Cotswold Farm Park (home to Adam Henson, presenter of the TV show Countryfile) has rare breed animals, play areas, a maze and a tractor safari. In Oxford, get your bearings of this beautiful city on foot, or by taking a bus tour. There are Harry Potter and Alice in Wonderland tours of the city too.

Away from the city, and with beautiful countryside views, Dormy House in the Cotswolds combines cosiness with contemporary chic. Set on the 400-acre Farnvombe Estate, it makes a great base for exploring the surrounding countryside.

Trains from London to Oxford take just over an hour, and around an hour and 50 minutes to Gloucester. By car, you can reach the Cotswolds in around two hours.