Looking for the best day trips from Bournemouth by car? Discover 12 brilliant escapes across Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire, from dramatic coastlines and ruined castles to picturesque villages, historic towns and hidden gems worth the drive.
From sparkling country houses to a castle after dark, National Trust Christmas 2026 has plenty within day-trip range of Bournemouth. Here’s what members can enjoy without paying another admission fee — and which festive experiences still need a separate ticket.
I nearly skipped the Stonehenge Summer Solstice completely. A few hours later, I was standing inside a crowd of more than 20,000 people waiting for the sun to rise through one of Britain’s most famous ancient monuments. Some of it was extraordinary. Some of it was nothing like I expected.
Old Wardour Castle is far more than a ruin to admire from the lawn. Step inside its six-sided walls, climb worn spiral stairs, look down into roofless rooms and discover how one of Wiltshire’s most beautiful castles ended up spectacularly broken.
An Iron Age hillfort, Norman castle, lost cathedral and one spectacular view over Salisbury — Old Sarum has packed a ridiculous amount of history onto one hill.
