Stonehenge From London: Is It Worth It? (Our Early Morning Experience)
Is Stonehenge Worth Giving Up a Day in London?
That's the question we struggled with the most while planning our trip to London. Some people say it’s a must-do, while others dismiss it as "just a pile of rocks."
Simple Answer: If you’re fascinated by ancient civilizations/engineering and are enthralled by the mystery of how it was built, yes. But if you're only considering it because everyone says you should, you may be happier spending that time in London.
We almost skipped it ourselves.
Between the conflicting reviews online and the two-hour drive each way, we wondered whether it could really live up to our expectations.
After visiting with our kids, here's what surprised us, who we think should (and shouldn't) make the trip, and whether we thought it was worth it.
At a Glance
🏆 Best for: Curious travelers with an interest in ancient history
🕰️ Time needed: Half a day, including travel time
📍 Location: Wiltshire, England
🚆 Getting there: Tour bus, car, or train + bus
🕙 Travel time: About 2 hours each way
📅 Reservations needed? They are highly recommended to get your preferred time. Walk-up tickets cost more, so it’s wise to book ahead.
👨👩👧👦 Kid-friendly? Yes, as long as they know what to expect and they are curious about the mystery behind it.
⭐ Our rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
️Why We Decided to Visit Stonehenge
We really wrestled over whether we should spend a day of our 6-day London trip taking a day trip to see Stonehenge.
We wanted to, but the Internet had us questioning ourselves. So many people said it was a waste of a morning or that it wasn’t that exciting.
We thought we’d love it, but we started to wonder if we were building it up too much in our heads.
We considered visiting Hampton Court Palace instead. That would have been a great way to spend the day, too. But we were already seeing Windsor Castle, and the mystery of Stonehenge was something that had captured our imaginations since we were young.
We would have kicked ourselves if we’d been that close and not made the effort to see it.
Eventually, we agreed that if we didn’t see Stonehenge, we’d always regret it.
Planning a Stonehenge Day Trip From London
How We Got There
Once we'd finally decided Stonehenge was worth the risk, the next question was how to get there.
We decided to book a tour. We usually travel independently, but the logistics of the train and bus had our heads spinning because we didn’t know how long we’d actually want to stay.
Taking a coach bus with Day Tours London made it easier.
Tickets were £66 for adults ($88.66 USD) and £59 ($79.24) for children. These prices included admission.
How to Get from London to Stonehenge
Tour bus (what we did)
Train to Salisbury + shuttle
Drive yourself
We were so fortunate to see Stonehenge without the crowds and were grateful to be able to get such beautiful pictures.
Our Early Morning Stonehenge Experience
Arriving Before the Crowds
Our tour bus with Day Tours London proved to be a great choice. We were literally the first bus to arrive at Stonehenge that morning!
Because we were there first, our family speed-walked to the stones and got to enjoy them without the crowds.
We don’t share photos of our family on this site for privacy reasons, but our family pictures there turned out to be incredible because there was no one in the background!
Seeing Stonehenge for the First Time
Your initial reaction will likely depend on your expectations.
Even though Stonehenge was something we were excited to see, we kept our expectations very low.
We also knew the stones were roped off, so we couldn’t get too close.
I think that proved to be a great strategy because we were completely blown away when we saw Stonehenge in person. We just kept saying, “I can’t believe we’re here!” What an incredible thing to see a 5,000-year-old structure with your own eyes!
We were also very lucky and visited during a heat wave, so temps were in the low 70s Fahrenheit - warm with clear skies.
How Long Did We Actually Spend at Stonehenge?
With our tour with Day Tours London, our bus departed at 7:30 a.m. We enjoyed our independent time exploring Stonehenge from 9:30 - 11:30 a.m., and we were back in central London around 1:30 p.m.
Two hours was the perfect amount of time to spend there. As exciting as the experience was, we would have gotten bored if we’d stayed longer.
A Sarsen stone was situated along the path around Stonehenge.
A Kid’s POV: Is Stonehenge Interesting for Kids?
Our daughter was 9 at the time we visited, and our son was 8. Here’s what they have to say about their time at Stonehenge and whether other kids would enjoy it:
Her thoughts:
“Yeah, it’s really interesting. Just looking at it was so cool! It probably was one of my favorite things.”
His thoughts:
“It was the best thing we did because it was really cool.”
We tried our best to prep their expectations. We watched documentaries and YouTube videos about Stonehenge before our trip, and we discussed the fact that there wouldn’t be a whole lot else to do there aside from seeing the stones.
They understood and agreed it was worth it anyway before we even booked it.
We didn’t expect it to be their favorite site during our trip to London, but it really made a lasting impression on them!
What to Expect at Stonehenge?
Can you walk right up to the stones?
No, not with standard tickets. They are roped off. The rope is low, so you can still get nice photographs. However, you can pay extra to do a Stone Circle Experience through English Heritage.
Can you touch them?
No. However, the Visitor Center has a sarsen stone on display that you can touch (and try to pull!).
Is it mostly outdoors?
Yes, but there is a small Visitor Center that’s basically a mini-museum. There’s also a gift shop.
Is there enough to do besides the stones?
The stones are the big draw, but we enjoyed walking through the Visitor Center and learning more about the history of Stonehenge. Outside, there were also displays of Neolithic houses and a “Pull the Sarsen” exhibit where you could try to pull a sarsen stone! My 8-year-old was convinced it moved a little.
Things to Know Before Visiting Stonehenge
There were so many sheep around Stonehenge. The “farm smell” really caught me by surprise.
Now that we've experienced it ourselves, a few things stood out that we'd wish we'd known beforehand:
The drive is about 2 hours (and there are no toilets on the coach bus).
If taking a morning bus tour, you’ll want to eat lunch there (we didn’t get back to London until 1:30 p.m.).
Weather can affect the experience - we were blessed with warm weather and clear skies, but it may have been a little less thrilling in the rain.
Wear shoes that are comfortable to walk in.
There were sheep all around - I never expected Stonehenge to smell like a farm!
How We Fit This Into Our London Trip
Here’s a peek at the major highlights we focused on during our trip to London:
Day 1:
Buckingham Palace
Natural History Museum
Princess Diana Memorial Playground
Day 2:
Stonehenge
Science Museum
Day 3:
Windsor Castle
Day 4:
Tower of London
Borough Market
Globe Theater
Day 5:
Warner Bros Harry Potter Studio Tour
Day 6:
British Museum
British Library Treasures Gallery
Our tour bus picked us up and dropped us off really close to the Science Museum, which was how we decided to spend our afternoon there after visiting Stonehenge.
Is Stonehenge Worth It Compared to Other London Day Trips?
Choose Stonehenge if:
You love history
You want to mark it off your Bucket List
Your London visit is long enough to spare a half day for a day trip
Choose Windsor Castle instead if:
You’re into castles
You’re into British History
You’re interested in the Royal family
You want shorter transportation time for a day trip
Stay in London instead if:
You’re only in London for 1-3 days
You’d have to sacrifice one of your must-sees in London to make it work
You prefer to keep things simple and stay in London for your vacation
Planning Tips: Making the Most of a Stonehenge Visit
Book your ticket and transportation well in advance. We highly recommend getting there as soon as it opens to beat the crowds (as much as you can at such a major site).
Keep an eye on the weather and bring appropriate gear.
Wear comfortable shoes for walking.
There are restrooms onsite at the Visitor Center. Making a stop there before venturing to see the stones would be wise, as there are no toilets near the stones themselves and you won’t want to have to keep walking back and forth.
It’s a pretty decent walk from the Visitor Center to Stonehenge.
Final Verdict: Would We Recommend Stonehenge From London?
Stonehenge is worth it if...
You are fascinated by ancient civilizations and marvel at how they could have constructed such a design with the tools at their disposal.
Stonehenge may not be worth it if...
Everyone keeps saying you should see it, but you’re not sure you want to spend half a day of your trip to see some stones.
Our Family’s Opinion
Stonehenge is 100% worth it! If your family has any interest in history or mysteries, this is an absolute must.
Stonehenge isn't London's most exciting attraction.
It isn't interactive.
It isn't packed with things to do.
But standing in front of a structure built nearly 5,000 years ago was one of the most memorable moments of our trip.
FAQs
Is Stonehenge worth visiting from London? Yes, if you have at least 4 full days in London, Stonehenge is worth a day trip.
How long does it take to get to Stonehenge from London? Two hours by tour bus
Is Stonehenge good for kids? Yes, if you prep their expectations ahead of time so they understand the history and mystery behind it.
What is the easiest way to visit Stonehenge from London? We went by tour bus and were very happy with our decision. It saved us from figuring out logistics, and we could relax and enjoy our day trip.
How much time do you need at Stonehenge? Two hours is plenty. Beyond that, you’ll likely get bored. You can only look at the stones for so long, and the Visitor Center isn’t very big.
Looking for more help with planning your London trip?
Planning a trip to London can feel overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be.
We've put together practical guides based on our family's experience to help you make the most of your vacation—from choosing what to see to building a realistic itinerary.
Check out the articles below to continue planning your trip:
