As we travelled through southern England from Bath to Southampton, we stopped at the major icons, but we also discovered several fascinating things to do near Stonehenge.
The countryside is traditionally British. Rolling green hills dotted with charming townships and an air of peace that seems to float over everything.
We had started our adventure in London, headed north first, then through Scotland, across to Northern Ireland, down to Ireland, through Wales, and now we were on the last leg of our 6-week UK driving exploration.
In this leg, we knew our highlights would be the Roman Baths, Stonehenge, and the embarkation port of the Titanic’s maiden voyage, but we did wonder about other places to visit near Stonehenge.
To our surprise, we discovered a number of additional neolithic stone circles among so many historical sites and things to do near Stonehenge that we never knew existed. Even more interesting, many are larger or older than the most famous one. And most are free to enter.
Importantly, we never tire of history, castles, waterways, or ruins. We remain fascinated by the mix of medieval, gothic, Georgian, and modern architecture.
As a result, we were at no loss of things to do near Stonehenge. In fact, our only regret is that we had added so many days earlier in our trip that we didn’t have as many as we would have liked now, for we were leaving Southampton via cruise ship.
Bath to Southampton road trip map
This particular segment took us from Bath to Southampton, a drive that can be completed in 1.5 hours if we were in a maximum hurry. Instead, it became an adventure as we discovered the many things to do near Stonehenge.
Our map highlights our recommended route, plus two optional stops marked with orange pins.
Bath (first stop on this road trip)
An enchanting town, I instantly fell in love with the architecture in and around Bath. And I am not the only one, as Bath is a Unesco World Heritage Site. The highlights include:
- Roman Baths
The town’s namesake is the Roman baths built during the first century, which take advantage of the natural thermal springs. High in iron, the mineral waters are healing. The Romans seemed to know what they were doing. Interestingly, the statues all along the top were added in the 19th century. There is even a modern spa if you want to soak your cares away. - Bath Abbey
Architecturally Victorian Gothic and stunning on the exterior, the stained glass windows are equally beautiful. There are 212 steps to climb in the tower for some very impressive city views. Historically, it has been active for over 1,000 years. England’s King Edgar was first to be crowned here in 973 AD. - Pulteney Bridge
While most people come to see the Italian-style bridge completed in 1774, I was more impressed by the cascades of the weir downstream on the River Avon. - The Royal Crescent
A truly impressive arc of Georgian architecture makes these 30 townhouses some of the most sought-after properties in town. It is worth a visit just for a look.
Suggested activities in Bath
We found the best way to see this city was on a tour. We opted for a free walking tour. If that doesn’t work out for you, or you want more, here are two top-rated options that caught our eye.
City walking tour with optional Roman Baths entry: A tour designed to highlight the best of Bath, it hits the highlights, including a walk on the Pulteney Bridge. There is an optional entry to the Roman Baths (note: this is not a soak in the modern baths, but a visit to the ancient one). Reserve your walking tour here.
City boat trip and walking tour: This highly rated small group tour is 80 minutes and seems to be perfect for families with kids. It starts with a 30-minute boat trip that highlights the abbey, the bridge, and more. Next, it’s a 50-minute walking tour giving you a great overview of the city. Reserve your boat and walking tour here.
More places to visit near Stonehenge: north to Bath
Drive time: following our suggested itinerary, the drive time from Bath to Stonehenge is 1.5 hours plus stops or just over 2 hours if you add both of the optional stops.
- Castle Combe
Off the main itinerary (Adds 20 min to the total drive time)
A bit off the beaten path, Castle Combe might just be England’s most beautiful village. Either way, it’s a love picturesque stop in the Cotswolds. - Lacock
Travelling with then teens, we had to stop here, as it is one of England’s Harry Potter film locations. It’s another stunning village, but this one is best explored on foot. - Devizes
Whether you are travelling by boat or car, the main thing to do in Devizes is to see the Caen Hill locks on the Kennet & Avon Canal. This fascinating flight of 16 locks takes boats between two and three hours to climb. - Avebury
Off the main itinerary (Adds 20 min to the total drive time)
Avebury is actually home to the world’s largest stone circle. Located only about 40 minutes from Stonehenge if you came directly, it makes you wonder why it isn’t as well known. Of course, that has its advantages as visitors to the neolithic stone circle at Avebury can get up close and even touch the stones (don’t do it), and it’s free to enter.
Stonehenge
Archaeologists believe Stonehenge was constructed around 3100 BC. It’s an impressive inspiration, an icon of Britain, and is probably Europe’s most famous prehistoric site, although not its oldest (we visited an older megalithic complex in Portugal and an older tomb in Ireland).
What is it doing here?
There are many theories, but no one knows for sure. Today, it is protected and viewed from behind guide ropes. The exception is a small group ‘Inside the Circle‘ tours, which typically book up well in advance.
While seeing the site is impressive, the audio tour brought the site to life by sharing history as well as conjecture on the initial reasons for building Stonehenge, which ranged from human sacrifice to astronomy. Download your audio guides for free and play it on your own listening device.
Our best tip for Stonehenge is to either:
- Reserve your skip-the-line Stonehenge entrance ticket here
- Or, if you are an overseas visitor and love castles, ruins, or gardens, get either a 9 or 16-day English Heritage Overseas Visitor Pass. It will give you unlimited access to over 100 sites across England, including Stonehenge (and Old Sarum).
Things to do near Stonehenge: close by and south towards Southampton
Drive time: following our suggested itinerary, the drive time from Stonehenge to Southampton is about 45 minutes plus stops.
- Woodhenge
This neolithic, originally wooden monument dates back to a similar time period as Stonehenge. The six initial concentric oval posts are surrounded by a bank and a ditch. Unlike the original monuments standing at Stonehenge and Avebury, Woodhenge is a reconstruction as the original wooden posts would not have survived. Entry is free. - Amesbury
Amesbury is the closest town to Stonehenge and claims to be the oldest occupied settlement in Great Britain, dating back to 8820 BC. If you follow the legend of King Arthur, you might also know Amesbury as being the village where Guinevere lived out her days as a nun after her affair with Lancelot. - Old Sarum
Now in ruins, Old Sarum was once the earliest settlement of Salisbury, whose cathedral originated here before it was moved. Old Sarum sits upon a hill. It’s one of the many sites included on the English Heritage Pass. - Salisbury
The Salisbury Cathedral (the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary) is a must-see for history buffs. It is a stunning gothic structure and the home of one of four extant original copies of England’s Magna Carta of 1215.
Southampton
We arrived a day early to explore the lovely town of Southampton before we board a cruise bound for the Norwegian Fjords. It’s the same cruise port where the Titanic embarked for New York on April 15th 1912. In fact, Southampton holds the largest cruise port in England.
Maritime history dominates, and some of the key things to see include the Titanic Engineers Memorial, the 13-tonne anchor of The Queen Elizabeth II, and the Mayflower Memorial to the pilgrim fathers headed to America.
Other key things to see:
- Tudor House: Once the home of a 15th-century merchant family, today it is a museum.
- SeaCity Museum: A maritime history museum that includes the Titanic Story. Two other key museums include the automobile (National Motor Museum) and aviation (Solent Sky) museums.
- Old City Wall and Old Town Bargate: The original main gate to the medieval city and the surrounding wall are both worth a visit. We would have walked on the wall had it not been for the rain.
- Take a Secrets of the Titanic Walking tour: This 2-hour tour is highly rated and visits the key maritime sites like the Mayflower Memorial, the QE2 Mile, and Oxford street. Reserve your Titanic tour here.
Check out these European road trips
How many of these things to do near Stonehenge have you experienced?
Photo Credits:
All photos on this page are either shot by our team and watermarked as such or stock images from Depositphotos.
Sneha
Southampton is on my list of go to places this year. Thanks for sharing some tips.. I will certainly add them in the list 😊.. and looks like I had missed few places around Stonehenge as well.. so guess will head back there too !😬
Tanya T
This Stonehenge blog post is incredibly informative. Your experience on this adventure shines through, making for a truly engaging read.
Linda (LD Holland)
We did a tour that took us to Stonehenge, Salisbury Cathedral and Windsor Castle but it was part of moving us to London. Your post showed me many more things that we could do in the Stonehenge area . We will have to plan some time on a return visit. A little bit for everyone.
Diane
Wanted to drop a quick comment to thank you Rhonda. I’m grateful to fellow travellers like you who provide so much information on a location. It really comes in handy.
Bri
Stonehenge has always been on my
List! Also cool to see things to do in Bath (had friends living there send they weren’t fond of it) so this is a new perspective !
Rose
Now I want to travel again! My sister was an Anglophile and you are making me intrigued.
kmf
I love the mystique surrounding Stonehenge so would love to visit. Appreciate your perspective and your great photos!
kim Marie Ostrowski
It looks like there should be 12 sets of 3 so I bet its something to do with time…(months/ giant clock) and maybe astronomy…and yeah I did see the faces in the slabs.
Julie From Superficial Gallery
Somewhere I’ve always wanted to go, someplace I like will get to eventually.
Lisa Jane
I cannot believe I have seen world heritage sites around the world and yet have not visited Stonehenge which is down the road from me! I like you, would want to enter to listen to the audio tour to learn more about Stonehenge (although I think I need to visit without my boys who are too young to appreciate this attraction).
Andrew
Definitely dropping by here when I get to the UK next year … thanks for the reminder!
eileen g
i always forget how close Stonehenge is to London, i always imagine it up more toward northern Engand or toward Scotland. We really need to plan a side trip the next time we are in London. Great tips!
stephanie jefferson
I’ve not been to Stonehenge so thanks for showing me the up close and personal!
Rhonda Albom
The photos don’t capture the magnitude. I hope you get there someday.
Anna
Very useful tips! Stonehenge is on my bucket list: got some ideas to plan the trip wisely.
Rob+Ann
Stonehenge has long been on our bucket list, particularly with an Inside the Circle ticket. As to why it’s there… You know there is “Carhenge” in Nebraska, where old automobiles are arranged to resemble Stonehenge. That made me wonder…what if Stonehenge was just an ancient (or alien?) artist copying an idea they saw somewhere? Wouldn’t that be a hoot?
Travelera
Super photos Rhonda! this is a place that I know I will visit as it is in my country of residence but I have not been yet. We should come weekend 🙂
The first thing I noticed is the typical English weather hahaha it couldn’t be other way hahaha
Have a lovely day!
xxx
Michele {Malaysian Meanders}
There’s a very small number of Inside the Circle tickets available that permit you to step over the ropes and go right up to the stones. I desperately tried to get some for our visit a few months ago, but unsurprisingly, they were already sold out on the days when we were there. The audiotour is also available for free as a smartphone app. I do agree that it is all the commentary that really made my visit interesting. Great photos!
lisa
Beautiful and timeless!! You are so fortunate to have visited. So many beautiful and mysterious in this great big (yet small) world. Great captures! ~Lisa
Lisa
We just did a quick 4 day trip to London, and I could kick myself for not spending a good two weeks in England. We thought we would go back before we left Europe. So that means a trip in the future, awww shucks ;-D. But that does make me a bit sad because my kids probably won’t be with us, bummer.
Lisa @ LTTL
PS What inspires me to travel, gosh what doesn’t 😀
Corinne
I can’t believe you got such great shots. When we were there the fences and the tons of people kept messing me up! Love it.
Upeksha
Very informative post. Despite living nor far from Stonehenge, I’m yet to visit! You’ve captured some great photos there. #wkendtravelinspiration
Arnie Jacobsen
In response to your question, though we liked Stonehenge, and who doesn’t, we actually prefer Avebury. Much less well known, a more personal experience.
Debz
I am from the UK and I have never visited Stonehenge, maybe one day!
Brooke Neal
It is sort of irritating to me that you can’t get near the stones. It is rock for heavens sake! I like the idea of wandering in among them–aren’t there other henges nearby? Perhaps if those were equally publicized the crowds at Stone Henge would abate. Lovely photos and good job at keeping other tourists out of the images.
Lyn
Great post of a place I’d love to go. Interesting to see whether I get to our local version of Stonehenge in WA or the impressive and original in UK first.
Lyndall
You did so well to manage to get great photos without people in them. This is such a challenge at tourist attractions like Stonehenge! 🙂
Lydia C. Lee
I’d love to go…
Paula McInerney
I think you did great justice to the Stonehenge with your photos. Where are the buses and the information building. I prefer the Portugal one.
Kathy Marris
My husband has been to Stonehenge back in the seventies but I haven’t been here yet. There is something very mystical about this place I feel. Strangely there is a replica Stonehenge near Esperance in West Australia.
shere
Nice pictures!! You can hardly see people and that’s the way I like it. This remind me to my visit of the Taj Mahal, we were the first in the morning there (we arrived 1 hour too early) and I was able to take pictures without anyone. At the end of our visit it was really crowded.
Allison
I’d like to see this for myself some day. It is impressive, though I have always wondered how a bunch of large stones stacked on top of each other became such a popular tourist site. I wish we knew the true history behind it being there. But I guess that would eliminate the fun all the theories.
L. Diane Wolfe
We went there when we visited in 1999. There were so many people, and yet because they keep people back and the stones are so big, they don’t show up in photos.
Mary(The World Is A Book)
We’ve only visited classic Stonehenge so I can’t compare to others. It was one of those things that one needs to see in person. My kids weren’t as impressed. Would love to see the Evora one.
Trekking with Becky
Great shots! I want to go back again and take more photos; I’ve come a long way since I caught the travel bug 7 years ago. 🙂
Lolo
I was there back in 2008 just to see it. It’s still impressive to wonder how and why there are there but so sad you can’t get close to them anymore because too many stupid people try to graffiti it.
Soumya Nambiar
I have always been fascinated with Stonehenge and now your pictures have added to it. Would love to visit one day.
Prasad Np
I have read so much about the Stonehenge and yet more I read more the curiosity about it. These pictures have aroused my curiosity once again to visit and see it for myself
Lyn aka The Travelling Lindfields
Haha – we have just been to a fake Stonehenge in Western Australia. We saw one in Oregon too a few years ago and the original many, many years ago when you could get a lot closer than you can now. I have read that New Zealand has a fake Stonehenge too.
Jill M.
Very nice photos! I would love to see those one day!
Rhonda Albom
It takes a bit of effort, but it’s worth it.
Alexa T
Wow; it is an amazing and impressive place, for sure! I’ve seen only pictures and documentaries about it! So glad to see all these aspects captured through your camera lens. Many thanks!
Janice
How cool you’ve been there! I haven’t been anywhere. But this one’s definitely on my bucket list!
Nano
I haven’t seen the site in Evora, but visiting Stonehenge in UK was quite impressive. I have read so much about the place and the mystery surrounding it and finally being able to see it all in live was unbeatable. I do agree that guided (audio) tour makes a difference! xoxo, nano
pat
I too visited Stonehenge many years ago – I’ll never for get it.
Jarek
Impressive structure. I would like to see it once in real life, but for now I can only enjoy your photos
Raych aka Mystery Case
So envious. I really want to travel and take gorgeous photos of interesting places. Till I can, I will have to live vicariously through you.
lisa
Thank you for sharing your photos. Since I’ve never seen them in person, I do like it when others share their shots. I can understand why tourists are not allowed closer to the stones. We used to be able to climb to the top of the main, Myan pyramid of Chitzen Iza in Mexico, but now the steps are blocked off because officials found graffiti inside the top of the pyramid. So sad. It’s such a wonderful feeling to be able to physically connect with something of such historical significance.
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Hi Rhonda – wonderful photos … but so many people – glad I went in the old days … not quite ancient era – but getting that way! It’s a much bigger site than first appeared, or appears now … it seems to stretch across the fields. Sadly I don’t think we will ever uncover – the whys and wherefores … wish we could sometimes … but all the archaeology they find is fascinating …
Thanks for sharing these with us … cheers Hilary
Lexa Cain
Great pics and thanks for the extra links to the other articles. I especially loved the carvings on the rock in Newgrange. I had no idea that place was older than both Stonehenge and the pyramids. Very cool! 🙂
amy
arrgghhh I want to go there!
Anda
It’s too bad that you are not allowed to get close to the stones. This is such an impressive place, I hate it when the put fences on these sites. They did the same at Chichén Itzá, in the Yucatán Peninsula, and you can’t really see any of these great monuments up close.
Rhonda Albom
I was at Chichén Itzá, in the Yucatán Peninsula in the early 80s and I am sure I was able to get up close. Too bad it has changed.
Andrea
My friend just attended a conference in Scotland and obliged himself to see Stonehenge. I have a book about those stone structures scattered around UK, people sometimes think Stonehenge is the lone rock formations there. I guess it is just the well preserved and most famous. I wish i still can see it too in this lifetime. Your photos are surely always great.
Rhonda Albom
That is how I felt, I was so close I had to go and see it, despite the “tourist” nature of it now, it is still impressive.
Indrani
Hoping to see this place some day! The configuration amazes me!
Happy WW!
Alex J. Cavanaugh
Such a mystical place. I’ve been there twice and it’s still so impressive.
Linda
I haven’t been there but the rope around the stones would really bother me. I understand why they have to put it up and wondered if there were guards to make sure you touch the stones.
How much time did you spend there and how much to visit?
Linda
wouldn’t touch the stones! Sorry about that- LOL
Joyce Lansky
It’s because of Clark Griswold. When he came to visit Stonehenge, he knocked the whole thing down.
Comedy Plus
Great shots. It’s someplace I would love to visit. I would love to know the reason though they are there. It’s not a coincidence that they are where they are.
Have a fabulous day. ☺
stevebethere
Nice photos of Stonehenge had to laugh at the dull sky and weather not many photos we see you wrapped up …only in the UK LOL
Have a chillytastic day 🙂