One of the joys of staying on this coast is how many great days out from Weston-super-Mare sit within an hour of the beach. Gorges, caves, a cathedral city, a mythical hill and two seaside towns, all reachable and back in time for dinner. These are the nine we recommend most, with rough drive times from our cottages in Kewstoke.
In this guide
1. Cheddar Gorge and Caves (25 minutes)
Britain’s biggest gorge, with show caves, a cliff-top walk and real cheddar being made in the village. It is the day out we suggest most often, and our Cheddar Gorge day trip plan has the full itinerary.
2. Wells and its cathedral (40 minutes)
England’s smallest city is a gem. The cathedral’s west front, the medieval Vicars’ Close and the moated Bishop’s Palace are all within a few minutes’ walk of each other, and the market on Wednesdays and Saturdays fills the square. Lunch in Wells, then a wander round the palace gardens, is a perfect gentle day.
3. Glastonbury Tor (45 minutes)
The hill topped by St Michael’s Tower rises out of the Somerset Levels and is steeped in legend, from King Arthur to the Holy Grail. The climb is short and steep, the views stretch for miles, and the town below is unlike anywhere else in the country. Pair it with the abbey ruins if you have time.
4. Wookey Hole Caves (40 minutes)
Guided tours through vast limestone caverns carved by the River Axe, with the legend of the Witch of Wookey for the children. There is plenty above ground too, so it fills a whole day for a family. The caves are cool all year, so bring a layer.
5. Clevedon and its pier (25 minutes)
North along the coast, Clevedon is a Victorian seaside town with a Grade I listed pier that the poet John Betjeman called the most beautiful in England. Walk the pier, swim in the Marine Lake, then head up Hill Road for coffee and independent shops. It is the calmest of the days out from Weston-super-Mare on this list.
6. Tyntesfield (30 minutes)
A spectacular Victorian Gothic Revival house near Wraxall, cared for by the National Trust, with formal gardens, a kitchen garden and wide parkland. The house tour takes an hour or two and the grounds are great for dogs and children. Details on the National Trust website.
7. Bristol (40 minutes)
The city is straight up the M5. The harbourside, the SS Great Britain, Clifton Suspension Bridge and the street art of Stokes Croft make a full day, and the train from Weston takes about half an hour if you would rather not drive.
8. Brean Down and the beach (25 minutes)
The National Trust headland south of the River Axe has a fort at the end and views the length of the coast. Combine the walk with a run on the enormous beach below, or a few rides at Brean Leisure Park next door for the children. Our Brean Down guide covers the walk.
9. Thatchers Cider and the Mendip villages (20 minutes)
Sandford, home of Thatchers, is twenty minutes inland, with the family’s own pub and shop next to the cider farm. Carry on into the Mendip Hills for Burrington Combe, Crook Peak and the pretty villages of Axbridge and Winscombe. The Mendip Hills National Landscape site has walks and events.
Days out by type
Days out for families
Wookey Hole, Cheddar and Brean Leisure Park are the big three for children, with Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm near Bristol and Puxton Park closer to home. All are full-day outings with food on site, and all are better booked online in the holidays.
Days out for walkers
Brean Down, Cheddar Gorge, Glastonbury Tor and the Mendip Hills are all walks as much as destinations. Tyntesfield has miles of parkland paths. Our walks guide and Mendip Hills guide have the routes.
Days out for history lovers
Wells Cathedral and the Bishop’s Palace, Glastonbury Abbey, Tyntesfield, Clevedon Court and the Roman baths in Bath, an hour away by train, are a week of history on their own. Closer to the farm, Woodspring Priory and Worlebury Hillfort at Kewstoke are a morning’s worth.
Days out for food and drink
Cheddar for cheese, Sandford for cider, Wells for the market and Bristol for the harbourside restaurants. Our cider and cheese guide is the place to start.
Days out for a rainy day
The caves at Wookey Hole and Cheddar are dry and warm whatever the weather. Tyntesfield’s house tour, Wells Cathedral, the SS Great Britain in Bristol and The Helicopter Museum in Weston are all under cover.
Days out a little further afield
Stretch to ninety minutes and the choice widens again. Bath, with the Roman baths, the abbey and the Royal Crescent, is an hour by train from Weston. Exmoor and the Quantock Hills are an hour south for wilder walking. Longleat safari park is about an hour and a quarter. The Somerset Levels and the Avalon Marshes near Glastonbury are a birdwatcher’s dream, with starling murmurations on winter evenings. Cardiff is across the bridge in just over an hour.
Suggested itineraries
Two days
Day one on the coast: Weston beach and pier in the morning, Sand Bay and Sand Point in the evening. Day two inland: Cheddar Gorge caves and cliff walk, cider at Thatchers on the way home.
Four days
Add a day for Wells and Glastonbury Tor, and a day for Brean Down and the beach with Brean Leisure Park for the children. That gives you gorge, cathedral, headland and seaside in one long weekend.
A week
Add Wookey Hole and Ebbor Gorge, Tyntesfield and Clevedon, and a train day to Bristol or Bath. Keep one day free for doing nothing at the cottage, because the garden and the beach at the end of the lane deserve it.
Getting around on days out
- A car is easiest for the Mendips and the smaller villages.
- Trains from Weston reach Bristol in thirty minutes, Bath in an hour and Taunton in forty minutes.
- Buses serve Cheddar, Wells, Clevedon and Sand Bay from Weston town centre.
- The Strawberry Line cycle path links Yatton, Axbridge and Cheddar traffic-free.
- National Trust membership covers Tyntesfield, Brean Down, Sand Point, Glastonbury Tor and Clevedon Court.
Planning days out from Weston-super-Mare
- Most of these trips are twenty to forty-five minutes by car, so you can be back at the cottage for tea.
- The M5 gets busy on summer Fridays and Saturdays. Head inland to Wells or Cheddar on those days rather than up to Bristol.
- Trains from Weston reach Bristol in half an hour and Bath in an hour, a good option for a car-free day.
- The National Trust covers Tyntesfield, Brean Down, Sand Point and Glastonbury Tor, so membership pays for itself in a week.
- Buses run from Weston to Cheddar, Wells and Clevedon, though services are less frequent on Sundays.
Days out: quick answers
Which days out work best in bad weather?
Wookey Hole, Cheddar caves, Tyntesfield house, Wells Cathedral, the SS Great Britain and The Helicopter Museum are all under cover. The Grand Pier in Weston has a huge indoor pavilion.
Which days out are free?
Glastonbury Tor, Brean Down, Sand Point, Clevedon seafront, Burrington Combe and the Strawberry Line cost nothing beyond parking. Wells city and its cathedral close are free to wander.
Which days out suit dogs?
Brean Down, Sand Point, the Mendip walks, Tyntesfield parkland, Clevedon and the beaches. Most cave attractions and houses do not admit dogs indoors.
How far is too far?
We keep this list to an hour because that leaves time to enjoy the place and still be back at the cottage for the evening. Bath, Exmoor and Cardiff are possible in ninety minutes but make for a long day with children.
Make Kewstoke your base
Our cottages sit between the coast and the hills, so every trip above starts from a quiet lane with a beach at the end. See the cottages and apartments, and browse our experiences page for more than thirty places we send guests, each with the drive time from the farm.