London itself is not where you go for quiet roads and long, uninterrupted views. But once you get beyond the busiest parts of the capital, the scenery changes quickly. Within an hour or two, you can be driving through chalk hills, woodland, old villages or along the coast.
Having your own car also gives you much more freedom once the trip moves beyond London. If the drive itself is part of the experience, a luxury car rental can make the journey just as enjoyable as the destination, particularly when you are planning several stops or staying overnight.
Some of the routes below work as easy day trips. Others are better when you have a full weekend and no reason to rush back.
Best Scenic Drives Near London
The best scenic drives near London are mostly outside the M25, where main roads give way to countryside, smaller towns and quieter lanes. Here are six worth considering.
Surrey Hills: Box Hill, Shere and Leith Hill
The Surrey Hills are one of the easiest places to reach when you want to get out of London without spending half the day on the motorway.
Start around Box Hill, where you can stop for views across the North Downs before continuing towards Shere. The village has timber-framed buildings, old cottages and several places to stop for lunch or coffee. From there, work your way towards Leith Hill and the surrounding woodland.
You do not need a rigid route here. Much of the appeal comes from leaving the larger roads and taking your time through the smaller villages.
Allow at least half a day. If the weather is good, stop for a walk rather than trying to see everything through the windscreen.
The Chilterns: Amersham to Wendover
Head north-west from London and the Chilterns give you rolling countryside without requiring a long drive from the capital.
Old Amersham is a good starting point. From there, continue towards Great Missenden and Wendover, using the smaller roads where possible. The landscape alternates between woodland, farmland and chalk hills, so the scenery changes regularly along the way.
This is one of the better options when you only have a day. You can leave London after breakfast, stop for lunch in one of the towns and still return before the evening.
If you have extra time, add a walk around Coombe Hill or another viewpoint before heading back.
The Cotswolds: Burford, Bibury and Stow-on-the-Wold
The Cotswolds require an earlier start, but they are worth it when you want the drive to fill most of the day.
Burford makes a practical first stop from London. Its long high street descends towards the River Windrush, with old stone buildings lining both sides. From there, continue towards Bibury before heading farther north to Bourton-on-the-Water or Stow-on-the-Wold.
Do not try to cover every famous village. The Cotswolds are spread across a large area, and too many stops quickly turn a relaxed drive into a checklist.
This is also the kind of route where the car you choose matters more. Several hours on the road call for something comfortable enough for the distance while still enjoyable on the smaller country roads. If you want something suited to both parts of the trip, you could hire a Mercedes in London before setting out.
Start early on summer weekends. Bibury and Bourton-on-the-Water become much busier once day-trippers arrive.
Whitstable to Margate and Botany Bay
For a completely different landscape, head east towards the Kent coast.
Whitstable is a good place to start, particularly if you want lunch by the sea before continuing along the coast. From there, make your way towards Margate and finish around Botany Bay, where chalk cliffs and sea stacks give you one of the more distinctive coastal views within driving distance of London.
The road itself is only part of the day here. Leave enough time to walk along the seafront, explore Margate or stop at one of the beaches between towns.
Summer traffic can be heavy, especially close to the coast, so leaving London early makes a noticeable difference. Parking near popular beaches can also fill quickly on warm weekends.
The New Forest: Lyndhurst, Brockenhurst and Beaulieu
The New Forest works best when you slow down.
Once you leave the main roads, woodland and open heath replace the urban scenery. Ponies, cattle and other animals roam freely in parts of the forest, which means this is not somewhere to rush between stops.
Begin around Lyndhurst, then drive south towards Brockenhurst. Continue towards Beaulieu, where you can stop in the village or visit the National Motor Museum, before heading towards Lymington if you want to finish closer to the coast.
The route gives you a good mix of woodland, open countryside and small settlements. Stop for a walk somewhere along the way rather than spending the entire day in the car.
Keep your speed down even when the road looks empty. Animals regularly cross without much warning.
North Wessex Downs: Hungerford and the Berkshire Hills
The North Wessex Downs are a good choice when you want countryside without following one of the more obvious London day-trip routes.
Head west towards Hungerford and then move onto the smaller roads around Kintbury, Inkpen and Combe. This part of the drive is more about open countryside and quiet villages than major attractions.
A detour towards Combe Gibbet gives you wider views across the surrounding hills. If you want to extend the day, you can continue towards Highclere before turning back towards London.
There is no need to pack the route with stops. Pick somewhere for lunch, add one good viewpoint and leave enough time to take the slower roads when something looks interesting.
Planning a Scenic Drive From London
The right route depends mostly on how much time you have. Surrey Hills and the Chilterns are easy choices for a single day, while the Cotswolds and New Forest are better when you are happy to spend several hours on the road or stay overnight.
Leave London before the traffic builds if you can, particularly on Friday afternoons and summer weekends. It is also worth checking parking before you arrive at popular villages and coastal stops rather than assuming you will find a space nearby.
Most importantly, do not plan these drives down to the minute. The best part may be a village you had not heard of, a viewpoint beside the road or a pub you decide to stop at on the way back. Leave enough room in the day to change the plan.
If you have a few days in the capital before heading out, there is plenty worth seeing first. This guide to things to do in London covers several attractions you can add before or after your road trip.