Leeds Castle, Canterbury and Dover day trip from London

Leeds Castle stands 7 miles east of Maidstone in Kent, just off junction 8 of the M20. It's run by the Leeds Castle Foundation, a charity, and a visit covers the castle rooms, the gardens and parkland around the lake, plus extras such as the castle train and adventure golf.

Canterbury, a short drive further east, is home to Canterbury Cathedral and a compact, walkable city center. The White Cliffs of Dover, on the coast beyond, are cared for by the National Trust and are free to walk. Seeing all three in a day is a lot of time on a coach, but it's the most efficient way to cover them.

Evan Evans Tours's day is the most-reviewed, rated 4.55 from 3,074 reviews, from $143. It leaves from Victoria Coach Station with a live guide and audio headsets, includes Leeds Castle entry on every option, and adds Canterbury Cathedral entry with a guided tour only if you book the "includes both entries" option. The Dover stop is a chance to see the cliffs; the listing doesn't describe a walk, and Dover Castle isn't included on any of these tours.

Evan Evans Tours's second listing for the same day has the same price, start point and inclusions. Its cheaper option includes Leeds Castle entry and free time in Canterbury instead of the cathedral tour, which suits you if you'd rather explore the town or skip the cathedral fee.

Golden Tours Gray Line London's 11 hours version includes early entry to Leeds Castle and cathedral entry on its "All Entries" options. Its title promises a Greenwich boat ride, but the listing says the boat doesn't run from November to March, so in winter it's a coach day. It's rated 4.38 from 642 reviews, the lowest of the four.

If the cliffs matter more than the castle

Day Tours London skips Leeds Castle and gives you about 90 minutes on the cliffs' coastal walk, then a stop on Dover's promenade to see them from below, followed by a short guided walk and free time in Canterbury. Cathedral admission isn't included, and the operator can cancel for bad weather, which is worth knowing in winter. It's rated 4.58 from 608 reviews, from $107.

If you're visiting independently, Leeds Castle's standard Explorer ticket costs £34.50 for an adult online or £38.50 on site, and £24.50 online for a child aged 3 to 15. Under-3s go free and parking is included. The Ultimate Explorer ticket adds rides on the castle ferry or train and a round of adventure golf.

• Repeat visits: a day ticket gives you 12 months of free repeat visits, but not for separately ticketed events, and not on group bookings. Leeds Castle doesn't say whether this applies to entry bought through a coach tour, so don't count on it.
• Arriving by train: show a same-day train ticket at the Visitor Centre for 20% off admission.
• Hours: until November 19, 2026, the grounds are open from 10am to 5pm and the castle from 10:30am to 3:30pm, with last entry at 3pm. From November 20 to January 3, hours are shorter: the castle is open from 10:30am to 3pm, with last entry at 2:30pm.

Check the official opening times before you go: the castle closes on some dates around events, listed in the winter section below.

Canterbury Cathedral is open to visitors Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm, with last admission at 4pm. On Sundays the cathedral church doesn't open to visitors until 12:30pm, which can shorten a Sunday tour's visit. Adult tickets cost £18 from October to March, and children aged 17 and under go free with a paying adult (up to two per adult). Your ticket works as an annual pass to the cathedral, precincts and gardens.

Areas can close for services, events or conservation work, and on November 4 to 6, 2026, the cathedral opens at 10:30am. Attending a service is always free. If your tour option doesn't include cathedral entry, you can buy a ticket at the Visitor Centre during free time, as long as you leave enough time before last admission.

The National Trust says there's no admission charge to walk on the White Cliffs, and the paths are open every day. Parking at the visitor area costs £6 a car. The paid extras are the Fan Bay Deep Shelter tours and climbing South Foreland Lighthouse.

What you get on a tour varies. The Leeds Castle combos describe Dover only as a chance to see the cliffs, so expect a short stop. Day Tours London's tour is the one with a real walk, about 90 minutes on the coastal path. The cliffs are exposed, so bring a windproof layer and shoes with grip.

• Leeds Castle: Southeastern runs direct trains from London Victoria to Bearsted in 70 to 75 minutes, according to Leeds Castle. From Bearsted it's a 5-minute taxi ride or a 30- to 40-minute walk. Remember the 20% train-ticket discount at the Visitor Centre.
• Canterbury: high-speed Southeastern trains from St Pancras reach Canterbury West in about 51 minutes. Slower direct trains run from Victoria to Canterbury East, a five-minute walk from the center.
• Dover: hourly high-speed trains run from St Pancras to Dover Priory. The cliffs are about 2 miles from the station, a 40-minute walk with a steep climb, or a short taxi ride.

Any one of these makes an easy day by train. Combining two means extra connections and taxis, and all three in a day isn't practical without a car, which is why most people take a tour. Our day trips by train guide covers fares and railcards.

Leeds Castle's winter calendar has closures that can catch out a tour booking, so check your date against this list:

• November 6–11, 2026: the castle is closed for Christmas set-up and the fireworks weekend. On November 7 and 8 the whole estate is open only to fireworks ticket holders, from 2pm.
• November 20, 2026, to January 3, 2027: shorter Christmas hours. The Wallace & Gromit Christmas trail runs through the castle rooms from November 21, included with daytime admission, while the evening Christmas Lights trail is a separate, third-party event that annual tickets don't cover.
• December 25: closed.
• January 4 to February 11, 2027: open weekends only, closed Monday to Friday, and the castle itself is also closed on January 4 and 5. A weekday tour in this period can't include Leeds Castle.

Days are short, so on a winter tour you'll see the cliffs in fading light. If you want something closer to London with fewer moving parts, compare Windsor Castle or Stonehenge, see all our day trips from London, or use our guide to which day trip from London to choose.