Why You Should Do the Half-Day Stonehenge from Bath Tour

Stonehenge is a must-visit tourist attraction in the United Kingdom, but it’s in the middle of nowhere, hard to reach from major cities like London or Bath.

Before my visit to the United Kingdom, I researched all the possible ways to see Stonehenge, ultimately deciding to book a half-day Stonehenge from Bath tour.

I was happy with my decision, but your situation may be different. In this post, I’ll lay out all the information you need to figure out how you’ll get to Stonehenge, and why it’s worth the effort.

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Is a Visit to Stonehenge Worth it?

Stonehenge is a famous stone circle in England that’s been in many photos.

Over a million people visit Stonehenge every year, so it is a very popular, very crowded tourist destination.

Visiting Stonehenge is on many people’s bucket lists, but is it something you must see while in England?

Pros:

I thought Stonehenge was a magical place to visit — even with all the tourists. Stonehenge is one of the seven wonders of the world; over 4,500 years old; and a mystery to this day (it is still unknown how the stones were moved here miles away or why the stones are aligned with the movements of the sun). Interesting, isn’t it?
The land is quite vast, so it’s easy to spread out and enjoy the views without crowds.
There’s lots of space to walk around and see the stones from several angles.

Cons:

I don’t regret visiting Stonehenge, but it’s one of those things that looks exactly like it does in photos.
There’s not really anything you can do while at Stonehenge.
You can’t even get that close as ropes prevent it.

That being said, you should still visit Stonehenge if it’s something you’re interested in. But maybe don’t plan to stay there all day.

We got to conveniently and quickly see Stonehenge on our half-day group tour from Bath, and I am glad we did so.

Quick Facts about Visiting Stonehenge on a Half-Day Tour from Bath

Tour Company: Scarper Tours
Meeting Place: Outside the Abbey Hotel on Terrace Walk, Bath
Cost: £60 for adults, ticket to Stonehenge included
Duration: Tours take 4 hours
Departure Times: 1 p.m. from Jan 1-April 11 and Oct 13-Dec 31; 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. from April 12-Oct 12
Book your half-day tour to Stonehenge.

Woman standing in front of Stonehenge, a stone circle in Bath — Stonehenge

Reasons to Start Your Stonehenge Journey from Bath

Bath is a popular starting point for an adventure to Stonehenge. Why? Well, Bath is closer to Stonehenge.

Bath is about 30 miles from Stonehenge, so it takes a little over an hour to drive there.
London is about 90 miles from Stonehenge, almost three times as far, and so it takes 2.5 to 3 hours to drive there, depending on traffic.

If you book a group trip from London to Stonehenge, you’ll be spending at least 6 hours in the van, so it will be a full-day excursion. Many tour companies also include other stops to Bath, Oxford, and/or Windsor Castle, making the trip even longer.

I honestly don’t even know how they fit all that in with how much time is wasted driving from place to place. Do you just drive by Bath? Run into Windsor Castle and run out?

If you’re still hashing out your plans for visiting the United Kingdom, I’d highly recommend staying 1-3 nights in Bath to fully explore the Bath-Stonehenge area.

Stonehenge is out in the middle of nowhere and not really convenient to reach from London. While Bath is an easy one-hour, direct train trip from London. You’ll get to explore Bath properly before heading out on a short, half-day group tour from Bath.

Doesn’t that sound perfect?

Close up of Stonehenge, a stone circle in Bath — Stonehenge

Everything You Should Know About the Half-Day Tour to Stonehenge from Bath

We joined Scarper Tours because they departed from Bath and only took up half a day (or exactly four hours).

It was nice that the excursion didn’t take up our whole day and we still had plenty of time to continue exploring Bath upon our return.

Other tours from London were full-day tours (10 or more hours) that included several other stops that we weren’t interested in or had already planned to visit on our own.

So it made more sense for us to depart from Bath to see Stonehenge (and only Stonehenge).

We had a GREAT experience with Scarper Tours. I can’t recommend them enough.

Pros of Joining This Group Tour to Stonehenge from Bath:

A small group. The bus was small, seating less than 20 or so people (only about a dozen were on the tour, however). It was roomy and quiet.
A short drive. The drive to and from Stonehenge was less than an hour each way. It was a very comfortable, scenic drive through the countryside, and it didn’t feel long at all.
Arrive early. We booked the morning tour, so our driver got us to Stonehenge early, before the other large buses arrived, and gave us great tips and information on the way.
No lines. We didn’t have to wait in any lines once we arrived. Our driver gave us all bracelets that served as our tickets. We got to head straight to the stones.
Tickets included in cost of tour. You don’t even have to purchase tickets to Stonehenge on your own, as the cost of the tour covers it.
Two hours to explore. We got to spend two hours at Stonehenge, visiting the stones, the museum, the Neolithic village, and the gift shop. We also had time for a quick lunch.

Some Tips for Visiting Stonehenge

There’s a 1.3 mile distance from the Stonehenge Visitor Centre and museum to the actual stones. Some people choose to walk, but there is a shuttle that runs frequently and takes about 5-10 minutes each way.
It’s a one-way walk around the stones.
The closest you can get to the stones is about 5 meters.
The Stonehenge Visitor Centre includes interesting information about Stonehenge and the Neolithic people who once lived there.
Don’t miss the recreated Neolithic village just outside the Stonehenge Visitor Centre.

Other Options for a Stonehenge from Bath Tour

Do you want to see just Stonehenge? Or more sights in the area?

There are group tours from Bath that will last a full day and stop at nearby attractions, such as the less-famous Avebury Stone Circle or Cotswolds villages like Lacock and/or Castle Combe.

Consider this tour that visits both Stonehenge and the Cotswolds from Bath.

You can also book a more exclusive Stonehenge tour to see it a sunset. Try this one that leaves from London and also includes a stop in the Cotswolds and Bath.

How to Get to Stonehenge from Bath Without a Group Tour

If you have a car, the simplest thing would be to drive yourself to Stonehenge. It’s less than an hour away from Bath and about two to three hours away from London.

It would be a nice stop on the way to another destination if you’re planning a road trip down south.

However, if you don’t have a car, you have two options.

Take public transport.
Join a group tour.

We’ve covered joining a group tour to Stonehenge, so let’s talk about getting there on your own via public transport.

Take Public Transportation to Stonehenge from Bath

You can take the train to Salisbury and then the Stonehenge bus to Stonehenge.

The journey takes a minimum of two hours from either city (Bath or London) and the bus (between Salisbury and Stonehenge) runs once every hour.

You can make the best of waiting for the bus by exploring Salisbury while you’re there. It’s an interesting medieval city with a beautiful cathedral.

How to book your train tickets: You can purchase your tickets on Trainline.com. Buy your train tickets from Bath to Salisbury on the Trainline app and choose an open day return if you aren’t sure what time you’ll be done.

We used Trainline to purchase all our train tickets in the UK. I loved how easy it was to search train tickets from various train companies and to pull up our tickets in the app when needed to scan or show them to employees. Everything was all in one place, making it very convenient.

How to save money on train tickets: If you will be doing a lot of train travel in the UK, consider getting a railcard for 33% off. I was traveling with my mom so we got the Two Together Railcard and saved quite a bit.

Avebury Stone Circle

Avebury Stone Circle is a nearby stone circle that is less famous and less popular than Stonehenge. The stones aren’t as big, but you will be able to walk right up to them, unlike at Stonehenge. This stone circle is also free to visit during daytime hours.

Salisbury

Salisbury is the closest city to Stonehenge, and it happens to be a medieval town with one of the best cathedrals in England. It’s more modern now, of course, but there’s a lot to see and do in Salisbury.

Lacock

The Lacock Abbey and Village has served as filming locations for many historical movies, such as Downton Abbey, the 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice, and even Harry Potter.

Castle Combe

Castle Combe is one of the most popular Cotswolds villages because of its charming beauty. Several movies were filmed here, as well, such as Stardust and Agatha Christie adaptations.

Stourhead Gardens

If you’re a fan of the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice, then you’ll know and recognize Stourhead Gardens as the setting for the iconic proposal scene in the movie. It’s not too far from Stonehenge and definitely worth visiting if you’re in the area.

Bath

If you departed from Bath, it’s always worth coming back early to explore more of this incredible city. This is what we ultimately decided to do. If you need help figuring out what exactly to do in Bath, check out my list of 18 things to do in Bath and/or my weekend itinerary in Bath.

What to Pack for Your Trip to England

Favorite travel essentials

I really recommend these compression packing cubes. They’re very thick and durable and allow you to pack more than you expect.
I also love this travel backpack that opens like a suitcase, fits almost as much as a carry-on, and has tons of pockets as well as a strap to attach to your luggage handle. It makes traveling so much easier and more organized. It also fits nicely under the airplane seats.
I bring this AirFly receiver for AirPods with me on long-haul flights, so I can connect to the plane’s video screen with my own AirPods.
I no longer hop on a flight without wearing my Sockwell compression socks because they really do help relieve/prevent leg cramps from sitting so long in one place. I have the lotus pattern, but there are other patterns to choose from, such as this cat pattern or this flower pattern. See all sock patterns in the Sockwell storefront.