The Ultimate White Cliffs Of Dover Day Trip Itinerary From London

Last Updated on 3rd May 2023

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An Ultimate Guide To The White Cliffs Of Dover - What You Need To Know

When we were planning our South Coast England road trip, I knew that I wanted to add the White Cliffs of Dover to our itinerary as I’d never properly visited Dover before and I thought the White Cliffs would make a great addition to our road trip itinerary.

Not only are the White Cliffs a remarkable feat of nature, but they’re also incredibly symbolic for British people. As they sit looking out across the English Channel to France, they were the last thing that many British soldiers saw as they left for war and they were also the first thing that soldiers saw as they returned home from Dunkirk.

The Cliffs reside just a mere 25 miles from the French port of Calais and this is where many people travel from England to France (and vice versa) for their holidays. They’re approximately 350 feet tall and stretch out for around 10 miles along the coastline so whether you’re viewing them from the clifftop above or from the sea down below, you’re guaranteed to get an incredible view of these imposing cliffs.

In my ultimate White Cliffs of Dover day trip itinerary below, I’ll share my top tips for visiting, including how to get there, where to park and everything you can expect from visiting the White Cliffs.

How to get to the White Cliffs of Dover on a day trip from London

Most people travel to the White Cliffs from London which takes around 2 hours via the M2 or M20, depending on exactly where in London you’re travelling from.

You can also get the train from London to Dover which takes between 1 hour and 2 and a half hours, depending on whether you get the fast train or not (this will obviously be much quicker so it’s a good idea if you’re in a bit of a rush and you don’t have all day to spend in Dover, but it will likely cost you much more for a train ticket).

As we were already down south as part of our 18-day road trip around the South Coast of England, we drove from Margate to Dover which took us around 40 minutes. If you have time to extend your trip slightly, I’d highly recommend adding a visit to Margate while you’re in the area as it’s a lovely seaside town.

If you drive to Dover, you can park at the National Trust car park which costs £5 per car, £7 for large campervans and motorhomes and £10 for coaches for the day. There is usually someone at the entrance as you drive in so you can pay straight away and then park up for the whole day.

What to expect from visiting the White Cliffs of Dover

Once you arrive at the car park (if you’ve driven to Dover), you can follow the signs towards various viewing points along the cliff top and you can walk for as little or as long as you want. We only did a relatively short walk along the cliffs which took us around half an hour altogether.

There are various walks you can do along the White Cliffs, however, and if you start at Dover Castle, you can walk right across to St Margaret’s Bay which takes around 3 hours.

From the National Trust car park and visitor centre, you can walk 1.5 miles to Fan Bay Deep Shelter which is an awesome set of tunnels that you can explore that were constructed during World War 2. This is a great bonus activity to enjoy on a day trip to the White Cliffs of Dover, so if you get the chance to spend the full day in the area, I’d highly recommend adding Fan Bay Deep Shelter to your itinerary.

Further along the coast, you’ll arrive at South Foreland Lighthouse which is a great place to explore and there’s also the beloved Mrs Knott’s Tearoom which is an adorable little cafe that sells a smorgasbord of yummy treats and cakes. If you continue along the coast, you’ll eventually arrive at St Margaret’s Bay which is a lovely little spot to grab some lunch if you don’t fancy eating at Mrs Knott’s.

The best thing about exploring the cliffs is that you can take as little or as long as you want to wander across the clifftop. Whether you park in the town and walk up from the port or you make your way across from Dover Castle or even just from the National Trust car park, there are so many ways to enjoy these magnificent cliffs.

Opening times and ticket prices

While technically the White Cliffs of Dover are open all the time as you can’t exactly close a vast natural landmark like this, if you want to drive there, it’s a good idea to bear in mind that the National Trust car park is open between 7 am and 7 pm all year round, apart from Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

You don’t have to pay to see the White Cliffs, so if you arrive at Dover by train and make your way to the cliffs yourself, you won’t have to pay a penny. However, if you’re driving to Dover and want to park at the Visitor Centre car park, you can expect to pay £5 per car and £7 per motorhome.

The White Cliffs of Dover are an amazing part of the British coastline and thanks to their abundant history, it almost feels like you’re stepping back in time as you walk across the imposing clifftop.

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Have you ever been on a White Cliffs of Dover day trip? Is it a place on your UK bucket list? Let me know in the comments or on Instagram at @imjustagirl_16.