Attractions Nearby Derby, Day Trips and Excursions

(Derby, Derbyshire, England, UK)



Photograph of the Bullring Shopping centre in BirminghamDerby really does have lots to offer the holidaymaker, with its busy city life contrasting with the glorious rolling countryside attractions lying on its very doorstep. Just a short drive from central Derby is the breathtaking Peak District, the beautiful stately home of Chatsworth House, the World Heritage Site of Derwent Valley Mills, and the National Trust attractions of Calke Abbey and Sudbury Hall.

The small market town of Ashbourne is located just 21 km / 13 miles to the north-west of Derby and features a number of attractions in the form of walking trails, such as the Tissington Trail, which begins at Mapleton Lane and joins the High Peak Trail. Further day trips from the city include the Georgian town of Melbourne, and the market towns of Wirksworth and Bakewell, the latter of which is famed for its Bakewell Puddings.


Photo of Birmingham city centre

General Information

If you have the time, then you may like to take an excursion from Derby to the cities of Birmingham, Coventry and Sheffield, all of which are just over an hour away by road. Birmingham is one of the latest cities in the West Midlands and is home to a wealth of quality attractions and museums, such as Cadbury World, the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, the Black Country Living Museum, Drayton Manor Park and Zoo, the National Sea Life Centre and epic Bullring shopping complex.

Famous the world over for its mineral water, the spa town of Buxton is around an hour from Derby and lies to the north-west. Buxton has an array of enticing attractions, including its own opera house, where various concerts and operatic events are hosted each year. Buxton is also home to two well-laid out golf courses and a popular pedestrianised shopping mall.

Image of Coventry and the River SherbourneDay trips to Castle Donington are also of note, particularly since this spreading village is a mere 16 km / 10 miles to the south-east of Derby. Large numbers of visitors come to Castle Donington each year to enjoy the motor racing at Donington Park, which dates as far back as 1931 and also hosts the prestigious British Touring Car Championship.

For something a little more touristy within easy reach of Derby, the attractions of Matlock Bath are often said to resemble those of a seaside resort, but without the actual sea. Matlock Bath is roughly 45 minutes away and home to a large quantity of amusement arcades and chip shops, as well as further attractions, such as the Gulliver's Kingdom amusement park, the Peak District Mining Museum, the High Tor, and the Heights of Abraham cable car rides.

A little closer is Robin Hood's home town of Nottingham which is some 30 minutes from Derby and comes with the attractions of its very own castle, sandstone caves, shopping malls, landscaped gardens and historical pubs, such as the very much-loved Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem public house.