Day Trippers

Embark on a Day Trippers Adventure: Discover Scenic Parks and Enjoy Leisurely Lunches

Enjoy a day out!

Getting out and about can be hard if you don’t have someone to go with. That’s where we come in. Our day trips are designed for older people and anyone who finds it difficult to get out on their own. We make it easy and stress-free:

Safe and comfortable travel – no need to worry about transport
Friendly company – meet new people and make friends
Fun destinations – enjoy places you’ll love, from gardens to museums

Our trips give you independence, help reduce loneliness, and bring joy back into your day. 
 

A woman participating in our Day Trippers service.

Your next adventure starts here!

Turn your day into an exciting escape filled with discovery, laughter, and friendship. Explore Hertfordshire’s best-kept secrets—register for the next Day Trip now!

Where do Day Trippers go?

Our Day Trippers visit garden centres, shopping parks, towns and museums across Hertfordshire. Some of our past adventures have led us to:

  • Van Hage Garden Centre: A flagship garden centre near Ware, for horticulture, home and animal lovers.
  • RAF Museum: Explore the history and exhibits of the Royal Air Force.
  • Letchworth Garden City Shopping Centre: Home to a wide range of national and local retailers.
  • Springtime Nursery & Toby Carvery: A nursery celebrated for its broad assortment of plants and one of the most popular and trusted pub dining establishments in Britain.

Day trip passengers are picked up from their address around 9 - 10am and are safely dropped back home around 1:30 - 2pm.

Do Day Trips Cost Anything?

Yes, the Day Trippers service does have a cost associated with it, but we’ve made sure it’s affordable for everyone.

  • To start using our service, you’ll need to become a member. The annual membership fee is £10 and the individual membership year runs from September to August. 

Once you’re a member, here’s how the charges work for each outing:

  • Return Bus Journey: There’s a flat charge of £6 for each return journey. While this covers your travel to and from the destination, it, however, excludes refreshments and entrance fees at all the venues
  • Non-refundable Deposit: Included in the £6 charge is a £2 non-refundable deposit. This ensures your spot on the outing is secured.

Please note that the price does not include refreshments or entrance fees; these will be additional expenses.

Payment for the bus journey must be made in advance to secure your booking.

 

How to book a day trip

If you want to book one of our Day Trips or learn any more information, please email us on travel@communities1st.org.uk or call us at 01727 649980.

Our telephone lines are open on Mondays - Fridays, 08:00 - 16:00.

 


Member services team smiling with volunteers

Upcoming Hertsmere Trips

We will be visiting the following locations in October, November and December 2026:

If you would like to search trips by date, click here to visit our What's On calendar.

Colney Fields Retail Park

Date: Wednesday 2 December 2026
Location: Colney Fields Retail Park, London Colney, AL2 1BW

A popular shopping destination, Colney Fields Retail Park offers a fantastic line-up of major national retailers. There is a large Marks & Spencer, featuring clothing, a Foodhall, and a café, alongside a Sainsbury's hypermarket. You will also find other popular stores such as Next, Boots, and TK Maxx, providing a wide choice for fashion, home, and food shopping.

 

elder couple going into a wheelchair accessible van

 

Hertford Town Centre and Pub Lunch

 

Date: Wednesday 21 October 2026
Location: Hertford Town Centre

Spend a couple of hours discovering the character of Hertford town centre, with its great mix of historic buildings, bustling cafés, boutique shops and beautiful green spaces. It's an ideal destination offering a mix of heritage, shopping and riverside scenery. And then enjoy a delicious pub lunch in the company of your fellow day trippers!

 

Hertford Town Centre

“Image: Hertford town centre by Malc McDonald”


 

Brent Cross Shopping Centre

Date: Wednesday 4 November 2026
Location: Prince Charles Dr, Brent Cross, London NW4 3FP

One of the UK’s premier shopping destinations, offering a wide selection of high-street and designer brands, restaurants, and family-friendly facilities. Located in North London, it attracts millions of visitors each year and provides a convenient and enjoyable shopping experience under one roof.  

 

a hand going through clothes on a rack

 


 

St Albans Market

Date: Wednesday 18 November 2026
Location: St Albans City Centre

Discover one of Hertfordshire's most popular outdoor markets, with a wide range of stalls selling everything from fresh food to handmade gifts. St Albans Market is an ideal stop for those looking to explore, shop and enjoy a taste of local life. 

 

shop clothes at St. Albans market

 


 

The Range, Matalan and B&Q

Date: Wednesday 16 December 2026
Location: The Range, Matalan and B&Q

Enjoy a shopping trip to The Range, Matalan and B&Q, offering a great mix of gifts, homeware, clothing and practical essentials. With the holidays just around the corner, it's an ideal place to start ticking off your festive shopping list.

 

A retail store shelf displays a variety of artificial plants, faux flowers, and decorative items organized on multiple tiers.

 

Upcoming Welwyn Hatfield Trips

We will be visiting the following locations in October, November and December 2026:

If you would like to search trips by date, click here to visit our What's On calendar.

Colney Fields Retail Park

Date: Monday 2 November 2026
Location: Colney Fields Retail Park, London Colney, AL2 1BW

A popular shopping destination, Colney Fields Retail Park offers a fantastic line-up of major national retailers. There is a large Marks & Spencer, featuring clothing, a Foodhall, and a café, alongside a Sainsbury's hypermarket. You will also find other popular stores such as Next, Boots, and TK Maxx, providing a wide choice for fashion, home, and food shopping.

 

elder couple going into a wheelchair accessible van

 

Hertford Town Centre and Pub Lunch

Date: Monday 19 October 2026
Location: Hertford Town Centre

Spend a couple of hours discovering the character of Hertford town centre, with its great mix of historic buildings, bustling cafés, boutique shops and beautiful green spaces. It's an ideal destination offering a mix of heritage, shopping and riverside scenery. And then enjoy a delicious pub lunch in the company of your fellow day trippers!

 

Hertford Town Centre

“Image: Hertford town centre by Malc McDonald”

Verulamium Museum

Date: Monday 26 October 2026
Location: Verulamium Museum, St Michael's St, St Albans AL3 4SW

A museum in St Albans that brings the story of Roman Britain to life. It houses one of the finest collections of Roman artefacts in the UK.

 

An ancient Roman or Byzantine mosaic depicts a horseman hunting a leopard amidst a stylized natural landscape enclosed within an ornate geometric border.

 

Brent Cross Shopping Centre

Date: Monday 9 November 2026
Location: Prince Charles Dr, Brent Cross, London NW4 3FP

One of the UK’s premier shopping destinations, offering a wide selection of high-street and designer brands, restaurants, and family-friendly facilities. Located in North London, it attracts millions of visitors each year and provides a convenient and enjoyable shopping experience under one roof.  

 

a hand going through clothes on a rack

 

Crews Hill and Pub Lunch

Date: Monday 16 November 2026
Location: Cattlegate Road, Enfield 

Spend some time exploring the many nurseries and garden centres of Crews Hill, whether you're looking for plants, garden accessories or simply a little inspiration. With a welcoming pub lunch along the way, it's an ideal trip for relaxed browsing and good food.

 

A vibrant, overhead shot displays an outdoor market or garden center stall filled with rows of potted spring flowers and emerging bulbs.

 

The Range, Matalan and B&Q

Date: Monday 14 December 2026
Location: The Range, Matalan and B&Q

Enjoy a shopping trip to The Range, Matalan and B&Q, offering a great mix of gifts, homeware, clothing and practical essentials. With the holidays just around the corner, it's an ideal place to start ticking off your festive shopping list.

 

A retail store shelf displays a variety of artificial plants, faux flowers, and decorative items organized on multiple tiers.

 

Carpenters Nursery and Garden Centre

Date: Monday 23 November 2026
Location: 106 Saint Albans Rd, St Albans AL4 9LJ

Carpenters Nursery and Garden Centre offers a delightful day out for gardening enthusiasts and casual visitors alike. Explore the colourful plant displays, discover unique garden accessories and take time to unwind in the welcoming café.

 

A vibrant, dense display of flowering plants inside a greenhouse garden center.

 

The Galleria

Date: Monday 7 December 2026
Location: The Galleria, Comet Way, Hatfield AL10 0XR

A unique shopping and leisure destination in Hatfield, offering a mix of outlet stores, restaurants, entertainment, and family attractions. With the holidays round the corner, it's the perfect opportunity to get some festive shopping done! 

 

File:GOC Hatfield 010 Galleria (31738691695).jpg

“Image: The Galleria, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, by Peter O'Connor aka anemoneprojectors”


 

Burston Garden Centre

Date: Monday 21 December 2026
Location: North Orbital Road, Chiswell Green, St. Albans, AL2 2DS

Enjoy a visit to Burston Garden Centre in St Albans, where you can browse an extensive range of plants, gifts, homeware and seasonal displays. It's a great place to start your festive shopping, with plenty of Christmas decorations, gift ideas and treats to help you get into the holiday spirit.

 

Two smiling women shop for plants together inside an outdoor or covered garden center.

 

Upcoming Watford & Three Rivers Trips

We will be visiting the following locations in October, November and December 2026.

If you would like to search trips by date, click here to visit our What's On calendar.

Brent Cross Shopping Centre

Date: Wednesday 14 October 2026
Location: Prince Charles Dr, Brent Cross, London NW4 3FP

One of the UK’s premier shopping destinations, offering a wide selection of high-street and designer brands, restaurants, and family-friendly facilities. Located in North London, it attracts millions of visitors each year and provides a convenient and enjoyable shopping experience under one roof.  

 

a hand going through clothes on a rack

 

Colney Fields Retail Park

Date: Wednesday 28 October 2026
Location: Colney Fields Retail Park, London Colney, AL2 1BW

A popular shopping destination, Colney Fields Retail Park offers a fantastic line-up of major national retailers. There is a large Marks & Spencer, featuring clothing, a Foodhall, and a café, alongside a Sainsbury's hypermarket. You will also find other popular stores such as Next, Boots, and TK Maxx, providing a wide choice for fashion, home, and food shopping.

 

elder couple going into a wheelchair accessible van

 

Crews Hill and Pub Lunch

Date: Wednesday 11 November 2026
Location: Cattlegate Road, Enfield 

Spend some time exploring the many nurseries and garden centres of Crews Hill, whether you're looking for plants, garden accessories or simply a little inspiration. With a welcoming pub lunch along the way, it's an ideal trip for relaxed browsing and good food.

 

A vibrant, overhead shot displays an outdoor market or garden center stall filled with rows of potted spring flowers and emerging bulbs.

 

Carpenters Nursery and Garden Centre

Date: Wednesday 25 November 2026
Location: 106 Saint Albans Rd, St Albans AL4 9LJ

Carpenters Nursery and Garden Centre offers a delightful day out for gardening enthusiasts and casual visitors alike. Explore the colourful plant displays, discover unique garden accessories and take time to unwind in the welcoming café.

 

A vibrant, dense display of flowering plants inside a greenhouse garden center.

 

Brent Cross Shopping Centre

Date:  Wednesday 9 December 2026
Location: Prince Charles Dr, Brent Cross, London NW4 3FP

One of the UK’s premier shopping destinations, offering a wide selection of high-street and designer brands, restaurants, and family-friendly facilities. Located in North London, it attracts millions of visitors each year and provides a convenient and enjoyable shopping experience under one roof.  

 

a hand going through clothes on a rack

 

How to book a day trip

How to book a day trip

If you want to book one of our Day Trips or learn any more information, please email us on travel@communities1st.org.uk or call us at 01727 649980.

Our telephone lines are open on Mondays - Fridays, 08:00 - 16:00.