Grab a car rental and discover a lively market town with a thriving center. High Wycombe is the ideal place to visit for anyone looking to find somewhere that combines the charms of an English town with proximity to both countryside and London.
Nestled neatly in one of England’s greenest counties, Buckinghamshire, High Wycombe is in the heart of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, giving visitors plentiful opportunity to escape to the country and enjoy long walks, stunning scenery and a serenity that will help you feel miles away from the hustle and bustle of the bigger British cities.
Car rental in High Wycombe is the ideal way to see the best of the town has to offer, as well as opening the door to the region, including the iconic university city of Oxford and the capital, London.
Choose from our impressive range of cars, from smaller compact models to larger family-friendly options such as SUVs.
There are no hidden extras, and you can pay in advance or on collection. We want you to make the most of your time in Buckinghamshire, whether it’s business or leisure that has brought you to the UK. We aim to have you in your rental car and on your way as quickly as possible, so that you can get started on your exploration of south-eastern England. Renting a car makes it easier to get around High Wycombe and beyond.
High Wycombe Locations
A Quick Guide to High Wycombe
High Wycombe is Buckinghamshire's largest town, once called the 'Furniture Capital of England’ for its chair-making industry. It has since become a charming retail center, with traditional market days taking place on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday. It also has a booming shopping and leisure industry, with the Eden Shopping Centre attracting visitors from across the south-east of England.
Visit the town’s pretty and accessible center, complete with a Georgian High Street and 'Pepper Pot' cornmarket designed by Robert Adam, alongside the arcaded Guildhall. Situated behind the Market House lies a 12th century parish church, the largest in Buckinghamshire, and beyond that is Wycombe Museum. On the eastern fringes of the town is The Rye, which is a peaceful grassland flush with beech woodland.
High Wycombe is also home to one of England’s more curious traditions. To this day, it’s the only town to weigh its mayors. The event takes place during its annual May tradition of ‘Mayor Making’. The eccentric custom is designed to make sure the local dignitary doesn’t get fat at the taxpayer's expense.
High Wycombe Heritage
The market town has a long and colorful history, appearing in the Domesday Book and having a Roman presence after the invasion. Shortly afterwards, the Norman conquest brought about the founding of the All Saints Parish Church and thereafter it was re-fashioned in the 13th century on a lavish scale.
Formerly a mill town, High Wycombe’s most famous industry, furniture making, took hold in the 19th century with chair factories setting up across the city. The nearby Chiltern beech woods provided the raw materials to furnish the boom. In the town center, you’ll find a Living Chair Museum that is dedicated to the design and production of Buckinghamshire chairs.
Beautiful Buckinghamshire
If you’re looking for outdoor activities, take some time to drive over in your rental car to the ‘Hell-Fire’ caves. The caves date back to the 18th century and were initially dug out to help chalk miners build roads. Since that period, the caverns and corridors have become banqueting halls and passages, which are now a popular tourist attraction.
Head to West Wycombe Park for a leafy stroll and a relaxing afternoon. The adjacent country house is open as part of the National Trust program and is popular with locals and visitors alike.
History fans can also visit the nearby country house set in 45 acres of landscaped beauty boasting unrivalled views of the Chilterns’ countryside.
Day Trips From High Wycombe
The south of Buckinghamshire is less than an hour away from London and is a 30-minute drive from nearby Beaconsfield, Marlow and Amersham. Drive north in your rental car from High Wycombe, and you can explore Aylesbury Vale with its quaint villages, market towns and English country mansions. Renting a car makes it easier to get to High Wycombe’s nearby areas on your own terms.
Renting a car in High Wycombe is the best way to get around this idyllic corner of England, so you can combine rural life with day trips to London.
Driving In and Around High Wycombe
Our rental car pick-up location at High Wycombe Railway Station is on the A404, which offers excellent links to everything you should visit in the town, as well as being just off the M40 freeway, which you can join to drive to London in an eastward direction and Oxford to the west, both of which are around an hour from High Wycombe.
Driving in High Wycombe is a relatively straightforward and comfortable experience, thanks to its low volumes of traffic and excellent road network. There is also extensive parking available in the town for your rental car, both on the street and in off-street parking lots dotted throughout the town. Whether you’re renting a car for a family holiday or you’re in town on business, we have plenty of rides to suit the occasion for your visit in High Wycombe.
There are plenty of idyllic drives close by, leading to gorgeous buildings such as Hughenden House. This National Trust property was once the home of British Prime Minister Disraeli. You’re also close to grand English garden estates such as Stowe, Ascott House and Claydon.
Driving in the UK, unlike the rest of Europe, is on the left-hand side of the road, with passing on the right. Speed limits on British roads vary by area, with a top speed of 70mph (112 km/h) on motorways, the UK equivalent of a freeway. Seatbelts must be worn by the driver and all passengers, while it’s illegal to use a mobile or cell phone while driving. One key difference in the UK is that there’s no free right turn at a junction on a red light, even if the road is clear. Renting a car in High Wycombe means you don’t have to rely on public transport.