Best Places to Live in Surrey: A Local's Guide to Its Finest Villages & Estates

Surrey is consistently ranked among the best places to live in Surrey for a reason and it isn't just the commute. Within a tight 50-square-kilometer pocket of London's stockbroker belt, you'll find some of the country's most sought-after villages, private estates, and countryside within touching distance of Waterloo. Our Queenwood team doesn't just sell property here; we live, train, dine and raise our families in it. Below is our honest, first-hand list of 50 things that make this corner of Surrey one of the best places to live near London, alongside where to look if you're ready to make the move.

Why Surrey Is One of the Best Places to Live Near London

Ask anyone who has made the move from London why they chose Surrey, and the answers repeat themselves: fast rail links into Waterloo and Victoria, some of the best-performing schools in the country, and a genuine sense of village life without giving up easy access to the capital. Towns like Cobham, Esher, Oxshott, Weybridge, Leatherhead and Epsom anchor the area, each with its own high street, sports clubs and community feel, while the surrounding countryside; Box Hill, the North Downs, and Bookham Common—gives Surrey a rural character that's hard to find this close to London. It's this combination of connectivity, schooling and lifestyle that consistently puts Surrey's commuter belt at the top of relocation shortlists.

The Best Villages in Surrey — As Told by People Who Live There

If you're weighing up the best villages in Surrey to settle in, start with the ones locals actually spend their weekends in rather than the ones that top generic lists. Shere, often recognized from the film The Holiday, remains one of the prettiest and most unspoilt villages in the county, duck-feeding by the bridge included. Oxshott blends a close-knit village sports and social scene (its bowls and squash clubs are genuinely part of daily life here) with some of Surrey's most private, tree-lined estates. Claygate has a thriving am-dram and community scene that punches well above its size, and Ockley, home to the Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden, pairs village tranquillity with a surprising cultural pull. Further out, Abinger Hammer offers the kind of stream-side, cricket-on-the-green setting that people picture when they imagine moving out of London.

50 Things Locals Love About Surrey

There's no better way to understand what makes these villages and towns worth living in than experiencing them the way we do. Here's our list, built from real weekends spent across the Surrey commuter belt.

Food, Wine & Dining

1. Sample a bottle of Greenfields Cuvee at Denbies winery and toast good health amongst the vines overlooking Box Hill

2. Hop over the famous stepping stones at the foot of Box Hill in one go after a heavy rainfall and grab a coffee and a scotch egg from the Routine coffee cart in the car park

3. Take your mountain bike on the Tilt in Cobham over the River Mole and up to the Cricketers pub for steak and ale pie and a pint of Guinness while watching the kids kick a ball on the common

4. Take the woodland trail from Kingswood Tennis Club through the Bluebell Woods to the Ramblers Rest pub for some halloumi fries and pan-fried scallops in the courtyard gardens and a large glass of Gavi

5. Try the crushed avocado and toasted seeds on an open bagel in Juice Smith veggie bar in Cobham after a long dog walk by the river

6. Pick succulent cherries off the trees in the orchard of Garsons Farm in Esher and then pop into the farm shop for a couple of ribeye steaks and a bottle of 2020 vintage. Crozes-Hermitage for dinner

7. Try the pea, ham and chilli soup with warm French bread in the quintessential village of Shere then feed the ducks from the bridge, you may recognize Shere as the setting from the film. The Holiday

8. Sample an Amarone 2009 vintage on a Thursday evening at the Wine Room in Hampton Court followed by a moonlit walk along the Thames

9. Book a table on the rooftop terrace at arguably the coolest venue in town, Coppa in Cobham

10. Paddle in the stream with a picnic while watching the cricket at Abinger Hammer Common and then pop into Gomshall Mill on the way back home

Sport, Fitness & Adventure

11. Book an overnight stay in one of the Norwegian log cabins on the lake at the Old Quarry fishery at Betchworth while dangling your rod in its crystal-clear waters.

12. Get your Tuesday off to a bang by feeling the burn in the Tower Pilates class at U-Pilates in Cobham High Street

13. Take the Lycra-chaffing endurance ride up the south slope lanes from Mickleham up to the viewing point at Box Hill without stopping, if you have anything left in the tank, take the picturesque cycle trail through Denbies vineyards over to Westcott on the way back

14. Book Diaz a padel court at Epsom Tennis Club with Coach Sandy on a 'you three and me' 90-minute session.

15. Join Alistair and his teammates from the Fetcham Canons in a competitive open-court basketball session every Sunday at 9am at Leatherhead Leisure Centre

16. Contact Steve Ellis to join Oxshott Bowls Club, one of the friendliest and most relaxed places in Oxshott village

17. Try out the 'skate and dine' at the prestigious Beaverbrook Golf and Country Club in Leatherhead

18. Book a cheeky round with Julian Munks at Silvermere Golf Club, which includes the famous 17th with its formidable 170 yard carry over the lake

19. Have a lesson on the show court with Valentin at the beautiful Kingswood Tennis Club

20. Book Derek Bryant for a private shooting lesson at Bisley shooting range, just off the A3 and M25

21. Get those hips moving by enrolling on the weekday. Bachata salsa class at Weybridge Salsa

22. Look up Will Hendon, the resident squash pro at Oxshott Village Sports Club, and book him for a lesson on the show court (Court 3) for £40

23. Book a skid pan session in Mercedes-Benz World Weybridge for your teenager, followed by a tour of the Mercedes F1 cars

24. Book your youngsters with one of Surrey's most talented golf pros, Craig Cowper, for a buggy round at Surrey Downs Golf Club

25. Book a blacksmithing course at The Quinnell School of Blacksmiths in Oxshott and make your own door knocker

26. Join Chris, Nick and pals for a competitive Monday night of table tennis at King George V Sports Club in Effingham

27. Try your hand at skiing (or ringos) at Oakwood Dry Ski Slope in Esher

28. Try out the indoor climbing and caving at Craggy in Oaks Park Woodmansterne and then treat yourself to a session on the driving range next door

Family Days Out

29. Book a private box on the finish line at Sandown Races in Esher and cheer the winner home with a four-course buffet lunch and a few glasses of fizz

30. Hire a private dining pod at the exclusive RAC Club in Epsom with 7 friends and your own music

31. Take a photo of the family in the red phone box in the middle of the lavender fields in Woodmansterne on a sunny June day

32. Fly a remote control plane in the bracing wind on Epsom Downs, followed by a prosecco in the Tattenham Corner pub overlooking the famous Tattenham Corner Racecourse.

33. Do a family roly poly race down the grassy hill at the Box Hill viewing point while taking in the breathtaking views of the Surrey countryside.

34. Take the little ones to the Bambinos. Go karting on Sunday morning at Sandown Park, followed by a pitch and putt round next door.

35. Hire a rowing boat from Byfleet Boat Club and take in this beautiful stretch of the River Wey before stopping for a cheese and wine picnic while feeding the geese.

36. Go for a hack over Epsom Downs on the horse of your choice from Durdans Stables in Chalk Lane, Epsom, followed by some cheesy chips and a pint at the Grumpy Mole next door.

37. Bet on the spotted black hog in the hourly pig race at Bocketts Farm Bookham and then wear the little ones out in the play barn.

38. Visit the antiques fair at Queens Stand on Epsom Downs.

39. Spoil the children in The Walled Garden at The RAC Club with football, basketball, water park and soft play while enjoying a cappuccino overlooking the fabulous grounds.

Countryside & Wildlife

40. Find the old grotto by the lake in Painshill Park in Cobham and snap a priceless pic overlooking the lake.

41. Search for the herd of Highland cattle that roam free on Headley Heath—but don't get too near.

42. Find the bird-watching hideaway on the secret lake on Bookham Common and pick sloe berries from the trees on the trail.

43. Collect golf balls on the Downs Trail from RAC Club to Epsom Downs.

44. Watch live band Crazy Lil Thing perform on a Sunday night at The Running Mare on Cobham Common.

45. Find the Yew Tree Project with some of the oldest trees in Surrey on the Acorn Trail from Newlands Corner, Albury.

46. Explore the incredibly clear ponds at Silent Pool and sample Surrey's finest gin before buying a bottle or two on the way out.

Village Life & Culture

47. Join the Claygate Dramatic Society for some local 'am-dram' in Claygate

48. Book a ticket to visit the tranquil Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden and art gallery in Ockley and then watch the cricket overlooking the lake on the village green

More Local Gems

49. Take a paddleboard out at the SHAC Lagoon in Betchworth, just off the A25, then wind down with a flat white and chocolate croissant overlooking the lake

50. Contact Steve Ellis to join Oxshott Bowls Club and pop into the village afterwards for a well-earned pint

Property for Sale in Surrey Hills & Beyond

Once you've had a taste of the lifestyle, the natural next step is finding the right home to enjoy it from. Queenwood specializes in property for sale in the Surrey Hills and across the wider commuter belt—including private estates in Cobham, Oxshott and Esher that rarely, if ever, reach the open market. Many of the villages and towns featured above sit within or on the edge of the Surrey Hills National Landscape, meaning buyers get protected countryside views alongside a fast commute into London.

Browse our current Surrey private estates and country homes, or view our current listings to see what's available today. Because much of what we sell is off-market, registering your details is the best way to hear about Surrey Hills property before it's publicly listed.

Ready to Explore Surrey for Yourself?

Whether you're drawn by the villages, the countryside, or a specific estate in the Surrey Hills, Queenwood's local team can give you the on-the-ground insight and the off-market access, that generic property portals can't. Register your details to unlock Surrey's hidden property market.