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2 Weeks in the UK – My Perfect UK Trip Itinerary

Last updated: June 1, 2024 . Written by Laurence Norah - 219 Comments

If you are looking for a two week UK itinerary which includes Ireland, you have come to the right place. This UK road trip itinerary has you starting in London, and using a rental car as the transportation method. It covers some of our highlights in the UK, including cities, castles, and stunning natural scenery.

I have spent a great deal of time living in and exploring the UK. I’ve drawn on my experiences travelling here to put together my perfect two week UK trip to help you plan your own trip.

This UK itinerary (which also includes Ireland) covers England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. It’s a self-drive road-trip, although could also be modified to support travel by public transport if you prefer.

If you haven’t driven in the UK before, do check out my guide to driving in the UK for helpful tips. We also have a guide to how much it costs to travel in the UK if you need budget planning help.

Without further ado, allow me to present my two-week UK itinerary.

A 2 week UK Trip itinerary

This itinerary is very busy and fits a lot in, including time in Ireland. It is doable, but just be aware that it will be fast paced with quite a lot of driving. Naturally, you are welcome to take the itinerary and adjust it to meet your own interests and pace.

For example, many folks prefer to focus on the UK with their two weeks, and skip the island of Ireland, returning instead via the Lake District and Wales. However, if you want to see as much as possible, this itinerary is how to do it.

Days 1 & 2: London

The UK’s capital is one of my favourite cities in the world. It’s been hanging around for over 2000 years on the banks of the Thames, and there is just an incredible wealth of things to see, from historical sights, to amazing museums, to crazy street markets.

It’s a wonderfully walk-able capital, and you can easily take in the major central sights in a day or so, leaving you the second day to explore museums, art galleries, or go a little further afield and take in some of the other sights, from crumbling cemeteries to massive parks. And if all else fails, you will never be short on an incredible pub to while away some time before heading on.

For inspiration for your visit, take a look at our 2 day London itinerary , which covers the major highlights of the city, and also links to lots of other information about visiting, including tips on finding Harry Potter locations in London through to Winston Churchill locations in London – something for everyone!

My advice for London is to invest in an Oyster card to save money on your transport (don’t hire a car until you leave the capital) and if you think you’re going to use it, look into buying a London Pass to save money on London’s top attractions.

Available in 1, 3 and 6 day versions, as well as a version with an included Oyster card, the savings can really be quite impressive if you plan on visiting a few locations. You can read a full break down on when the London Pass is worth buying here , and buy one yourself here .

Finally, London is probably going to be the most expensive city in the UK for your accommodation. We recommend booking well in advance to get a good deal.

Some of our recommended accommodation options in London are:

The Walrus Bar and Hostel , The Z hotel in Shoreditch , Point A Hotel , Lime Tree Hotel and the  Resident Victoria Hotel . You can see more London hotel listings here on booking.com . We also love the curated apartments available on Plum Guide .

Once you have finished up exploring London, we suggest collecting your car hire and heading out of town. For car hire we recommend Discover Cars , they search all the major providers so you can compare and find the best deal for your trip.

Days 3 & 4: Oxford & the Cotswolds

One of the stipulations of the original question was the wish to avoid feeling too much like a tourist. Unfortunately, this is nearly impossible in Oxford , as nearly everyone there is either a tourist or a student. I lived in and around Oxford for a number of years, and generally felt like a tourist most of that time too.

Part of the reason for that is that this tiny city is absolutely jam packed with incredible buildings, largely in the form of the Oxford Colleges. These are seriously wealthy establishments, who clearly had no problem flaunting that wealth in an architectural fashion back in the day.

This means that yes, it is full of people wandering around, mouths agape, at quite how pretty the whole thing is. Yes, it’s jam packed with tourists. But for good reason!

So strap that camera on and snap away. Then go for a punt on the river, and enjoy some Pimms or a cream tea. Seek out the Harry Potter filming locations . Take a walking tour of the Universities . There’s no shortage of way to fill your time!

Read more tips for spending a day in Oxford, here .

From Oxford you are also well located to take in the incredibly picturesque Cotswolds area – all quaint villages and rolling countryside. The England that everyone imagines England to be like, with country pubs, village greens and cricket ovals. Lovely stuff. Check out hotel prices for  Oxford here .

Days 5 & 6: Peak District and Manchester

From Oxford I’m going to suggest heading “up north”, towards the Peak District national park. Think rolling hills, quaint villages, and beautiful walks.

There are also some fabulous stately homes to visit , not to mention that on the way from Oxford you can stop off at Warwick Castle – one of the UK’s best-preserved castles.

If you’re interested in the industrial revolution in the UK I can highly recommend a visit to the city of Manchester.

Of course, if the industrial revolution isn’t your thing there are plenty of other reasons to visit Manchester, including excellent retail therapy, an awesome food scene, and a variety of architectural highlights. Not to mention the music scene!

You can see my guide to things to do in Manchester for lots more ideas, and you can see hotel prices for Manchester here .

One other thing you might consider as you pass through the Peak District and Manchester is a visit to Alton Towers . This is arguably the UK’s best known theme park, and would make for a great thrilling day out for those of you who like that sort of thing.

Day 7: York

Not that far from Manchester (England is so quaintly explorable!), the city of York is another of my favourite UK cities.

From the incredible Gothic York Minster (a climb to the top is highly recommended) to the winding, tumbled down alleyways of the shambles, to the Viking history – this is a city that just cries out for exploration.

It’s also an awesome place if you’re into ghost stories. There are a whole number of ghost walks that take in the spooky past of York, so if you want an evening of entertainment and intrigue, likely accompanied with a number of fine drinking establishments, an evening ghost walk is a great bit of fun.

I’m not a great believer in this sort of thing usually, but I took a tour and thoroughly enjoyed it!

If you do plan on seeing a few things in York, you might save money with a York City Pass , which includes most of the attractions in the city as well as access to the York Sightseeing bus or York City Cruises. You can buy that in advance here .

For more York ideas, see our guide to spending two days in York , which has a comprehensive itinerary as well as tips on where to stay and how to get around.

For accommodation, you can check out and book the best York hotels here .

Days 8 & 9: Edinburgh via Northumberland

From York we’re going to wave farewell to England, and head up to Scotland’s capital city, Edinburgh. On the way though, you’ll be passing through some of England’s least travelled, yet stunningly beautiful, landscapes.

I am of course talking about Northumbria. From miles of deserted beach, to crumbling castles, to the Roman equivalent of the great wall of China, Northumbria really has a lot to offer someone looking for a slightly off the beaten track England experience. The rolling landscapes are breath-taking and you’ll find yourself alone much of the time. Worth taking a bit of time to explore, in my opinion.

Then of course, it’s up to Edinburgh , where you’ll not be short of amazing things to look at. From Edinburgh castle, to Arthurs Seat, from fine whiskys, to Princes Street, there really is enough here for a number of days of entertainment. And if you visit during the Fringe festival… well… plan on being entertained for a good many weeks!

See more ideas on spending some time in Edinburgh in this detailed two day Edinburgh itinerary that I put together, as well as our guide to things to do in Edinburgh , our tips on visiting Edinburgh in winter , and our guide to finding Harry Potter in Edinburgh .

Then  check and book your Edinburgh hotels here.

Days 10 – 12: Ireland

Because the UK is an easily explorable place with decent roads and relatively short distances to drive, it is totally possible to include another country – Ireland! – in a trip like this if you’re up for it.

Do be aware that if you are renting a car, some car rental companies have restrictions on taking cars on ferries, or into other countries – so make sure you check before you go as there may be an additional fee to pay.

Of course, you could also fly to Ireland (Edinburgh to Belfast or Dublin for example), and use different rentals for different parts of your adventure!

If all that sounds like too much hard work, you could extend your time in Scotland, or alternatively, you could take in the west coast of the UK, including Glasgow , the Lake District, and Liverpool, as well as popping into Wales for the stunning Snowdonia national park, and rejoin this itinerary in South Wales or Bristol . The choice is yours!

If it is Ireland you want though, it’s a short ferry ride from Scotland (Cairnryan to be precise, which is 2-3 hour drive from Edinburgh) across to Belfast in Northern Ireland, from where you can spend a few days exploring the Emerald Isle.

We have travelled from Cairnryan with both Stena Line and P&O Ferries, both of which have been a fast, comfortable and efficient service. We normally use Direct Ferries for ferry booking as they compare prices across all the providers and support payment in multple currencies. You can book your ferry tickets here .

This part of the world has a lot to offer, and three days is quite a short amount of time. We can recommend spending some time in Belfast and driving north along the causeway coastal route to see such highlights as the Giant’s Causeway, ruined castles and spectacular coastline. Then, head south into Ireland, and see fabulous Dublin.

I’ve explored Dublin and her surroundings, taken a trip down to the Dingle Peninsula , kissed the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle, gazed at the Cliffs of Moher ,  and visited the Dark Hedges of Game of Thrones fame – to name but a few of our wonderful experience on the Irish Isle.

In Dublin there’s the Guinness Factory, of course, as a popular highlight, but also oodles of Gaelic history and culture to get excited about.

There are also of course the Irish people, well known for their love of a good time! Personally, I’d head on down the coast from Belfast, through Dublin and down to the port of Rosslare, where after three exciting days in Ireland another ferry service will whisk you across to the last of the four countries to make up the UK: Wales!

Day 13: South Wales and Cardiff

In Wales you will arrive either at Fishguard or Pembroke – both excellent places to explore the Pembrokeshire Coast national park . Here you will find beautiful beaches, rugged cliffs, and fabulous opportunities for walking.

You’re also not too far a drive from Cardiff, the Welsh capital. Four capitals in a fortnight – not bad going! Here you’ll find castles, sporting venues and more Welsh based culture than you can shake a stick at. Plus, arrive at the right time of year and you’ll find the Great British Cheese festival in full swing. What’s not to be excited about? For more about travelling in Wales and highlights along this route, see our detailed Wales road trip itinerary .

Find and book your Cardiff hotels here .

Day 14: Bristol & Bath

From Cardiff you’ll cross the enormous Severn estuary over the impress Severn road bridge and be back in the UK, or Bristol to be precise. Here you’ll find all sorts of interesting items of historical interest, largely running on a nautical theme, as well as some of the best street art in Britain .

For over a thousand years Bristol has been an important English port. From early explorers and traders, to the dark years of the African slave vessels, to filling Australia with immigrants, it is hard to understate the role that Bristol has played in Britain’s sea faring history. There is, after all, a reason for the expression “ship-shape and Bristol fashion” having a place in the English language.

I can highly recommend taking a trip round the SS Great Britain when you’re in Bristol. Built in 1843, and designed by the engineering genius who was Isambard Kingdom Brunel – the man who almost single-handedly revolutionised both engineering and public transport in the UK.

The SS Great Britain is notable as being the first steamer to cross the Atlantic – setting a record pace for the time of 14 days. An amazing bit of history. Note that tickets are slightly cheaper if you book them online, which you can do online here .

For more ideas in Bristol, check out our guide to things to do in Bristol , which should give you plenty of ideas to fill your time. Find the best prices on Bristol hotels and book here .

From Bristol it’s on to the Roman spa city of Bath, a world heritage site. Like Oxford , this is a difficult place to be anything other than a tourist, but it is so worth it all the same!

Day 15: Back to London, via Stonehenge!

Our last day of our just over two week UK itinerary takes us back to London. No trip to the UK though would really be complete without taking in perhaps our most famous monument – the circle of rocks known as Stonehenge.

There is just something about the place that makes you wonder. A circle of rocks, built by a people who had nothing but their hands and some bits of wood to help them out, in the middle of the Wiltshire countryside, hundreds of miles from an actual quarry, is just mind blowing.

Add in the pagan ritualism, the relationship between the rocks and the sun, and the sheer mystery of the place, and you have somewhere that is capable of really capturing the imagination. Worth your time to visit (see more thoughts from a trip to Stonehenge here ).

Plus, while you’re there you can pop into Salisbury and enjoy the cathedral, which boasts the highest cathedral spire of any church in the UK.

And then… back to London, where this tour finishes!

2 Weeks in the UK: Road Trip Map

Here’s a map of the route , for your reference.

2 Week UK Itinerary Summary

• Days 1 & 2 : London
• Days 3 & 4 : Oxford & the Cotswolds
• Days 5 & 6 : Peak District and Manchester
• Day 7 : York
• Days 8 & 9 : Edinburgh via Northumberland
• Days 10 – 12 : Ireland
• Day 13 : South Wales and Cardiff
• Day 14 : Bristol & Bath
• Day 15 : Back to London, via Stonehenge!

Can you do this 2 Week UK itinerary by public transport?

A popular question from readers is whether or not this itinerary can be done by public transport. I appreciate that of course not everyone wants to drive in the UK, and the answer, for the most part, is yes.

Certainly, between the major cities on the itinerary there are good rail and/or bus links, with the train usually being a little faster. The main challenge is the rural sections of the route – for example, exploring the Cotswolds, Northumbria or the Peak District. This is possible using local buses of course, but it can definitely slow you down a fair bit, and so you would need to adjust the itinerary a little to fit the schedule.

Another option is to add in some days in London or Edinburgh, and doing some specific day trips from these cities to take in the out of town attractions.

For example, there is this  day trip from London that takes in highlights such as Bath and Stonehenge. Then, for Northumbria and the Scottish Borders, including beautiful Alnwick Castle, consider this tour from Edinburgh .

If you are interested in doing this itinerary by public transport, check out my guide to taking a 10 day UK trip by public transport, which as well as a route, has lots of ideas for how to book different forms of transport in the most effective and cost-efficient way.

What About Touring the UK With A Tour Company?

Another popular question is whether or not this sort of trip can be done with a tour company, and if we have any companies we would recommend for this.

So you have a few options for doing this which I have outlined below.

The first option is to take a group tour of the UK. There are a number of companies offering small group tours – we’d recommend finding a service which operates tours of 15 people or less. We usually use and recommend Rabbie’s Trail Burners , who operate trips around the UK and Ireland, and have a number of tour options to choose from.

We haven’t found a tour that exactly matches our UK wide itinerary, but we still have a solution for those of you wanting the do a similar trip as part of a guided tour.

First, we recommend you spend two or three days in London, following our suggested London itinerary .

Next, we recommend you take something similar to this small group tour , which takes eight days to take you from London to Edinburgh.

In Edinburgh, you can spend a couple of days following our Edinburgh itinerary , after which you can easily fly to either Belfast or Dublin direct from Edinburgh.

Here you can either explore these lovely cities, or take a tour to explore more of the country, we’d recommend either this three day tour of Northern Ireland  or this three day tour of the southern and western coast .

Alternatively, if you’d prefer to skip Ireland, you could take something like this five day tour of the Scottish Highlands and Skye .

Finally, you can either return to London, or have your flights home depart from Dublin or Edinburgh, depending on your tour choice.

The other option is a bespoke tour company and/or a private tour guide, who will be able to put a tour together for you, including guiding, transport and accommodation.

Of all the options, this will generally be the most expensive way to travel, but it will also give you total flexibility in terms of your trip and schedule, plus you’ll have a guide with you every step of the way, taking all the hassle out of your trip.

For this sort of tour, we recommend the services of a professional driver-guide. This website lists all the certified blue badge guides offering tours across the UK. We have taken tours with these guides and always had a good time. The guide we used has sadly now retired, but the website has many good options to choose from.

When to Visit the UK

You can visit the UK at any time of year, although for the best weather and longer daylight hours, we’d definitely suggest visiting in the warmer months – from May to September. May is probably our favourite time of year, the weather is usually quite reasonable but the tourist crowds are not too intense.

Christmas, and the period leading up to Christmas, can also be a wonderful time to visit, when the streets and shops are all brightly lit and decorated for the festive season. For a good example of this, check out our guide to visiting Edinburgh at Christmas .

Where to Stay in the UK:

For accommodation , there are a great many options to choose from, ranging from cosy B&B’s through to upmarket hotels, and everything in between. Finding the best deal on your accommodation is an important part of trip planning – helping you to get the most from your budget, as well as find the property that is right for you.

• We’ve tried a lot of booking sites, and nearly always find ourselves using Booking.com. They have an extensive selection of properties, many with no-fee cancellation policies, and often run discounts and special offers. Click on each city title to see their listings:  London , Oxford ,  Manchester , York , Edinburgh , Dublin , Cardiff and Bristol .
• If you prefer an apartment or more of a hosted stay, then we recommend Plum Guide . We’ve tried all the others, and in our experience Plum Guide consistently has the highest quality options for the locations they are available.
• If you can’t find what you want on Plum Guide, or you want some new options to try out, we wrote a whole post on the best alternatives to AirBnB , as well as a guide to our favourite holiday cottage accommodation in the UK , which you should check out!

Between these options, you should find the best prices and places to stay for your trip, as well as a good selection of reviews and feedback to help you make an informed decision.

How to Get Around the UK

For this kind of trip I also obviously recommend that you look into renting a car. We have used and can recommend Enterprise Car Rental , they usually have great rates, especially for one way rentals. We also recommend comparing car prices using a service like Discover Cars , which compares prices across a range of providers to help you find the best deal.

A hire car will give you a lot more flexibility than public transport, and prices are generally fairly reasonable. However, if you would prefer to do a trip like this by public transport instead of driving yourself, check out our UK itinerary by public transport for ideas.

Another option for travelling in the UK is to hire a motorhome. Whilst this might not be practical for a city focused trip, you might prefer it if you are planning on visiting more rural locations.

For campervan rental we suggest checking out Motorhome Republic . They offer a campervans from a range of companies at different price points, so you can find the right one for you. You can see their UK listings here .

Further reading for your UK Trip

We’ve got lots of resources to help you plan your trip to the UK, from posts we’ve written ourselves to third party content we’re happy to recommend. Here it is:

• If you want a shorter trip, taking in some more off the beaten path destinations, check out this one week itinerary of the UK that I put together. If you’d prefer not to drive yourself, we also have a 10 day UK itinerary by public transport .
• To prepare for your trip to the UK, we’ve put together a detailed UK packing list which covers both London and the wider UK at any time of year
• This is a self-drive trip, so you should definitely check out our guide to driving in the UK for helpful tips.
• We also have a guide to how much it costs to travel in the UK  which will help you cost out a trip like this.
• A guide to driving Scotland’s epic North Coast 500 , as well as accommodation options on the North Coast 500
• When you’re near Glasgow, you should check out the beautiful Devil’s Pulpit in Finnich Glen
• A two day Edinburgh itinerary & 21 Highlights in Edinburgh
• Edinburgh: Getting off the beaten path
• A Two Day Glasgow and Loch Lomond itinerary
• A guide to 10 of the best Stately Homes in England , to give you some ideas as you plan your itinerary
• For London, we have some detailed itineraries to help you plan your visit. These include a 1 Day London Itinerary , a Two Day London itinerary and a Six Day London itinerary
• The top Harry Potter sites in London
• The Best Photography Locations in London
• Tips on Buying and Using the London Pass
• Eight Things to Do in Kensington
• The Highlights of Oxford
• Our guide to things to do in Cambridge
• Visiting Blenheim Palace and the Cotswolds
• 20 Things To Do in Dublin , a 2 day Dublin itinerary and a 3 day Dublin itinerary
• A Guide to Touring the Scottish Borders
• Getting online when travelling in a foreign country can be daunting – check out our guide to getting online when travelling to help you figure out the best options for your trip
• If you’re interested in getting better photos when you travel, take a look at my online photography course , where I’ll teach you everything you need to know about getting better photos – whatever camera you have!
• If you want a physical (or digital!) book to accompany your travels, then Amazon do a good line in UK Travel Guides , and there is naturally a Lonely Planet and a Rough Guide to the UK available.

If you’re planning on visiting a number of historical properties, there are a couple of options you have for saving money as a visitor to the UK. Two main organisations exist to preserve these properties, the National Trust, and English Heritage.

Both of these organisations offer specific passes for visitors to the UK, which represent great value for money for visitors.

For the National Trust you can pick up a National Trust touring pass . This is valid for 7 or 14 days, and gives you access to every National Trust property in the England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

For English Heritage , you can get an English Heritage Overseas Visitor Pass . This is valid for 9 or 16 days, and gives you access to every English Heritage property in the UK.

Alternatively, you can also buy a full membership to these organisations, which will last a full year. You can buy an English Heritage Membership here and a National Trust membership here .

So those were my thoughts for taking in a slightly longer than two week trip in the UK. I’ve obviously missed out a great number of places, as no two week trip can possibly hope to see everything, but I’d like to think I covered a great many highlights of this truly fascinating country.

As always, if you’ve got any thoughts on this post, do hit up the comments below!

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25th February 2024 at 6:30 pm

Hello, we are planning a trip this summer. On my list is scotch tasting in Islay. How many days should we add? Do you have any recommendations?

Laurence Norah says

25th February 2024 at 9:28 pm

Sure thing. Islay is beautiful and very much worth a visit. I’d suggest spending a couple of day at least if you can spare it as it takes a bit of time to get to and from the island and there is plenty to see and do there. I have a guide to things to do on Islay which might help. In terms of whisky distilleries, if you have a favourite whisky that I’d obviously recommend going to that distillery. My favourite whisky is Laphroaig, so I enjoyed visiting that distillery particularly. However my guide to Islay lists all the currently active ones so you can make a choice as to which one you prefer.

Have a great trip!

Marcelo Gurgel says

18th January 2024 at 11:52 pm

Hello ! Your post is very good ! I would like to do a similar tour, but on a motorcycle. Including Isle of Man where the TT Isle of Man race will take place. Please for I leave the bike on the London side and take the Ferry by foot and the best option? Cheaper in this case? How much do ferries generally cost? Where do I search for tickets and itineraries? Thanks a lot for the help !

19th January 2024 at 12:02 am

Hi Marcelo,

Thank you! So the only company which operates ferries to the Isle of Man is the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, and the best way to book a ferry is directly on their website here . They operate services from Heysham, Liverpool, Belfast and Dublin.

If you plan on visiting during the TT race then you should book as soon as you can as this is a very popular event.

The price will vary depennding on when you go but it is definitely less expensive to go as a foot passenger. Looking at a route, it’s around £40 – £50 one way for a foot passenger, and £120 – £140 for a passenger with a bike. However, remember that you will need to pay to park your bike somewhere secure, and you will also need to have transport on the Isle of Man. Also, at more popular times, such as during the TT races, prices can be higher.

I hope this helps, let me know if you have any more questions! Safe travels!

PAUL BASILE says

10th December 2023 at 10:20 pm

stumbled across your blog and was pleasantly surprised! my wife and I will arrive in London on 6/19/24 in advance of Wimbledon where we’ll be staying from 7/5 though 7/10. we want to sorta do your route in reverse, heading out of London straight away renting a car, and heading out. we have around 2 weeks and want to start heading to Ireleand, then Scotland, then visiting cousins in Durham in northern GB, returning car in London before wimbeldon.

would love to get some advice on that reverse route, forgoing the London stuff until later, but wanting your insights on anything else! thanks in advance!

13th December 2023 at 12:19 am

It’s great to hear from you. So you can do the route either way without any issue. The main thing if you do decide to include Ireland is to be sure to check if the car rental company you choose allows you to take the car on a ferry to Ireland. Some will and some won’t, you’ll just want to confirm before booking. Otherwise I think you have the structure of a good itinerary. You can follow my route and just adjust it to suit your interests and available time. I’d definitely recommend booking in advance for places to stay and the ferries as you are coming at a popular time for travel so things will start to book up. Otherwise, just have a great time and let me know if you have any questions!

13th December 2023 at 2:38 am

Lawrence….thanks so much…great info on the ferry and booking places….do you have a fav booking site for places to stay?

13th December 2023 at 3:37 am

It’s my pleasure! We primarily use Booking.com when we travel because we like the filters. We usually filter by rating (8+) and then depending on the trip things like having free parking (handy for a road trip). Then things like WiFi, laundry, free breakfast, free cancellation, depending on what we are doing. Also like that you can apply the filters to the map view (again, handy for road trips). You can also book apartments. We also use various other sites depending on where we are going, some places have more AirBnB options. In the UK we also book holiday cottages but for a trip like yours which will likely have more shorter stops I’d say hotels or B&Bs are likely to be an easier option as apartments often have the extra overhead of needing to arrange check in and check out times.

Let me know if I can help any further 🙂

Linda Haddock says

2nd December 2023 at 7:38 am

Hello, thank you for this helpful blog! Do you have any recommendations on when, where and what to include for sites for a JRR Tolkien fan?

2nd December 2023 at 8:46 pm

It’s my pleasure. So Oxford would be my main recommendation as it was here that Tolkien studied and worked. Fun side story, a dear friend of mine was Tolkien’s Doctor and knew him well, although he has now passed. Anyway, Tolkien studied at Exeter Collge in Oxford and was also a fellow at Pembroke College and Merton College, so many of the sights in Oxford like the Radcliffe Camera and Ashmolean museum would be of interest. The Bodeleian Library in Oxford (the Radcliffe Camera is part of this) does have the originals of many of his works but these are not usually on display unfortunately.

I hope this helps a bit! Have a lovely time in the UK and do let me know if you need any more input 🙂

Ingrid Ermanovics says

24th May 2022 at 3:45 pm

Hi, Love your blog. I hear that the traffic in July can be daunting and cause very long delays. As such, would you still recommend a private car hire (car rental)? Or have other suggestions to avoid the issue? Thanks!!

24th May 2022 at 4:33 pm

Thanks very much! So in my experience, the main factors that contribute to traffic in the UK are road works, which can happen at any time, and travelling at specific times. For example, when there is a public holiday on a Monday or Friday, this tends to lead to a lot of holiday traffic. So avoiding those dates makes a lot of sense. July is not particularly worse in my experience, it can be a bit heavier, but it’s not normally awful unless you are unlucky and encounter an accident, or there are road works. I would advise against trips on Friday or Sunday afternoons, as this is when the traffic can be quite bad at any time of year as people go away for or come back from the weekends.

I’d also advise using an app like Google maps with real time traffic, and trying to plan your travel times so they don’t align with the busier times of day. In general though, i would still recommend using a car rental even in July 🙂

I hope this helps!

Debbie Hebert says

16th May 2022 at 12:16 am

Hi Laurence and Jessica, this trip looks super fun and we are looking to visit July-Aug of this year starting in Dublin (as the airfare is best to there from our home in New Orleans). Just a few questions. Would you suggest going North or South from Dublin? How many miles is the entire itinerary? Is there is a stretch where we could ditch the rental car and take the train and then pick up another car? And/or if we drop off the car before and after London and train in which cities would be best to do that? Thank you so much!

16th May 2022 at 3:11 pm

Thanks Debbie!

So I’d probably recommend dropping the rental car in Belfast or Dublin and then flying across to Cardiff or Edinburgh, depending which way you go. Many car rental firms don’t allow for rentals to be taken on the ferry, plus you have to pay more to transport a car, so this would likely save you money.

Direction wise in Ireland, it really depends what you want to see. In the Republic of Ireland you have lovely landscapes and places like the Dingle peninsula and Ring of Kerry. If you head north to Belfast (also a lovely city), then you can visit places like the Giant’s Causeway and the Coastal Causeway route.

Putting a mileage total on the entire itinerary is tricky as there are likely to be many detours but I’d say a ballpark of 1500 – 2000 miles seems about right. In terms of areas where you can drop the car and take public transport, a lot of this will depend on what you want to see. If you are happy with primarily cities, then you can easily get around between cities with a train instead of a car. So for example, Edinburgh to York, York to Manchester, Manchester to Bath and Bath to Oxford would all work. Then if there were specific day trips you wanted to do there’s the option to either rent a car for that day, or take a day tour. But if you are thinking of spending more time in the countryside and smaller towns, then a car would be a lot less useful. I’d definitely recommend against taking a car into London, and dropping it off somewhere like Oxford or Reading before taking the train into London.

Farooq Ghouri says

6th May 2022 at 2:56 am

Hi Laurence and Jessica We are visiting UK this summer for two weeks. Your two weeks itinerary is great resource for us. I wonder how we can squeeze Wales in it . Any suggestions will be much appreciated We will be using rental car Sincerely Farooq Ghouri from Chicago USA

6th May 2022 at 9:44 am

Thanks very much! So the southern part of Wales is included in this trip on the return from Ireland. However, if you wanted to add Wales your main option would be to do it as you drive north, or to consider skipping Ireland and to drive back down through Wales to Bath. The second option might be easier as it cuts down having to think about a ferry / flight across to Ireland, but it’s up to you. This itinerary is already very busy, so adding more to it as it exists would be a bit of a challenge in my opinion.

Let me know if I can offer any further advice, and have a great time in the UK!

6th May 2022 at 5:06 pm

Thank you much Laurence I will keep your suggestion in mind when finalizing the itinerary

Heather says

28th April 2022 at 2:35 am

I noticed your recommended the The Resident Victoria and I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions. I will be travelling with 3 people, one of which is a full time wheelchair user. Do you think the room size is adequate for a 5 day visit? Did you happen to notice if the showers were roll in or a wet room with chair? I realize most hotels only have accessible showers and whatnot in certain rooms so will understand if you don’t know. I found your travel blog a month ago and love it. Thanks from Canada

28th April 2022 at 12:01 pm

Hi Heather,

Sure thing. So, the first thing to be aware of is that rooms in central London tend to be quite small, especially if you are used to the size of hotel rooms in North America. Another thing to be aware of is that baths are quite common, and having a shower over the bath rather than a separate stall is also fairly common. So if looking for an accessible room it’s really important to specify that, and it’s always worth checking with the hotel what that actually means.

I would say that none of the rooms in the Resident Victoria would really be suitable for three adults to share for a longer stay, if that was what you were thinking. The superior rooms do have the option for three single beds, but these are not accessible rooms. In general, the rooms are fairly compact and I think a wheelchair user in particular would struggle in their standard rooms.

If you were thinking of separate rooms, some of their King Rooms are accessible so that would be an option. I called the hotel this morning and they confirmed that it is their King rooms which are accessible and the showers in these rooms are fully roll in. The toilets and sinks are also accessible. They can also provide a chair in the shower if you want. However these are definitely rooms for two people.

I hope this answers your question! The property is very well located for sure. Let me know if I can offer any further advice. I also have a full guide to where to stay in London which has a lot more options 🙂

13th April 2022 at 11:47 pm

Hi Laurence,

Was very interesting to read this trip. But it’s more suitable for adults without kids to travell to Ireland within two weeks. Can you please look for following trip plan: We are 2 adults + 2 kids (12 and 10) for 14 days. My daughter likes Harry Potter, so preference on these kind of attractions. So i wanted to divided for following parts: 1. London 5 days –>>> museums, parks and so on. 2. Warner Bros. Studio Tour London 1 day 3. Oxford or Cambridge .. yet not decided… for one day + Windsor Castle 4. Rent a car(or by train) and drive to the north >> York 1 day Manchester + Alton Towers – 1 day 5. Drive to south Birmingham (Cadbury world + other attractions) – 1 day Costwolds area – 1 day Bath + Stonehenge – 1 day Total 12 + 2 days (driving + bufffer for other changes during the trip)

Do you think is it good? What to add or remove? Or continue to Edinburgh and cancel some places in current trip? Thanks in advance Sam

14th April 2022 at 11:23 am

Great to hear from you. I agree, trying to include Ireland on the trip would be challenging with family. I think your itinerary sounds good, spending more time focusing on a smaller number of areas is a good choice. For your options, I think I might suggest Oxford over Cambridge if your daughter likes Harry Potter as there are quite a few filming locations in Oxford (see the Oxford section of our Harry Potter guide here ). I would also probably allocate a whole day to Oxford and maybe do Windsor Castle on one of your days in London. Oxford is very easy to reach by train from London so makes an easy day trip, but the day might feel rushed if you include Windsor as well.

I think otherwise your itinerary sounds good. A car will make things easier for sure, especially for things like exploring the Cotswolds and getting to Alton Towers. These are doable by public transport but it will take up valuable time. I also think focusing on England is a good idea. Depending on how much of a Harry Potter fan your daughter is you might consider stopping at Gloucester as well to see Gloucester Cathedral, which was used for various Hogwarts scenes .It’s a spectacular cathedral and lovely city in its own right as well, easy to see in 2-3 hours between Birmingham and Bath before dipping into the Cotswolds.

Have a great trip – let me know if you have any questions!

Vincent Choo says

12th April 2022 at 11:04 am

Laurence, My family and I ( 4 of us intend to tour Great Britain for 2 weeks before joining our friends in Belfast to continue another 10 days covering the island of Ireland. We intend to travel with a combination of car, train , ferry and air and hope to have your recommendation on which sectors should I use the above modes of transport. The intineary is roughly the same as your 2 weeks ( loop from London and ends there ) Thank You

12th April 2022 at 2:43 pm

Hi Vincent!

This is a great question, and the answer will come down to both budget and your interests.

If you are primarily interested in cities and larger towns, then travelling by rail might be easier for the majority of your trip. You can get between most cities and towns quite easily by train, and if you book well in advance you can also get cheap fares. You can also use a Friends & Family railcard to save even more. Travelling by train has the advantage that you don’t have to worry about car rental costs, fuel costs and finding car parking, the latter of which can be a challenge in many cities. I’d definitely advise against a car in London at the very least.

If you prefer a mix of city sightseeing and countryside, then a car is going to be more useful as most countryside sights and places like the Lake District are going to be a lot easier to get to and around with your own vehicle. I’d just suggest leaving the car out of the London part of the trip, and remembering to think about parking and fuel prices as part of your budget. I think a car might end up being slightly more expensive than public transport, but honestly the car rental market is so turbulent these days it’s hard to know without doing the math.

My recommendation would be to fly to Ireland – low cost flights with budget airlines will likely be the best option, and most car rental companies actually don’t allow for their vehicles to go on a ferry. Then you could pick up a hire car in Ireland on arrival.

It sounds like you have a great trip planned – let me know if I can offer any more input!

Sanchay says

7th April 2022 at 8:05 pm

Hello, Im planning a 2 week trip which shall include England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland during the month of October 2022. Is it feasible to cover all the places in 2 weeks considering that we are a group of 6 adults and 2 children ( 11 and 12 yrs) or shall we skip any of the destinations. We shall use Public transport in London and prefer Self drive cars / Trains / Ferries elsewhere. I also want to know if you could share some ranch stays where in we can stay and enjoy the country side instead of hotels. Awaiting your kind suggestion

Thanks and Regards 🙂

8th April 2022 at 11:04 am

Hi Sanchay,

Thanks for your comment. So I would probably recommend that you focus on maybe a couple of countries so you can enjoy yourself a bit more. I would probably recommend perhaps the mainland UK, as the extra effort required to get across to Ireland will eat into your time with two weeks. So perhaps a trip which includes London and Edinburgh, and then areas like the Lake District and / or Wales. One thing to be aware of is that the weather in October can be a bit variable, so spending more time in the cities might be more appealing rather than the country side where the weather might not be suitable for a lot of outdoor activities. Of course, you might be lucky and get good weather, but this is not guaranteed.

For ranch stays, probably the closest in the UK would be countryside B&Bs. Some farms do have accommodation option, and there are some lovely self catering options in the country as well.

Have a great trip and let me know if you have any further questions!

Derek Bowen says

2nd June 2021 at 5:16 pm

A really good trip, but I would skip Manchester and head right up through Rawtenstall, up through Burnley and Nelson. This would be a really good look at the cotton industry as well a real feel of northern England, as well as the best fish and chips. Then carry on up through Skipton, trying to time market day, and over to York, which is a must.

3rd June 2021 at 12:53 pm

Thank you Derek! For sure, there are so many ways to change this route depending on interests, and your suggestion is a good one 😀

Patrick Russell says

22nd March 2021 at 5:18 pm

This is absolutely amazing itinerary. What would a rough cost be for a trip like this? Minus airfare, and passports.

Thank you, Patrick

22nd March 2021 at 5:23 pm

Thanks Patrick! So it will vary quite a bit depending on your travel style. The main costs on a trip like this are transport, accommodation, food and attraction entry. Accommodation will obviously depend on how comfortable you like to travel, and food will also vary a lot depending on if you prefer fine dining or simpler fare.

To help cost a trip like this I put a guide to the costs of travelling in the UK in a post, which should give you some guidance 🙂

https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/cost-travel-uk/

Hope this helps!

Matthew says

8th December 2020 at 2:51 pm

Interesting itinerary. As a British person, rather than a traveller, my comment would be it doesn’t have much of the coast in, though I understand the time constraints. But a trip to the UK with no seaside towns! At least add Brighton, easy to reach from London. Dorset isn’t too far either, and has a fantastic coast. Also, Chester is beautiful and well worth inclusion.

8th December 2020 at 2:52 pm

Hey Matthew,

Great feedback. When I wrote this guide initially it was in response to a specific request, but of course there is so much of the UK that it doesn’t cover for various reasons (including time restraints!). I always encourage folks to use it as a rough guide, but to modify it for their own interests 🙂

Thanks for stopping by!

Tammy Howard says

25th February 2020 at 11:07 pm

Dear Laurence,

Thank you so much for this itinerary. It is fabulous!! We would like to sleep in a castle while on our trip. Are there any that you know of that allow this along this route?

26th February 2020 at 11:20 am

Dear Tammy,

My pleasure! So yes, there are quite a few options along the route, depending on your budget. Some options to consider:

Thornbury Castle – just north of Bristol

Glenapp Castle – just south of the Scotland – Ireland ferry crossing. We’ve stayed here and it’s wonderful

Kilkea Castle Hotel – south of Dublin. We’ve also stayed here.

Cringletie Castle Hotel – about a 40 minute drive south of Edinburgh. Another of our favourites.

Of course, this is just a small selection – there are many more across the UK to choose from, at a range of budgets. One tip when staying in a castle hotel – some of them have built more rooms outside the castle itself. So make sure when booking that you get a room that inside the castle (I think otherwise it sort of defeats the point!).

Have a great trip, let me know if you have any more questions!

Abdiaziz says

29th February 2020 at 8:27 am

How much will I pay if I want to travel next month

29th February 2020 at 10:14 am

Hi Abdiaziz,

March is not too busy a month for travel in the UK, so prices should be reasonable. To figure out your costs for this trip, see our guide to how much it costs to travel in the UK 🙂

Dhaval says

3rd February 2020 at 9:17 am

Hi Laurence, Thanks a lot for this amazing itinerary. We are a group of 4 adults + 4 kids (1Y,3Y,5Y,7Y) and are planning a 15 days trip to the UK. This will be our first time. Can you please assist us with the below queries:-

1. Considering we have small kids, what is the best mode of transport to travel from London to Edinburgh to Dublin? Should we keep one separate day for travelling in our itinerary? We will also have Kids Strollers everywhere we travel. 2. We want to do Day tours from London to Oxford, Cotswold, Stonehenge, Bath etc keeping our base in London. But few of my friends suggested that the Local operators don’t include kids below 5Years and we will be forced to take a rent a car. Any suggestions? 3. Also if we follow your above itinerary, can you guide us the exact cities in which we need to book our apartments/hotels to avoid hassle-free travelling.

Thanks a lot in Advance. Cheers 🙂

3rd February 2020 at 2:45 pm

My pleasure 🙂 I will do my best to help of course. To answer your questions:

1 – From London to Edinburgh I would recommend the train. This takes around 4.5 hours and will be a lot quicker than driving / taking a bus, plus you will have more space for your stroller / bags etc. You could fly too, but as it will take time to check everything in, go through security etc, I think the train will be easier. Just be sure to book your train well in advance to get a good price, and be aware that if you book a ticket in advance, you must take the booked train, the ticket will not work on a different train, even on the same day.

For Edinburgh to Dublin, your only option is realistically to fly.

2 – This is correct, for safety reasons most group tours do not accept children under a certain age, which is often 5. However, you can instead book a private tour. For a group of eight of you this should not work out much more expensive than a normal tour, plus you will be able to customise the itinerary. So I would advise reaching out to private tour operators who should be able to assist.

3 – All the cities are in the itinerary, you would need to stay in whichever ones you want to visit that don’t fall within the day tours you wish to take from London.

I hope this helps – have a great trip and let me know if I can help any further,

Serafina Macdonald says

11th January 2020 at 9:09 pm

Hi there, we are planning a trip to England, Scotland, and Ireland at the beginning of July. We are thinking about 16-18 days. I looked at your itinerary and love your suggestions! My husband does want to spend a half-day in Liverpool and I think we can tweak your itinerary to fit it in and try to do Isle of Skye as well. Since we do have the few extra days at the end of the trip, do you think it would be worthwhile to travel over to the other coast of Ireland to explore that side? (Galway, Aran Islands). Would love some suggestions.

11th January 2020 at 9:18 pm

Hi Serafina!

So Liverpool would definitely be an easy addition to the itinerary. The Isle of Skye is a bit more of a trek, as it’s a five hour drive each way from Edinburgh, so I’d suggest allocating at least 3 days for that, one day each for the drive and one day to actually explore. So do keep that in mind.

For Ireland, absolutely. The west coast is stunning, and if you can find time to head over there I would definitely suggest doing so. There’s a lot to see over there, so the hardest part will be choosing, but certainly the Cliffs of Moher, Dingle Peninsula and Ring of Kerry are some good candidates for your shortlist 🙂

Have a great time, and let me know if you have any more questions!

12th January 2020 at 2:15 pm

Thanks so much! Looking forward to this trip!

3rd December 2019 at 9:40 am

Dear Laurence, This is the first time I visit UK so could you help give a good advice to have plan visit UK during time 24th Dec- 08th Jan

Thanks Duong

3rd December 2019 at 6:11 pm

Thanks for your message. The majority of the information you need should be available on the site, both in this post and in the posts I link to. I am happy to try and help answer any specific questions you might have – is there anything in particular you are worried about?

The main things I would suggest, depending on where you are travelling from, are to plan what you want to see, to plan your accommodation and transport, and to pack properly for winter. Obviously you are visiting over Christmas and New Year, which is a busy time of year, so if you have not booked your accommodation yet you will definitely want to look into that, especially over New Year as that can be a busy time for both travel and accommodation.

Let me know if I can offer any more specific help for your trip,

Hang Tran says

26th November 2019 at 3:59 pm

Hi Laurence, Thank you for your advice and emails. I was able to put together our 2-week itinerary in England. I changed our lodging to London instead of Heathrow and booked different places when we travel around with our Britrail passes. I can’t say thank you enough. It’s very helpful for us. We will stay in London (3 days), Edinburgh (3 days:Edinburgh and York), Bristol for 5 days, Bath for 2 days and travel to other nearby cities (Stonehenge, Oxford, Cardiff) by train to make one-day trip. Is it right time to visit Cardiff in winter? If not, do you have any other places to spend a day? We’re thinking about Liverpool but it takes about 3-hours ride. If so, what should we can see in such a short time in Liverpool? We never ride a train before so we don’t mind riding the train everyday and enjoy the view together.

26th November 2019 at 5:20 pm

I am so pleased to have been able to help you and to hopefully make your trip a memorable one. It sounds like you have a wonderful itinerary planned now.

I would say that Cardiff is fine to visit in winter. Like many cities in the UK, lots of the attractions are indoors, so you can visit at any time of year and have a good time. Obviously you’ll want to dress warmly, but this will be the same all around the UK. Cardiff will definitely be one of the easier places to visit given its proximity. Another option would be Birmingham. I think I would probably not do Liverpool from Bristol – the 3 hour trip each way would be 6 hours on a train, so I don’t think you’d really have enough time to enjoy the city.

Let me know if I can be of any further help! We actually live in Bath too, so maybe we’ll see you 😉

28th November 2019 at 5:30 am

Hi Laurence, Thank you for the suggestion. We will look into Birmingham instead of Liverpool. We might be able to meet you for breakfast or lunch in Bath on Dec 22 or 23. I was able to find a place to stay that we can walk up or down the street to get to Bath Spa. Everything is in walking distance. Thanks to you again.

Sincerely, Hang

28th November 2019 at 7:22 pm

My pleasure – have a lovely trip. Do pop a comment here or send me an e-mail if you have some free time!

Laurel says

9th October 2019 at 7:23 am

Hi, love your itinerary of the UK. It includes much of what we want to see. Howev r, we are a senior couple of nomads from Australia and we are trying to organise a four week trip of the UK and Ireland including the islands off Scotland but we are steam train buffs and have the 10 best day trips on steam trains to try to include. Do you help with itinerary planning to include as many of these as we can but in some sort of order? If not can you head us in the right direction? We don’t need London as we have a couple of days there prior to a cruise of Norway. Is it feasible to do this trip in September and will he days still be long and fairly warm? Thanks in anticipation for your advice.

9th October 2019 at 6:16 pm

Thanks very much! So we don’t offer custom itinerary planning as it’s quite a time intensive process. We’re happy to answer specific questions and help where we can of course. Steam trains aren’t really an area of expertise though!

I can definitely answer your questions about September – I’d say September is a great month to travel. If you are lucky it might still be reasonably warm (recent years have been lovely in September), but you skip the crowds of the summer months and the schools will have gone back as well. September and May are our favourite months to travel. Of course, this is the UK, so rain and cooler weather is certainly possible (although you can get this in July and August as well!), so it’s always best to be prepared with layers of clothing, but you should be fine generally. The days will still be long, light until around 8pm depending on which part of the month you visit 🙂

Have a great trip, and let me know if I can answer any more specifics!

Kevin Ortyl says

19th September 2019 at 6:51 pm

Love the website and your two-week itinerary. Very easy to follow.. So glad we found your site. Need advice please… (Coming from Boston, USA) Thinking of a two-week vacation late August 2020 (family of 4… 2 college age kids) flying into London and out of Dublin. So similar trip you outlined but not returning to Heathrow once in Ireland. Planning on rental car and driving everywhere. Can the one way car rental work in this scenario (London, Scotland, ferry to the Emerald Isle, drop rental at Dublin)? Second Q… if we were to eliminate the Wales back to London segment how would you fill in that itinerary staying in Ireland?

19th September 2019 at 7:20 pm

Thanks very much. So dropping off the car in a different country might be a challenge. Most car rental companies will let you drop the car off in a different part of the same country, but as the Republic of Ireland is separate from the UK, that would likely be a challenge. So your best option is probably to rent the car in the UK, then drop it off at Edinburgh airport and fly to Dublin, then pick up a new rental there.

For your time in Ireland, you have a lot of options! If you are looking for a road trip the Causeway Coastal Route in northern Ireland is a favourite of ours, and the Wild Atlantic Way is also a great drive. Of course there is so much to see in Ireland and Northern Ireland depending on what you are interested in, with both Dublin and Belfast being worth a visit. It would just depend if you wanted to do more city or more country 🙂

Let me know if I can be of any more help – we have quite a few posts on Ireland as well on the site with some ideas!

19th September 2019 at 9:58 pm

Thank you for the reply, and the good information regarding rental cars.

To follow up, once in Ireland probably interested in seeing some of the quaint cities/towns, visit the pubs, little urban culture, castles, etc and those types of places in lieu of say hiking and biking. Hoping of course between destinations to see beautiful countryside and such!

20th September 2019 at 9:02 am

My pleasure 🙂 So I would suggest that driving the Causeway Coastal Route ( https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/causeway-coastal-route-northern-ireland/ ) Might be a good option 🙂

4th September 2019 at 2:13 am

Hi Laurence, I really like the two week trip itenerary. We’ll will be driving and are experienced with that. We’d like to see some worthy gardens along the suggested route. Any ideas?

4th September 2019 at 7:02 pm

Certainly. The gardens at Alnwick Castle are wonderful, as are the gardens at many of the stately homes in the UK (you can see our list of good stately homes in England here ). Not all of them have gardens of course, but that’s a good starting point. Many cities also have botanic gardens, including Edinburgh and Kew Gardens in London, which are well worth the visit.

I hope this helps a little 🙂

Rachel Sales says

16th August 2019 at 5:15 am

Hi! This post gave me lots of ideas. However, can you help me out in modifying this itinerary which will make Edinburgh as the last stop? My flight booking is DXB-LHR, EDI-DXB. I thought it will be nice it it’s an onward journey and not have to go back to my starting point. Thank you in advance!

16th August 2019 at 12:12 pm

Glad to be able to help! So as this itinerary is a loop, it’s a bit challenging to modify it that easily. My suggestion would perhaps be to drop Ireland from your trip, and instead to spend more time in Scotland. So you could follow the itinerary up to Edinburgh, and then add in time exploring more of Scotland before returning to Edinburgh. Let me know your thoughts,

Robin Major says

13th August 2019 at 12:53 am

Hello Lawrence,

I just found and love this site!! I’m trying to plan a 25th wedding anniversary trip for next September (2020) to surprise my hubby.

He’s never been to Europe. I was fortunate enough to get two and half lovely days in London a couple years back courtesy of my employer.

I’m not sure if what I want to do is totally doable though… No driving.. we would do transit and rail… I’m thinking a week in Britian and a week in Scotland. Maybe fly into London, spend two full days exploring the sites.. then I’m sort of lost. We are interested in Castles, love the supernatural aspect of York so that will be a must, definitely want to see Stonehenge.. and as odd as it sounds, my parents did Sherwood Forest and Nottingham on their 25th Wedding Anniversary many years ago so wondering if that would be a recommendation? Just not sure of the logistics for a week in Britian.. where to stay etc.

For Scotland, again, Castles and we are both big Outlander fans so we’ve have to see Loch Ness, Inverness and any and all sites made famous by Outlander. I am thinking a week up there and we fly home from either Glasgow or Edinburgh.

Do you have any suggestions/recommendations on an itinerary for us? I would greatly appreciate any knowledge you wish to share with me.

Thank you so much! Robin

13th August 2019 at 10:19 am

Thanks very much! It certainly would be possible 🙂 I’ve actually written a 10 day UK itinerary by public transport. Whilst the route isn’t exactly what you want, the post does have some useful information to help you plan your trip, especially around booking the trains etc. If you’ve not seen that post yet, it’s here:

https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/10-day-uk-itinerary-public-transport-train-bus/

Regarding your specific itinerary, I would suggest you start in London as you suggest. You could then take a day tour from London out to Stonehenge. This is doable by public transport, but is way easier as a day tour, plus they usually have some extra stops like Bath. You can read our guide to doing that here:

https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/Stonehenge-bath-cotswolds-day-trip-from-london/

So Nottingham is nice (I went to university there), but with limited time I wouldn’t say it was a must do. My suggestion would be to take the train from London to Oxford, and then up to York. A day in each location would work. You are now up to five days in England. Castles are a bit tricky by public transport as many of them are out of cities. I would perhaps suggest extending your time in London and taking the extra day to visit either Windsor Castle or Hampton Court Palace. From York you could head up to Durham which is a beautiful cathedral city.

From Durham the train to Edinburgh is not too far. I’d suggest basing yourself in Edinburgh for at least three days. Two days to explore the city, and then one day to take an Outlander tour. We have specifically done 1 day tour with Rabbies , and thought it was great. We have more suggested day tours from Edinburgh here:

https://independenttravelcats.com/day-trips-from-edinburgh-scotland/

From Edinburgh our recommendation would then be to take the train up to Inverness, from where you can explore more castles, Loch Ness and the Highlands. Again, plenty to do in this area, and there are lots of great day trips to plan. You can see our guide to some of the best here:

https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/day-trips-from-inverness-scotland/

I think that should give you plenty to work with – let me know if you have any more questions!

8th August 2019 at 9:35 pm

I just found this page and so glad I did especially your “Best Stately Homes in England” We will be visiting England and Scotland for 2weeks October 16-29, 2019 and I am excited about your itinerary. We have been to Northern Ireland (once)and Republic of Ireland (4 times) so we can leave those out, so are there any other places you might suggest? My husband has driven every time we have visited Ireland so he can handle a manual transmission. We land at Gatwick Airport and I thought we could head to Edinburgh via a easterly route and return to London via a westerly route. We do not have to travel only motorways but don’t wait too many small country lanes (did plenty of those in Ireland). Any suggestions you could make would be greatly appreciated. Love Manor Houses, Castles, rolling landscape, waterfalls, quaint English market towns or villages, etc. THANKS

9th August 2019 at 8:54 am

Sounds like you have a great trip planned, and I will certainly do my best to help. It sounds like your route is pretty good already, coming down the west side of the UK gives you the chance to pop into the Lake District, explore towns like Chester, and even larger cities like Birmingham. In terms of stately homes, well, I would obviously recommend the majority of those in my post on stately homes. I’d also add Edinburgh Castle of course if you like castles, as well as the more ruined Craigmillar Castle on the outskirts of Edinburgh. Alnwick Castle on the way up through Northumberland is stunning, as are many of the other castles in Northumberland, like Bamburgh and dunstanburgh. For rolling hills and greenery, the Lake District is lovely, but I can also recommend the Hadrian’s Wall area of Northumberland, particularly the area near Housesteads.

For quaint English towns, of course the Cotswolds would be by number one pick. The counties of Kent and Dorset are also good options.

I think that should get you started, let me know if you need some more ideas!

Christine Greentaner says

5th August 2019 at 12:26 pm

Hello!! I stumbled on your site asking google if I could do the this kind of trip and wow, here you are! Unsure of the driving though since we zero experience. However, this two week itinerary gives us something to start thinking about. Thank you so much!! Christine

7th August 2019 at 2:52 pm

Hi Christine!

Driving in the UK is definitely a bit different, especially if you are coming from a country where they drive on the right hand side. Also, if you’re coming from the USA, be aware that most cars in the UK have manual transmissions, so when you rent a car if you are not used to driving a manual you should specify an auto. I have a guide to driving in the Uk which you might also find useful 🙂

https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/tips-for-driving-in-the-uk/

Let me know if you have any questions, and have a great trip!

Danie marais says

11th July 2019 at 8:54 pm

What will it cost for 2 adults

12th July 2019 at 4:17 am

Hi Danie – this really depends on your travel style – you can see a guide to how much travel in the UK costs here for some estimates: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/cost-travel-uk/

Margaret says

9th July 2019 at 6:29 am

HI , Just wanted to ask. I am getting a little a little worried,as our trip is getting closer and closer. Your site has helped so much. Does this sound ok to do. Day 1 arrive late afternoon explore Paddinton. Day 2 & 3 follow your 2 day guide of london sites. Day 4 train to oxford, free 2 hour tour. free time to explore oxford Day 5 train back to oxford ,pick up car. Drive to Cotswold explore.. Drive on up to peak district stay over night . 1 night Day 6 explore peak district , drive to Manchester and york .explore. Now I am unsure to travel to the Lake district Or follow onto Alnwick. as some people say not to miss out on the lake district. We dont have enought time to cut back over to Alnwick unsure . We arrive in paddington on the 20th want to leave Edinburgh 31st. So take into account at least 2 night in Edinburgh and head onto Belfast. We will then explore Belfast and Dublin for 2 weeks as we have friends there. follow onto wales Bath but we do want to stay in Southampton for two days once again friends. Can you get to Heathrow airport from Southampton We have 5.5 weeks for this trip but I do want to spend time with friends in Belfast and Dublin. I am so over whelmed .

10th July 2019 at 5:43 am

Hi Margaret!

First, I’m delighted we’ve been able to help 🙂

Your comment covers a few points so I will try to help where I can. For your itinerary, the first six days look good, the only feedback I would offer is that trying to do the Peak District, Manchester and York in one day is likely going to be too much. Even Manchester and York in one day is quite a bit. York would need at least four hours to fully enjoy it, so I might suggest skipping Manchester unless you are particularly invested in it.

For your Lake District dilemma, I can’t really answer this for you. Everyone has a different idea as to what is “unmissable”, so it really depends on your priorities and interests. The Lake District is certainly very pretty, but so is much of the UK 😉

From Southampton you can definitely get to Heathrow airport. It takes around 2 hours by train. It’s not a direct train though, so you do have to change, but it shouldn’t be too difficult. If you would prefer a direct route, I believe National Express operates a coach service between the two locations.

I think for the rest of your trip you might want to reach out to your friends and ask for their advice in terms of what to see and do. I would try to relax and enjoy yourself instead of trying to see everything and becoming overwhelmed if you can. Travel is definitely a bit of work, but ultimately it is supposed to be fun. I always find that the less planned adventures are the more fun ones. So certainly come up with a framework, but don’t spend too much time worrying about it to the tiniest detail, as it will likely detract from the enjoyment.

22nd July 2019 at 4:35 am

Thank you Laurence, Your advice is so helpful. I have added days, so we can get the most out of our trip 2 days in the Peak District, Manchester and 1 day for York. Now I am on the end part of our trip and once again would like some advice. : After spending 18 days exploring Ireland. We will be catching the ferry to Wales. 20th Fishguard pick up car, early afternoon explore the country driving towards Cardiff, Bristol Question : Unsure as to time length of time needed

I was thinking, see Cardiff, then drive towards Bristol arrive around tea time. sleep overnight and have full day to explore Bristol. 21st after exploring Bristol drive towards Bath. arrive around tea time, find somewhere to sleep for 2 nights (21st and 22nd) 22nd full day to explore Bath. 23 th drive toward Stonehenge, Amesbury, drive onto southamption return Car

24th southamption .explore Southamption see family member. we need to be at Hearthrow airport on the 26th at 9:20 flight take off , My next question is , Should I return to paddington for the 25th so I can get the express train to airport , Is my flight to early to return from southamption. Once again . please guide me. Margaret

22nd July 2019 at 6:03 pm

Hi Margaret,

My pleasure! I will try to help again. Your timings for Bristol / Bath etc seem reasonable. They are very close together, my only advice is to avoid travelling at rush hour (4pm – 6pm), as it will make your journey much longer due to the traffic.

For your second question, in theory you could get from Southampton to Heathrow in time, but it’s around a 2 – 2.5 hour journey. You’d want to check train times for the day you are going, but the earliest trains are around 5am based on my research, so you would get to Heathrow around 7.30am. So yes, it’s possible, but it depends how happy you are with an early start and also the risk of any train delays. Up to you, but personally I avoid early mornings at all costs, so would personally probably just find a hotel near Heathrow 😉

Diana Cottrell says

1st July 2019 at 1:57 am

Loved seeing your site. Very helpful since I’m trying to plan a driving vacation for my husband and myself and really didn’t know were to start. I have some questions but will start with only one. We were in London last year but I could go again. Loved it. Hubby sick and had a different feeling. Would it be hard for someone from the US to land at Heathrow and rent a car…then drive to Windsor right after landing? Is it far enough out of London to get comfortable with driving on a different side of the road?

1st July 2019 at 10:18 pm

So, funny story, after passing my UK driving test the first thing I did was rent a car and drive out of Heathrow! I’m not sure I’d exactly recommend it, you’d be driving onto one of the busiest motorways in the UK (our equivalent of a freeway) which might be quite stressful. It’s possible of course, and I’m sure many people do it, but I would advise caution. Also, make sure you specify you want an automatic as most cars in the UK are manual 🙂

3rd July 2019 at 12:01 am

Thanks for the information. Think we’ll skip Heathrow. How would landing in Edinburgh, then heading up through Scotland and back down England (maybe to Bath). Then going up through York and returning back to Edinburgh to return car.

3rd July 2019 at 2:57 pm

That would likely work quite well. My only advice, if you plan on spending time in Edinburgh, is not to pick up the hire car until you leave, as you won’t need it in the city and you’ll just be paying for car rental and parking for no good reason – the city is very walkable.

6th July 2019 at 11:11 pm

Thanks so much. Will start planning.

Amanda says

23rd June 2019 at 5:59 pm

This is such a great detailed itinerary! We are planning to get a rental car in Cambridge and then driving to Scotland from there, so some of these places we will definitely have to visit! I do have one question, about renting a car. Is there a boarder crossing fee or any other type of fee the rental company could charge to go from England to Scotland? We are planning to do a one-way trip so I know there is a fee for that, but in terms of crossing between the two countries is there a fee? When I read about the boarding crossing fee it was unclear to me if that is only if we leave the UK?

Thank so much!

23rd June 2019 at 6:02 pm

Thanks very much! There’s no fee or anything like that for crossing into Scotland, it’s not really a border like that. It’s all part of the UK, so it’s one country.

Opal joiner says

18th June 2019 at 1:37 pm

Hi Do I need to purchase a London pass and a heritage pass? Or just one pass?

18th June 2019 at 7:05 pm

It depends what you want to see and where you are travelling, but for London the London Pass will cover the majority of the attractions 🙂 I definitely recommend checking what they cover before purchasing though 🙂

Chris Ryan says

17th June 2019 at 8:44 am

From an English persons point of view this is an excellent itinerary. It would be good to include the Lake District and Snowdonia but to cover all this in two weeks would be a nightmare and far too much time on the road. The average Brit would allow at least a month for the whole trip. If only two weeks available I would suggest you save Ireland for another time, it’s sacrilage not to explore more of that country, and maybe see more of the west of Scotland instead.

17th June 2019 at 11:06 am

Thanks very much 🙂 I agree, I was actually born in Snowdonia and that part of the world is wonderful. Have spent many happy weekends camping in the Lakes as well. The itinerary was in response to a specific request – we normally encourage folks to slow down where possible and spend more time seeing and less time travelling, but unfortunately many people don’t have much leave to play with and want to try and see as much as possible 🙂

Lillie says

15th June 2019 at 2:56 pm

Hi! So glad to have stumbled upon your site, as I am planning this trip to the UK in October, and I didn’t even know where to begin. I like the idea of doing all the traveling by road ourselves since we’ll be traveling with our baby who will be 9 month old at the time. I was thinking 10 days, including Ireland, but would you consider that possible? We are really interested in doing the whiskey distillery tours in Scotland and anything and everything related to Harry Potter. We’re also interested in visiting landmarks like the cliffs and stonehenge. We’re usually good at squeezing in a lot in our vacations, but this will be the first time we travel with our son, so I don’t want to set ourselves up for failure either. Any advice on what to cut out or if we need to lengthen the trip?

15th June 2019 at 8:38 pm

So, first off, I have to say that we’re not really experts on travelling with children as we don’t have any of our own. So any advice I offer you is based on what friends and other readers have shared with us about the logistics of travelling with a young person. Of course, everyone’s experience will also be different.

Generally, most folks say that you definitely need to slow down when travelling with young children, as you have to factor in things like feeding, changes and so on. This will definitely vary though depending on age and individual personalities 😉

That said, you are trying to do a great deal in 10 days. Scotland and England are around a 6 – 7 hour drive apart, and if you want to get up into the Highlands you’re looking at another few hours. To then add Ireland would make it more of a challenge for sure. It’s not impossible of course, but it would definitely be rushed. It might be that you would be best off focusing on Ireland and Scotland on this trip, perhaps five days in each, rather than trying to see everything and just having a stressful time. Alternatively, add 3 or 4 days and include some time in England 🙂

I hope this helps a bit!

Ashok Agarwal says

15th June 2019 at 6:01 am

Wow. I looked up the WWW for a 2 week itinerary for the UK and am glad I clicked on your site, from the numerous options that sprang up. The information contained here is so so exhaustive. Not only did I get a fantastic plan but ab amazing read, too. We are planning our first visit to the UK in October and are going to follow your tips to the T. You guys are fantastic. Thanks.

15th June 2019 at 11:04 am

Thanks very much Ashok! Much appreciated 🙂

9th June 2019 at 9:56 am

Dear Laurence!

Thank you SOOOOO much for your inspirational itinerary and all other articles you provide here. They’re great help!

We are going to spend 15 days in UK in August and this is cause we’ve planned to take our son to Warner Bros HP Studio as we are all massive HP fans :). We’ll start and finish in London, though initially we want to hire a car at the airport and start a trip and spend couple of days in London in the end.

Could you kindly give us some advice / decide whether it is possible, to plan a trip considering these simple priorities: 1) we’d love to see Scotland with its green hills, waterfalls etc. 2) we would really like to visit Snowdonia 3) I guess Stonehenge is sth 8-year-old traveler to England must see 4) I personally have dreamt all my life too see PUFFINS (I mean – free puffins) 5) we can skip Irelnad, no problem 😉

I must admit – reading about UK – I am getting a bit lost in huge amount if options and sites one must visit, so I’d be grateful for some advice.

10th June 2019 at 10:57 am

My pleasure 🙂

So my first tip, if you haven’t already booked the Harry Potter Studio Tour is to do it as soon as possible as it books out well in advance 🙂 I also have a guide to visiting which you might have already seen, but just in case you haven’t, it’s here:

https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/taking-a-harry-potter-studio-tour-everything-you-need-to-know/

Then, on to the question of your itinerary. Assuming two days in London, that gives you around 12 – 13 days to play with. I would suggest you spend them as follows. Given that you are Harry Potter fans I’m also including some HP filming locations you might enjoy 😉

Day 1 – head to Oxford, overnight here. Lots of awesome history, plus lots of Harry Potter filming locations to explore. Day 2 – head to Bath via Stonehenge Day 3 – head up to Snowdonia. Will be a bit of a drive, but worth it. I’d advise a couple of days in Snowdonia to do some hiking and exploring the towns, castles etc. The roads are slower here so it will take longer go get around

Day 5 – Head across to York Day 6 – Drive up to Alnwick Castle, another HP filming location. Then continue on to Edinburgh. Day 7 & 8, Edinburgh. Lots to see, lovely castle. Where Rowling wrote many of the HP books. Note the Edinburgh festival will be on so the city will be very busy. If you decide to stay in Edinburgh, you need to book now. Also, if you want to see puffins, the Isle of May just near Edinburgh is one of the best places to get up close to them. You need to book a trip, which you can do here: https://seabird-centre.seafari-edinburgh.co.uk/forth-ferry-and-isle-of-may

Day 9 – head across to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs. Overnight here or in Oban Day 10 – head up to Fort William / Glencoe. You can ride the HP train from here, or go see the viaduct at least Day 11 – head down to Glasgow, overnight Day 12 – drive down to Liverpool, overnight Day 13 – return to London.

I would say that would be a good way to do it! We have lots more info on Harry Potter sites if you are interested: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/london-harry-potter-locations/ https://independenttravelcats.com/guide-top-harry-potter-sites-in-edinburgh-scotland-jk-rowling/ https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/harry-potter-filming-locations-uk/ https://independenttravelcats.com/harry-potter-filming-locations-in-scotland/

10th June 2019 at 8:52 pm

Thank you a lot for your advice! The plan sounds great and we are definitely going to follow it step by step :)))

with best regards!

7th June 2019 at 9:00 am

Hi, what a great article! However, do you have any tips for hire car? Are there any fees/ extra charge or need to notice the supplier that the road trip route is involve Wales, Ireland and Scotland?

7th June 2019 at 8:37 pm

Thanks very much!

For driving in Wales and Scotland it won’t matter because they are part of the united Kingdom, so it’s still the same country.

The republic of Ireland however is a separate country, plus you have to take a ferry to get there. So that would be something you would need to check with the rental agency.

S. Steinback says

26th May 2019 at 9:16 am

Hi, my daughter and I are leaving mid August to the UK for 2 weeks. We are planning to start our trip in London. Then wanted to see Brighton, Cornwall, Wales and Scotland. We also want to see Bath and Oxford too. Is this doable using the train? We are unsure of how we should book our traveling using train, car or bus. Can you provide and manageable itinerary and recommendations on how we should travel from each place on a 2 week trip?

26th May 2019 at 11:04 am

Hi Sabrina,

So you should be able to see most of what you want to see by train. As an example, I’d suggest:

2 days in London 1 day in Brighton (train to Brighton takes about an hour, so can be done as a day trip from London or overnight) 1 day in Oxford (1 hour train from London to Oxford, overnight in Oxford) 1 day in Bath (1 hr 40 minute train from Oxford to Bath, overnight in Bath) 2 days in Cornwall (around 3 hours by train from Bath to Cornwall. You might want to take a tour in Cornwall as there is less public transport to get around) 3 days in Wales (train from Cornwall to Cardiff is around 3 – 4hours, but then you will have to plan how to get around Wales. Again a tour might be easiest) 3 days in Scotland (you can either fly from Cardiff to Glasgow / Edinburgh, or take the train, but the train will take around 8 hours)

I’d also suggest looking into Rabbie’s Trail Burners . They do a number of tours from London which might suit what you want to do and save you the hassle of planning. These cover the majority of the destinations you want to visit.

I hope this helps a bit with your planning!

Ed Hyland says

17th April 2019 at 12:01 am

Thankyou for your guide it was really helpful I am living in Argentina and j am planning on bringing Argentinian tourists to Wales and central England on a tour of castles and important historical sites .I plan on bringing groups of around 10 people and using a rented mini bus to move around. Do you have any helpful tips as this will be our first tour ,we are planning on visiting early September All the best .Ed,x

17th April 2019 at 10:56 am

My pleasure. So I don’t have any experience of running this kind of trip, so it’s tricky to give very specific advice. I am sure you have considered things like insurance and liability and so on, as well as any other legal requirements involved with running a tour.

THe only tips I have would be around admission to sights – there are usually group discounts available for attractions that you might be able to take advantage of, although you might need to call in advance to arrange these. I’d also advise to definitely book your accommodation in advance as you have a larger group.

Otherwise, I hope you have a great trip!

12th April 2019 at 12:04 am

I was planning this itinerary since I saw and had 15 days in the region. After more research I am now wondering what it takes to get a rental car from London to Ireland and back? Do you use the same car the entire trip, or would you switch cars at the water crossings in order to not have to pay to ferry the car across? Also I’ve heard rental agencies in England don’t really allow their rentals (or at least coverage) in Ireland? And yet another concern is time, I keep hearing that driving over there is quite a bit slower going than say the US, or by train, would this itinerary still give enough time to enjoy the locations or would it be quick stops and rushed in order to get to the next place? Sorry a lot of questions, just trying to decide if I need to break the trip up to just one or two countries. Thanks. And love you blogs and all the information and amazing photography.

12th April 2019 at 11:46 am

So it is certainly possible to take a hire car on the ferry, it just depends on the hire car company, and some of them charge a fee for doing so. Here’s an example of the Enterprise UK policy: https://www.enterprise.co.uk/en/help/faqs/driving-across-borders.html

Obviously you also then have to pay the ferry fee for the hire car as well. So an easier option to be honest is just to fly, for example to take a flight from Edinburgh to Belfast or Dublin. You would drop off the hire car in Edinburgh and pick up a new one in Belfast.

I appreciate this might be a bit of hassle, so certainly adjusting the itinerary so you skip Ireland is another option. In this case, I’d suggest either spending more time in Scotland, or coming down the west coast of the UK, visiting the Lakes and Wales.

The roads in the UK are definitely a bit busier and can also be slower than roads in the USA. This itinerary is definitely doable, but I’m always a fan of slowing down and seeing more, so that is a good option too 🙂

Let me know if you have any more questions!

David Cameron says

11th April 2019 at 1:56 pm

“You’ve packed up every possible solution in this one blog. I’m over the moon! I really am! How much would this trip cost, approximately? And if I’m going on this trip, Ireland will definitely be included coz from the moment I saw P.S I love you and Leap Year movie, I’ve been dreaming of visiting those places. Thank you. Thank you so much, Laurence !”

11th April 2019 at 2:04 pm

Thanks very much! So it’s hard to give an exact price as it will depend on your travel style. The best option is to cross reference this post with our guide to how much it costs to travel in the UK, which will let you come up with a budget based on your travel style 🙂

Have a great trip, and let me know if you have any more questions!

Usha Gupta says

10th April 2019 at 6:02 pm

Hi, we are travelling to London for a holiday from India. My 2 sons (29 & 27) and I are planning on spending 2 weeks in London and Wales. 13th-18th in London 19th-21st in Wales 22nd-26th in London Please advice how best to spend our holidays? We do not want to visit any of the normal places as we have seen n visited them all. What are the best places in wales to see and visit? We have not been to wales. Is it safe to take a road rrip from London to wales? Are 3 days in wales enough to get around? Pl advice

10th April 2019 at 6:52 pm

Well, there’s a huge amount to do and see in London beyond all the normal tourist things that you have likely already done. I can advise visiting Greenwich for example if you have not been out there already, and perhaps some of the palaces out of the city, like Kensington or Hampton Course. Sometimes we like to pick up the London Pass and visit some of the many attractions we’ve not been to before!

Wales is lovely but it is quite big so you will want to consider visiting a region. My favourite part of Wales is the northern part, including the Snowdonia national park and towns like Caernarfon, but there are many nice regions and places to visit. If you want to see more you will likely want a few more days in Wales.

It is certainly safe to take a road trip from London to Wales, of course, I can’t guarantee your safety, but it is no less safe than travel anywhere else in the UK 🙂

I hope this helps – have a great trip!

Usha gupta says

14th April 2019 at 3:24 am

Ty for you advise. We decided to spend all our time in London and do day trips, theatre etc.

14th April 2019 at 11:46 am

My pleasure. Enjoy!

Darlene Williams says

24th March 2019 at 6:10 pm

Lovely ideas here! My Granddaughter and I did a trip last summer to the Cotswolds, London and Paris. I’m thinking of a trip with my Granddaughter (18) in 2020 and would like to base myself in the Lakes District or Wales and take in Ireland and Scotland in a 2 week trip. Since I’ve been there I’ve decided I could probably drive it myself or possibly rent cars when needed and travel via train/bus/tours between Ireland & Scotland. I’m guessing the Highlands is probably out of reach for a 2 week trip? I would welcome your knowledge and suggestions. Thank you, Darlene

25th March 2019 at 3:44 pm

Thanks very much Darlene!

I would definitely recommend hiring a car for the Lakes – it’s a more remote part of the UK, and there are fewer public transport options, both for getting there, and for getting around. I would say that it would make for a good base, but just to be aware that the roads are not very fast in either the Lake District or Wales, so it can take a bit of time to get from place to place.

The Highlands would be achievable, but it would involve a great deal of driving, and if you wanted to head up there i would suggest that as a standalone trip, perhaps flying to Inverness (or overnight train from London), and then renting a car from there 🙂

Do let me know if I can provide any more specific information to help you plan!

Deep Shah says

22nd March 2019 at 5:43 am

Hello Laurence and Jessica,

It has been a pleasure reading about all your experiences in and around UK. I am planning to visit UK between April 22 and May 1. I am planning to start my trip from Edinburg cover a bit of scotland and than move on and end my trip in London.

Here is my itinerary Inverness (23 April) –> Isle of Skye (24 April) –> Fort William (25 April) –> Edinburgh (26 April) –> Jedburgh (27 April) –> York (28 April) –> Cambridge (29 April) –> Cotsworld (30 April) –> London (1 May)

Do you think this is doable? Or any particular section is too aggressive? Your help will really help me plan this better.

22nd March 2019 at 10:00 am

This is in theory do-able, but you will be spending a lot of time driving. From Inverness to the Isle of Skye is a 2.5 hour drive for example, and then there’s a lot to see and do on the island which will also require driving. If you are ok with lots of time driving then yes, this is doable, I just wanted to be sure you knew 🙂

24th March 2019 at 12:35 pm

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I am aware that we will have a lot of driving. But thats ok with me. Thanks again for your time. I have made the reservations to follow this itinerary. Will let you know how it goes.

Thanks for sharing all the information on your website.

24th March 2019 at 12:38 pm

My pleasure – have a great time and do let us know how it goes! You can drop in here or in our facebook group 🙂 https://www.facebook.com/groups/travelloversandphotography/

Omker Mahalanobish says

21st March 2019 at 5:22 pm

Thanks for your detailed itinerary. Looks exciting. By the way, could you please let me know, what should be the expected cost for the said trip? Further : I dont want to drive. Me and my wife would be travelling, and we would rather prefer a chauffer driven cab.

Thanks, Omker

21st March 2019 at 5:27 pm

I have a guide to how much it costs to travel in the UK here: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/cost-travel-uk/

However, if you want to travel with a private guide, this will generally cost in the region of £500 – £800 per day for the car / driver guide, and then you would need to add accommodation expenses and so on on top of that. We recommend Robina Brown for this sort of trip: http://driverguidetours.com/

Heather Reid says

20th March 2019 at 5:20 am

This site is the most perfect one for my needs. I am a solo traveler female aged 74 and I wish my 75th Birthday be spent on the next trip. If there be another solo person I would be happy to meet up before departure….male or female.

20th March 2019 at 12:49 pm

Thanks Heather – have a great trip, and we hope you find someone to travel with!

Phillip Armanas says

5th March 2019 at 12:20 am

Stumbled over your website while looking for ideas for a two week trip to the UK, glad I did. You’ve got a fantastic itinerary which includes a number of destinations my wife and I had in mind already. We are a retired couple, living in Australia six months of the year, and Atlanta, Georgia the other six months. This gives us great flexibility in travel terms, both in SE Asia and from the USA to many places including UK/Europe. A question I have is whether you have done any family history work on any of your travels? My ancestry is Scottish in the mid-1800s when my great-great-grandfather arrived into Port Adelaide, Australia. As yet we have been unable to track him accurately back into Scotland, but his surname is from a very ancient clan that can be traced back to the 13th century in Fife county. Have you any tips on places I might visit to pursue my elusive ghosts? Phill & Patti

5th March 2019 at 1:35 pm

Hi Phill & Patti!

We’re delighted you have found our content useful : ) So this isn’t something we have personally done, however I have some resources that might be helpful:

http://www.scottishgenealogyresearch.com/ https://www.visitscotland.com/see-do/research-your-ancestry/steps/ https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/family-history https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/local-family-history-centres

It helps if you know the person’s name you are researching and where they lived before leaving Scotland. If you know this, you can look for a local research center or records office or clan center. The Visit Scotland link above is a good place to start. The Scottish Genealogy Research is a professional service that will do research for you for a fee.

Good luck, and have a great trip!

Ronald Rieder says

15th February 2019 at 1:22 am

My wife and I would like to take your “ideal itinerary” beginning Sept. 30, 2019. Is there anyone or any group that we could join?

17th February 2019 at 3:56 pm

So this itinerary is a self guided tour for those wanting to drive themselves. However, we appreciate not everyone wants to do that, and we’ve put some suggested tours that will allow you to do a similar trip but in a group tour format. My suggestion for that would be to focus on England and Scotland, and to take this small group tour followed by this five day tour of the Scottish Highlands and Skye .

I hope this helps – let me know if I can offer any more advice!

Cass Baron says

11th February 2019 at 2:19 am

Laurence and Jessica, We are from Utah, United States and have never traveled abroad (except a short trip to Canada and a Western Caribbean cruise). It has been our dream to come to England and retrace our family history roots. We were looking for trip ideas that covered the areas for both a historical trip as well as a family roots trip. We found your site and loved everything that you have written about. We like the 2 week itinerary but don’t want to do the Ireland and Wales portion. We would like to include Nottingham and Hastings areas, do you have any suggestions to add these in for the same amount of time. We are planning on this May. Thanks!

11th February 2019 at 7:40 am

Certainly. I’d recommend Hastings first, then heading from there along to Stonehenge and Bath, then the Cotswolds and Oxford. From there, start heading north, with Nottingham your next stop, before continuing with the itinerary. You could even drop the car off in Edinburgh and fly out from there if you didn’t want to drive back down to London 🙂

I hope this helps – let me know if you have any more questions!

Lashaun says

5th February 2019 at 11:42 pm

Hello. If we skip the Ireland portion where should we extend our time or add another destination for the 2 week adventure? Also we’d like to see a football game, suggestions for city (Manchester, Liverpool?), tickets etc? thank you!

6th February 2019 at 10:36 am

I’d say you could extend by visiting the Lake District and northern Wales, or by heading further north into Scotland, where there’s lots to see. You definitely won’t have trouble finding places to see!

For football, if you don’t have a particular affiliate with a team, then Manchester will likely be a good option as they have the largest stadium. Tickets can be bought online in advance for any of the teams from their official websites, just be aware that they can sell out so you’ll want to book well in advance to be sure of getting a spot.

I hope this helps! have a great trip 🙂

Steve Geller says

2nd February 2019 at 3:10 am

Hi there, Curious if this itinerary, or part of it, could be done in a motorhome (midsize RV) for a family of 2 adults and 2 kids. I’ve never been to most of these places, outside of some brief time in London and Dublin. For itineraries like these where there is a lot of moving around, I like the idea of a motorhome vs going from hotel to hotel (or apt to apt). Thanks!

3rd February 2019 at 11:45 am

So yes, it would be possible to do this is a motorhome. However, I’d probably advise modifying the itinerary fairly substantially, especially the city parts. Most UK cities don’t have centrally located motorhome camping locations, and the streets tend to be fairly narrow, which can make driving and parking a motorhome very challenging. I would instead suggest, if you wanted to do a motorhome holiday in the UK, to look at a driving route like the NC500 (see our camping itinerary for the NC500 here ), or adjusting this route so it visits more of the countryside parts, like the Cotswolds, Peak District, Lake District and Northumberland.

Let me know if we can answer any more questions!

Iskandar Zulkifly Bin Ali says

29th January 2019 at 10:05 pm

Hello there ! finding this website was such a blessing for me! i am a student who wishes to travel around UK for 2 weeks before i go outside UK ( around Europe for a month ). my only problem is, i am studying in london therefore i’m gonna skip london from this amazing itinerary, and am also skipping Scotland cuz i went there last Dec already. which will give me extra days to fill in to make it 2 weeks. would you please help me to suggest places to fill in between the itinerary ? ps; i really really want to see Jurassic coast and cambridge and watergate bay. where should i put these places in terms of best route wise?

thank you in advance for your time !! you got a follower on your ig !

30th January 2019 at 7:33 pm

Hi Iskandar!

Thanks for your lovely comment and following on IG! We’ve actually just recently visited Cambridge and written a detailed guide to the city, which will be live on the blog in the next few weeks 🙂

To answer your question, first I have to assume you are driving. If not, this might have to change a bit to accommodate public transport. But I would say I would go from London to Cambridge, then up to the Peak District, Manchester and York. You could then go across to the Lake District if you wanted, then across to Holyhead and to Ireland (if you wanted to visit Ireland). Then south wales, Oxford and the Jurassic coast.

I hope that works for you 🙂 Have a great trip!

HANNAH JOHNSON says

29th January 2019 at 3:07 pm

This has been an amazing help! If possible, I did want to ask about more recommendations as far as castles/history goes. This is a very close itinerary for what I think we want to do, but I was wondering if you had any more info on what I could add/take away from this list in order to do more of that. Also, we will be departing from the atlanta, GA airport, and returning back to (or starting from) england isnt entirely necessarily. I definitely agree and would take your advice of ending in dublin and returning from there or wales, but im basically trying to avoid flying/ferrying more than need be. What would be your recommendation for doing everything in the UK in one vehicle and then only crossing into ireland once? if that makes sense

30th January 2019 at 7:38 pm

So there are a lot of great castles in the UK, and it’s hard to travel anywhere without finding history! Some of my favourite castles are in Scotland and the Northumberland area, and you’ve also got Hadrian’s wall up there. But York has all the Viking history too, and then cities like Oxford or Cambridge have more from the middles ages, Bath has the Roman empire.. So there’s really no shortage of history to find.

If it was me though, I’d spend a bit more time exploring some of the castles in Northumberland like Alnwick, Bamburgh and Dunstanburgh, as well as some in Scotland.

If you want to do everything in the UK that would be possible, just continue from Oxford to Bath and Cardiff, and then head north from there to York. You might want to bypass Manchester in order to get more of the history you are interested in as it’s more of a town that had it’s heyday with the industrial revolution, which might be a bit too recent history for your interests. You could instead add Warwick, which has a popular castle and a lovely town centre.

Have a great trip and let me know if I can be of any more help!

Hannah says

30th January 2019 at 8:25 pm

For sure! Thank you so much.

Maribel says

17th January 2019 at 4:13 am

Hi, I am planning a 2-week trip to Great Britain flying from Mexico City to London. Your post is very helpful. My trip HAS to include the Isle of Man but I do want to go to Edinburgh and Ireland. What do you think would be the best route? Thanks for your amazing post!

17th January 2019 at 6:37 pm

Hi Maribel!

Great question, and the first time anyone has asked me about the Isle of Man, which I have to admit, I haven’t been to!

There are direct ferry connections to the Isle of Man from Belfast, Dublin, Lancaster and Liverpool.

So assuming you want to do a fairly similar route, mug suggestion would be to follow the general outline of this trip, but take the ferry from Dublin to the Isle of Man, and then on to Liverpool, instead of from the southern end of Ireland to Fishguard. I think that’s the most logical option.

There are other option too – you could go London -> Oxford -> Liverpool -> Isle of Man -> Dublin -> Belfast -> Cairyan -> Edinburgh -> London.

So up to you really! Have a great trip, and let us know if you have any more questions!

Maribel Felix says

17th January 2019 at 6:40 pm

Muchas Gracias! I appreciate you advice very much. I will send you an update of my trip on my way back to Mexico.

17th January 2019 at 9:50 pm

Please do Maribel – we love to hear back from people on how their trips go, and incorporate feedback into our content to help everyone!

16th December 2018 at 12:15 am

Hello! I am planning a 28 day trip in in May 2019. What would you recommend to fill in the extra days? Thank you so much! And thank you for sharing such a lovely itinerary!

16th December 2018 at 11:49 am

Hi Sara! It’s hard to give a precise answer without knowing your interests, but if it was me I would extend my trip up into the northern half of Scotland, perhaps spending 7-10 days driving the North Coast 500, visiting the Isle of Skye and seeing the highlands. You could also head out to the some of the other islands, like Lewis. May is a great time to head up into that part of Scotland.

Other options include Wales or Cornwall, or extending your time in Ireland. There’s so much to see and do, even 28 days will be filled easily!

Nathaniel says

14th December 2018 at 7:57 pm

Could I use this itinerary for a school project. You will be credited and cited, obviously. Thank you if yes and thanks anyway if no. This was fun to read, regardless of your reply Thank you again, Nathaniel

14th December 2018 at 11:43 pm

Hi Nathaniel,

Thanks for asking! Could you e-mail me about this so I get more of an idea of the use? It’s [email protected] 🙂

9th December 2018 at 8:26 am

We are planning a 3 week trip to UK (2 weeks) and Amsterdam (1 week).. We will fly to Amsterdam from London. We were looking at your 2 week itinerary and wanted to ask what would you suggest instead of Ireland, We only want to visit London, Wales and Scotland start at London and return to London. Family with kids who like a bit of adventure, culture so interested in castles, nature etc. Also would like to visit Whisky distilleries preferably Glenfiddich and Aberlour. Also we will be hiring a car in London and return there. Would really appreciate your suggestions.

9th December 2018 at 10:37 am

So my suggestion would be to do a loop from London, similar to that I’ve described here, but instead of going across to Ireland, to head down the west coast of the UK, and then visit the Lake District and Wales on your way down.

In terms of distilleries, certainly, Aberlour and Glenfiddich are achievable from Edinburgh, but you are looking at a three hour drive each way. So you might prefer to visit a closer distillery like Deanston, which is also right next to Doune Castle, which I’m sure your kids will also enjoy 🙂

Hope this helps a bit!

Navtej says

22nd October 2018 at 11:18 am

Hi, a very helpful article. As I plan my next year travel to Europe after a gap of 15 years…it’s a god send. I propose to spend a few days in Amsterdam-Bruges and then fly to London. Here I catch up with another couple and there 12 year old daughter and plan to drive to Scotland and Ireland. We have a total of 10 / 11 days for this.

Am thinking will cut Wales from my itinerary and which other place would u recommend I skip ?

Many thanks

Navtej from New Delhi, India

PS another slighlty unrelates question : If I fly into London should I take a flight into Amsterdam and the train back from Bruges or is this complicated and expensive?

22nd October 2018 at 8:22 pm

It’s hard to give specific recommendations as to what to skip as I’m not sure as to your personal interests. If you are more interested in culture / museums etc, then you will want to include more of the cities, and less of the countryside. Conversely, if you are less interested in the outdoors, perhaps leaving out some of the countryside attractions would be a good idea 🙂

Generally my advice would be just to stick to flights as it’s likely going to be easier and probably less expensive. The train though can be a good option if you book far enough in advance, it will just take a little bit longer.

Hope this helps – have a great trip!

Leslie says

21st July 2018 at 11:12 pm

Four women from Texas will be traveling to the UK in September and wanted to drive (one of us is brave enough to drive on the wrong side of the road). We spend 8 days in London last September with side trips to Bath and a tour to Oxford and Cotswolds and Warwick Castle. We have relatives in Glasgow, so plan to see that area of Scotland. Your information is a Godsend and thank you so much for all your planning. We will let you know how it goes!

22nd July 2018 at 9:36 pm

Thanks Leslie – please do! We always love to hear feedback as to how our posts help people (or if they need changing, we love to hear about that too!)

Have an awesome trip!

Ruth Deane says

11th July 2018 at 6:24 am

A good travel guide to the UK. I know it is difficult to provided a balanced approach due to limited wordage but the emphasis should be on the UK. N. Ireland and its capital Belfast have been sadly neglected in this article and the focus was Dublin which is not part of the UK. Surely something coulf have been added about Belfast and N. Ireland in general. It is a beautiful place. The author did make a reference to the Dark Hedges but associates them with Dublin. Last time I checked they are quite definitely in N. IRELAND. Hope this criticism is constructive. N. Ireland continues to get a bad press but it is a beautiful place and the majority of the people are that bad either.

11th July 2018 at 9:44 am

Constructive feedback is always welcome! We’re actually visiting Northern Ireland next week for a week to fully explore Belfast and the Coastal Causeway, and will be updating our content (and creating new content!) to have more information on this part of the UK 🙂 Stay tuned!

Craig Grimston says

26th June 2018 at 2:47 am

Thank you!!

September is a perfect month to come to Texas – the weather is perfect then! I’d be happy to answer any questions you have to the best of my ability (I’m not a native Texan – originally from Australia), but there is a lot of great things to do here. Austin and San Antonio are great too.

Thank you for offering to answer any questions! We are going in a group, so I’m sure a lot of questions will come up! I’ll try not to bombard you with them, but I may just hit you with a few! We are planning for somewhere in June to August next year (I plan ahead big time!) and couldn’t be more excited to see your beautiful country!

But please, definitely hit me up with any questions you have about Dallas or Texas. If I can’t answer them, I can track someone down who can!

Thanks!! Craig

22nd June 2018 at 8:02 pm

Hi Laurence and Jessica,

I just wanted to say thank you for posting this itinerary. I really wanted to plan a road trip in the UK and after googling about it all I got was a bunch of blogs pointing out all of the negative things and basically saying “don’t bother”!

As I was about to give up and go the typical tourist route, I came across your website. It was exactly what I was looking for! It is inspirational, and put the joy and adventure back into my travel plans.

I’m pretty much going to stick to your itinerary with the exception of Ireland (I wanted to check out the Lake District and Liverpool), so Ireland may have to be a separate road trip!

I have a million questions, but I’m going to spare you of that! LOL. I really just wanted to say a big thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge!

Kindest Regards, Craig – Dallas Texas

25th June 2018 at 9:28 pm

Thank you so much, it always means a lot to hear that people are finding our content useful. I think you are making a sensible choice – there is a lot to see on the mainland of the UK, and it’s also less hassle to worry about rental cars and ferries if you leave Ireland for another trip 🙂

We’re happy to answer any questions you have. We’re actually planning a trip to Texas for late September, and will be swinging by Dallas, so may have some questions for you in return!

Vanessa says

14th May 2018 at 9:38 pm

I’ve googled “hire car” and it says “rental car.” But on your site here it seems that a rental care and a hire car are different things. What exactly is the difference? Thank you! And also thank you for this post – it’s amazing and I think I will definitely base my trip -whenever that may be… – around it. Bookmarking this page!!

15th May 2018 at 5:57 pm

Thanks Vanessa! I think in the UK we use the term hire car, wheras in the USA it’s more likely to be called a rental car. But yes, they are the same thing in my mind, you can use the terms interchangeably as far as I know 🙂 Have a great trip, and don’t hesitate to let us know if you have any questions at all 😀

Saurabh says

7th May 2018 at 7:55 am

Hi Lawrence, This is a great post! I think I can use some help. We are planning a 2 week trip to UK in August with a 1 year old toddler. What from above or otherwise will be a good itinerary for us. How realistic is it for me to cover what you have listed here? Appreciate any help. Thanks!

7th May 2018 at 10:03 pm

Thanks Saurabh! First, I should say that not having kids ourselves this isn’t an area of expertise for us 🙂 However, based on experiences of friends who travel with family, my suggestion would be to probably cut the itinerary in half, and focus on some of the major cities. As it is, it’s quite a busy itinerary, and I think you will have a better time doing a bit less and having the time to really explore some of the cities on the itinerary. So for example, maybe just do England and Scotland, and skip Ireland and Wales. This will reduce your travel, and let you spend a bit longer in each city. I’d also advise finding accommodation close to the city centres and attractions, so at least one of you can go out sight-seeing if one of you needs to stay behind for naps etc. I hope this helps – have a wonderful trip!

3rd May 2018 at 12:38 am

My husband and I are following this itinerary this summer, flying round trip into Gatwick from Canada. I was looking at the cost of the ferry from Scotland to Ireland and than Ireland to Wales and was shocked at the cost. Do you know of any Ferry discounts?

3rd May 2018 at 7:12 pm

Hi Sarah – you can try the various ferry search companies like directferries or a1ferries I think they are called. Unfortunately that time of year is school holidays, and there aren’t many companies operating the routes, so the prices go up. You might consider instead flying from Edinburgh to Belfast or Dublin instead, and hiring a car in Ireland rather than taking the ferry, if that is a cheaper option!

Badariah says

21st March 2018 at 8:24 am

Awesome I am planning for a 2 week get away to UK. Your article helpsss a lot. Planning to go in mid sept till end of sept

21st March 2018 at 11:25 am

Thanks very much – have a wonderful trip!

11th March 2018 at 9:06 am

hi lawrence me n my wife middle aged planning to do england and scotland in 15 days in july which would be ideal places to cover by public transport. i am open to hire a car for 2 to 3 days if required. please suggest us best possible train route for this trip we are flying in n out of london thanks waiting for ur reply

11th March 2018 at 10:02 am

My advice would be to follow my 10 day UK itinerary, which is designed for public transport: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/10-day-uk-itinerary-public-transport-train-bus/

You could spend a little extra time in each location, or you could add a couple of stops. My advice would be to add 1 day in Bath near Bristol, stop in Manchester between Liverpool and York, and think about stopping in Newcastle on the way to Edinburgh. If you wanted to see the Cotswolds, you could do that with a hire car from Bath, or on a tour from London.

I hope this helps! That post also has lots of information on using public transport in the UK. Have a great trip!

Christine says

19th February 2018 at 4:57 am

Hello and Thank You!! I was just wondering, I’m not the best with timelines haha, but exactly how many hotel stays are there in total in each location? I’m just trying to determine if you actually spent the night in each location for both nights or if you spent the day touring then drove to the next location and got a room, especially for the 1 day places… if that makes sense? My husband and are are arriving March 10th and fly back out the 24th so just trying to sort out the timelines… Also it was suggested to me to go to Cornwall or Leeds, what are your thoughts? Thanks!

19th February 2018 at 6:11 pm

Hi! And my pleasure 😀

So you’d be looking at:

2 nights in London 1 night in Oxford 1 night in the Cotswolds 1 night in the Peak District 1 night in Manchester (could do Leeds here instead) 1 night in York 2 nights in Edinburgh (could do one night in Northumberland on the way up) 3 nights in Ireland / Northern Ireland 1 night in Cardiff 1 night in Bristol or Bath

You could of course spend more or less time in each destination, and leave say London after two full days but only one night, and overnight in Oxford. So really it’s up to you 🙂

Leeds you could easily fit into this itinerary. Cornwall would be a bit harder as it’s a bit further away. If you wanted to do Cornwall, you might need to leave Ireland out for example to give yourself enough time. Hope this helps!

15th February 2018 at 10:57 pm

Awesome Itinerary, I would add Canterbury to this list 🙂

17th February 2018 at 8:35 pm

I’ve only briefly visited Canterbury, must return!

22nd January 2018 at 4:52 pm

This came a blessing in disguise after searching for a week almost and making all shit loads of itineraries. I am thinking of blindly following this as it looks great to me. Need your help on a few points here if it doe snot bother you much, it would serve a great deal of planning for me in addition to what it already has, 1. Was this too hectic considering the number of places you covered? 2. Was driving time included in the time spent at each place you mentioned? 3. Is driving safe in and around England? 4. Is driving a cheaper option than using rail/bus transport? 5. How much did this two week trip cost you? 6. How much does the drive part of the trip cost?

22nd January 2018 at 5:44 pm

HI Saurabh!

Pleased to hear you found the itinerary 🙂 I’m happy to answer your questions of course.

1. This is definitely a busy itinerary, although as you can see from the other comments, many people have enjoyed it. So it really depends on your own personal style of travel and your preferences, as well as who you are travelling with. If you want a less hectic schedule, I’d suggest perhaps leaving the Irish part of the trip out, and maybe focusing on England and Scotland, and perhaps extending your time in cities like London and Edinburgh.

2. Yes, driving time is included. Driving time is not too great in the UK as distances are not large and the motorways are good, however, be aware that traffic can be bad around rush hour in the morning and evenings.

3. Yes, driving is very safe. Of course, accidents happen like anywhere in the world, but for the most part you shouldn’t have any trouble.

4. It depends on a few factors – mostly how many of you there are. For one person, it might be more cost-effective to take public transport. Also, if you book public transport well in advance, especially trains, this can be much cheaper than buying tickets on the day. Car hire also depends on the size of the car, but you can get pretty good value car hire. Fuel is quite expensive, but most modern hire cars are very fuel efficient. I am shortly going to publish a post with a similar itinerary that focuses on travelling in the UK by public transport, so stay tuned for that 🙂

5. Cost is really up to you, as it depends so much on what you want to see! I’d say you can hire a car for around £180 – £250 a week, fuel costs will be in the region of £50-£70 a week, and accommodation is likely to be in the range of £80 – £150 a night for two people sharing. You can of course get cheaper and more expensive accommodation options, it really depends on your style of travel.

6. The main costs for the car are the car hire, fuel, and any insurance you buy. I’d say between £200 and £300 a week, plus any parking fees. I’d definitely advise always booking a hotel that includes free parking.

I hope this helps with your planning – have a wonderful trip, and don’t miss my one week itinerary post for more ideas 🙂

https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/UK-Itinerary-One-Week-Road-Trip/

Steve and Cheryl Bales says

26th February 2018 at 9:09 pm

Thank you for the wealth of information! We are planning to take a trip to visit our daughter who is in the Air Force in the UK this May. I’ve read your itinerary and the questions and answers that followed. There were a couple of questions that popped up for me and I was hoping you could answer them. You mentioned taking a car over on the ferry to Ireland. We will be driving our daughter’s car, but I was wondering if we needed special insurance on the car to have it ferried. My husband are both disabled to a degree; neither of us are capable of walking long distances or sitting for any duration. Is there a need for concern over these issues? And, what is the cost of a London Pass and how many people does it cover, there will be four in our group? Any information would be much appreciated, thank you in advance. Steve and Cheryl

26th February 2018 at 9:19 pm

Hi Steve and Cheryl,

Thanks for reaching out, and I’m happy to hear you have found the content useful. You don’t normally need special insurance on a car to have it ferried, but you will likely need to check with your daughter’s insurer to make sure it is covered in Ireland. As far as I am aware it should be covered in Northern Ireland with the full coverage, and most UK insurers do provide at least some level cover for the EU, which Ireland is a part of, but worth checking.

For the itinerary I’ve put together, it’s really up to you how much you do. All the major cities have good public transport if you choose not to drive, as well as sight-seeing buses and things like that.

The London Pass prices vary – you have to buy one price per person, so that would be four passes total. Again, the value is up to you and how much you can get out of them. My only concern would be to get real value out of them you do need to try and pack quite a lot in – if you aren’t sure if that’s going to be possible you might end up being better off not getting them and just paying the ticket prices. Also, I’m not sure of your ages, but many attractions have senior concessions, which might also save you money rather than getting a pass. Worth checking the individual websites for the different attractions you want to visit to see what those might be.

You can see the London Pass prices here; https://prf.hn/click/camref:1011lbTW/pubref:FTU2WeekQuestion/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.londonpass.com%2Flondon-pass-prices.php

Derian Quek says

4th September 2017 at 1:10 pm

This trip seems a bit rushed when driving over to Ireland..I am also planning a 2 weeks this December to January. Any tips on this? Am planning London/Manchester/Lake district/Edinburgh/Cotswolds/bath/Stonehenge/Paris

Laurence says

4th September 2017 at 4:05 pm

Hey Darian,

This trip is definitely quite fast – unfortunately folks don’t have too much time sometimes, and are keen to see as much as possible, which is what I try to achieve on this itinerary.

Regarding your itinerary – at that time of year do be aware that the weather obviously won’t be great and it will be getting dark around 4pm – just something to bear in mind. Certainly your plan is possible but will also be quite packed. Perhaps focusing on a few less locations and seeing more. From your list I’d suggest London, with a day trip to bath, the Cotswolds and Stonehenge, then Edinburgh and Paris. You could add in Manchester as well of course. It would also depend on if you have visited any of the locations before and how you plan to travel. I’d suggest train from London to Edinburgh, and a cheap flight from Edinburgh to Paris.

4th September 2017 at 4:15 pm

Hi Laurence. It would actually be my first time to the UK. I’m visiting Manchester because I would wanna catch a game at old Trafford and that’s probably the only reason why. Flight from Edinburgh to Paris sounds like a good option though I would most likely be self driving from London up north. I’m thinking 3 days in London, 1 day in manchester, 2 days in lake district, 3 days in Edinburgh, 1 day to cotswolds and then 3 days in Paris via eurostar before heading back to London for my return flight

Mital Khona says

9th August 2017 at 2:43 pm

Hi Lawrence, Thanks a bunch for this wonderful itinerary… 1. We are travelling this September with 2 Kids ( 2 years old and 8 years old) and2 parents ( senior citizens).. Is this still doable.. I was thinking of picking up train for journey from London to Edinburgh 2. We would like to spend 3 days on the alternative route to Ireland suggested by you above. Can you help on the route/ time we should allot to Snowdonia, etc(west coast of the UK, including Glasgow, the Lake District, and Liverpool, as well as popping into Wales for the stunning Snowdonia national park)

7th January 2018 at 1:26 pm

Hi Mital! It really depends on your kids and grandparents and their stamina. I think this trip might be a bit much for some, and you might find it easier to go a bit slower and take things in a bit more. So perhaps a trip focusing on Edinburgh / London, with a hire car for the return journey down the west coast of the UK. I’d say three – four days in London, two to three days in Edinburgh, and then the rest of the time on the drive down the west coast would work!

Sussex Bloggers says

30th May 2017 at 12:56 pm

Can’t believe you’ve completely skipped Cornwall and the rest of the south coast. Such beautiful scenery all along the southern coastline and some wonderful towns and villages. Here’s a little teaser!

ipsita bhattacharya says

3rd May 2017 at 12:19 am

Hi guys, We are planning a trip to the UK in August/September 2017 and this 2-week itinerary is proving to be of great help! But if we plan to take public transport instead of driving, how much of this is doable? We are also looking at two weeks and while I understand taking trains/buses will eat into our travelling time, we are not sure we want to drive. Please advise. And thanks for this wonderful travel plan!

8th August 2017 at 8:56 am

Our pleasure. Much of this is doable, certainly between the major cities by train at least. We’d advice flying from the UK, likely Edinburgh to Dublin, and then back from Dublin to Cardiff or London. It’s definitely achievable in part though 🙂

Jessica says

2nd April 2017 at 1:15 am

I am so glad that I found your itinerary as we will be visiting the UK for a little over two weeks this coming summer. I do have question for a part of the trip when you have to ferry from Scotland to Ireland, is it easy to find ferries that will take your car across? Also do you recommend a car for the entire trip or to break it up with trains? Such as from London to Edinburgh? Thank you and I hope to hear back from you soon.

7th January 2018 at 1:24 pm

Hi Jessica! Sorry for the slow response. Most of the ferries take cars, but the question is as to whether or not your rental car company will let you take the car on the ferry. So you would need to check with them. If not, you might find it easier to say fly from Edinburgh to Belfast or Dublin to continue to journey, and perhaps pick up a hire car in Ireland instead.

Nishant says

19th March 2017 at 10:59 am

My family of 4 is planning in Aug’17 for 2 week and i like your write up here. we would be staying with our friend’s family (4 member) in LONDON and then accompany them to this tour plan. we wish to know approx budget in INR apart from AIR Ticket required for this kind of tour. Consider AIR BnB stay, Home cooking where ever possible, car drive and budgeted expense suitable for family.

แอโรคอม บริษัทจำกัด says

13th March 2017 at 8:24 am

Your 2 weeks itinerary seems very good. I am concerned with parking space in tourist attractions especially in big cities. Is it not so difficult to find parking area in all these recommended places (except London)? How much is a typical parking fee?

Thanks in advance! Pairoj S.

13th March 2017 at 2:24 pm

Thanks very much! Parking fees really vary depending on where you want to park. On road meter parking is usually the most expensive, around £3 an hour. I’d suggest finding a larger car park, like a multistorey operated by a company like NCP. These are more reasonable, and you would pay on a sliding scale where it is better value for staying for longer. I wouldn’t worry though, there is usually plenty of parking available, and sometimes if you don’t mind walking a little bit, if you don’t park centrally you can park for free. Have a great trip!

Mittal Shah says

10th March 2017 at 11:44 am

Hi Lawrence and Norah. I have been trying to plan a road trip in UK around July end for approximately 12days and have found a lot of helpful information.There are certain things i would like to know from you: For road trip should i consider hiring a caravan or a car( 4 of us travelling)? Is it better to book a hotel or bnb? Please help. Awaiting your reply

12th March 2017 at 9:47 pm

Thanks for your comment. A car would definitely be the best option, for four of you it would likely be the most cost effective option. I’d also suggest bed and breakfasts are a nice option, although there are lots of great hotels as well, it really depends on your budget,

Enjoy your trip!

rajul parikh says

19th February 2017 at 11:46 am

Hi Lawrence and Norah just been browsing through your site and taking in the information about the 2 week holiday in the UK. We find your information relevant and useful. We live in India and are considering a trip sometime mid June 2017. This would be our first trip to the UK. Lots of questions: would the weather be ok around that time? To cover your suggested itinerary (including ireland) how much driving would one end up doing everyday? Would your stops which are marked alphabetically on the map suggest overnight stay? Since we would like to spend at least 5 days in London we would need to extend our trip to about 21 days. Look forward to hearing from you.

19th February 2017 at 11:49 am

Happy that you found it useful! Yes, the main stopping points suggest an overnight stay. The weather is likely to be good in June, however, the weather in the UK can be very unpredictable. Coming from India, you’ll probably find it fairly cool 😉 I’d say between 15 and 25C would be the norm, and you should plan for rain whenever you visit the UK.

In terms of driving, the UK is quite small so not too much, probably not more than 2 – 3 hours a day.

Myn Wong says

14th February 2017 at 1:18 am

Hi. May I know the estimated cost of this trip?

George Monaghan says

30th January 2017 at 8:51 pm

Finding this site most interesting !

30th January 2017 at 8:52 pm

Thanks George, appreciated!

Dave_Toni says

18th January 2017 at 2:17 am

Hi guys, I’m staying in London for a short time (4 days) and I’m now thinking I should have booked a longer stay, but I’m on route to another destination. What would you recommend for a four day tour to get the best out of “must see” locations in in short amount of time? Really enjoying the site, keep up the great information. Thanks Dave.

18th January 2017 at 6:52 pm

Four days is a good time to see lots of London 🙂 My advice, if you’ve not been before, would be to focus on the highlights, plus allocate some time just to wander a bit. I have a two day Itinerary here: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/2016/06/two-day-london-itinerary-essential-sight-seeing.html That should help a bit, and then an itinerary that focuses on the region of Kensington: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/2015/07/top-8-things-to-do-in-kensington.html I also have a guide for getting around London: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/2016/08/guide-public-transport-london.html Some tips for the best photo spots in London: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/2015/12/best-photography-locations-london.html And finally, we always recommend the London Pass to save money if you’re planning on visiting a lot of attractions. Here’s a great breakdown to find out if that’s worth it for you or not: independenttravelcats.com/2016/05/21/tips-using-buying-london-pass-worth/ Enjoy!

13th January 2017 at 10:19 am

So so perfect! Planning a 2 week UK holiday in June. This was God-sent!

13th January 2017 at 10:21 am

Wonderful, pleased you found it useful

Ashton says

5th November 2016 at 5:24 am

This is perfect! Exactly what I was looking for to start planning my honeymoon!! Thank you for taking the time to put this together

13th November 2016 at 7:58 pm

My pleasure – let us know how it goes and if there’s anything missing we can add to the post!

shiva bhavini says

16th July 2016 at 2:34 pm

Hi Laurence & Jessica, My husband and I are planning to have a 10 days UK trip , reaching London on September 16 and have return flight from london on september 26 , can you please suggest should we take some travel agent to take us around in UK ? Thanks much in advance

Ellana McNulty says

3rd July 2016 at 1:39 am

Hi Laurence & Jessica, My husband and I are planning on following your itinerary when we go over in August. When we first looked at your blog, there was a map at the end that you could zoom in on, but cannot find it now? Is the link still available.

3rd July 2016 at 11:24 am

Hi Ellana! Sorry about that, the map was causing issues for mobile users so I removed it. See comment below with a better answer!

Paul McNulty says

7th July 2016 at 12:09 am

Thanks for this Laurence!

Is it possible to have the whole route on the map like you had it before?

4th November 2016 at 11:13 pm

Hi Paul, I’ve been battling with google maps over this and gave up as it wouldn’t let me have enough waypoints. So I’ve switched to Bing Maps with the embedded image, and there’s a link to the route here: https://binged.it/2fDQGD2

Sorry for the delay!

5th November 2016 at 12:02 am

Thanks Laurence… we toured the UK in the last half of August using your itinerary. We modified it a bit to suit our personal tastes, but the basis of our trip was thanks to you. And it was even better than we expected!! Cheers.

5th November 2016 at 9:49 am

Brilliant! Delighted you had a good trip 😀

Alicia says

7th June 2017 at 3:22 am

The above link does not have a driving route in it. Is it no longer working (or I am doing it wrong)?

Unfortunately Google wouldn’t let me put together a driving route with this many stops, so this was the best I could do!

Seyne Tee says

27th June 2016 at 4:03 am

Hi Laurence & Jessica, I plan to visit UK for 2 weeks and rent a car to travel around places outside UK. Your perfect itinerary is exactly what I’m looking for, thanks! I have a problem here, I can only travel with my husband and son in the middle of November, will the weather be friendly enough to carry out activities as per your recommendation?

27th June 2016 at 9:23 am

Well, the weather in the UK can be quite varied, with sun even in November! However it will more likely be cold and grey, temperatures in the range of 3 – 10 degrees C. It will also be dark fairly early. However, that shouldn’t put you off, a lot of this itinerary is focused on the cities, and indoors activities, so you should be fine, although you might want to edit the itinerary a bit to focus more on indoor activities than outdoor ones 🙂

Stephen Mason says

9th May 2016 at 3:58 am

This trip is incredible! Can you give a price of what the final trip costed?

28th June 2016 at 11:55 am

Hi Stephen – it really depends on many factors, including your budget for accommodation / food. You can find places for £50 / night in most of the locations I’ve mentioned, food per person you could get away with £15 a day, then there’s fuel and car hire, not to mention attraction entry. I’d probably look to budgeting around £700 – £1500 per person, as a guideline, but a lot of variables to take into account 🙂

SharronJ says

8th March 2016 at 6:33 pm

This is just what I was looking for. I am planning on visiting your wonderful country for a month next year and just started doing research. Your article is just what I was looking for Thanks so much!

8th March 2016 at 6:35 pm

My pleasure! Have a wonderful trip 🙂

Edward says

17th January 2016 at 11:32 pm

Thank you for this. I will be going in UK late Spetember to October (one month) and this is a nice itnerary and I can do it in a slower pace. Would you say September and October is a good time to do this? How is the weather usually in those months?

2nd February 2016 at 2:47 am

It’s the Autum time so you might fair pretty well, considering. It starts to cool down in September and the trees start changing. There will be rain, especially in the West of England and Wales but there always is.

The best time to visit England is May – August, but if you don’t mind getting caught in the rain now and then, you shouldn’t have a problem

Joanne says

12th October 2015 at 2:18 pm

Is it possible to do this itinerary relying only on public transportation since I don’t drive? Thank you in advance.

12th October 2015 at 2:21 pm

Good parts of it are certainly possible, as the major cities are linked by public transport, and the trains in particular are an excellent and fast way to get around. One tip – book well in advance on specific trains to get the best prices in the UK, the fares you pay on the day are much higher. I’d also suggest flying from Edinburgh to Dublin if you wanted to include the Irish part of the trip.

You might have a bit more difficulty visiting places like the Cotswolds or other “country” parts on your own, however there are plenty of tour operators who can give you a day trip out from London to say the Cotswolds and Stonehenge.

On the whole though, yes, the majority of this itinerary would be more than do-able by public transport!

Nina Tchernova says

7th October 2015 at 2:43 pm

Hi Laurence, thank you so much for sharing this! We are planning to go in April, and this is exactly what we were hoping to do. And here it all is, so wonderfully explored and illustrated! One question though – what would you recommend about car rentals -one, or three? when we cross on a ferry to Ireland, do we bring the car, or is it better to rent another one there, and then another when we get back?

10th October 2015 at 1:14 pm

My pleasure 🙂 The answer to your question isn’t as simple as it sounds. One way rentals, as you’d need if you were to change cars, are generally more expensive than returning the car to the same place. On the other hand, a ferry ticket without a car is cheaper! So you might want to just check the math and see, depending on your budget. Personally, I’d not bother with the hassle of changing cars and just stick with the same one, you just need to check that it’s ok to drive the car in Ireland as well 🙂

10th October 2015 at 1:28 pm

Thank you very much, we will have to make a few enquiries.

Darryl Chan says

24th August 2015 at 6:03 pm

Hey! Love your itinerary! Is there anyway I can contact you to get more personalised advices from you? Looking forward to your reply!

27th August 2015 at 5:28 pm

Sure, you can just drop me an e-mail via the contact page on the site, or just fire away in the comments and I’ll see what I can do,

17th August 2015 at 4:58 am

Where’s the castle in your first picture?

25th September 2015 at 8:51 pm

The castle in the first picture (with the daffodils) is Alnwick castle in Northumberland. Home to Harry Potter or at least the was some filming taken place there and also some of Downtown Abbey. Alnwick is also home to Barter Books where the original ‘keep calm and carry on’ poster was discovered. Northumberland has one of the largest number of castles in the uk. Some of the most impressive I think are Bamburgh Castle, Lindisfarne Castle (on holy island – which needs a visit itself) and Chillingham Castle (known for being pretty spooky). Contact Wooler Tourist Infomation Office on +44 1668 282123 to learn about accommodation as Wooler is a fantastic base for the best of Northumberland.

25th September 2015 at 9:02 pm

Can I also say there is an awesome place for Brits and tourists alike; Beamish, the living museum. It is an outdoor village fashioned perfectly on olden days northern England complete with coal mine, dentis, working sweet shop and more

Monica says

11th August 2015 at 8:16 pm

I loved you itinerary and pictures. I’m definitely using your steps to trace some of my own. Thanks for sharing. I’m excited to read through more of your posts.

15th August 2015 at 8:32 pm

Thanks Monica, have a great trip!

3rd August 2015 at 9:50 pm

Great review of a nice trip through GB. My wife and I are trying to plan one for May, and we were thinking of spending more time in Scottland. Do you have any suggestions for moving from Endinburgh and into the northern part of Scotland and skipping Ireland. I thinking about Aberdeen and stopping by Ben Nevis, but it’s our first time traveling abroad and I’d love more information. Thanks!

3rd August 2015 at 11:49 pm

Hi Andy! To be honest I’ve not spent a lot of time in Scotland recently, but I can very much recommend taking the time to visit Glencoe. It’s a couple of hours from Edinburgh, and is an absolutely stunning valley in the highlands. I’ve also heard nothing but good things about the isle of Skye! Sorry I can’t be of much more help right now 🙁

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The Ultimate 10-Day England Itinerary: 3 Perfect Routes

Last Updated on January 3, 2024

by Maggie Turansky

Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links. That means if you click a link and make a purchase, we may make a small commission. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, see our privacy policy.

Planning the perfect England itinerary can get a bit overwhelming, especially when you’re looking at exploring the country outside of the capital. There is so much to see and do in England that you can be forgiven if you feel slightly dazed when trying to figure out how to pack everything into a short period of time. However, if you’re planning to spend 10 days in England, there are tons of options available for you that can take you all over the country.

Far too many visitors to England set their sites only on London and fail to realise all that lies elsewhere in the country, from beautiful beaches to historic towns to stunning natural vistas — England has it all.

So if you’re interested in mapping out the perfect 10-day itinerary you’ve come to the right place. We’ve lived in and travelled around England extensively and have a lot of knowledge about where to go and how long to spend in each amazing destination in this beautiful country.

Table of Contents

Getting To & Around England

The road and rail systems in England are well-developed, but it can still take some planning to figure out how you want to get around.

First and foremost, you need to figure out which airport or city you will be flying into. If you’re planning on including London on your trip to England (or even if you’re not), then it’s probably easiest to fly into the capital, however, it is worth noting that there are a total of six international airports that serve the greater London area – these include Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Stansted, London City and Southend.

If you are coming from any further than continental Europe, then it is likely you will only fly into Heathrow or Gatwick, located to the southeast and south of Central London respectively. Getting to central London from any of the area’s main airports is straightforward and easy, as there are many different options available.

Once you’ve figured out your plan to get to England, you need to find out how you plan to get around. As I mentioned earlier, the public transit system in the vast majority of England is incredibly well-developed and easy to navigate.

As a general rule, if you’re planning on spending a good amount of time in cities, you can plan to rely solely on the public transport system and your own two feet to get around. This holds especially true for London, but can apply to most major metropolitan areas in England.

When you venture outside of the capital or other cities to enjoy the countryside and rolling hills of England, is when you may want to consider renting a car. While you don’t really need a car in the cities, having your own vehicle when exploring national parks or smaller villages is generally preferable as it can give you an infinite more amount of flexibility and control over your itinerary.

Driving in England is safe and easy, as the roads are in fantastic condition and people are generally very courteous drivers.

Keep in mind for those coming from abroad that they do drive on the left-hand side of the road in England and while this may seem daunting for those who are not used to it, it takes surprisingly little time to get the hang of it — especially if there is other traffic on the road!

If you’re planning on hiring a car while in England, we recommend browsing options here to compare prices across many major car hire companies, ensuring that you get a great deal for your rental car.

If you don’t want to rent a car for your England road trip itinerary or just plan to get one for a couple of days but not for the entirety of your trip, then you’ll likely be wondering what the best way to get between cities is in England.

The rail network is going to be the most comfortable and efficient way to travel between English destinations and the system is extensive and incredibly easy to use. However, trains can be quite expensive in England if not booked far enough in advance. To avoid overpaying on a train ticket, we suggest using Omio to book your journeys well in advance.

If you want to save some money during your trip to England, then the bus is your best bet. Coaches in England are frequent and extensive and can cost a fraction of the same route on the train, however, they are not as comfortable and can be a fair bit slower depending on the route. Again, you can book coach routes online here.

Finally, consider buying a travel insurance policy from a provider like Heymondo for coverage for medical expenses & trip interruption while travelling.

London and Southwest Itinerary

This first itinerary for England has you exploring London and some of the most vibrant regions and cities to the west and along the coast. Though this itinerary can be done by public transport, it would be best done if you rented a car on the fourth day when leaving London.

Days 1-3: London

The best place to begin any trip to England is in its historic and vibrant capital city, London. As one of the largest cities in Europe, London is packed in the brim with cool and interesting things to see and do and there is no way that you will be able to pack it all into a mere three days , so it’s best not even to try.

Instead, concentrate your first day on the sites of central London, including Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery, Green Park, the Palaces of Westminster, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. Take a walking tour if you want to get your bearings and get some historical context for all the sites you’re seeing.

On your second day, visit the Tower of London, gaze in awe at the Tower Bridge, walk across the ultra-modern Millennium Bridge to the Tate Modern and visit St Paul’s Cathedral and Borough Market.

And on your third day in London, visit the incredible British Museum (the Egyptian exhibit is particularly fascinating if you ask me!), before browsing the shops on Oxford Street and in Covent Garden before wandering through the eclectic and trendy SoHo neighbourhood.

For visitors who plan to visit a lot of paid attractions, buying a London Go City Pass will save you money on entrance fees.

If you’re not interested in seeing more of the city, you could opt for a day trip to countless places including Windsor Castle, Oxford, Cambridge , Bath, the Seven Sisters or even to York. You can visit these places independently via coach or train or take a day tour if you’d prefer a guide.

Though three days in London won’t really allow you to venture past the city centre and to see anything much past the main tourist sites, it can still give you an excellent feel for the city (plus plenty of this to visit when you inevitably return!)

Where to Stay in London

Hotel Edward – A great mid-range option in Paddington, west London, this is a great place to stay if you want to be situated close to central London. They have countless great rooms available.

Sanderson Hotel – A hip luxury option in SoHo, this hotel is located only a quick dash away from Oxford Street. They have countless plush rooms on offer and a number of other amenities including a restaurant/bar, gym, spa and many others.

Astor Hyde Park Hostel – This hip hostel is perfect for budget and solo travellers in London. Located centrally close to Hyde Park, it is well situated to explore a lot of London’s top attractions, has fantastic common areas, and offers both dorm and private rooms.

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse more London hotels!

Days 4-5: Bristol

From London, it’s time to head west to the trendy city of Bristol. This city is often overlooked by tourists and it really is a shame — it really has so much to offer. Though you can easily visit Bristol as a day trip from London, it is worth spending a night here, especially because you can spend your first day exploring all of the amazing sites on the way to the city.

On your way to Bristol, make sure to make a number of stop-offs and detours in order to really pack a lot of the highlights of West England into a short period of time.

A short detour from the motorway to Bristol will lead you to the iconic neolithic site of Stonehenge and a bit further afield, you can visit Salisbury with its famous cathedral.

And just a bit before you hit Bristol proper, make sure to spend a good amount of time exploring the beautiful city of Bath . This historic spa town has been an important settlement since Roman times and there are lots of cool things to see and do here.

Once in Bristol, there are lots of things to see and do in order to really get to know the city, but you can pack in into one day easily, you can take a guided tour or go about independently.

Learn about Bristol’s history at the fantastic M Shed museum or learn more about its maritime history at Brunel’s SS Great Britain museum.

If you’re interested in street art, you will be delighted to hear that the famous artist Banksy got his start in Bristol and it has a thriving arts scene. Bristol also has a wonderful food and craft beer scene and it can be enjoyed while exploring the revitalised area of Wapping Wharf.

Where to Stay in Bristol

Victoria Square Hotel Clifton Village – A plush boutique hotel located in Bristol’s lush Clifton suburb, this is a great place to stay if you’re looking for a mid-range option in the city. They have a range of rooms available and a hearty breakfast included in the nightly price.

The Bristol Hotel – The ideal luxury hotel in Bristol, this place is located within easy walking distance of the city’s top attractions and they have a number of clean comfortable and chic rooms on offer.

The Full Moon Backpackers – An ideal option for those solo and budget travellers amongst us, this hostel is a great choice in Bristol. They have a number of dorms and private rooms available, fantastic common areas and a fantastic laid-back vibe, perfect for exploring Bristol!

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse more Bristol hotels!

Days 6-8: Cornwall

On your sixth day of this itinerary, it’s time to drive even further southwest to one of the most beautiful and sunny places in England – Cornwall!

The southwestermost region of the country, Cornwall has long been a favourite holiday destination for locals but foreign tourists rarely venture this way, and it’s incredibly hard to see why — there is so much see and do!

Cornwall is most famous for its beaches, but there is a lot more to it as well. If you’re a nature lover, there are countless walks to go on. If you want to try your hand at surfing, make sure to hit the waves in Newquay, the capital of the sport in England! History buffs will delight in the castles and ruins that dot the region as well.

One of the most famous castles is St Michael’s Mount, just outside of Penzance, which is situated on its own island accessible by a causeway that appears as low tide. If you’re a fan of Arthurian legend, then make sure to visit the dramatic ruins of Tintagel, rumoured to be the birthplace of this legendary British ruler.

Spending two or three days in Cornwall is enough to really see a lot of the region and get a good feel four it, but there is always more to see if you spend more time!

Where to Stay in Cornwall

Palma Guest House – Situated in the heart of St Ives, this is an excellent place to base yourself in Cornwall. They have a number of comfortable rooms available and are located within easy walking distance of all this artsy town has to offer!

Selkies NQY   – Located in Newquay just a few hundred metres from the beach, this is a fantastic luxury option for those visiting Cornwall. Great for a romantic couples getaway, they have a number of luxe rooms available.

Lifeboat Inn – Situated on the bay in the lovely artist’s town of St Ives, this is a great place to stay for couples or families alike. They have a number of spacious rooms available and an option to include breakfast in the room rate.

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse other places to stay in Cornwall!

Days 9-10: Brighton

And finally on this 10-day southwestern England route, round out your time in the lovely coastal city of Brighton ! Located due south of London, Brighton is about a five-hour drive from Cornwall, but we recommend taking an entire day on the journey as there are so many incredible stops along the way .

Take the time to enjoy such places like Dartmoor National Park in Devon, the Jurassic Coast in Dorset, the beautiful seaside city of Bournemouth, the historic port city of Portsmouth or even the lovely New Forest in Hampshire before arriving in Brighton.

Once in Brighton, take the time to explore the city centre and the lovely, albeit rocky, beach. Of course, no trip to Brighton would be complete without enjoying yourselves at the iconic Brighton Pier.

If you want to get a bit more active and are not interested in exploring the city much, then the iconic walk along the Seven Sisters cliffs is easily accessible from Brighton. This is one of the most beautiful day hikes in the UK and will take you along the stunning rim of the famous white cliffs of this region of England.

Conveniently, Brighton is located only about a thirty- to forty-minute train ride from Gatwick Airport and other London area airports are easy to access from the city as well, so it makes for a perfect place to end your trip to England.

Where to Stay in Brighton

Artist Residence, Brighton – This quaint boutique hotel is perfect for those looking for something a bit more hip and trendy while staying in Brighton. They have a number of great rooms available, a great location and fantastic amenities including great common areas and a tapas restaurant on site.

Seadragon Backpackers – A great backpackers hostel perfect for budget travellers, they are well-located and have both dorm and private rooms available. They have great common areas and a central location perfect for exploring the best of what Brighton has to offer.

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse more Brighton hotels!

London and North England Itinerary

If you’re interested in visiting London and then heading up north during your ten days in England, then this is the perfect itinerary for you. Exploring the historic cities and natural areas of the North, you’re sure to enjoy this route through England.

Again, this is another itinerary where it may prove helpful to have a car for some of it, especially for the bit through the Lake District National Park . If you want to save some money, consider renting a car for a few days from York before continuing on an England by train itinerary.

Spend your first three days of this route in the capital of London, following the same daily activities as mentioned in the Southwest England route above.

Days 4-5: York

From London, hop on a train or hire a car and drive north to the lovely walled city of York. If you do happen to drive (and it is recommended!), then make sure to spend the day stopping off at all of the incredible sites along the way and enjoying the gorgeous English countryside.

Some of these include the lovely university city of Cambridge , the historic city of Worcester, Warwick Castle, Robin Hood’s home of Nottingham or even the incredible Peak District National Park in Derbyshire in central England. You could, perhaps, even make a stop in Oxford or at the incredible Blenheim Palace. Or you could detour to Stratford-upon-Avon – the hometown of Shakespeare!

On the next day, plan to spend it exploring the city. You can see a lot of York in one day and some of the highlights include walking along the city walls, exploring the incredible York Minster, taking in the ruins of St Mary’s Abbey in the Museum Gardens, wandering along The Shambles and learning about the city’s history at the York Castle Museum.

If you’d rather get out into nature, then explore more of rural Yorkshire with a trip to the North York Moors National Park or the Yorkshire Dales National Park — these parks are perfect for nature lovers and Bronte fans alike!

Where to Stay in York

The Queens Hotel – A great boutique option, this place is centrally located, has a number of comfortable rooms on offer and a great and hearty full breakfast is available at an additional cost.

The Grand, York – This is the place to stay in York if you want to be in the lap of luxury during your time in the northern city. They have many plush rooms to choose from, countless luxurious amenities, and a great location for easy sightseeing.

Astor York – An excellent, highly-rated hostel in York, this place is perfect for budget backpackers and solo travellers. They have a range of both private rooms and dorm beds available and are located within ten minutes of York’s historic centre.

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse more York hotels!

Days 6-7: Lake District

If you didn’t get out and enjoy the natural splendours of Yorkshire, it’s time to do so now in one of England’s most famous national parks — the Lake District. Located in Cumbria, this beautiful area is filled with incredible lakes, mountains and charming villages.

You can spend your time here going on countless walks — there are walks for all skill and fitness levels. There are also countless charming and historic villages to explore, classic pubs to warm up in, and just some absolutely beautiful scenery to enjoy.

Even if you’re not much of an outdoor lover, there s something for everyone in the Lake District and it is well worth taking the time to head out here before heading down to your final destination on this 10-day route through England.

Where to Stay in the Lake District

The Cavendish Arms – A cosy, mid-range option in the Lake District is this historic pub, located in the lovely village of Cartmel. They have a number of clean and comfortable rooms available and a great breakfast available to enjoy each morning.

Embleton Spa Hotel – If you are after a luxury stay in the Lake District, then this is the perfect choice for you. Located in an 18th-century farmhouse in the beautiful countryside, they have a number of plush rooms available, private apartments, and countless amenities to make your stay a great one.

Kendal Hostel – A great option if you’re travelling on a tight budget or solo, this hostel is one of the best-rated in the Lake District. Situated in a historic Georgian townhouse in the town of Kendal, they have a range of dorm and private rooms available and good self-catering facilities.

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse more Lake District hotels!

Days 8-10: Liverpool

And finally on the North England route, end your trip in the historic, vibrant and wonderful city of Liverpool .

Perhaps most famous for being the birthplace of a little-known band called The Beatles, there are plenty of Fab Four-centric sites to see in this city, however, there is so much more in this historic city.

Liverpool has seen a bit of a resurgence in recent years, especially around the newly refurbished Royal Albert Dock which is packed full of trendy restaurants and shops.

You can also learn about Liverpool’s seafaring history as a port city at the Merseyside Maritime Museum. Also worth a visit is the harrowing International Slavery Museum.

Football fans will rejoice in the chance to tour Anfield Stadium , the home to Liverpool FC and Fab Four fans are sure to enjoy the Beatles Story or even a Beatles Tour.

You can even take the time to take a day trip to the nearby city of Manchester if you want to see more Northern English cities.

Where to Stay in Liverpool

The Dolby Hotel – A good option for mid-range travellers. this hotel has a great location overlooking the River Mersey. Located within easy walking distance of the top sites of the city, they have a number of rooms to choose from and breakfast included in the price.

Titanic Hotel Liverpool – If you want a luxurious stay in Liverpool, then look no further than this swanky hotel. Situated a stone’s throw from the top attractions in the city, they have countless amenities and wonderful, comfortable rooms available.

YHA Liverpool Albert Dock – A fantastic backpacker’s hostel, this is the perfect choice for solo and budget travellers. It is located in the centre of the city close to the top attractions and sites, they have both dorm beds and private rooms available and great common areas.

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse other hotels in Liverpool .

Northern England Itinerary

If you’ve been to London already and would rather spend your ten days in England somewhere outside of the capital, then this is a great route for you. Still beginning and ending in London, this route is great for those who are planning a trip to the other parts of England and don’t want to concentrate on the capital city.

Day 1: London

Begin your itinerary in London and take a day to explore an area of the city that you haven’t had the chance to yet — there is always something to see and do in London. Take in the street art in Shoreditch, stuff your face at Broadway Market if it’s a Saturday or get lost in the expansive Kew Gardens or Richmond Park .

There are far too many things to do in London that it’s worth spending at least a day in the city even if you’ve visited before.

Days 2-3: York

From London, it’s time to head to York. Follow the suggestions in the itinerary above for the ideas for how to spend your time in York.

Days 4-5: Lake District National Park

From York, head out into the great wide open and enjoy the lovely scenery and villages of the Lake District National Park for two full days.

Days 6-8: Liverpool

And from the Lake District, head to historic Liverpool and enjoy all of the fun things there are to see and do in this historic city.

Days 9-10: Cotswolds

On your final two days, it’s time to head back down south to explore an incredibly charming area of England within easy reach of London – the Cotswolds .

This region, located to the northwest of London, is famed for its quintessentially English towns with thatch-roofed homes and historic pubs. It is the perfect place to end your England itinerary.

Take the time to explore quaint villages like Bourton-on-the-Water, Painswick, Burford, Chipping Campden and countless others. These are some of the most beautiful towns in all of England and are sure to transport you back in time.

If you want to get out into nature, then make sure to check out the Cotswolds AONB (area of outstanding natural beauty) which is full of walking trails and lovely, bucolic vistas.

If you’re looking for a quaint and quiet place to round out this epic route through England, you seriously cannot go wrong with spending some time in the Cotswolds before flying home from London.

Where to Stay in the Cotswolds

The Lamb Inn – This charming pub located in the village of Bourton-on-the-Water is the perfect place to rest your head in the Cotswolds. Oozing with charm, they have a range of comfortable and clean rooms available and a great pub downstairs to grab a pint a great bite to eat.

The Fleece – Located in the village of Witney not too far from Oxford, this is a great boutique hotel to stay at in the Cotswolds. T hey have a range of cosy and comfortable rooms available and a fantastic breakfast cooked each morning.

The Old Stocks Inn – Situated in the charming village of Stow-on-the-Wold, this lovely inn is the perfect place to stay if you’re on the hunt for a luxury stay in the Cotswolds. They have a number of beautiful rooms to choose from and lots of other amenities to make your stay fantastic.

Not quite what you’re looking for? Click here to browse more Cotswolds hotels!

There are so many options of places to visit and things to see during your 10 days in England but, hopefully, these three great routes are able to help you plan the trip of your dreams! From historic cities, gorgeous natural scenery, inviting pubs and a wonderful coastline, England has so much to offer visitors — so make sure to see more than just London!

Are you planning a trip to England? Have you visited before? Let us know in the comments!

Related Posts:

One Day in Brighton Itinerary: A Day Trip from London

Epping Forest Walks: The Best London Day Hike

The Perfect 3 or 4 Days in the Lake District Itinerary

About Maggie Turansky

Maggie is a co-founder and writer for The World Was Here First. Originally from the US, she has lived in five different countries and has travelled to dozens more, both solo and with her partner, Michael. She particularly loves exploring Spain and spending time in the Caucasus and the Baltics. Read more about Maggie

Hi I am planning to ciné to the uk Dec/Jan 20 days

My plan so far is London 4 days 29/12-2/1. Then Bath as a base to tour the south. Can you recommend how many days in the south based at Bath then where in the North or ? I was planning on hiring a car in Bath or London.

Also open to any addition suggestions like quick visit to Ireland or Scotland if you feel it is with timeframe.

Thank you A

Hello Maggie, enjoyed your article on visiting England. Our family is planning to visit England from July 9 through July 20. We are from Boston, MA. Wanted your recommendation as we would also like to visit Scotland. How should I plan my iteneray.

Thank you, Khuzema Safri (Khuz).

Thanks for your comment! If you want to visit Scotland, you may find this article helpful in planning your trip: https://www.theworldwasherefirst.com/london-scotland-ireland-itinerary/

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England Itinerary: 7 Days in England

By: Author Guest Contributor

1 Week in England Itinerary

I’m glad you’ve decided to come to England! There are so many great reasons to visit England , and I’ve tried to fit them all into a week’s itinerary. Starting in London and adding Bath, Bristol, the Cotswolds, and the Peak District – this England itinerary will take you through some of the best spots in the country.

This England itinerary includes:

London Bath Bristol Cotswolds Peak District

I’d recommend doing the first half by public transport and then hiring a car to see the Cotswolds and the Peak District. There’s more on that decision below, but it’ll allow you to see all the more.

Day 1 in London

Starting your England itinerary You’ll fly into London, so let’s go there first. After checking into your hotel and freshening up it’s time to get out and see the city. You haven’t got long, so I’d recommend staying central. Take a look at some great Hotels in Central London .

If it’s your first time in London you’ll want to hit up all the big sights on your days out in London. Be prepared for lots of walking!

Pro Tip: If you plan to visit a lot of attractions and museums, the London Pass might be a great way to save money. It gives you access to 80 attractions and you can use the Hop on Hop off bus to get around. Buy the London Pass here >>

Buckingham Palace

Head straight to Buckingham Palace and look round the Queen’s digs to see where the British Royal Family have lived since the start of time. There’s usually a special exhibition on here, featuring fashion or jewelry collections from the past. Check out the Buckingham Palace website for details.

If this is your first time in London, make sure you don’t miss the Changing of the Guards.

Westminster

From here walk through the gardens to Westminster. Here you can see the iconic Big Ben clock, Westminster Abbey where Prince William and Kate got married and the Houses of Parliament. Up to you whether you fancy going in any of them, or they’re good enough to just admire from the pavement.

Once you’re done, walk across the bridge and you’ll get to South Bank. Make sure to take the time to admire the views from the bridge though – London looks its best on a summer’s day down here.

On the South Bank you could visit the London Aquarium, the London Eye, get a bite to eat at the South Bank Food Market (depending on the day and time of year) or just enjoy sitting around and admiring the book market and street performers. Look over the Thames and you’ll see the MI5 building – famously featured regularly on James Bond.

Borough Market

Walk another 25 minutes from here, or catch a red London bus, and you can visit the famous Borough Market. This is where you can try some of the best local food in London. Don’t eat too much though as you’ll want to save for dinner and a show in Soho tonight.

London’s West End is famous the world over. Here you can see shows like The Lion King, Mamma Mia, Matilda and Phantom of the Opera. Search around online for a deal which includes food, as there are some great places to eat in Soho. If you have trouble, then just head to ChinaTown. In recent years it’s more of an ‘Asia Town’, with offerings from Vietnam, Japan and Taiwan too.

If you’ve still got the energy for a night out, then the bars and clubs of Soho will welcome you with open arms! One of my faves is the karaoke at Lucky Voice. Check it out!

Day 2 in London

If you like shopping then Oxford Street and Piccadilly are good fun, but if you’re not really bothered then this is an opportunity to see some more of London. There’s so much to do in the city, but I think these are the key sights. If you need more ideas for a day out in London , check out my post.

I’d recommend you go to Hyde Park though. It’s so nice up here and you can wander around the Serpentine Gallery and the coffee shop there. If you want to see Hyde Park in a different way, then hire some rollerskates and you’ll cover more ground.

In or around Hyde Park you can see Kensington Palace, the Royal Albert Hall, the Royal Geographical Society and the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Notting Hill

If you’re in London on the weekend, jump on the tube (the London Underground) to Notting Hill. Here you’ll find all kinds of antique shops and trinkets, and some great places for brunch. It’s also one of the best places in London for street photography if that’s what you’re into.

Camden Market

You can easily get the tube from here up to Camden. Camden Market is world-famous – here you can get pierced, pick up some neon studded clothes from cyberpunk, and get a tasty bite to eat to enjoy by the canal. It’s also close to Regent’s Park, where you can just wander and enjoy the green space.

Or, you can pay to get into London Zoo and enjoy the thousands of animals who call it home. From Regent’s Park you can wander up to Primrose Hill, which offers some of the best views of North London. It’s also a pretty area to pick up a bite to eat.

I’d recommend a night out in Camden to finish off your two days in London. This is where you’ll find the rockers, the musicians and the creatives. Head to Purple Turtle and The World’s End for the best nights out!

Day 3 in Bath

Right, you can either hire a car, or just get the train – up to you. Today we’re going to go to Bath Spa for a day trip. It’s an hour and a half on the train, to the other side of the country, or about two hours driving. Bath is a UNESCO World Heritage Site .

The ancient Roman Baths here date back to around 65 AD. The city is built on hot springs, and you can visit the sites where Romans would relax and replenish in the hot waters.

You can’t swim in the old ones anymore, but there are plenty of new spas set up around the city where you can enjoy the natural healing properties. The best-known spa in Bath is Thermae Spa – it’s also the most luxurious. They have an open swimming pool on the top floor and plenty of rooms for spa treatments and experiences inside. You’ll need to book in advance to visit here.

Apart from all the spas, Bath is a great city to wander around and there are plenty of things to do in Bath . All the British High Street favorites are here, as well as boutique shops and cute and unique places to eat. The city is beautiful and there are some great walks around where you can look down into the valley. One of the top photo spots is at the Pulteney Bridge, looking down the River Avon.

Enjoy a more relaxed evening here, with the rooftop restaurant at Hall and Woodhouse. They serve great cocktails, a wonderful menu and it’s right in the heart of the city. Also, read my post on one day in Bath . And if you decide to spend the night in Bath, take a look at these recommended hotels in Bath .

Day 4 in Bristol

Enjoy a good breakfast in Bath – maybe at Sally Lunn’s so you can try the traditional Sally Lunn bun – and then it’s time for Bristol! Bristol is just 12 minutes on the train from Bath, or 40 minutes in the car, but it’s a whole other vibe.

Top Sights in Bristol

Bristol is known as the cool, creative part of England. In recent years house prices have gone through the roof as so many people want to live there. It’s the place to live in England right now.

You’ll need to fit in all the top sites in the city during your 24 hours here, including the Clifton Suspension Bridge, Clifton, the city center, Stokes Croft, the Science Museum and Bristol Museum too. I’d strongly recommend you walk the route, that way you’ll get to see a whole bunch of amazing Bristol attractions along the way.

Other things to see in Bristol include Cabot Tower – built in the 1890s to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the journey of John Cabot from Bristol to land, which later became Canada. Nowadays you can climb up it and enjoy the views out to the city.

Also, Bristol Zoo Gardens. This is the fifth oldest zoo IN THE WORLD, having opened in 1836. Since then the zoo has saved over 175 species from extinction. Visit and you can see red pandas, tree kangaroos, and gorillas too.

Stokes Croft Bristol

End up in Stokes Croft on your day in Bristol, as this is where you’ll have the best night out. This is where the independent traders are, and in the summer there’ll always be a beer garden party you can join. You could either stay in Bristol that night or just head back to your hotel in Bath on the train. It’s really not far and saves the worry of your luggage!

Day 5 in the Cotswolds

You can do the first five days using public transport very easily, in fact, I’d recommend it. But from this point I’d recommend you hire a car from either Bristol or Bath to really make the most of the Cotswolds and the Peak District. It’s a bit of a mission to use public transport to get from Bristol to the Cotswolds, whereas if you travel by car you can be there in 20 minutes.

The Cotswolds are an established Area of Natural Beauty (AONB) in England, and made up of small, quaint and very photogenic villages nestled in rolling hills and meadows. It’s much simpler to see by car.

I’d recommend driving to Cirencester to start your Cotswolds road trip. Cirencester is seen as the capital of the Cotswolds and it’s the busiest area. Head to Jack’s Cafe for a great breakfast to set you up for the day. Also, wander around Cirecenster a bit – lookout for the famous Fleece Restaurant, and the cute photo spots around the village.

Best Cotswold Villages

There are lots of great places to visit in the Cotswolds on a day out. Top of the list of best best places to visit in the Cotswold to add to your Cotswolds road trip though, and in order from Cirencester are:

• Bibury: the most photogenic spot in the Cotswolds. Arrived early to beat the crowds wanting to take the same photo of the same run of houses.
• Burford: totally underrated village, but also, cute houses galore! Stow on the Wold – famous for the pretty church, and church door. Looks like something from Lord of the Rings.
• Chipping Campden: here you’ll find some pretty boutique food and clothes shops, nice traditional English pubs and an old market place.
• Winchcombe: if you like castles, this is the Cotswolds village for you. Sudeley Castle dates back over 1000 years and is the number one place to see in Winchcombe.
• Cheltenham: then you can spend the night in the famous village of Cheltenham. This town is famed for its literary festival, and its horse racing, but aside from that is a spa town filled with regency buildings. You can enjoy a lovely evening here before you retire to sleep. I’m sure you’ll be tired by now. Oh, and you have the longest drive in the morning, so don’t drink too much Champers!

Day 6 in the Peak District

It’s a 2.5 hour drive to the Peak District, to Bakewell to be precise. The Peak District is one of England’s 10 National Parks, and the nearest one to where I grew up.

The Peak District is great – you can do all kinds of outdoor activities here. From cycling to hiking, to hang gliding and cable cars. Most of the activities are centered in Edale, the foodie delights in Bakewell, and the kids activities in Matlock – but I’d recommend driving round to see the stunning vistas the Peak District has to offer. If you want to know more about how to spend your day in the Peak District, then click through to my blog post.

As well as all the outdoor activities, there are also gardens to see, the stunning Chatsworth House to look round, and the underground caves to walk through. The Peak District is a really beautiful part of England, and a great chance to suck up some fresh English air before your plane journey back home.

Day 7 Return to London

Relax and head back to the airport I’d recommend a lie-in on your final day, and enjoy a good breakfast. And then maybe a short hike from Matlock to Matlock Bath to leave you feeling revitalized? It’s a three-hour drive back to London from Bakewell, straight down the M1.

Whipsnade Zoo

If you have a late flight then there are still a few gems in England to end your trip with. How about Whipsnade Zoo in the Chiltern Hills Area of Natural Beauty? It’s the UK’s biggest zoo and home to all kinds of exotic animals – including giraffes and penguins.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Or, you could go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at the Warner Bros Studio in Watford. This is where some of the set from the Harry Potter series has ended up, and you can immerse yourself into Harry’s world.

It really is an incredible experience, even if you’re not really that into Harry Potter. They take you through how they made some of the animals, and you get to have a butterbeer. Buy your Wizarding World of Harry Potter tickets here >>

The third option is to visit Windsor and Queen Elizabeth’s famous Windsor Castle . It’s here that she spends most of her time, and it’s also where Prince Harry and Meghan got married back in 2018.

Visit for a few hours and you can see the banqueting rooms enjoy watching the changing of the guard and just walk the grounds of one of the most important buildings in the UK.

Windsor is a really nice town in itself, and has plenty of shops, restaurants and bars to keep you entertained. Windsor is only a 20-minute drive to Heathrow, making for the perfect stop off before your flight.

I hope you’ve enjoyed your week’s itinerary for England. There’s so much to do here, but I think with careful planning using this itinerary, you can see a lot of the country and make some wonderful memories.

This 7 Days in England Itinerary was written by Victoria Philpott, from DayOutinEngland.com . The essential resource for guides and itineraries to England’s best days out. Searchable by interests, counties, cities, and areas – they’re definitely not just for the kids! Also follow her on Facebook , Instagram , and Twitter .

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2 Weeks in England: 3 Itineraries

DISCLAIMER: This post might have links to travel services and products that we enjoy. We might make a commission from it at no extra cost to you.

England is undeniably one of the most well-liked vacation spots in the world, has practically offers a wide selection of exciting things to do and places to venture for any type of visitor. This small but influential nation, a part of the stunning British Isles, is packed with fascinating history, attractive cities, and a wealth of cultural traditions.

There are historical sites wherever you look, including ancient structures, Roman ruins, medieval town centres, and castles dating back hundreds of years.

The United Kingdom is situated between the North Sea and North Atlantic. Belgium, Germany, France, Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, and the Faroe Islands share maritime borders with England.

In this collection of travel itineraries for 2 weeks in England, there are three options for you to choose from depending on what you prefer to see. There is a travel plan for first-time visitors, hiking itinerary, and a guide for those who want to explore the coasts of England.

RELATED POST: 2 weeks in the UK and 2 weeks in Ireland and Northern Ireland itineraries

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE VISITING ENGLAND

Before you book your flight and hotel, check out these basic travel tips for England. Make sure you are visiting at the right time, depending on the activities you plan to do. The following information will also help you write your own travel itinerary that is suitable for you.

When is the best time to go to England

Have you heard of the joke about how much it rains in England? Well, it’s true. But you can still enjoy a sunny day if you plan right. England’s driest time of the year is from February until April. However, this is also the busiest time of the year.

If you want to come here during this time, best book your accommodation in advance. Both to make sure you have a place to stay that is decent in quality and to avoid high costs due to last-minute planning.

The wettest months in England are from autumn until winter. It doesn’t snow that much in England in winter, but it rains most days. If you don’t mind that, it’s a great time to visit in terms of cost. Accommodations are more affordable from September to November. At Christmas, it starts to go up again all the way until January.

Are 2 weeks enough for England

14 days in England is an ideal time. You will be able to cover many magnificent places but also, won’t find yourself with too much extra time feeling bored. If you rent a car to explore outside London, you can maximise your time even more.

If you have two weeks in England, you can definitely visit 3-4 cities. Just make sure to arrange the places according to the distance from one another, so you don’t track back and waste too much time in a train, bus, or car driving around.

Getting around

The best way to get around England is by using public transport; trains and buses. The trains go to pretty much most major cities in England. If you plan to go to rural areas, the bus will surely service there.

You will find ticket machines at the train or bus station that accept card and/or cash payments. Make sure to download the Trainline app to purchase your train tickets in advance.

If you want more freedom of your time, you can rent a car . But only do this once you’re ready to explore outside London. Traffic in London is just not worth your time. It would make more sense to pick up the car in London and drop it off in the exact location, especially if your flight will leave from London anyway.

Language and currency

English is the primary language in England. However, there are many accents as you move around that can be hard to understand at times.

GBP or Great British Pounds (£), is the main currency in England. ATM machines will produce cash in pounds. Payment using a bank card is the most preferred way in England when settling your bill. There are also now e-wallet which might not be possible for you. But remember to always bring cash with you. Around £50 will be ideal in case your card doesn’t work.

England is part of the UK, meaning the government implements the same visa policies as Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

If you hold a passport from most countries in the Americas (North and Latin America), you can enter and travel around England for six months. The same visa policy for visitors with passports from Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Namibia, Botswana, Europe, and of course, territories of the British colonies.

You must get an electronic visa waiver if your passport is from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and UAE. Passport holders of Ireland have freedom of movement in the UK.

What is the average cost for 2 weeks in England

London alone is such an expensive city, England in general for a 2-week trip can cost more than any other country in the world you have been to.

On average, $2,200 for two weeks in England is ideal. Accommodation is the most expensive. Regarding food, you can bring down the cost a little bit. You should also plan to use public transport, which will help to ensure you don’t spend too much.

If a bunk bed and sharing living spaces don’t bother you, a shoestring budget of $1,900 is possible for a 14 days trip in England. But remember that most hostels are located a bit out of the city. Check if you can rent a push bike to help you get around. Instead of booking a tour, you can try to look for “free walking tours” which operate in “tips”.

For those with a budget to go on a luxury trip, $3,500 will be a friendly budget. You won’t be able to stay in 5-star hotels the entire time, but you can book them if you plan to do so outside London. You can eat out and move around using a taxi and ride-hailing apps on this budget.

Other basic travel tips

As mentioned before, it’s best to book things in advance regarding taking a trip to England. Good hotels get books quickly. Don’t worry, many of these travel sites offer flexible cancellations if you change your mind or plans.

PINNED MAP OF TOP THINGS TO SEE IN ENGLAND

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2 WEEKS IN ENGLAND ITINERARY

England might be intimidating for newcomers, with plenty of tourists and citizens populating the country. To help you save time, you can use this comprehensive guide to help you plan your trip to easily navigate the cities, seaside destinations, and hiking trails.

The places you can explore on particular days are listed below. I also added a section about what you can do in every city to help you make the best out of your two weeks in England. There are 3 sample itineraries.

Itinerary #1: First-Time Visitor (London, Brighton, Cotswold, Northern England)

If it’s your first visit, I’d suggest concentrating on these areas and taking at least 2 weeks to explore. You can travel quickly and see a new location every day, but if you’d prefer a more leisurely tour, you should probably spend at least 3-4 days in every city, especially considering the transport time.

I must admit that deciding which cities to include in this itinerary has been quite challenging. It is showcased in this two-week in England itinerary if you want to see the best of England. Although many other locations are just as stunning, this tour offers a good variety.

London for 4 days

London, one of the most charming cities in the world, is known for its modern cobblestone streets lined with ancient buildings, award-winning theatres, and modern buildings like The Shard. Some trendy locations are Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and Buckingham Palace, all encircled by charming streets.

Generally, Britain’s capital offers a unique experience for everyone, including foodies, adventurers, history buffs, families, and shopaholics.

Big Ben, the 318-foot tower that holds the giant clock and its booming bell, is the best example of what “London” is all about. Several excellent sightseeing choices outside the city are entirely doable on a day trip from London. The two locations that you must visit include Cambridge and Stonehenge.

Brighton for 3 days

With its magnificent peaks that seem more at home in India, The Royal Pavilion, located in the heart of Brighton, is hard to overlook. You can also check out the Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, which is set in the pavilion’s former Royal Stables and Riding School area.

The outstanding Willett Collection of porcelain and ceramics, the remarkable Art Deco collection, and the costume exhibit with 18th-century clothes all make this top-notch museum worthwhile.

A trip to the seaside wouldn’t be complete without stopping by Brighton Palace Pier, surrounded by shops, amusement arcades, and food stalls. The quickest train travel time from London to Brighton is around 1 hr 8 min with a distance of 75 km (47 miles).

Cotswold for 3 days

The Cotswolds’ charming villages and historic market squares, which frequently serve as movie sets, make travelling here like walking into a storybook. Don’t miss out on Bourton-on-the-Water, a charming village that has earned the nickname “Venice of the Cotswolds”, thanks to the clear River Windrush that passes through the centre of the community.

If you’re eyeing antiques, Broadway has numerous stores, art galleries, and cafes along the streets.

Bath has several spa towns, including Thermae Bath Spa, which is right next to the Roman Baths and offers visitors a unique and relaxing experience. There are numerous spa services to choose from, including hot stone therapy and water massages, perfect after a tiring day of exploring.

Travelling from Brighton to Cotswold by car rental would be ideal as it usually takes roughly 2 hr 25 min rather than by train which is around 4 hr 34 min.

Northern England 4 days

The cities in Northern England include Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Lancaster, York, Newcastle, Windermere, and Chester. The most popular cities are Manchester and Liverpool because of their popularity in history, sports, and music. The Beatles is from Liverpool, while Oasis is from Manchester, just to name a few.

Many local and foreign visitors go to Liverpool for its football club, but there are lots more attractions to see in Liverpool apart from this. While Leeds features the Royak Armouries Museum and Manchester, it is the place to learn about the atomic theory and the journey of splitting it.

The historic city of York, the spiritual centre of the Church of England, is among Northern England’s most well-known tourist sites. It is home to one of the nation’s most magnificent cathedrals, the York Minister. The ancient City Walls that encircle the former medieval city centre for approximately 5 kilometres are another attraction worth exploring.

You’ll have great views of The Shambles, a street that dates back to the 14th century and is noted for its beautiful wooden buildings, as well as other nearby restaurants, boutique stores, and art galleries, which make this city a great place to end your 2 weeks in England trip.

You can expect the trip from Cotswold to Northern England, which spans 412 km (256 miles), by driving for 4 hr 24 min through the A1 (M) route.

Itinerary #2: Hiking Itinerary (Peak District, Lake District, Yorkshire Dales/Dartmoor National Park)

Apart from the typical tourist destinations, England is the ideal vacation option for anyone who enjoys spending time in nature. There are many hiking trails to discover, and they are all enclosed by the country’s breathtaking scenery, extensive history, and hospitable culture.

Whether you like to wander in the Dartmoor National Park, discover the Lake District, or stroll through the Yorkshire Dales, each provides a unique hiking experience for your upcoming vacation.

I’ve compiled some of England’s most incredible outdoor adventure spots. If you’ve longed to get away from England’s busy cities, this 14-day in England itinerary is ideal.

London for 2 days

If London isn’t part of your itinerary, you can still make the most of your time when you land here. Ensure necessary arrangements before visiting England’s off-the-beaten-track areas, including renting a car, stocking up on cash, getting a local sim card, and purchasing hiking equipment.

Peak District for 3 days

Mam Tor, which translates to “Mother Hill,” is a 517-meter-high hill close to Castleton that genuinely deserves a spot on your bucket list. Another note-worthy hike is the beautiful 46-mile path through the Peak District National Park’s White Peak region, called The Limestone Way.

For quick treks, consider the Bolsover Town Walking Route, which leads you through the historic streets of Bolsover and reveals hidden gems like courtyards, vistas of the surrounding countryside, and even a splendid 13th-century church.

Buxton, Buxton, and Sheffield are the ideal locations to stay if you intend to explore the Peak District. These towns are mainly untouched and have maintained their small-village charm despite the surge of tourists.

I recommend travelling from London to Peak District by high-speed train, which takes 90 to arrive. You can also drive your rented car. The journey will take around 3 hr and 20 mins.

Lake District for 3 days

Helvellyn, one of the tallest peaks in the Lake District, is a favourite trip for experienced and novice climbers. Hikers enjoy Ullswater, where they can travel the 32-km Ullswater Way all around the lake or shorten their trip to 12 kilometres by adding boat rides. You can hike the 451-m high Catbells High Ridge for a quick half-day trip.

If you’re looking for a place to stay, I recommend heading to Ambleside, a small town with numerous restaurants and accommodations. Another excellent option is Penrith, a vibrant market town with sandstone structures famous for its abundance of shops.

Yorkshire Dales National Park or Dartmoor National Park for 3 days

Next up are 2 national parks that I highly recommend: Dartmoor National Park and Yorkshire Dales National Park. If you prefer exploring with less crowd, pick Dartmoor. Choose Yorkshire if you want to stay in the North while driving less. If you’re still undecided, I suggest reading more about them to determine which best suits your preferences.

Witness the might of Hardraw Force, England’s tallest single-drop waterfall, on this challenging 3.5-mile trek starting at Hawes National Park. Soaring 723 m above the landscape is Ingleborough, Yorkshire’s 2nd highest peak and of the most popular hiking sites. If you’re looking for the best accommodation options, consider Hawes, Bainbridge, and Carperby.

If you want to opt for a short but scenic hike, head to Lydford Gorge, where you can glimpse the White Lady Waterfall. For advanced hikers, I recommend the circular route called Burrator, where you could take in some of Southern England’s most stunning sceneries. After days of exploring Dartmoor, a comfortable location to rest is necessary, and you can find one in either Exeter or Plymouth.

I recommend travelling by car from Lake District to Yorkshire Dales since it will only take 50 min, over an estimated 55 km (34 miles) from route 685. Whereas the travel time by car from Lake District to Dartmoor National Park is roughly 5 hr 2 min with a total distance of 523 km (325 miles) along routes M6 and M5.

Itinerary #3: Along the Coasts (Brighton, Dorset, Cornwall, North Devon)

You’re in for a treat when you visit these seaside destinations due to their impressive sea cliffs, wide bays, and magnificent beaches. For those seeking serene beachfront solitude, some of the best beaches are found off the usual path. There are many romantic beaches to choose from along England’s breathtaking coastline, which is perfect for couples.

This itinerary welcomes visitors to laze by the water and enjoy the sun. The beaches of England have excellent surfing waves and a variety of practice areas, making them ideal for both beginners and advanced surfers.

England offers countless vacation options for solo travellers, families, and anyone wishing to spend time by the sea. Many beaches are served by restaurants, hotels, and leading recreational services, including extensive water sports facilities.

Even if London isn’t on your agenda, you may still take advantage of your time once you arrive. Be sure to make all necessary preparations before travelling along the coasts of England for a seamless trip. This includes renting a car, setting aside enough cash, obtaining a local sim card, and buying goods.

Long before the establishment of the railway, Brighton was already a well-known seaside destination with several outstanding beaches suited for sunbathing and swimming. For water sports enthusiasts, head to Brighton Beach, where you can enjoy kayaking, sailing, and surfing. Another option is Kemptown Beach which a short 15-minute walk can reach along Brighton Palace Pier for those who prefer a less crowded beach.

Set at the base of a stunning row of white chalk cliffs, the beach along Undercliff Walk is a popular diving and snorkelling spot with many rockpools to explore. The train journey from London to Brighton is around 1 hr 8 min, covering a distance of 75 km (47 miles).

Dorset for 3 days

There are more than a dozen Bournemouth beaches to select from, stretching approximately 10 miles of the breathtaking Dorset coastline. If you begin your adventure of Dorset in Bournemouth, ensure enough time for a trip to Brownsea Island.

The Jurassic Coast in England, which stretches 96 miles from Exmouth beaches, is still the sole World Heritage Site in the country and is packed with options for exploration. Undoubtedly, Weymouth Harbour is one of the top places in England for a typical seaside holiday, a weekend break, or even a day trip.

I recommend travelling by car from Brighton to Dorset since it will only take 2 hr 17 min, over an estimated 182 km (113 miles) from routes A27 and A31.

Cornwall for 3 days

One of Cornwall’s loveliest beaches, St. Ive’s Porthiminster Beach, offers a great view of the Godrevy Lighthouse from across glittering water. You can also visit Porthmeor Beach, a trendy beach with neighbouring cafes and restaurants. The finest natural scenery is available in St Ives Bay, and boarding a cruise is one of Cornwall’s top things to do.

For those who want to relax and play by the shoreline with their children, Porthgwidden Beach is a family-friendly beauty with gentler waves and fine sand that’s great for kids to swim in. It takes an average of 2 hr 39 min to arrive from Dorset to Cornwall by driving a total distance of 240 km (149 miles) along routes A35 and A30.

North Devon for 3 days

North Devon is home to some of the most renowned beaches, including Tunnel Beach, a unique privately owned beach paradise that has been a must-see since Victorian times. One of the area’s highlights is a massive tidal pool that retains fresh seawater.

Woolacombe Beach, which stretches for 3 miles along Devon’s breathtaking North coast, is favoured by families searching for a safe beach to take their kids to, making this city a superb destination to end your 2 weeks in England trip.

Head to Saunton Sands, which offers three miles of lovely sandy shoreline. If you’re seeking a quiet and uncrowded beach, head to Saunton Sands, which offers 3 miles of shoreline.

Travelling from Cornwall to North Devon would be ideal by car as it often takes around 2 hr 3 min with an estimated distance of 156 km (87 miles) along route A30.

THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN ENGLAND

Below is a list of must-see places in England and must-do activities. I also added my favourite and most recommended tours that you can book. Most of them have flexible cancellations in case you change your mind. But if you’re travelling during peak season, grab your spot as soon as you can.

• Tower of London and Crown of Jewels – you can book a tour
• Tower Bridge and Big Ben
• Join a fun Harry Potter guided walking tour and get a ticket to Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio
• The British Museum
• Kensington Palace – you can join a sightseeing tour
• Buckingham Palace
• Book a spooky Jack the Ripper tour
• Westminster Abbey – hop on a boat cruise from Westminster to Greenwich
• The National Gallery
• London Eye – you can get a fast-track ticket to save time
• Picadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square
• Madame Tussauds – visit one of the most famous museums in London, get your entry ticket
• Windsor Castle – get your admission ticket
• The Shard – you can get a ticket to enjoy a panoramic view
• Royal Pavilion and Brighton Museum – reserve your ticket
• Brighton Fishing Museum and Marina
• Explore Brighton on a guided walking tour
• The Lanes and North Laine
• I360 Viewing Tower – get your ticket in advance
• Regency Square and the Houses around it
• Brighton Toy and Model Museum
• Exciting day trip to Seven Sisters and South Downs – see tour price
• Try zipline along the beach
• Book a Drag Queen Show on a bottomless brunch – check the price
• Day trip to Stonehenge and Bath from Brighton

Northern England

Manchester :

• Explore Manchester on a city bus – get your ticket
• Science and Industry Museum
• Coronation Street – explore with a local guide
• Manchester Cathedral
• National Football Museum – check the tour itinerary
• The Whitworth
• Book a canal cruise – check the tour price
• Castlefield Canals
• Enjoy a day trip to the North of Wales, Snowdonia, and Chester or a day trip to the Lake District and Windermere
• Sign up for a food tour or Cheese crawl

Liverpool :

• Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields
• Tate Liverpool
• World War II Museum – get your ticket
• Merseyside Maritime Museum
• Mersey River – book a cruise
• Croxteth Hall
• Enjoy a Beatles tour / Beatles Story – blue route bus tour or a private taxi tour
• Birkenhead Park
• Liverpool Football Stadium (Anfield) – join a tour
• Peaky Blinders filming locations – tour with a guide
• Book a ghosting walking tour – look at the itinerary

Sheffield :

• Peak District – you can do a Scavenger hunt
• Sheffield Botanical Gardens
• Graves Park
• Kelham Island Museum
• Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet
• Sheffield Town Hall
• Beauchief Abbey and Ancient Woodlands
• Book a walking tour with a local guide
• Civic Quarter
• Leeds Castle – you can book a day trip from London
• The Headrow
• Book a food tour – read the reviews
• The Royal Armories Museum
• Harewood House
• North Yorkshire Cruise – 1-hour cruise or a cruise with afternoon tea
• Leeds Industrial Museum
• Harrogate – there’s a food tour you can join
• The National Coal Mining Museum

Peak District

• Chatsworth House
• Peak Cavern
• Treak Cliff Cavern
• Speedwell Cavern
• Alton Towers
• Haddon Hall
• Heights of Abraham
• National Trust – Lyme
• The Pavilion Gardens
• The Roaches
• Wyming Brook Nature Reserve

Lake District

• Aira Force Waterfall
• Loughrigg Fell
• Stock Ghyll Force (waterfall)
• Cathedral Cave
• Skelwith Force (waterfall)
• Stanley Ghyll Waterfall
• National Trust – Wray Castle
• Scale Force Waterfall
• Holehird Gardens
• Moss Force Waterfall
• The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction
• National Trust – Hill Top

Yorkshire Dales/Dartmoor National Park

• Yockenthwaite Stone Circle
• Malham Cove
• Gordale Scar
• Janet’s Foss Waterfall
• Linton Falls and Linton Stepping Stones
• Kilnsey Park
• Fountains Fell
• Ribblehead Viaduct
• Scaleber Force Waterfall
• Jubilee Cave
• National Park Visitor Centre (Dartmoor)
• Bellever Tor
• Laughter Tor
• Fernworthy Stone Circle
• Bennett’s Cross
• Black-a-Tor (North Dartmoor)
• National Trust – Castle Drogo
• Ditsworthy Warren House
• Foggintor Quarry
• Corfe Castle
• Dorset AONB
• The Tank Museum
• Weymouth Beach
• Durdle Door
• National Trust – Kingston Lacy
• Russell Cotes Art Gallery & Museum
• National Trust – Brownsea Island
• Sandbanks Beach
• Highcliffe Castle
• Lulworth Castle Wareham
• Portland Bill Lighthouse
• The Blue Pool
• Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens
• Lulworth Cove
• Borough Gardens
• Osmington White Horse
• Dancing Ledge
• Surf at St. Ives Bay
• Polperro Heritage Coast
• Hike along the South West Coast Path (630-mile
• Towan Beach
• National Trust Properties – Trelissick Garden, Godrevy, Lanhydrock House, Trerice, or the Cotehele House
• Pendennis Castle
• Eden Project
• Enys Gardens
• Lankidden Cove
• Isles of Scilly
• Kynance Cove
• Tate St Ives
• Tintagel Castle
• Eat Cornish dishes
• Mining Heritage – Geevor Tin Mine, Poldark Mine, or the Heartlands Heritage Centre

North Devon

• North Devon Coast and Saunton Sands
• National Trust Properties – Baggy Point, Watersmeet,
• Surfing or Swimming at Croyde Bay, Woolacombe Bay or Saunton Sands
• Morte Point
• Tunnels Beaches
• Ilfracombe Harbour Devon
• Heddon’s Mouth
• Valley of Rocks
• Exmoor Zoological and Conservation Centre
• Museum of Barnstaple & North Devon
• RHS Garden Rosemoor
• Walk or Cycle along Tarka Trail – 180-mile
• Boat from Appledore or Instow to Lundy Island
• Clovelly Court Gardens

MUST-TRY ENGLISH DISHES, DRINKS, AND SNACKS

England is not known for its food, but it doesn’t mean there’s nothing to try. The list below is a compilation of traditional English dishes. Today, England is a melting pot of diverse cultures. This means that you can pretty much find restaurants serving different cuisines from western, Indian, Chinese, Latin, Greek, and American just to name a few.

Make sure to try at least 3-4 dishes during your 2 weeks in English. Of course, never leave without checking a traditional English pub.

• Fish and chips (deep-fried fish and french fries)
• Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding
• Ploughman’s lunch (a selection of cheese, pickles, and bread)
• Toad in the hole (sausages baked in a batter pudding)
• Shepherd’s pie (ground lamb or beef topped with mashed potatoes)
• Steak and kidney pie
• Pork pie (a pastry filled with pork and seasonings)
• Cumberland sausage
• Bangers and mash sausages and mashed potatoes)
• Cornish pasty
• Bubble and squeak (mashed potatoes and vegetables)
• Coronation chicken (chicken salad with curry and fruit)
• Eton mess (mixture of strawberries, meringue and whipped cream)
• Trifle (layered dessert with fruit, sponge cake, custard, and cream)
• Apple crumble (a warm dessert made with cooked apples and a crumbly pastry topping)
• Sticky toffee pudding (a moist sponge cake made with dates and topped with a toffee sauce)
• Lemon Tart (a sweet pastry crust filled with a lemon custard made from eggs, sugar, lemon juice and zest)
• Pub ale/beer
• Pimm’s (gin-based liqueur)
• Hot toddy (hot drink made with whiskey, honey, lemon, and fruits)

ACCOMMODATIONS IN ENGLAND (by city)

To help you find a place to stay in each city, depending on your budget, here’s a quick list of accommodations around England.

• Affordable: Hootananny Hostel or Dover Castle Hostel or The Phoenix Hostel
• Mid-range: Central Hotel or Keystone House or Studios2Let
• Luxury: The Londoner or The Ampersand Hotel or One Hundred Shoreditch
• Affordable to Mid-range: EI8HT Brighton or Selina Brighton or The Beach Hotel
• Luxury: Drakes Hotel or The Charm Boutique Hotel & Spa or Jurys Inn Waterfront
• Affordable to Mid-range: The New Inn or The Bird in Hand Inn or St. Michaels Bistro
• Luxury: Stratton House Hotel & Spa or No131 The Promenade
• Affordable to Mid-range Hotel: Church Street or The Gardens Hotel or Yotel Deansgate
• Luxury: Stock Exchange Hotel or CitySuites Aparthotel or Hotel Gotham
• Affordable or Mid-range: The Miners Arms or The Barrel Inn or The Little Mill Inn or High Tor Hotel
• Luxury: Hollin House Hotel or The Legh Arms Prestbury or The Peacock at Barlow
• Affordable: Ambleside Central or Quaysiders Club
• Mid-range: Ambleside Townhouse or Rothay Garth
• Luxury: The Old Stamp House or Rothay Manor Hotel or Langdale Hotel & Spa

Yorkshire Dales

• Affordable: Craigsland BnB or The Buck Inn
• Mid-range: The Devonshire Grassington or Ashfield House
• Luxury: Marske Stables or The Devonshire Fell Hotel

Dartmoor National Park

• Affordable: The Rock Inn or Riverside B&B or The Cromwell Arms Inn
• Mid-range: The White Hart Hotel or Down The Garden Path or Dolphin Hotel
• Luxury: The Old Thatch or Romantic Cottage
• Affordable: Bub Lane Cottage or Greyhound Inn or The Bridge House
• Mid-range: The Grove Arms or The New Inn or The Mitre Inn
• Luxury: Derby Manor or Kingston Country Courtyard
• Affordable: The Old Inn or Legacy Hotel Victoria
• Mid-range: Park View or Fistral Beach Hotel & Spa (adults only) or The Britannia Inn
• Luxury: Primrose House St Ives or The Land’s End Hotel or Bodmin Jail Hotel
• Affordable: Wickham House Apartment or The Nook
• Mid-range: The Hoops Inn or The Imperial Hotel
• Luxury: Westeria Cottage or The Park Hotel or Broomhill Estate

SUMMARY OF 2 WEEKS IN ENGLAND

England’s villages are as lovely as they come, with stone cottages, cobblestone streets, and rooftops. No trip to England would be complete without taking in the beauty of these small towns, whether it is the charming chocolate-coloured villages of the Cotswolds, Norfolk’s serene coastal villages, or the unique villages of North Yorkshire.

This guide has everything from the museums and famous sites of London to the breathtaking Jurassic Coast in Dorset, the history of Bath, and trekking in England’s national parks. You’re sure to fall in love with the country’s lush green environment, which features picture-perfect hills.

You’ll come across the beautiful countryside from the South to the North waiting to be explored. I hope you found this compilation of 2 weeks in England itineraries helpful in planning and writing your own travel itinerary .

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England Trip Planner

Top destinations in england.

Top attractions in England

Other notable attractions

Explore nearby places

• Stratford City
• Waltham Forest
• Richmond-upon-Thames
• Kingston upon Thames
• Worcester Park
• West Wickham

All related maps of England

• Map of England
• Map of London
• Map of Willesden
• Map of Haringey
• Map of Stratford City
• Map of Mitcham
• Map of Ealing
• Map of Morden
• Map of Wembley
• Map of Waltham Forest
• Map of Beckenham
• Map of Richmond-upon-Thames
• Map of Croydon
• Map of Bromley
• Map of Barking
• Map of Ilford
• Map of Twickenham
• Map of Greenford
• Map of Redbridge
• Map of New Malden
• Map of Kingston upon Thames
• Map of Edgware
• Map of Woodford
• Map of Wallington
• Map of Carshalton
• Map of Isleworth
• Map of Worcester Park
• Map of West Wickham
• Map of Enfield
• Map of Harrow

England throughout the year

• England in January
• England in February
• England in March
• England in April
• England in May
• England in June
• England in July
• England in August
• England in September
• England in October
• England in November
• England in December

Q&A about England

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The Ultimate Great Britain Trip Planner

If you’re starting to plan your trip, this great britain trip planner will help you work out when to visit, where to go and how to make the most of your time..

We know that planning a trip to Great Britain might feel a little overwhelming. There are so many great options of places to go and styles of trip to choose between. From hiking trips in Scotland, to city breaks in London and coastal adventures in Wales, there is a lot of variety on our little island.

That’s where our Great Britain trip planner comes in handy. We’ve broken your trip planning down into baby steps, and we’re ready to hold your hand every step of the way!

Haven’t decided on what kind of trip you’d like to go on? We recommend starting here…

The Best Of Britain: 20+ Trips To Add To Your Great British Bucket List

21 Places To Add To Your Great British Bucket List This Year

21 Incredible Great British Experiences To Have This Year

Pick a country.

Now it’s time to a country and start exploring. From pretty English villages, to Scotland’s dramatic landscapes and Wales’ history, you might have trouble picking which country to visit first!

when to visit great britain

Hopefully now you’ve got an idea of the kind of trip you’d like to plan in Great Britain. Now, it’s time to work out when to travel. These guides outline the best times to travel to England, Scotland and Wales based on the different seasons, weather and special events across the countries.

When Is The Best Time To Visit England?

When Is The Best Time To Visit Scotland?

When Is The Best Time To Visit Wales?

What do you love.

Travelling in Great Britain isn’t about ticking off the obvious sights. There are lots of unique things to do in England, Scotland and Wales. What interests you? We’ll help you plan your trip.

Best British Food and Drink

Unique Places to Stay in Great Britain

City Breaks

• Travel Information >
• Itineraries >

England Vacation Packages 6-Days and More

7-Day London Classic

Kent - Garden of England - 7 Days

Best of Devon & Cornwall, West of England - 8 Days

London & England Explorer - 8 Days

London & Paris - 9 Days

England, Ireland, Wales & Scotland - 10 Days

England & Scotland - 10 Days

England, France, Germany, Italy & More - 14 Days

England, Ireland, Wales & Scotland - 15 Days

European Discovery - 16 Days

Britain & Ireland Grandeur - 23 Days

European Supreme with 3 Day Cruise - 30 Days

Our guide to England vacation packages in 2024. We’ve made a list of over 20 package tours to England, and some also include visits to Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Choose from large or small group experiences, with a huge selection of tour lengths and itineraries to suit every interest. From our classic England packages to themed trips for special events taking place in 2024, check out our complete guide below.

Quicklinks:

England Vacation Packages >>>

England & Scotland Vacation Packages >>>

England & Ireland Vacation Packages >>>

Packages for Special Events in 2024

TV & Movie Themed Packages >>>

Self-Drive & Private Packages >>>

Guide to Planning your Trip to England >>>

Frequently Asked Questions

Vacation Packages to England

Our pick of vacation packages that mainly visit England, starting and ending in London. Some of the trips have the option of travelling with a smaller group of no more than 24 guests.

8 Days Devon & Cornwall >>>

13 Days Devon & Cornwall** >>>

8 Days – London Explorer >>>

9 Days England Package >>>

5 Days Gems of Britain** >>>

**Small Group Tour option

Best of Devon & Cornwall – 8 Days

Trip Size: Large Group

Price: from $1,950 USD per person

Package Includes: Accommodation, some meals, transport

This is a very popular England vacation package that takes you to two of the iconic regions – Devon and Cornwall. These are the lands where the legends of King Arthur came alive, most notably at Tintagel Castle. It’s where the pilgrims set sail on the Mayflower in Plymouth. And it’s where Capability Brown created one of his most famous English gardens at Longleat. You’ll see beautiful countryside in Dartmoor National Park, wonderful sea views from the coastline and visit stately homes as well as Windsor Castle. Plus in Cornwall, you’ll visit and see amazing views from St. Michael’s Mount!

More Details: Devon & Cornwall >>>

Country Roads Wales, Devon & Cornwall – 13 Days

Trip Size: Choice of Large or Small Group

Price: from $5,150 USD per person

This is a similar itinerary to the 8-day vacation package above, but this time extended and with a different feel to the trip. Travel down country roads as you meander your way through the glorious English countryside. See the university city of Oxford and explore the quintessential Cotswolds villages. You’ll also visit Wales, with an overnight stay in Cardiff.

London Explorer – 8 Days

Trip type: Large Group

Price: from $2,150 USD per person

Our 8-day package tour takes you to the best of London! See the Changing of the Guard ceremony outside Buckingham Palace and get a sense of royal life at Windsor Castle. Soak up English culture at Borough Food Market, enjoy a cruise along the River Thames and explore Westminster Abbey where King Charles was crowned. Plus, there will be a trip to Windsor Castle to see where Harry and Meghan tied the knot, as well as the world-famous stone circle at Stonehenge.

More Details: London Explorer >>>

Real England Package – 9 Days

Price: from $1,800 USD per person

Includes: Accommodation, some meals, transport

This 9-day trip starts in London and travels north into Northern England. It combines old-world cities like York, with the stunning countryside of the UNESCO Lake District. You’ll get to see the home of the Beatles in Liverpool, regency era Bath and the most mysterious stone circle in the world at Stonehenge. You will also spend a day in Edinburgh which is the Scottish capital and briefly see Cardiff which is the Welsh capital.

More Details: Real England Trip >>>

Gems of Britain – 5 Days

Price: from $1,595 USD per person

With this fast-paced 5 day trip you’ll discover some fantastic places in England, as well as seeing a bit of Scotland and Wales. You’ll see the historic northern city of Chester that was built by the Romans and marvel at the beauty of the Lake District National Park. Visitors will also explore Shakespeare’s birth town of Stratford-upon-Avon along with admiring the Scottish and Welsh capitals. It’s a great introductory trip to England if you are looking for a short vacation package.

More Details: Gems of Britain >>>

England & Scotland Vacation Packages

Here are our picks of vacation packages that combine both England and Scotland, as well as a bit of Wales. All packages start and end in London.

10 Days Britain Package >>>

14 Days Britain Package >>>

11 Days Britain Package** >>>

13 Days Britain Package** >>>

** Available as a small group tour

Amazing Britain Package – 10 Days

Price: from $2,475 USD per person

Our amazing Britain package starts in London as you’ll travel into Northern England. Highlights of the England part of the trip include visiting the birthplace of William Shakespeare in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon. You’ll explore the three great cities of York, Liverpool and Bristol, each with its own distinct feel and charm. Plus, discover exquisite towns including Durham and Bath. In Scotland, you’ll stay 2 nights in Edinburgh, 1 night in Glasgow and venture into the Scottish Highlands.

More Details: Amazing Britain >>>

Best of Britain Package – 14 Days

Price: from $3,650 USD per person

Our 14-day package has a lot in common with the 10-day package above but is extended with more fantastic locations! Departing and returning from London you’ll visit Northern England and head into Scotland. You’ll also visit the southwest of England. See Plymouth where the Pilgrim Fathers set sail for the New World, with millions of American families tracing their family heritage back to these voyages. You’ll also explore the legends of King Arthur with a visit to mystical Glastonbury. In Scotland, you will also head to the Isle of Skye, an island with one of the most spectacular pieces of scenery in the world!

More Details: Best of Britain >>>

Best of Britain Package – 11 Days

Price: from $2,825 USD per person

This trip will venture from London into Northern England, stopping at classic highlights including Stratford-upon-Avon and the Viking town of York. 3 days are spent in Scotland, with stops in the two big cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, as well as time in the magnificent Scottish countryside. On your way back down south, you’ll drive through the Lake District and Wales. The trip also heads into South West England, stopping at Plymouth where the Pilgrim Father’s set sail to America.

More Details: Britain 11 Day Package >>>

Elegance of Britain Package – 13 Days

Trip Size: Large or Small Group

Price: from $4,370 USD per person

Departure Point: London or Edinburgh

Our 13-day package spends most of the time in England, with two nights in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh. We’ll explore the Lake District, a UNESCO region that was home to many English writers and poets including Beatrix Potter and William Wordsworth. We’ll stay 2 nights in the Viking city of York and use it as a base to explore the cathedral city and the nearby town of Lincoln. Highlights include a visit to the Brontë Parsonage Museum where the Brontë sisters – Charlotte, Emily and Anne lived. As we head down south, we’ll stop at Blenheim Palace, England’s version of the Palace of Versailles that was the birthplace of Winston Churchill. Plus there will be visits to Stonehenge, Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon and more!

More Details: Elegance of Britain >>>

England & Ireland Vacation Packages

Our picks of packages combining trips to England and Ireland.

10 Days Britain & Ireland >>>

15 Days England & Ireland >>>

20 Days Britain & Ireland** >>>

24 Days UK & Ireland Package** >>>

**Small group tour option

Britain & Ireland Highlights – 10 Days

Price: from $2,675 USD per person

Our whistlestop package tour combines a bit of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland. Perfect if you are short on time but want to see a lot of places. You’ll head from London into Northern England to York and the Lake District. See Glasgow and Edinburgh before taking a ferry into Northern Ireland. See Belfast and Dublin and enjoy the delights of the Irish countryside. A ferry crossing takes you into Wales, where you’ll pass by Cardiff and return to London stopping at Stonehenge and Bath along the way.

More details: Britain & Ireland 10 Days >>>

England & Ireland Package – 15 Days

Price: from $3,795 USD per person

With 15 days there’s a little bit more time to explore England and Ireland in depth. On this package tour, you’ll spend 9 days in England, 2 days in Scotland and 4 days in Ireland. That’s a great way to get a feel for the beautiful landscapes and customs of this part of the world, as well as a taste of English, Scottish and Irish cultures, which are all quite different and unique. The trip also includes two short ferry rides between Britain and Ireland.

More Details: England & Ireland 15 Days >>>

Romantic Britain & Ireland – 20 Days

Trip Size: Small or Large Group

Price: from $6,950 USD per person

Our 20 day mega trip to Britain and Ireland is a wonderful way to explore the region. In England, you’ll visit towns including Plymouth, Oxford, Bath and York. In Scotland you’ll head to Loch Ness, venture onto the Isle of Skye and see the home of golf at St Andrews. Spend a day exploring the Northern Ireland capital city of Belfast before heading down south into Ireland. Here you’ll explore lots of spectacular countryside, as well as see the Irish capital of Dublin. There is even time spent in Wales and Cardiff. This trip has something for everyone – UNESCO World Heritage Sites, big cities, quaint villages and spectacular countryside.

More Details: Britain & Ireland 20 Days >>>

UK & Ireland Package – 24 Days

Price: from $7,195 USD per person

Spend 3.5 weeks exploring England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland in depth. This is quite possibly the trip of a lifetime, with the choice of a small or large group. It’s hard to sum this one up in just a short paragraph, but it’s probably the most in-depth vacation package we offer. It’s also the only tour that heads into the UNESCO Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland which was a Game of Thrones filming location, as well as visiting UNESCO Conwy Castle in North Wales.

More Details: 24 Day Package >>>

Vacation Packages for Special Events 2024

There are lots of special events taking place in England during 2024, and we’ve listed below some of the specialist vacation packages that coincide with these events. We also have garden packages that include the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Many of these are once-in-a-lifetime events that are not to be missed!

3 Day Platinum Jubilee Weekend Package >>>

4 Day Edinburgh Military Tattoo Package >>>

15 Days English Gardens & Chelsea Flower Show >>>

Edinburgh Military Tattoo Package – 4 Days

Price: from £319 per person

Departure Dates: August 

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is one of the most important events in Scotland, with military bands and performers descending onto the Scottish capital from around the world. There will be Highland Dancers, military pipes and drums, flybys of military jets, fireworks and more! The package also includes a visit to Loch Lomond in the Scottish Highlands.

More Details: Edinburgh Tattoo Package 2024 >>>

English Gardens & Chelsea Flower Show – 15 days

Price: From $5,559 per person

Our 15-day package takes you around the fabulous gardens of England. Starting in London you’ll spend a day at the Chelsea Flower Show, perhaps the biggest horticultural event in the world with spectacular displays from international exhibitors. It takes place in May for just 6 days every year, so this is a rare treat for flower lovers! Following your visit, you will then tour England visiting some of the finest gardens and country estates in the world! This includes The Lost Garden of Heligan, Wisley Gardens, Bodnant Garden, Blenheim Palace and more! Regions of England that are visited on this package include Cornwall, the Lake District, the Cotswolds and North Wales. The trip also includes a visit to Bampton, which was the real-life village used in the filming of the Downton Abbey TV Series.

More Details: Chelsea Garden Package >>>

Interested in more English garden packages? Check out our dedicated page for English Garden Package Tours .

Movie & TV Themed Packages

There are loads of blockbuster movies and TV shows that have been filmed and produced in the UK. American audiences have been wowed by series including Downton Abbey, Outlander and Game of Thrones. Here are some shorter and longer vacation packages dedicated to these shows!

5 Days Downton Abbey Mini-Package >>>

4 Days Game of Thrones Mini-Package >>>

13 Days Outlander Package >>>

Downton Abbey Vacation Package – 5 Days

Price: from £675 per person

Our Downton Abbey package visits the real-life locations used in the making of the hit TV series. You’ll visit Highclere Castle, the iconic country estate that will be instantly recognizable to fans of the show! Explore the majestic rooms and lavish gardens. The package will then visit a selection of manor houses and country estates that were typical of the Downton Abbey period of history. This includes Loseley Park, Hatchalnds Park, as well as a visit to the Bombay Sapphire Distillery, makers of the iconic drink!

More Details: Downton Abbey Package >>>

Game of Thrones Mini-Package – 4 Days

Price: from £499 per person

Game of Thrones fans will love this 4-day package that visits the filming locations in Northern Ireland! It includes flights from London to Belfast and free time to explore the city. You’ll visit the recently opened Game of Thrones Studio Tour where you’ll go behind the scenes to see how the TV series was brought to life. The next day, you’ll drive to the Giant’s Causeway and into the Northern Irish countryside to see locations used to portray the free city of Braavos, the Stormlands, the cost of Dorne and the background for Kingsroad.

More Details: Game of Thrones Package >>>

Outlander Inspired Package – 13 Days

Price: from $3,825 per person

Our 13-day Outlander inspired package takes you along the Highland trail to explore some of the most spectacular locations in the region. You’ll start the trip in Edinburgh and end in Glasgow, travelling through the Highlands in between. You’ll see Outlander filming locations for the village of Cranesmuir, Mrs Baird’s B&B, ‘L’Hopital des Anges’, as well as landscapes that were used as backdrops for some of the most important scenes in the show. You’ll visit the Orkney Island and the Isle of Skye, pass through Glencoe, Inverness, St. Andrews and much more!

More Details: Outlander Package >>>

Self-Drive & Private Vacation Packages

Self-Drive Packages

Looking to go solo? We can put together a once-in-a-lifetime self-drive package that can include inspirational driving roads in England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland. We can arrange for car hire and can plan an itinerary according to your interests. Feel free to get in touch for more information.

Private Packages

Looking to travel in a group of 9 or more? A private vacation package can work out as a really cost-effective way of travelling. Take a look at our private tour pages for some inspiration. We can arrange private versions of the tour package listed above. Or we can tailor make a trip according to your interests with an expert guide. We can even arrange family heritage tours to trace the roots of your ancestors. Feel free to get in touch with us to find out more information.

Guide to Planning a Trip

There are so many different vacation packages to choose from when visiting England, let’s break it down and give you a few important things to consider!

Where to Visit? England, Scotland, Britain, UK, United Kingdom….

This can get confusing so let’s start out by getting a few things straight!

England is part of what is officially called The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland . That’s a very long name to keep using! So to make things a little easier, we’ll just call it the UK.

The UK is made up of 4 regions – England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland . And across the border from Northern Ireland lies the country of Ireland (which is totally independent from the UK.)

So the first question to ask when looking for an England vacation package. Are you looking just to visit England? Or do you also want to visit other parts of the United Kingdom as well?

There are a few ways to plan an England Vacation Package. You could visit:

100% England Packages (we’ve got plenty of amazing things to see here!)

England with Scotland Packages: Combine a trip and go to Scotland as well!

England, Scotland & Ireland Packages : The big trip! These vacation packages sometimes also include Northern Ireland as well. For this size of trip, we recommend packages that are at least 2 weeks long!

And what about Wales? Many of the vacation packages also include 1 or 2 days in Wales

So in this article, we’ll divide up our vacation packages into 4 – ‘100% England Packages’, ‘England & Scotland Packages’, ‘England & Ireland Packages’ & finally ‘Special Packages’

What are our special vacation packages ? Well… these are packages that are based around a specific theme or event. In 2024, we have the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May and the Edinburgh Military Tattoo Parade in July.

Plus we’ve got some amazing vacation packages for Downton Abbey fans, Game of Thrones fans, Outlander fans, as well as some awesome walking trips, railway trips and even adventure trips!

That’s a lot of England vacation packages to sift through! So please use the contents at the top of the page to navigate directly to what interests you.

We hope you find this guide useful. Please contact the Tourist England team if you have any questions!

How much would a trip to England cost?

This really depends on the length of your vacation package and the size of the group. Prices can range anywhere from $1,800 per person for an 8 day trip in a large group to over $5,000 for a 14-day small-group tour of England.

How many days do you need in England?

We would say that at least 7 days is a good amount of time to explore many of the highlights of England and get a feel for the country. Of course, you could easily spend many more days exploring the best of England, Scotland and Ireland with our amazing vacation packages from London !

How Can I spend 10 days in the UK?

We have many package tours that are 10 days in duration. Typically these trips depart from London and you can expect to spend 7-8 days in England, with 2-3 days in Scotland. With these kinds of holidays, you will normally travel in a loop, travelling north from London along the east side of England, heading into Scotland and then returning to London via the west side of England, with a little bit of Wales as well. Regions you’ll visit include Yorkshire, the Lake District, Scotland and London.

Do these vacation packages include financing options?

Many of the packages offer financing options, allowing you to spread out the cost of the trip over multiple payments. Many of the tours also require a low-value deposit in order to secure your place on the tour.

Do all-inclusive vacations get cheaper closer to date?

Normally booking well in advance is a good way to get a great price on vacation deals, since travel companies like people to book early. Vacation packages will only get cheaper closer to the travel date if the travel company is struggling to fill up the tour.

Is there a package to London and Paris?

We have a 9-day London and Paris vacation package that’s perfect for you! Spend a few days in London before hopping over the English channel and spend some time exploring the French capital.

Do you have mini-vacation packages to England?

Yes, we also have a selection of multi-day tours from London that last 2-5 days, as well as Scotland minibreaks from Edinburgh . These are great options if you are looking to visit a lot of sights but are pressed for time.

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The Complete Guide To Planning Your Great British Road Trip

There’s genuinely no better way to explore the UK than on a road trip across the UK.

A road trip is by far the best way to get an authentic taste of British life as you get to see (and do) so much more than you would if you explore the country any other way. Taking a train, flight or coach will take you to pretty much pre-defined stops where everyone wants to visit but on a road trip, you get so much more control, which in turn means you have the best experience possible in the UK.

This being said though, planning a road trip does take a tad more effort than just hopping on a train. The effort of course becomes minimised the more informed you are and so, to help you with planning your own road trip, we figured we’d pull together a guide to help you see more of our home country along with tips and tricks to help you along your way and in particular, show you how we did the exact same thing too! (More on that last one further down!)

Let’s get started shall we?

How To Get Around?

A road trip pretty much implies every thing the name says, travelling by road i.e. by car. The UK has one of the best transport options available in the world so you would be forgiven for skipping the stereotypical road trip model and creating a hybridized version instead.

There are some journeys that might just be faster and more convenient if you combine the car option with a train, bus or flight. Case in point, travelling within London – there’s just no point driving around London. Instead, park your car and use the tube instead.

You’ll find that this can apply for other transport options as well so its worth looking at other options if you find a specific car journey starts to seem like a bit too much effort.

Where To Stay?

This is a key one as accommodation costs will be one of the more significant costs on your road trip budgets. We’re always on the lookout for ways to save money and one way we found recently was to book directly with an old favourite IHG  (the family of hotels that includes the Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza…etc).

To be honest, it wasn’t until we were introduced to the IHG # WhyOverpay campaign that we realised that the cheapest way to get your hotels for IHG is to book directly through the IHG Rewards Club rather than on price comparison websites (except for Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts). I’d just always assumed price comparison sites had pretty much the same, if not cheaper, offer for the IHG hotels but it turns out, that’s not the case at all when you’re booking IHG hotels.

You can make saving of up to 10%, which (depending on how much time you plan on spending on the road), can add up to hundreds or even thousands of pounds – money that can be spent on so many other road trip expenses (fish and chips for one!).

When To Get Accommodation Sorted For?

It is worth noting though that before you start your trip, you should book accommodation for the start and end of your road trip as well as the midway point. You book the start and end because you know what these are in advance and you book the midway point(s) in advance because this helps keep you on track.

The accommodation for the rest of the time can be booked a day or two in advance and this way; you have flexibility when it comes to planning your route as you might find that you want to spend more or less time in certain places as you go along your road trip.

Where To Start And Where To End?

First off, you’ll save yourself quite a considerable amount of money if you book the same start and end destinations. You’ll save money on return tickets (as it tends to be cheaper when booked from the same destination) and on car pick-up and drop-off fees which can double your costs if the pick-up and drop-off locations are different.

We started off in London and finished off in London but for instance, when picking up a car to move my things from Uni in Cambridge (pick up) to our home in Wales (drop off), it costs like £300 extra just for the different locations – a cost that would effective have been £0 otherwise. (The same happened in the US, picking up a car in Florida and dropping it off in California added an easy $500 to our rental cost).

As a rule of thumb though, the further away you drop off the car, the more expensive it becomes.

What Stops Should I Make?

This one’s the trickier one and one that’s entirely driven by self-interest. There genuinely are no right or wrong answers here.

Our road trip was all about seeing old historic parts of the UK so our focus was trying to cram in as many cities, towns and villages with beautiful historic sights as possible in a 4 day period. There were so many potential stops we could have made on our route (you won’t be able to see them all) so our advice would don’t try to see everything – you’ll just drive yourself nuts if you attempt to.

Instead of trying to cram it all in, I decided to focus on key areas I’d wanted to see (we’ve got a few places in this link here to get you started on potential UK road trip stops). The places we couldn’t visit are just another excuse for another road trip in the future.

The best strategy to have is to have two layers of planning:

1.) The 1st ‘layer’ is to define a general route along with the major stops where you plan on spending the night before you start your road trip. This way, you have a goal as to where you should head to every day. We decided to do London -> Bath -> Oxford -> Cambridge ->London over 4 days.

2.) The 2 nd ‘layer’ is to decide on stops you want to make in between the ones above, a day or two before. This flexibility is important as you don’t want to pigeon-hole yourself and create a plan that you can’t keep up with. The plan is there to help you and you don’t want to find yourself a slave to your plan.

What To Take With You?

In truth, asides your clothes, medication and electronic devices – there’s not really much you ‘need’ to take with you. Everything else is just a ‘want’ really… The UK has so many options when it comes to the stuff you can buy on the road so my best advice is to pack as light as possible and get the non-essential stuff as you go along (e.g. toiletries). Even things like drinks and food are easy to find as you drive across the country so you don’t have to stress too much about other road trip essentials like this.

What Other Costs Should You Look Out For?

1.) Extra car rental costs – Sat Nav, Full Insurance, Car Breakdown cover…etc

2.) Toll costs. There aren’t that many in the UK (there are a handful) so it’s not a major concern but still worth paying attention to.

3.) A local sim card (unless you already live in the U.K.), there can cost as little as £5 so its worth getting one to stay connected while on the road.

4.) Entry into local attractions. A lot of monuments are free to visit in the U.K. but some charge a fee so its worth looking into this in advance (also you might be able to get a discount so there’s that too).

What did we do on our own road trip?

Okay, so I’m going to have to cover this in a lot more detail over the next few weeks but seeing as we had just 4 days we had to limit ourselves to Southern England. In truth, there are so many places in Southern England I’d wanted to visit for quite some time so when IHG Rewards Club gave us the opportunity to try out their promise that it would always be cheaper to book with them directly rather than on price comparison websites ( #WhyOverpay after all?), this was the perfect opportunity for us to finally go on that road trip we’ve been talking about wanting to go on for years.

Travelling abroad really does make you appreciate the amazing gems back at home so this one was one that I’d wanted to do for quite some time! Here’s how our time went –

We set off from London in the pouring rain and seeing as we live in the UK, it strangely didn’t bother me as a forecast for the next few days. The weather here is so unpredictable anyway that us Brits just get on with it. Luckily though, by the time we hit the road to Bath, the sun came out and pretty much stayed for the entire road trip!

Stonehenge was one of those places we realised fairly last minute that we would be going past on the trip up and figured it made sense to pop in to see it properly. In the past, you would walk right up to it but these days, the entrance point has been moved further away so you can’t really see it without paying the fee.

Stonehenge was only a 15 minute drive away from Salisbury and although this wasn’t on our road trip, a quick Google and Wiki search (along with recommendations on Snapchat and Instagram) showed Salisbury was most definitely worth a visit and boy am I glad we did! Salisbury is a medieval old town, home to the Magna Carta and absolutely charming!

To be honest, in the past, I’d taken Bath for granted. I’ve spent a few nights here and partied with friends here but never really visited it for its sights.

One gifts travelling definitely gives you ( which I mentioned in this post here ) is how it makes you appreciate the things at home a lot more – Bath is a prime example of this as this ancient city has so many amazing sights to see, the Roman Baths, Royal Crescent and Bath Abbey to mention but a few.

Accom: We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express Bath which turned out to be 9% cheaper via IHG Rewards Club (i.e. £11 cheaper).

Lacock is one of the sleepiest and prettiest English villages out there. It’s your quintessential Cotswolds village and is so small, quaint and filled with little delights at every turn.

Castle Combe

Castle Combe has been a big one for me and seeing as this is close to Lacock (and Bath) we knew this had to be added to our list of stops! It’s another amazing Cotswolds village and has been the scene of many a TV series (including Downton Abbey).

Bibury is home to what is thought to be the most photographed street in England – Arlington Row, where you’ll find many stunning rambling Cotswolds cottages.

Banbury was one of those places that ‘ just happened to be on the way ’ to Oxford. There was no real plan to visit, we saw a sign that said Banbury and decided to pop in. This is one of those moments where it definitely pays to wing it.

Despite how easy it is to get here, we’ve never really visited Oxford properly. I’d been a couple of times when trying to decide between Oxford and Cambridge for University but this was the first time we’d actually visited to see the city properly.

Oxford, by the way, is absolutely stunning and chock-a-block with lots of amazing historic sights to see and without a doubt, a great place to visit when you visit London.

Accom: We stayed at the Holiday Inn Oxford which turned out to be 4.5% cheaper via IHG Rewards Club (i.e. £8 cheaper).

Blenheim Palace

Blenheim Palace looks like it’s straight out a classic British movie. This stately home is the birthplace of Winston Churchill. You can still visit the room he was born in – which comes complete ringlets of his hair from when he was a child (not entirely sure why that’s on display there). Blenheim Palace is without a doubt one of the grandest old homes you can visit in England and definitely worth popping into when you’re in Oxford!

Going to Cambridge was like a homecoming of sorts. Since my graduation, Lloyd and I hadn’t been back but more importantly, this is the birthplace of Hand Luggage Only! We visited my old college, where we started writing the blog just over two years ago and popped into some of the other colleges and sights in the city!

Time studying here means you kinda take sightseeing here for granted so it was quite fantastic to visit the grand city and see it in a different light.

Oh and if anyone asks, Cambridge is much prettier than Oxford (though I am biaised).

Accom: We stayed at the Holiday Inn Cambridge which turned out to be 4.5% cheaper via IHG Rewards Club (i.e. £10 cheaper).

Our return to London was exactly the same as our way out – rainy! Like seriously, as soon as we arrived back, the skies opened and poured out heavily. It seemed quite apt, especially considering the amazing weather we’d had for the last few days.

All was not over though, to celebrate the end of the road trip, we met up with friends for dinner and drinks in Central London and partied till late at night before rolling up at the final hotel, merry and thoroughly happy with the road trip across Southern England!

Accom: We stayed at the Holiday Inn Regent’s Park, which turned out to be 7.7% cheaper via IHG Rewards Club (i.e. £14 cheaper).

Our road trip on this occasion was only across Southern England but the same rules apply wherever you decide to go on a road trip in the UK. This road trip has been a HUGE goal of ours for a while and a huge thanks to the IHG rewards club (available at www.ihg.com ) for collaborating with us on this, for helping us seeing so much more of our home country and for showing us a great way to save money while travelling across the UK. Over 4 nights, we saved £42 on hotels.

On our road trip across the US we spend about 5 times as much time (20 nights) compared to what we did on our British road trip (4 days). When you do the math, you soon realize how if, for example, we made the same trip across the U.K. for a similar duration to the US and stayed in exactly the same IHG Hotels,you would save yourself over £210 just by booking it via IHG Rewards Club directly! #Win 🙂

Check Out The Very Best Of Great Britain!

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United Kingdom

Home to the Beatles and Fish n' Chips, explore the incredible history, nature, and culture of the United Kingdom.

It’s no wonder that the UK, which includes England, Scotland , Wales , and Northern Ireland, is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations. The countries are steeped in a captivating history yet boast a dynamic modern lifestyle.  Each country has a natural beauty with many national parks, nature reserves and dramatic coastlines. England features a rich and exceptional culture, iconic monuments, romantic castles and gardens. The British monarchy is one of the 8 oldest monarchies in the world.  There is something to enjoy for every traveler.

Steeped in history and royalty, the English capital is considered to be one of the most progressive and exciting cities in the world.

Fort William

One of the largest towns in Scotland's Highlands, this busy town boasts museums, warm locals, and access to stunning nature.

Once coveted for its strategic locale, Scotland's northernmost city is a booming economic and cultural hub, full of Highland charm.

Edinburgh is an exciting city that gives the traveler the opportunity to fill the days with culture, history and entertainment.

Glasgow, a port city on the River Clyde, is the largest city in Scotland. It was once the center of manufacturing, ship building and trade. 

Trip Planner - United Kingdom

Create your perfect trip to london, united kingdom.

Easily plan your trip based on your preferences, budget, and style

Plan your trip with RoutePerfect’s AI and optimize it by using RoutePerfect’s crowdsourced database, based on proven and enjoyable, well-crafted itineraries of thousands of travelers.

London , the capital, is a bustling international city that offers endless types of activities and pleasures for everyone, young or old. From world famous museums, many of which are free of charge, to high-end or budget shopping, food and vintage markets, theaters, live music clubs and venues, sports events and much more. London scenery is marked with famous must-see monuments and icons such as the Big Ben , House of Parliament, Buckingham Palace , the Tower of London and the Tower Bridge , to name but a few. For relaxation from the crowds, London is rich with vast green parks where you can take a break and enjoy the local wildlife like squirrels and swans. London’s comprehensive public transportation systems will get you to the famous, chic and trendy neighborhoods like Notting Hill, Shoreditch, or Camden, to name but a few. It doesn’t matter how much time you spend in the city you’ll always find a new experience.

But the UK is much more than London! From North to South and East to West, there is so much more. You can walk in the footsteps of The Bard of Avon – William Shakespeare in his hometown Stratford upon Avon , follow the Fabolous Four – The Beatles early years in Liverpool, visit the famous university towns of Oxford and Cambridge or jump back in time to the Viking Age in York. Immerse yourself in the Victorian era splendor and feel like a character from Jane Austin novels in Bath or enjoy small alleys and arts and crafts stalls in small market towns. Walk the ragged and wild beaches in Cornwell or climb the famous white cliffs of Dover.

But then again, the UK is not just England! Head north to Scotland to enjoy dramatic sights and tastes. The area in the Scottish Highlands is home to the famous Loch Ness and Ben Nevis , the highest mountain in the whole of UK. Secret: Ben Nevis translated from the Gaelic is Malicious Mountain - Ben is Mountain and Nevis from the word Nibheis which means venomous / malicious). Not necessarily in this order, but taste the local whiskey and then visit and stroll through the capital city of Edinburgh (Old and New Towns) that in 1996 both were inscribed as a World Heritage Site. in 1996. Find out about the Industrial Heritage of Glasgow and visit the museums and festivals, events, theatre and arts. For the romantics, be sure to visit a castle or two, including the unusual Crookston Castle from the early 1400’s, the only surviving medieval castle in the City of Glasgow. But there many others to choose from. Secret: Before departing be sure to visit the University of Glasgow that has its magical cloisters and is known to be a doppelganger for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

To the west of the UK, lies Wales, the smallest region but no less beautiful. Snowdonia National Park is a heaven for hikers. Then, in the capital city Cardiff be sure to visit the spectacular Cardiff Castle situated in the center of the city, as well as the majestic castle in Caernarfon and the 700-year-old Conwy Castle - a must for every history fan. In the small villages you’ll hear the locals still speaking Welsh. Don’t forget to ask their help in pronouncing the longest name in Europe for a tiny village – Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. (How to pronounce this name: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bbAAegC40U )

Need guidance? Whether you’re looking for culture, nature, or adventure – must-see attractions or off-the-beaten-track treasures – or some of each, Routeperfect .com is your address for planning, organizing, and finalizing your personalized dream vacation to the UK. Unlike any other company, Routeperfect offers its exclusive popular itineraries written by tourism professionals and experienced travelers to jumpstart your planning, helping you to customize your travel and make all your reservations and book your flights, tours and accommodations so that you can be worry-free and experience the country YOUR way.

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Attractions in united kingdom, popular itineraries in united kingdom.

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Must-Try Food in the U.K.

Guide to the United Kingdom: Planning Your Trip

Your Trip to the United Kingdom: The Complete Guide

There’s a lot more to the United Kingdom than the usual list of top 10 London sights. For a start, there are four separate countries—England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland   —each offering city and country pleasures, wilderness adventures, scenic villages, landmarks, free museums, and miles of challenging coastal paths. The food is a lot better than you may have heard as well. Use this guide to fill your trip with the best choices for you.

Planning Your Trip

Best Time to Visit :  Late spring and early fall are the best times to visit when the days are long, and there’s a good chance of mild, dry weather. Prices are lowest in January and February, but it’s also cold and wet. A lot of attractions are closed, but if you enjoy theater, museums and indoor activities, this is a way to visit on the cheap.

Language:  English. A lot of popular attractions offer tours or audio tours in European languages and Chinese.

Currency:  The pound sterling (£)

Getting Around:  Train service in the U.K. is very well developed and is the best way to get between cities and regions. Though bad weather and industrial action may interrupt services from time to time, the number and frequency of both long-distance, regional and local trains will amaze many North American travelers. Most fares are cheaper for off-peak travel and when bought in advance. The website National Rail Enquiries is a comprehensive online guide to times, prices, and service status across the country.

Long-distance buses (called coaches in the U.K.) are the cheapest way to get around. Since they use the country’s motorway system, they are also the most boring. One company, National Express , runs most of the intercity coaches, and four other large regional companies run networks of local services. Local buses provide short, practical everyday journeys, so the routes are not well coordinated between regions. But if you are interested in taking day trips from specific urban or tourism hubs, you may find buses—such as the Greenline buses between London and Windsor Castle —that serve the purpose. Traveline , a partnership between transport companies, local authorities, and passenger groups, has a website that can help you plan a trip using local resources.

Travel Tip:  Round trip tickets (called return fares) are often a more expensive way to buy bus and rail tickets than pairs of one-way tickets (called singles). Check before you buy.

Things to Do

The United Kingdom packs several thousand years of history and culture onto an island slightly smaller than Michigan. As you might imagine, there’s quite a lot to see and much of it is within easy day trips of major cities or transportation hubs. But a surprising amount is covered by vast wilderness areas. It’s easy to try to pack too much into a visit. Instead, try to focus your trip around a few themes:

• Day Trips from major cities. London in the Southeast and Edinburgh in central Scotland are both hubs of culture, centers for free museums, shopping, theatre, music, and dining out. They are also surrounded by areas rich in historical attractions and natural beauty, so they make excellent bases for day trips and short breaks.
• Spend time in a National Park. National parks protect landscapes, coasts, moors, and mountains. But they also contain working farms, quaint villages, castles and hundreds of ancient monuments. Try hiking the Lakeland Fells ( fells is a Scandinavian word for hills) in England's Lake District or marveling at the mountain views and clear mountain lakes in Snowdonia National Park in Wales (which is also full of castles). Walk through the South Downs’ grass-covered chalk hills. There’s skiing in Cairngorm National Park and pleasant walking and cycling trails in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs . Each national park offers something different.
• Shop in traditional markets. Some, like the permanent outdoor market in Norwich , or the covered markets in Oxford, Birmingham, and Leeds, haven’t changed much in hundreds of years. London has its share of wonderful markets too—from Borough Market for adventurous foodies, to Portobello Road, a vast, heaving antique market that’s a must.
• Catch up with Shakespeare in his hometown, Stratford-upon-Avon . The Royal Shakespeare Company stages Bard’s works with surprising irreverence and imagination that’s hard to resist. There’s plenty to see and do, including visits to the Shakespeare family homes and Anne Hathaway’s cottage .
• Visit royal and traditional sites. There’s a good reason why Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle , Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral are so popular with visitors. Try to visit these traditional sights outside of school vacation seasons, though.

What to Eat and Drink

Forget the clichés about awful British food . That’s ancient history. These days you’ll find nearly as many Michelin stars in London as in New York and lots more scattered all over the U.K . Whether you are talking about fine dining or neighborhood bistros, it’s easy to find modern European cuisine with vegetarian and even vegan options in most British cities and tourist destinations.

Outside of the main population centers in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the picture is a bit more hit and miss. But there are some traditional British specialties you really should try.

• Sample a full British breakfast at least once. England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland add regional touches to the classic eggs, bacon, sausage, beans, and tomatoes breakfast. If you are on a tight budget, this breakfast will set you up for the whole day.
• Indulge in afternoon tea with all the trimmings—scones with jam and cream, crumpets, sandwiches, fresh cream cakes, and endless pots of tea.
• Try different regional ales on tap . They won’t be ice cold, but cellar temperature is still pretty cool.
• Fish and chips can be great —crispy and hot—or dire (greasy and lukewarm). Ask a local where to find the best.
• Eat seafood and shellfish in Scotland; it comes from cold North Atlantic and North Sea waters and is terrific. And if you are in Whitstable, have some oysters.
• It’s easy, and often cheaper, to find good quality ethnic food anywhere in Britain. Indian, Southeast Asian, and Chinese cuisines are widely available.

Where to Stay

Accommodations range from five-star luxury and glamping to international budget chains and vacation rentals, called self-catering in Britain. Some kinds of accommodations are particularly British and worth considering.

Consider a bed and breakfast, which range from fully-serviced guest houses to small inns. In rural areas, you may find rooms to rent in private homes. Or try a caravan; this is what Europeans call camper vans, and some caravan parks rent them like cottages. Bigger trailers in caravan parks are known as "statics." Country house hotels , which range from large comfortable houses to very grand country estates converted to luxury accommodations, are another option. Also, more and more pubs are offering boutique-style hotel rooms as an alternative style of accommodation.

Getting There

Visitors usually fly into the U.K. from North America through London’s main airports—Heathrow and Gatwick, or by charter flights to London Stansted and London City. There are public transportation options from Heathrow and Gatwick to central London.  

But the U.K. has quite a few more airports receiving international passengers with either direct or connecting flights from North American airports. Depending upon your ultimate destination, you could save money on ground transportation by flying into Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham, East Midlands or Bristol Airport. Find out more about alternative U.K. destination airports.

Travelers from continental Europe can cross the English Channel by ferry, drive through the Channel Tunnel, or travel by Eurostar passenger train. There are also good connections—by air or boat, from Dublin or Belfast.

Money-Saving Tips

• Don't rent cars in cities. Wait until you've left London or other big cities. You'll save on parking fees and congestion charges (it costs 11.50 pounds a day to take a car into central London). Public transportation—buses, trolleys, and subways—are available in most major cities as are city bicycles, parked everywhere and easy to use with a credit card.
• Consider self-catering. That's what Europeans call vacation rentals. There's plenty of choices, ranging from short let apartments in cities, cottages, and village houses to rent. If you can't find what you want online, the local tourist authorities will have plenty of information.
• Take advantage of what's free. Almost all of Britain's essential museums are free to visit.   Historical attractions have reduced admissions for senior citizens and students.

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July in New England: Best Events and Things to Do

Fill your July weekends… with Yankee! The Fourth of July sparks off a month of fun events in New England. Discover July’s best travel deals in the region, too.

By Kim Knox Beckius

Jun 27 2024

Be there July 4 for the 50th anniversary Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular on the Esplanade.

The dog days of summer seem to have us in their sultry grip early this year. And the temptation to crank up the AC and binge watch the third season of The Bear is real… I get it. But July in New England is all about vacations… even if you can only break away long enough for a road trip to Natick, Massachusetts, to binge eat the Italian beef sandwiches at Culinary Delights , an unassuming spot known for the kind of Chicago-style eats the first season of The Bear made us all crave.

If the heat has you feeling too lazy to make New England travel plans, that’s why we’re here. Our Yankee team is 100% motivation and 0% perspiration, or something like that (I’m a writer; I don’t do math). If you’re not a subscriber ( why aren’t you a subscriber ?! ), you can flip through the digital version of our July/August issue right now and discover our picks for the best things to do in popular destinations including Cape Cod and Boothbay Harbor. 

Plus, read on for my top Independence Day and July weekend event picks, July’s best travel deals in New England, and a guide to where you’ll find us out and about this summer.

Plan Your Perfect Summer Adventure: Get The Free Ultimate New England Summer Guide!

New this month in new england.

Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas | Bar Harbor, ME

Maine’s Abbe Museum, a leading preserver of Native American culture, presents the first Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas July 12-14 at the College of the Atlantic. In addition to featuring a Native Arts Market, the programming spotlights conversations by with Indigenous leaders on timely topics including climate, democracy, and food systems. The Festival is free and open to the public.

Newport Design Week | Newport, RI

If interior design is your passion (or profession), you’ll want to attend the inaugural Newport Design Week in Newport, Rhode Island, July 24-28. A gathering of decor lovers is long overdue in this seaside city many regard as the birthplace of American design.

Celebrate the Fourth of July in New England

4th of july celebration | bristol, ri.

America’s oldest continuous Independence Day par-tay, Bristol’s 4th of July Celebration , is back for the 239th year with all of the patriotic ingredients you’d expect: a parade, music, carnival rides, and fireworks.

Harborfest | Boston, MA

One of our nation’s largest July 4 celebrations is relatively new by comparison. For the 42nd year, Boston Harborfest fills the city with celebrants, drawn to a four-day schedule of all-American happenings, many of them free. Events in the city kick off on July 1 and culminate with the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular on the Fourth of July. New for 2024, Harborfest coincides with the US Navy’s celebration of Navy Week in Boston. The Navy Band will perform a pre-fireworks concert on July 2 at Christopher Columbus Park, and you can catch them again on July 4 at Long Wharf. Also new this year: a downtown beer garden for revelers 21 and up.

Weekend of July 6-7, 2024

The Great Elephant Migration | Newport, RI

It’s the first weekend for a summer-long exhibition that makes Newport a must-visit destination for those who cherish elephants, art, and the well-being of our planet. Be among the first to greet 100 life-size Indian elephant sculptures, on outdoor display at Salve Regina University, The Breakers, Rough Point, and Great Friends Meetinghouse.

The Great Elephant Migration herd, which attracted 5 million fans when it toured the UK in 2021, is an international collaboration between Indigenous artisans, contemporary artists, and cultural institutions. This free public art installation is meant to boost Indigenous-led conservation efforts and to inspire peaceful human and animal coexistence. Newport is the first stop on a planned year-long US migration, which will see these beauties—made from lantana camara, one of the world’s most invasive weeds—journey to New York City; Miami; Blackfeet Nation; Buffalo Pastures in Browning, Montana; and Los Angeles.

Weekend of July 13-14, 2024

Moxie Days | Lisbon, ME

If you’re a fan of that medicinal-tasting yet oddly refreshing soda, patented back in 1876 as “Moxie Nerve Food” by a Mainer, Dr. Augustin Thompson, then Moxie Days are for you. This 40th annual festival celebrating a true taste of New England promises to be the largest one yet, with madcap happenings that range from a chugging contest to Maine’s longest parade. Wear orange if you want to fit in.

Brimfield Outdoor Antiques Show | Brimfield, MA

Join the treasure seekers at the second Brimfield Outdoor Antiques Show of 2024, which runs July 9-14. This enormous gathering of sellers and shoppers has been a tradition since 1959.

Hillsboro Summer Festival | Hillsboro, NH

If you missed seeing a parade and fireworks on July 4th, head to the Hillsboro Summer Festival : an old-timey community celebration that’s been a tradition for more than 35 years. The carnival runs July 11-14, but the main events, including the RC Rock Crawl Competition (you don’t see that every day!) are reserved for the weekend.

Weekend of July 20-21, 2024

Yarmouth clam festival | yarmouth, me.

I always get a giggle out of the clam mascot that roams around this enduring festival, which has saluted the humble clam for 57 years. If you’re heading to the Yarmouth Clam Festival , July 19-21, you’re in for more food and fun than you imagine. Try not to fill up at a pancake breakfast because there is so much to sample, starting, of course, with fried clams (plus steak sandwiches, a literal ton of French fries, and strawberry shortcake). You’ll be thoroughly entertained by everything from a parade to the Diaper Derby, from live bands and K9 demos to the Main St. Rumble car show. And there are fireworks on Saturday night, too.

Revere Beach International Sand Sculpting Festival | Revere, MA

It’s the 20th anniversary for this seaside festival that elevates sand play to an art form. In addition to creations by some of the world’s foremost sand sculptors, the Revere Beach International Sand Sculpting Festival features food trucks and vendors galore, amusement rides, live music, and a fireworks display.

Vermont Brewers Festival | Burlington, VT

Few states have a beer culture to rival Vermont’s, and the annual Vermont Brewers Festival is the pinnacle of all the creativity that’s brewing. Get tickets for Friday night’s kickoff on July 19 or one of two sessions on Saturday, July 20, and sample from a selection of more than 200 beers including many served here and here alone. Live music, games, food trucks, and Vermont-made products are also on tap.

Full Moon Dinner at Rosebrook Lodge | Bretton Woods, NH

On Sunday, July 21, board a gondola for an elevated dining experience at the Omni Mount Washington Resort ‘s mountaintop Rosebrook Lodge. Each installment in the resort’s Full Moon Dinner Series is a culinary journey to remember. This month, your exquisite three-course meal (and optional wine pairings) are illuminated by the Full Buck Moon .

Weekend of July 27-28, 2024

Lowell folk festival | lowell, ma.

Bringing together musicians and makers from all parts of the globe, the annual Lowell Folk Festival , July 26-28, is the most fun you can have for free this weekend. You’d have to go to Seattle if you wanted to experience a larger folk festival. And if you wanted to find one that’s older than this? Well… you can’t.

July’s Best Travel Deals

Unlimited Golf at Woodstock Inn & Resort | Woodstock, VT

If golf is your passion, Vermont’s Woodstock Inn & Resort is your destination. Rates start at $661 per night for the Unlimited Golf package, including accommodations for two and unlimited golf at the Woodstock Country Club, where the challenging 18-hole course was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. You’ll also have free use of a golf cart and practice facilities, including a driving range and putting greens.

Free Admission to The Clark and Discounted Berkshire Opera Tickets | Williamstown, MA

If free is your favorite price, there are many opportunities to enjoy free admission to The Clark Art Institute in the Berkshires this month. The museum will be open free on the 4th of July in celebration of the 10th anniversary of its post-expansion re-opening. July 4 is also the opening date for Fragile Beauty: Treasures from the Corning Museum of Glass , on exhibition through October 27, 2024. Admission is free again during Community Day on July 14. And you can also visit The Clark any Wednesday night from 5 to 9 p.m. free of charge through September 25.

While you’re there… find the sculpture of Charles Gounod, snap a selfie with it, and either email the image to [email protected] or post it on social media and tag both @berkshireoperafest and @clarkart. You’ll receive a discount code for tickets to Berkshire Opera’s performances of Gounod’s Faust this August.

Free Yoga at The Rooftop at the Revere Hotel | Boston, MA

You don’t have to be a hotel guest to join this summer’s free Saturday Community Yoga classes at The Rooftop at the Revere Hotel . Just register for your complimentary 10 a.m. class online, bring your own yoga mat, and enjoy the views and the rejuvenation.

Yankee Out & About This Summer

Grassy Strip Music Series at Madison Beach Hotel | Madison, CT

The Grassy Strip Music Series at Madison Beach Hotel in Madison, CT, features a remarkable line-up of artists this summer. Just bring a blanket or lawn chair, and enjoy these free Thursday night performances through August 29. Look for me on August 1, when the program features Masters of the Telecaster G.E. Smith and Jim Weider with special guest Jake Kulak.

A Taste of New England at Spruce Peak | Stowe, VT

And get your tickets now for A Taste of New England in partnership with Yankee Magazine at Spruce Peak in Stowe, Vermont, on August 22-25. Watch last year’s video , and hear it from me: This is the New England foodie weekend you do not want to miss. We’re looking forward to seeing you there!

Kim Knox Beckius

Kim Knox Beckius is Yankee Magazine's Travel & Branded Content Editor. A longtime freelance writer/photographer and Yankee contributing editor based in Connecticut, she has explored every corner of the region while writing six books on travel in the Northeast and contributing updates to New England guidebooks published by Fodor's, Frommer's, and Michelin. For more than 20 years, Kim served as New England Travel Expert for TripSavvy (formerly About.com). She is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and is frequently called on by the media to discuss New England travel and events. She is likely the only person who has hugged both Art Garfunkel and a baby moose.

More From Forbes

Try these 5 chatgpt prompts to plan your next trip.

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With the right prompts, ChatGPT can help you with your vacation planning.

Daniel Levine, a keynote speaker specializing in tourism trends , is among the many travelers who have been experimenting with ChatGPT for travel planning.

In his experience, he says, generative AI tools tend to do best when it comes to information that’s fairly static, like sightseeing: He recently asked an AI chatbot to plan a seven-day itinerary for a drive down the coast of Chile, and it produced a good starting point for an itinerary. On another trip, AI also revealed a little-known Terminal Transfer Bus that saved him time at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport.

When it comes to planning a vacation, nothing beats a custom recommendation from a fellow traveler who's already explored the area or a travel agent with deep knowledge of the locale. There’s a human touch that comes with making solid recommendations. But for those plotting out itineraries, ChatGPT can be a great starting point for trip planning—that is, if you know how to feed it the correct prompts and you’re patient enough to fact check the intel.

Fourteen percent of American travelers have reported recently using ChatGPT to plan a trip, though about a third plan to enlist the generative AI in the future, according to Longwoods International .

How Accurate Are ChatGPT’s Travel Suggestions?

ChatGPT is still in its early stages, so it's best to fact check some of its suggestions when you ... [+] use it for travel planning.

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But ChatGPT’s travel suggestions often send people to places that don’t exist, fall short of logistical planning, or suggest restaurants and attractions outside of operating hours, according to a study from SEO Travel. For the analysis, the travel site asked ChatGPT to plan 100, two-day weekend itineraries in top destinations.

Anecdotally, those who have queried ChatGPT have experienced some of those hiccups first-hand.

Alice Ford, an adventure filmmaker, travel host and stunt woman who runs the site Alice’s Adventures on Earth , experienced ChatGPT as an experiment for a YouTube video last summer. She was looking for adventurous activities in Los Angeles.

“What I found was that it did give me a few ideas I hadn’t already thought of but then when it comes to finding the real tour operators or adventure guides that was more difficult,” she says. “One of the things it suggested was a seasonal activity that would have been a 5-hour, one-way drive.”

Levine says AI chatbots have been misleading when replying to queries like “list hotels in Tokyo with 2-bedroom suites,” even offering up properties that are closed. “For trip planning it's best to think of ChatGPT as a tool rather than a travel agent, says Levine. “You have to spend time with it to massage its answers.”

5 ChatGPT Prompts To Help Plan Your Vacation

Here’s 5 customizable ChatGPT prompts to help you plan your next trip, with some parameters to help yield the most helpful results:

ChatGPT can create a table of hike suggestions and include considerations such as the distance, ... [+] duration, and elevation change.

1. Recommend a [X-point] walking tour of [X city or neighborhood] within an [x-mile radius]

You can tweak this prompt so that it builds out an itinerary around a spot you're planning to visit first.

2. Make a list of [X] expressions to help navigate [x country]

Use this as a cheat sheet to learn basic expressions in a foreign language.

3. Provide a list of the best [x type of cuisine] in [x city]

Be sure to fact check ChatGPT to verify all of the restaurants are still in business. You can also give it parameters such as “within walking distance of [x destination]

4. What are the top cultural institutions to visit in [x city]

For more niche responses, you can ask about historic cultural institutions, art institutions, etc.

5. Make a table of day hikes in [X destination} and include mileage, elevation change, and time needed.

ChatGPT can also produce tables and you can input information points you want included such as difficulty of the hike, average time it takes to complete it and more. This prompt works great for national parks.

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UK Road Trip Itinerary Planner | The 7 Best Routes

By: Author Tracy Collins

Posted on Last updated: January 29, 2024

If you love to take to the wheel and you’ll be visiting the UK at some point in the future, then you need to find the perfect UK road trip itinerary! This UK road trip planner aims to help you pin down the ideal 1 week, 10 day or 2 week UK road trip itinerary to follow during your visit. 

Featured in this guide are 7 of the best road trip routes in the UK. Whether you want a 10 days in England itinerary, would rather spend a week in Wales or have 10 days to discover Scotland, this post showcases the very best that the UK has to offer. 

Don’t plan a road trip in the UK without reading this first! From the Scottish Highlands to the sunny south coast of England and wild, unspoiled Wales, here are seven of the best UK road trip itineraries. But first, a few pointers on how to use this guide.

Cherry-picking

Pace yourself, the great british weather, driving in the uk, 1. the cotswolds and the south of england, 2. wonderful wales, 3. the english countryside, 4. the south to north circular, 5. capital to capital (london to edinburgh), 6. devon and cornwall, 7. bonnie scotland, which uk road trip itinerary will you follow, how to use this uk road trip itinerary planner.

You could follow these itineraries over whatever period of time you have at your disposal, but we’d say you need at least a week.

A fortnight means you can spend more time in each place, while ten days means having to rush around a little less than when you have only 7 nights to spare. 

The key thing to remember here is that it’s your UK road trip, not ours! So you can of course cherry pick where you want to go and leave out anywhere that doesn’t really interest you. 

If you think about it, doing that means you could fit in two of these itineraries, back-to-back, over a fortnight. Rather than just one. Having said that…

A holiday is all about having fun. Or at least it should be. For that reason, we urge you not to try to pack too much in. Pace yourself and you might just enjoy yourself a whole lot more. 

When you’re not sure about where you really want to go, ask yourself this. Would you be really disappointed if you missed out on visiting this place? Or are you not really all that bothered? If you’re not feeling the love and aren’t too fussed about it, then is it really worth spending the time and money on going there? 

Wherever you go, be prepared for the weather to take over. British people often seem to talk about little else. Whether you’re in northern Scotland, west Wales or central England, the maritime climate of the British Isles means that the weather can be very changeable. 

Dress in layers, take along a packable rain jacket and an umbrella, pick the right footwear and you’ll be prepared for anything. 

Before you draw up that UK road trip map, you’ll need to think about driving around the country. Booking car hire before you go is always advisable, especially if you want a particular kind of vehicle. Such as an automatic – cars with manual transmission are still the norm in the UK. 

In the UK they drive on the left. Cars are thus right hand drive. Meaning that the steering wheel is on the right hand side of the car. If you’re from North America, Europe or any other area that drives on the left, then this may feel very different from what you’re used to!

Roads in the UK are generally well-maintained. Signs measure distances in miles rather than kilometres. In the interests of safety, it’s a good idea to look at the Highway Code before you set off, as this will familiarise you with the rules of the road in the UK.

We recommend preparing to drive in the UK with Tripiamo which is the most comprehensive guide for Americans driving abroad.

Their guides include instructional videos and interactive 360-degree driving tours and will teach you everything you need to know about driving abroad, from reading road signs to avoiding fines. Drive safely and confidently in the UK with the help of Tripiamo.

7 best UK road trip itineraries

This suggested road trip itinerary for the UK commences in Oxford. If you make all the stops, you’ll visit the Cotswolds, Bath, Salisbury, Stonehenge , Portsmouth, Winchester, Brighton, Dover and Canterbury. 

• Heathrow/Oxford -> The Cotswolds -> Bath -> Salisbury & Stonehenge -> optional Portsmouth and/or Winchester -> Brighton -> Dover -> Canterbury 

Depending on whether you want to embark on your road trip right away or spend some time in London first, you can collect a hire car for this Cotswolds and southern England road trip either at Heathrow Airport or in Oxford.

Don’t bother trying to drive in central London – it’s congested, expensive and almost completely devoid of any parking whatsoever!

Here’s where to stop when you want to explore the Cotswolds and the south of England. As well as five of the best things to do in each of these locations.

If you choose to begin in Oxford , this historic and academic city has lots to offer. It’s packed with very old buildings, including the many colleges making up the prestigious University of Oxford. Some of these were featured in the Harry Potter movies . 

Oxford also offers the Ashmolean Museum, which focuses on art and archaeology. You can also take a river cruise on the Thames, which is a lovely way to see the city. The Oxford Botanic Gardens and Arboretum are also well worth a look. 

• Oxford University and city walking tour
• Ashmolean Museum of art and archaeology
• Sightseeing river cruise on a small electric boat
• Harry Potter tour of Oxford filming locations
• Oxford Botanic Gardens & Arboretum

If you’re spending time in southern England, then you must visit the Cotswolds . This designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is all greenery and honey-toned local stone, and dotted with appealing towns and villages. 

Stow-on-the-Wold and Bourton-on-the-Water are the two most popular spots, but there are so many villages you can visit. Check out the 10 best Cotswolds villages in this post, or use the suggestions below.

Find things to do and places to stay in the Cotswolds in our complete guides.

• Stow-on-the-Wold Market town with traditional pubs and antique shops
• Bourton-on-the-Water On the River Windrush with honey-toned stone buildings
• Lacock Home to Harry Potter filming locations and beautiful, ancient buildings 
• Bibury Timeless village where you can find photogenic and historic Arlington Row
• Painswick The Queen of the Cotswolds with Rococo gardens and a grand churchyard

Bath is a spa city in the west of England. It’s world famous for its original Roman Baths, handsome Georgian architecture and the Bath bun. Other top places to visit in Bath include Pulteney Bridge and the luxurious Thermae Bath Spa. 

Discover a Bath itinerary , where to stay and what to do in our Bath guides.

• City walking tour with Roman Baths entry
• Pulteney Bridge
• Thermae Bath Spa
• The Royal Crescent 
• Bath Bun at Sally Lunn’s Historic Eating House and Museum

Salisbury & Stonehenge

So many visitors to the UK want to see Stonehenge. The mysterious stone circle can be found close to Salisbury , making it easy to visit both. 

Salisbury is a small city with a magnificent cathedral, a good museum and a bi-weekly market. You can also enjoy views of the city from Old Sarum, two miles away. 

• Stonehenge World Heritage Site
• Salisbury Cathedral and the Magna Carta
• Salisbury Charter Market | Tuesdays and Saturdays
• The Salisbury Museum | Stonehenge and local archaeology
• Old Sarum | Deserted hilltop ruins with panoramic city views

Portsmouth – optional

An optional trip to Portsmouth will particularly appeal to anyone interested in maritime history. The city is home to the historic dockyard, the Mary Rose and HMS Victory. Other sights to see include the Spinnaker Tower, and you can shop at the Gunwharf Quays outlet centre too. 

• Spinnaker Tower
• Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
• The Mary Rose
• HMS Victory
• Gunwharf Quays | Outlet shopping

Winchester – optional

Like Salisbury, Winchester is a small cathedral city. There’s an interesting military museum here. Other places to visit include the Winchester Science Centre, the Great Hall and Winchester College.

• Winchester Cathedral
• The Royal Green Jackets Museum
• Winchester College
• The Great Hall
• Winchester Science Centre and Planetarium

Brighton makes a great day trip from London – or you can stay over as part of a road trip around the UK. With a grand pier and a pebble beach, Brighton is Britain’s most popular city by the sea. 

Things to do here include shopping at The Lanes, seeing the Royal Pavilion and going on the i360. The Seal Life Centre is also popular with families. 

• British Airways i360
• The Lanes | Cafes, shops, pubs, boutiques and restaurants
• Brighton Palace Pier
• The Royal Pavilion
• Sea Life Brighton

Dover 

Dover is best known for the iconic white cliffs, but there are other attractions here too. These include St Margarets Bay beach, Dover Castle, the Fan Bay Deep Shelter and the Dover Museum and Bronze Age Boat Gallery.

• White Cliffs of Dover
• Dover Castle
• St Margarets Bay beach
• Dover Museum and Bronze Age Boat Gallery
• Fan Bay Deep Shelter

Canterbury is the capital of Kent, the county known as the Garden of England. The cathedral here is a draw, and the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the leader of the Church of England. 

You can also explore Westgate Gardens here, and visit Howletts Wild Animal Park or The Beaney House of Art and Knowledge with the kids.

• Canterbury Cathedral
• Westgate Gardens
• Official guided walking tour
• Howletts Wild Animal Park
• The Beaney House of Art and Knowledge 

Our wonderful Welsh itinerary begins in Oxford, in England, before heading via the Cotswolds to Bath. You can find out what to do in those locations under the Cotswolds and South of England itinerary above. Or read on to discover all that Wales has to offer. 

• Heathrow or Oxford -> The Cotswolds -> Bath -> Cardiff (optional) -> Brecon Beacons -> Barmouth -> Porthmadog -> Snowdonia -> Caernarfon -> Anglesey -> Llandudno -> Chester -> Liverpool (optional) -> Peak District -> Stratford -> Oxford/Heathrow

Cardiff is the cool capital of Wales. Top things to see here include Cardiff Castle, Bute Park, the Principality Stadium and home of Welsh rugby, and the National Museum. You can also take a Doctor Who walking tour of the city!

• Cardiff Castle
• Principality Stadium
• National Museum
• Doctor Who walking tour

Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons)

Bannau Brycheiniog, formally known as the Brecon Beacons, is the ideal place for outdoor sorts to stretch their legs. As well as hiking, you can cycle, try watersports, stargaze or do some rock climbing here.

• Mountain biking
• Watersports
• Rock climbing

The seaside town of Barmouth in northwest Wales is a pretty place to explore. Here you can spend time at Barmouth Beach, walk over Barmouth Bridge, see the harbour, discover Old Barmouth or hike the Taith Ardudwy Way. 

• Barmouth Beach
• Barmouth Harbour
• Taith Ardudwy Way hiking trail
• Old Barmouth
• Barmouth Bridge

Porthmadog is also a coastal town in Gwynedd. Things to do in this Welsh destination include visiting Black Rock Sands, two miles from town. You can also see the harbour village of Borth-y-Gest, Criccieth Castle, take a ride on the famous Blaenau Ffestiniog railway and spend time in the I talianate village of Portmeirion.  

• Blaenau Ffestiniog railway
• Black Rock Sands beach
• Borth-y-Gest village
• Criccieth Castle
• Portmeirion village

Snowdonia ( Eryri )

This mountainous part of northwest Wales is home to Yr Wyddfa (Mount Snowdon), Wales’s highest mountain.

The area is popular among hikers, and also known for the historic Snowdon Mountain Railway. Apart from exploring Eryri (Snowdonia National Park), taking a train ride and conquering the peak, you can also visit the National Slate Museum or go to Harlech beach and castle.   

• Scale Yr Wyddfa (Mount Snowdon)
• National Slate Museum
• Snowdon Mountain Railway
• Harlech Castle and beach
• Eryri (Snowdonia National Park)

Caernarfon is known for its majestic castle, but there are other absorbing places to visit in this royal Gwynedd town. These include Gypsy Wood Park, the Beacon Climbing Centre and the picturesque village of Beddgelert. You can also find the Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum at the castle. 

• Caernarfon Castle
• Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum
• Gypsy Wood Park
• Beacon Climbing Centre
• Beddgelert village

Anglesey is an island off the northwest coast of Wales. It offers the mediaeval capital of Beaumaris, historic sites and beautiful beaches.

You can also see the Menai Suspension Bridge built by Thomas Telford, trek the Isle of Anglesey Coastal Path, head to Llanddwyn Island and beach, or explore Plas Newydd House and Gardens.

• Mediaeval Beaumaris
• Menai Suspension Bridge
• Llanddwyn Island
• Isle of Anglesey Coastal Path
• Plas Newydd House and Gardens

Llandudno is a popular Welsh resort town . It has everything you’d expect from a British seaside spot, including a pier, gaming arcades, beaches and more. Here you can also add the Great Orme Tramway, North Shore Beach, Great Orme Mines and Rhiwledyn nature reserve to your to-do list. 

• North Shore Beach
• Great Orme Tramway
• Llandudno Pier
• Great Orme Mines
• Rhiwledyn nature reserve

Chester is a historic city with many Roman remains. It’s actually in England, but just a short hop over the border. Things to do here include shopping at The Rows, seeing the Roman walls and amphitheatre, visiting Chester Racecourse – which is the oldest in the UK – and ancient Chester Cathedral. 

• Roman walls
• Chester Cathedral
• The Rows shopping
• Chester Racecourse
• Roman amphitheatre

Liverpool – optional

There is so much to see and do in Liverpool . The most famous band in the world bar none came from the English city in northwestern England, and you can trace the tale of their success by visiting The Beatles Story or taking a Magical Mystery tour by bus. 

Two cathedrals, a major football stadium with a museum and the River Mersey are also musts. You can also find more things to do and places to stay in our Liverpool articles. 

• River Mersey sightseeing cruise
• Beatles Magical Mystery bus tour
• Liverpool Football Club stadium and museum
• Anglican and Catholic cathedrals
• The Beatles Story

Peak District

The Peak District National Park is another of those outdoor spaces that offer so much scope for active people. Here you can hike or bike, or follow the Pennine Bridleway on horseback. 

Visit the lovely spa town of Buxton, too, and don’t miss out on trying a Bakewell pudding in the town of the same name. This sweet treat is more widely known as a Bakewell tart, but locally is always called Bakewell pudding!

Discover where to stay in the Peak District here

• Horse riding
• Hiking the trails
• Try Bakewell pudding in Bakewell

Stratford-upon-Avon

The birthplace of William Shakespeare – the most famous playwright who ever lived – is a pretty town on the banks of the Avon river. Packed with historic and literary attractions, things to do here include seeing a play performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC). 

You can also visit Shakespeare’s birthplace in Stratford , plus Anne Hathaway’s thatched, half-timbered cottage, or go to Stratford Butterfly Farm and the MAD (Mechanical Art & Design) Museum.

• Shakespeare’s birthplace
• Stratford Butterfly Farm
• Anne Hathaway’s cottage
• Royal Shakespeare Theatre 

England is known as “this green and pleasant land”, so seeing the countryside can be a real highlight of touring the UK. While our itinerary includes a few cities, they are small and picturesque picks that complement the countryside. 

Places to include are the Peak District, Yorkshire, the Lake District and the Cotswolds. See the above itineraries, too, for a more in-depth look at locations already featured in this guide.

• Heathrow -> Cambridge -> Peak District -> York and Yorkshire -> Lake District -> Liverpool -> Chester -> Cotswolds (and Bath) -> Salisbury/Stonehenge -> Heathrow 

Academia and punting along the River Cam are what spring to mind when anyone thinks of Cambridge . You can tour the colleges here, including King’s, and also absorb all the history on a guided walking tour. The Fitzwilliam Museum of Art and Gin Laboratory are also popular.  

• University of Cambridge tour
• The Fitzwilliam Museum
• Punting on the Cam
• Cambridge Gin Laboratory
• Historic walking tour

York and Yorkshire

The city of York and the large northern county of Yorkshire have so much to offer visitors from the UK and overseas. Head to the city for history and urban beauty, or go to the Yorkshire dales and moors to see swathes of unspoiled countryside. 

If you do visit York, don’t miss the Minster, or wandering among the shops and cafes of The Shambles. The Chocolate Story is also great for fans of the sweet stuff (and who isn’t?)

You can also find out what to do in Yorkshire and where to stay in York in our guides.

• York Minster
• Yorkshire Moors
• The Shambles | Cafes, restaurants and shops
• Yorkshire Dales
• York’s Chocolate Story

Lake District

The Lake District in Cumbria is an outdoor lover’s paradise. The area is known for its dramatic bodies of water, and it is dotted with historic market towns. The Lakes also has literary associations, a thriving foodie scene and lots of camping shops. 

Things to do include sampling sticky toffee pudding (it was invented here), discovering the history of Peter Rabbit author Beatrix Potter, walking to Aira Force waterfall and visiting Lake Windermere. 

Discover where to stay in the Lakes and the best towns and villages in our Cumbria articles

• Lake Windermere
• The World of Beatrix Potter
• Aira Force waterfall.
• Try sticky toffee pudding
• Beatrix Potter tour with lake cruise

There is so much to see and do in Liverpool . The most famous band in the world bar none came from the city in northwestern England, and you can trace the tale of their success by visiting The Beatles Story or taking a Magical Mystery tour by bus. 

• Heathrow/Oxford -> Cambridge -> Lincoln -> York and Yorkshire -> Whitby -> Durham -> Northumberland Coast then via Hadrian’s Wall to Lake District -> Yorkshire Dales -> Peak District -> Cotswolds -> optional Bath/Salisbury/Stonehenge -> Heathrow 

Lincoln is a little off the beaten track when it comes to British cities, but it’s a place with so much to offer. The cathedral and castle here are incredible, as are the galleries and museums.

We recommend The Museum of Lincolnshire Life and The Usher Gallery art museum, and a stroll up Steep Hill, which will lead you to the castle via shops, cafes and pubs. 

• Lincoln Cathedral
• Lincoln Castle
• The Usher Gallery
• The Museum of Lincolnshire Life

Fish and chips, colourful beach huts, Whitby Abbey, a fascinating insight into science during Victorian times and the Captain Cook Memorial Museum all await in Whitby. 

Much of the scampi consumed in the UK is caught in the waters here, so sampling fish or seafood and chips is de rigueur. Look out for goths, too, Whitby being a favoured hangout among lovers of black attire and white makeup. 

You can also find more places to go in Whitby here .

• Whitby Abbey
• Fish and chips
• Beach huts at West Cliff beach
• The Museum of Victorian Science
• The Captain Cook Memorial Museum

Durham can be somewhat overlooked, but it’s a delightful and compact university city in the north of England. The castle and cathedral are both outstanding.

Other attractions to visit include Hall Hill Farm, the Oriental Museum at Durham University, and a wander along the banks of the River Wear. 

• Hall Hill Farm
• Durham Cathedral
• Oriental Museum
• Durham Castle
• Walk along the banks of the River Wear

Northumberland

Northumberland is England’s hidden coastal gem. It also has more castles than any other county. Think windswept, near-deserted beaches, cliff-top castles and rolling countryside, and you get the idea.

There are some breathtaking buildings to visit, such as Cragside in Rothbury and the castles. The Alnwick Garden is also well worth your time. 

Also discover the best places to stay and top coastal cottages in Northumberland

• Bamburgh Castle
• Alnwick Castle
• Alnwick Garden
• Northumberland coast

Hadrian’s Wall

The Hadrian’s Wall site of Vindolanda features Roman remains, and is one of the key spots to visit when travelling between Northumberland and Cumbria. The Roman fort at Birdoswald is also worth stopping for. You can also follow various trails in the area, or drop into the Roman Army Museum. 

• The Chesters Trail
• Roman Army Museum
• The Corbridge Trail
• Birdoswald Roman fort

• London -> pick up car at Heathrow -> Cotswolds and Stratford -> Peak District  -> York and Yorkshire -> Durham -> Northumberland -> Edinburgh 

Also, discover the best places to stay and top coastal cottages in Northumberland

Scotland’s capital city is steeped in history, has swathes of glorious Georgian architecture, and scenic parks and squares. There’s also world-class dining and shopping, and the mediaeval Royal Mile. Also not to be missed are Edinburgh Castle and the New Town. You could also take a Harry Potter walking tour or a city tour by hop-on, hop-off bus.

Also find the best ghost tours of Edinburgh , top Edinburgh tips , and great Edinburgh accommodation options

• Edinburgh Castle
• Hop-on, hop-off bus tour
• Royal Mile | The Old Town
• Magical Harry Potter walking tour
• New Town | Elegant Georgian architecture

If you want to explore the sun-drenched (well sometimes) southwest of England, check out our southwest corner road trip itinerary here . 

For 10, 14 and 18-day Scotland road trip itineraries, click here . 

Whether you want to drive around the UK for a week, ten days, a fortnight or longer, we hope this guide has inspired you to visit this glorious land.

With so much to see and do yet relatively short distances between places, you really can pack a lot into a short time when visiting the UK.

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Olivia Culpo's New England Wedding Venue Is a Victorian Gem—See Inside

O livia Culpo got her fairy-tale ending. Over the weekend, the former Miss Universe tied the knot with San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey in an idyllic—and quite Instagrammable—ceremony and reception in New England . But while her Dolce & Gabbana wedding looks are making their rounds on social media, design lovers like us can’t stop thinking about the gorgeous venue. (After all, hydrangea-clad buildings like it are the emblem of coastal grandmother chic .) Not only can you check out this picturesque property for yourself, you can even book a stay.

Perched on Rhode Island’s Watch Hill (and neighboring Taylor Swift’s place ), Ocean House is a stylish snapshot of the area’s rich history. The hotel first opened its doors shortly after the Civil War in 1868 and quickly became the “it” spot for the New England elite. (In fact, the property made a cameo in a silent film called American Aristocracy in 1916.) Though the hotel closed in 2003 after being deemed “beyond feasible repair,” a replica of the original Ocean House was built in 2004 and is a part of the Relais & Châteaux luxury hotel group.

The design of the new Ocean House pays homage to its romantic history. Painted in a sunny yellow, the property celebrates the Victorian architectural style that was popular in the 19th century. (In fact, Ocean House claims that all of its 247 windows remain in their original positions.) With 49 guest rooms and 18 suites, the accommodations are larger than the 159 that previously occupied the space; however, they were designed with yesteryear in mind. The hotel is peppered with more than 5,000 artifacts and furnishings from Ocean House’s heyday, and each of the rooms is lavishly outfitted with Matouk bedding and cheery pastels that fit right into its Gilded Age aesthetic .

If you need some extra space to spread out, Ocean House also has eight private cottages. Though they don’t have the same Victoriana vibes, these standalone homes do have up to seven bedrooms as well as amenities like a private pool, a full gourmet kitchen, laundry, and gorgeous ocean views. Think of it as a really fancy beach house.

Ocean House is the epitome of New England elegance, and as you might expect a stay here does come at a premium. Depending on the time of year and type of accommodation, you could spend up to $11,000 per night. (For example, a standard room goes for a nightly rate of $880 during the fall.) If that’s not in your travel budget, you can always check out one of the property’s restaurants and bars. Grab a sip and some shellfish at Verandah Raw Bar, and enjoy them on the porch overlooking the grounds and white sand beach.

Follow House Beautiful on Instagram and TikTok .

Jillaroos set for women's Test against England as part of NRL's trip to Las Vegas in 2025

Sport Jillaroos set for women's Test against England as part of NRL's trip to Las Vegas in 2025

Australia's women's side, the Jillaroos, are set to face England in a Test in Las Vegas next year.

The NRL is keen to have a women's match as part of the Vegas trip, viewing it as the best way to lure potential talent from the US.

What's next?

NRL bosses are expected to announce a schedule for next year's Las Vegas trip as early as this week.

Australia are set to play a women's Test against England in Las Vegas as part of the NRL's expanded four-game extravaganza for 2025.

NRL bosses will announce a schedule for next year's Las Vegas venture as early as this week, with the season-opening NRL fixtures all but locked in.

It is expected Penrith and Canberra will host games against Cronulla and the Warriors, as part of the season-opening double-header in the US.

A match involving Super League teams is also expected, with heavyweights Wigan and Warrington the most likely clubs to face off.

Such a fixture would work with English time zones, with the NRL also buoyed by the amount of fans travelling from the United Kingdom to Vegas this year.

There is then the option of adding an English component through a women's Test against Australia.

The league had toyed with several ideas, including the possibility of playing an NRLW match in March or opening the State of Origin series in Vegas.

But AAP has been told that an international fixture will instead be announced, with the Jillaroos expected to play England.

New Zealand could also feature in future Tests against Australia in the US, with the NZ Rugby League more than open to the idea.

A Jillaroos match in Vegas is considered the best way to sell the women's game, particularly given players will have been in camp during the post-season.

Australia are expected to play women's Tests against both New Zealand and Papua New Guinea this October and November, as part of the Pacific Championships.

The schedule for that is still yet to be announced, but it is likely women's matches will be played in both New Zealand and Australia.

The NRL announced a crowd of 40,706 at Allegiant Stadium this year for the inaugural Las Vegas matches.

But the league will hope to increase that in 2025 with the added English component, while there would be a desire to attract more eyeballs on television in the US.

The ABC of SPORT

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