Where are the other two tips?

Posted By Tim on June 20, 2008, 10:02 AM

I can vouch for not visiting Stonehenge, totally a waste of time :(

Posted By Journeyetc on June 21, 2008, 6:49 AM

As one who has often carried my luggage on London's Tube, I will say that a) Many locals indeed do the same, and b) If you have a manageable load, it's doable without a whole lot of inconvenience to anyone. In fact, I've had more trouble with narrow B&B staircases (no lifts) than I ever had with luggage on the Tube. Essentially, the idea of packing light is universally a good one - but has zip to do with the basic concept of taking luggage on public transport.

Posted By BGB on June 22, 2008, 12:41 PM

As a UK based travel blogger I agree with Mark. If you try to see too much you end up not really seeing anything properly, less is definitely more. You do need to have a rough itinerary but do allow some time for spontaneity and to wander around.

Stonehenge has to be one of the most over hyped attractions in the UK, too over crowded with tourist to have any real atmosphere. I'd encourage you to venture, even slightly, off the beaten track to see more of the real Britain and get better value for money.

Posted By Karen Bryan on June 22, 2008, 2:31 PM

Stonehenge is worth seeing, but as a stop off on your way to Bath.

Posted By Laurie J. Schultz on June 22, 2008, 7:34 PM

Was just at the stones last summer and hate to be the rogue here but I loved it. True, it sucks that you have to view it from the other side of a rope, but still - looking around at all the sprawling green spaces and wondering what secrets they still held made the trip worth it.

Cambridge and York were both very enjoyable too - but then again, you can only see so many cobbled streets, cathedrals, chip shops, and old pubs. :)

A visit to the mostly missed "Woodhenge" was cool as well - and as a bonus there is no barrier and we were the only ones there! (+ its free).

Posted By Greg on June 23, 2008, 3:31 AM

As a fellow Londoner myself ditto-ditto on Stonehenge, but my daytrip suggestion would be to the southeast through Kent (The Garden of England) Leeds Castle, considered the most beautiful castle in England and is still a working castle, grounds include white peacocks and black swans, this is where the natives go when they want a day out, on to Canterbury,(yes the same as Chaucers Canterbury Tales) here you have the tudor buildings, cobblestone streets and an awsome cathedral that you will miss if you dont look for it, (look for the spire and follow the side streets)this is where Thomas Becket was murdered and head of the Church if England, lots and lots of history in this city, then on to Dover Castle, this is a 12th Century Castle, again lots of history and most of it still standing, but underneath the castle are tunnels these were used as a War Room in WWll and are now open to the public, Dover is the closest point to France (21 miles)and you can pick up pieces of the chalk (White Cliffs of Dover). You can do this whole trip in 1 day or spend a day at each place, all the time traveling through the beautiful English countryside.

Posted By Shirley Hayden on June 23, 2008, 10:19 AM

I did the one day tour recommended by the above poster and loved it. I was glad we didn't spend much time at Stonehenge~I have to admit although there is an air of mystery regarding how it came about, the time spent in Canterbury and Leeds Castle was much more worthwhile. One of the very best parts was having a picnic lunch overlooking the cliffs of Dover on a lovely fall day!

Posted By Kimberly on June 23, 2008, 12:51 PM

As a professional photographer, Stonehenge was marvelous. The energy is great. I took a panoramic photo there with an approaching storm in the background that hangs over our bed and has sold a number of times. Wish I could post pics.

We drove 2,000 miles - bottom to almost the top and loved every minute of month we were there. Stayed in B&Bs exclusively and made a host of friends. Get on the back roads and see what you find.

Posted By Jimmy P. on June 23, 2008, 1:57 PM

Mark, I can explain my fellow Americans' urge to see as much as they possible can: different from Europeans, we get only 10 working days vacation a year. With the plane ticket often the largest expenditure, and with a mimimum of 8 hours of flying across the pond to get anywhere from the US, we want to make the most of the trip, because our circumstances may never again allow us to take a similar trip again. We live in a very different world from Europeans who get 8 weeks vacation with pay each year, and who in Holland get an additional minimal 8% vacation pay bonus on May 1 each year. Does that explain our frantic behavior? We are simply not in a position to take such a trip but only very rarely.

Posted By Molly Shannon on June 23, 2008, 1:58 PM

There are prehistoric sites all over the British Isles. "Henges" can be stone circles or just earthworks. If you look at a hiking map of any area you are visiting, they will be marked and you view see them in solitary splendor. Locals can direct you and frequently there are "fingerboards" (signposts) We have marveled at them in Yorkshire and the Cotswolds. Next trip I want to look at some of the huge figures of humans or horses in chalk. (I know that some are recent).

Posted By Carolyn on June 23, 2008, 2:19 PM

I have always taken the subway from the airport (Heathrow) with luggage. A taxi ride is just too expensive to consider. I do follow the above advice to pack light. If you can, stick to just one small-ish wheeled suitcase and be prepared for stairs in some of the tube stations. Many stations do have elevators, though, and in those that don't, I have had English men kindly help lift my bag down steps without my asking.

The best thing to do would be to study a tube map (you can view one at www.tfl.gov.uk/tube/) to find the most direct routes and to find out what routes may be closed, overly busy at certain hours, etc. There's also a "contact us" option where you can inquire about specific details to make your travels on the tube with luggage as easy as possible.

Posted By Shannon H. on June 23, 2008, 4:48 PM

I agree with much of what Mark has said. 1)Stonehenge was truly a magical place when you could wander among the great stones on midsummer's morn, but now I prefer Avebury, the Merry Maidens, or Castlerigg in the Lakes District.
2)Packing light is always your best bet, particularly now that airlines are beginning to charge for any checked baggage. And it has been my experience that the longest escalators in the underground stations are frequently out of order and it can be difficult enough hauling yourself up out of the depths without carrying your weight in baggage as well. Take clothing you were going to donate to Goodwill and leave it behind after you have worn it, or take an almost empty suitcase and fill it up on your trip.
3) Unless it your first and possibly only trip to the UK, AVOID LONDON in Tourist season. You can rent a cottage or a flat in other parts of England for a week for the cost of a couple of nights in London. And there is wonderful regional theatre, music,and art in the hinterlands. If you must visit London, go in November or March when the weather is not stiffling and you don't have to spend most of your precious time standing in queues.
4)Opposed to what you may have heard, driving on the "wrong side of the road" is relatively easy (everybody else is going the same way), just be sure to specify automatic transmission. If you have never driven a stick shift, now is not the time to learn. Unless you plan on spending all of your time in cities, a car offers a chance to get out into the countryside and enjoy the natural beauty, historic houses, and tiny villages that you can otherwise only glimpse from train or coach windows.
5) I agree that you should not schedule yourself so tightly that you leave no time for impulse or opportunity. Remember that travel is not only to see places and things, but to meet people from other places and backgrounds. Visit the local pub in a village for lunch. Shop in small greengrocer's, street market, or local craftsman, and visit OxFam shops and car boot sales (equivalent to Yard or Garage sales) The best souvenirs are those that come with interesting stories attached. If you do go in Nov. or Dec., many local churches have their Christmas sales with lots of handmade items and homemade goodies (like treacle and fudge). But do your homework before you leave . Some travel bargains are only available for advance purchase.

Posted By Lois on June 23, 2008, 5:37 PM

Agree that Stonehenge is a mixed experience. I was fortunate to see it before "development" and after on a slow day. Can you still "rent" personal time before opening time? However, the many other circles are well worth a little research and often empty of others. Some can be busy, but Avebury was worth every effort - even did some unbothered watercolor and sketching.

Posted By Kathleen Guest on June 23, 2008, 6:24 PM

I agree completely with slowing down, skipping Stonehenge, and packing light, but having visited England in April, I must say that the savings on booking early train tickets is pretty substantial. An early ticket from Bath to Oxford was about 1/3 the cost of a same-day ticket.

Posted By jeff on June 24, 2008, 8:59 AM

We have visited England twice, staying with friends. They were expert at having us see the most for our time allotted (17 and 10 days). We did visit Stonehenge (back when there were no barriers) and found it wonderful. However, it was simply a stop on the way elsewhere. Also, the chalk men and horses are amazing! Well worth seeing.

Posted By T. Fix on June 24, 2008, 10:09 AM

Do these travel mistakes not apply in all of Britain (i.e., Scotland)?

Why not travel to Edinburgh rather than see Stonehenge? Why stop at York? Glasgow has a tube, too, and it is, um, orange and goes in a big circle (ellipse, really). Do tips #1 and #4 cease to apply when you reach the Borders?

By the way, I am an American living in Scotland, and the subtle rivalry between England and Scotland amuses me to no end. On the other hand, the not so subtle aspects are dismaying.

Jokes and sarcasm aside, this is very good advice - there is so much to see on this (relatively) small island that you shouldn't try to do it all in one go...you'll miss the best part of traveling and that is meeting and connecting with new people...regardless of whether they are English, Scottish, or British.

Posted By Russell on June 24, 2008, 10:35 AM

Advice aside, we enjoyed Stonehenge immensely but my favorite area during our entire stay in England was the Cotswold area. As far as castles go, we were also very impressed with Warwick Castle. I also have a tip of my own...check into purchasing the British Heritage Pass. It was relatively inexpensive and allowed us admission into many, many areas, castles, historic sites, etc. We were even able to bypass the lines (yes, even at Stonehenge). We simply showed them our passes and walked on in. It can be purchased at any major city or online and was definitely worth the minor investment.

Posted By Terri on June 24, 2008, 11:04 PM

Great tips! I will never understand the mentality that a tourist must run around like crazy, see absolutely everything, then feel exhausted at the end of each day. A vacation is supposed to be relaxing, right? One of my best travel experiences involved spending 8 hours in a pub in Nottingham. My husband and I might have missed some touristy spots, but we had a blast hanging out with the locals and made friends we still keep in touch with. I also appreciate the recommendation to see Bath. We saw Stonehenge, but kept it brief and continued on to Bath. It's a great city and a must-see if you're a Jane Austen fan.

Posted By Beth on June 26, 2008, 12:44 PM

I don't buy that not visiting Stonehenge bit.......My partner and I had a rental car this past trip so on our last day we drove out there in the morning before our evening flight from LHR. It's something to see just once in your life so you can understand the magnitude of the whole thing. It looks a bit different in pictures. Well worth seeing once!

Posted By Scott on June 26, 2008, 12:53 PM

Russell is right. One of the biggest mistakes you can make when writing a blog about the UK is to solely concentrate on England. They are not one and the same!

Posted By Chris on June 27, 2008, 5:45 PM

I visited Scotland, England and Wales in 2001, just before 9/11. I loved Scotland and all its sights. The people were very proud of their heritage and couldn't wait to show it to me. When I mentioned I had Scottish ancestors, they were very nice about telling me some great stories about my "clan" members. Stonehenge was okay, but it was during the hoof and mouth disease era, and we were not able to see the stones up close. There weren't enough of the informational phones available for the 5 busloads of people visiting, so it was difficult to know what I was seeing. A nice stop along the way to Bath, however, and I could say "I was there". I agree, seeing more than you can take in is a mistake, so I bought a little booklet at every stop, so when I got home, I could match up my photos with the books, and try to remember where I had been. I will probably never get a chance to revisit the British Isles, so I was glad to be able to see and touch as much as possible.

Posted By Claire on June 27, 2008, 10:15 PM

As an English woman, married to a Scot, now living in California, it was interesting to read all the comments. Most of which I agreed with, but please do not miss out on visiting the West Country when in the U.K.
Devon and Cornwall are unique areas with a lot of History.
Try the 'Cornish Pasties' and the 'Devonshire Clotted Cream'
Hike along the coastal paths down in Cornwall,
Visit Plymouth's Barbican area where the Pilgrim Father's finally set sail to go to America. See if your family name is printed on the original list of passengers hanging on a Barbican wall. Play 'bowls' on Plymouth Hoe, where Sir Francis Drake was playing when the Spanish Armada was sighted.
Reasonably priced B&B's, and 'Pub Grub' too.

Posted By Eileen Lamont on June 28, 2008, 6:22 PM

My 74 year old Welsh mother and I traveled for three weeks in the UK in May 07. We started in London (family there), traveled by car down to ancient Canterbury, with it's breathtaking cathedral and neat town, onto bustling Brighton, seeing the Seven Sisters on the way! Then all the way to lonely Land's End, with their narrow lanes and very tall hedges. We had an incredible cream tea in Cornwall. Onward to Bath via the Cheddar Gorge, then to Avebury, where there was an ancient ceremony taking place. Up to the blooming Cotswolds, and then down into Wales with their musical accents (family again). We then traveled into the Lakes District, seeing the largest rhododendrons in Europe! Up the west coast we traveled, into The North. Scottish moors and lochs, lovely Edinburgh, and down the east coast to beautiful Yorkshire. Traveling farther south to the flatlands of Peterborough and Norwich, then back to big city London. I believe we saw at least 20 historic properties. Basically, we made a big loop through the country.
This was a similar trip that my mother and late father made on their honeymoon, over 50 years ago. It was worth all the traffic hassles (including a car breakdown & tow in Edinburgh) and sore bums from driving just to hear the stories and half forgotten memories about my parents first trip together!

Posted By K Cummings on June 30, 2008, 3:09 PM

While I agree that pre-booking every last minute of your trip is not advisable, I don't agree with the writer when it comes to pre-booking train tickets - they can cost a lot less if booked well in advance. Try it out with some dummy dates just to get a feel for it and see how much difference it can make.

As to Stonehenge - it's awesome for some, so-so for others; but since it is on the way to and from so many superbly worthwhile sites, why not swing by when headed to, say, Bath (stay overnight!), Salisbury, or the southern Cotswolds? A slight detour from the major freeway gets you there without much loss of time.

Posted By Wally Kringen on June 30, 2008, 6:30 PM

I guess we are not typical Americans. Our usual trip to the Isles is to book a hotel the evening of our arrival near the airport and have a car waiting the next morning. We have a general idea of where we want to visit, but never make reservations until around noon, stopping at the local information office for those, and staying longer if we are enjoying the area, or moving on when we want something else. We have met such wonderful people everywhere, but I must say I most enjoyed Wales. Don't be afraid to leave the main road and strike out cross-country - we have seen some beautiful sites that none of our friends even suspected to exist. Also, B&Bs are great sources of local knowledge. We have made so many day trips on their recommendations that have turned out to be highlights of our trip. On the other hand, understand that most rural locals, especially in Scotland and Wales, may have never been more than a few miles from home. We still laugh about our experience in a Scottish bar when we were discussing Balmoral Castle with the locals and found out they had never been there, despite it being 10 miles from us. Be adventurous, try new things and rely on the friendliness of the locals for the best trip you will have.

Posted By Jay Williams on July 3, 2008, 10:03 AM

You are absolutely right!! Been there, {many times}... and done that! Especially agree with taking several days in a city...A city tour is a nice start to get acquainted and just sit out your jet lag. Then pick your special sights and linger!Also agree with your evaluation of Stonehenge.. a waste of a day... We found York VERY interesting, and not too touristy...Everyone really needs to see the wonderful English countryside and day trips can take in a lot. Too true about the luggage... it can ruin a trip!

Posted By Maureen Eagan on July 3, 2008, 12:32 PM

Wow. Lots of great comments and differing viewpoints and ideas. I've travel to and around the UK from the USA seven times now. Edinburgh is one of my favorite cities, by I love York as well. I rented a car from Bath just to visit Stonehenge (I was told tour buses were out of season). I'm glad I went once, but for me the driving on the other side of the road and the roundabouts were pretty stressful. I'm better at it now, but it took some getting used to. The Britrail pass is the best way, in my humble opinion.

Posted By David Thurber on July 3, 2008, 12:45 PM

I made the mistake of not buying Eurostar train tickets months in advance. That mistake cost us $500 each when we waited to buy our tickets after we arrived in Paris.

Posted By Jerome Weingart on July 7, 2008, 12:38 PM

Stonehenge makes a great am or pm trip from the charming city of Salisbury especially by tour bus. Just enough time. Brit buses in general also are great and they give terrific senior discounts.

Posted By john irvin on July 7, 2008, 1:05 PM

British heritage passes are a great bargain; our 15-day pass saved us over $100. You can also get Inner Circle passes for Stonehenge (before opening and after closing times) for about $25. You are allowed within the ropes, up close to the stones. The morning we went (June 6 at 7:30 AM), there were just 6 other people.

Posted By Joan OD on July 7, 2008, 3:34 PM

I actually liked Stonehenge. The GPS led me right to it going from Bath back to London. It was worth the few hours we spent. What you might want to tell some of us Yanks is to NOT drive in London even with GPS. Thank goodness for some understanding police when I also took a wrong turn. ("You're the second Yank I've stopped in a rental car today!") I now have charged to my card from Hertz almost $200 a day (times 2) from a congestion charge that was way more than what I thought it was going to be.

Posted By The other Mark Smith on July 7, 2008, 4:33 PM

If you can it is easier when flying into London to travel into town on the tube or airport bus, and pick up a rental car when you are leaving to see the countryside. Public transport is great and although I learnt to drive in London and am quite comfortable driving in big cities it makes no sense to sit in traffic jams wasting your precious vacation, when you can be wherever you want to be on the tube. I didn't actually own a car until I went to live in California.

Try a visit to Hampton Court it is a lovely place has a great maze and was once home to Henry 8th. Stonehenge is over-rated. We went by there just as it closed and saw almost as much from the outside, I had been before the barriers but my husband was quite satisfied with his quick look.

The last time I was in London with my family we bought a regular weekly season ticket rather than a visitors pass. I know the price of things changes all the time but it is worth looking into, they work on bus and tube and worked out cheaper. If there are three or more in the party though it is not always economical to use public transport. I had booked a private car for my daughter and Grandson to get from Stanstead to Heathrow as they had to leave earlier than we did and she would have had difficulty on her own with a two year old. My husband and I and our niece did the same journey the following week, but we went on National Express. The cost was the same for both journeys but our daughter had much the better experience. Airport to hotel whereas we had to find the bus stop and then take a taxi to the hotel. Next time we will book the limo. Check it out before you go.

Autoeurope is the best company for booking cars, much cheaper than Hertz and we have always had good service. Be aware though that cars in Europe are smaller, and packing light may be the only way you will get all your luggage into the car, as well as make any public transport journey easier. If you forget anything you can always buy it there.

Posted By Kris on July 8, 2008, 7:32 AM

I would add one thing to all the observations on Stonehenge. You can park your car by the main road, avoiding the car park run by English Heritage - and just walk up to the wire. From there you can see the monument almost as well as the people who pay a pile of money to go inside.
Stonehenge has got into the clutches of English Heritage - a sanctimonious organisation with a talent for charging a pile of money and making a great fuss over conserving things that weren't in much danger in the first place. Don't encourage it by feeding it any more!

Posted By ian chandler on July 10, 2008, 1:39 PM

Stonehenge is magical at sunset. You can get a tour (at extra cost) with a tour company that has made an arrangement to get inside the wire after closing time. So, you can actually walk among the stones and take amazing photos.

Posted By Manny Nestle on July 10, 2008, 2:07 PM

Skip Stonehenge (unless driving by anyway) and visit Avebury if you want a "henge" experience. Charming village, huge stone circle, and it's not roped off.

After learning my lesson in London with a huge suitcase on my first trip, I now travel with a small rolling bag and clothes that wash and air dry in the hotel room. The freedom is wonderful. On the one occasion in Rome when I needed a jacket, I bought one in a small discount clothing store near Trevi and the Pantheon. The clerk took us into the basement to see exposed Roman ruins. If I had overpacked, we would have missed an amazing experience!

Posted By Deborah Miller on July 10, 2008, 5:13 PM

As for packing, I always pack a small light bag. If I'm going for a week (7 days), I pack clothes for 4 days. On day 4 I drop the others off at a service laundry. It's not expensive and you don't have to wash them in a sink!

Posted By Stevin on August 14, 2008, 9:15 PM

Skip Stonehenge?! No way! Well, do skip it if you're one of those tourists that visits Stonehenge and the Pyramids, has no earthly idea why he's doing so except that everyone says "these are the things you've got to see if you travel," and that just stares where the tour guide points, and gets nothing out of it, with his brain-waves in a flatline (we've all seen these tourists, right?). But if you see those folks at Stonehenge, just move discreetly away from them, and believe it or not, I've had very uplifting and--cover your ears, those who think this is sappy--mystical experiences, there. Be sure to look around and take in the view of the plain surrounding it, too, at all the mounds where the old chieftains were buried.

But I agree wholeheartedly with others' suggestions to visit other stone circles, especially Avebury, as well. Avebury is a stone circle like Stonehenge, but the stones aren't squared, just left rough-hewn; however, the circle is so big that they built a whole village inside of it. There's a great feeling there, and as others have said, you won't feel herded like cattle with millions of other tourists (though I have heard that Avebury gets over a million visitors per year). It, like Stonehenge, is on the way to Bath (which, I also agree, is a must-see, a very special city).

Agree too that Canterbury is a wonderful city, with many medieval features; great medieval walls, the cathedral is nonpareil, and fantastic old half-timbered houses and shops. York, ditto. The Cotswolds are sometimes derided as being too stereotypically "English-village," but they are absolutely beautiful, pastoral, bucolic and peaceful. Great under snow, too. For castles (though I also hope to visit Leeds castle soon), my favorite yet is Arundel, perhaps an hour and a half southwest of London. Huge, monumental, beautifully constructed, evocative architecture.

Oh, and as to taking the luggage on the tube: since I only take my luggage back and forth twice, once when arriving and once when leaving, I have a fine experience taking it from the airport to my hotel--as long as the airport is Heathrow, where the Piccadilly Line stops, and as long as my hotel is on the same line; if my hotel were three different tube line transfers away, I would definitely agree with Mr. Smith.

Thanks for a great thread--cheers, Andrew

Posted By Andrew on August 28, 2008, 5:57 PM

Please don't rent a car immediately after you land at Heathrow.

It is irresponsible of so many people - who then proudly put in their blog "I drove 200 miles and I was so tired I could not keep my eyes open". How would you regard a Brit who endangered American lives when he knew he was not fit to drive.

Posted By Chris Jones on September 5, 2008, 10:01 AM

If you can get away from the main sites and have time [and the inclination -- it was a little eery to me to be out of sight of land for more than 3 hrs., but I've never been on a cruise] to take the ferry from the Scottish mainland over to the Isle of Lewis, the Standing Stones of Callanish are even better than Avebury. (I have a CD with new-age music called "The Standing Stones of Callanish," which is why I went there in the first place.) Talk about magical -- with the music playing in my Walkman [this WAS 11 years back!] and the wind whistling among the stones, I could understand how the ancients saw this as a holy place.
Lewis is pretty basic, but it is possible to rent a car [a beater, true, but I'd recommend it anyway -- Lewis would be a great place to practice your left-hand driving, since you only see another car about every 20 minutes! The main problem on the road is avoiding the SHEEP who decide to lie down in the smack-middle of the road.] And 11 years ago, the island pretty much shut down on Sundays -- Lewisites take their Sabbath VERY seriously.
There's a lovely little B&B in Stornoway [or at least there was in '97] called "Sula Sgeir" and run by Mrs. Murray, who has Scottish Gaelic as her first language and English as her second! At breakfast the 1st morning I was there [and I was the only guest], she was ironing in the kitchen and listening to some Gaelic radio station. There was not a SINGLE SOUND coming from the radio that was familiar to these Texan ears!
But the B&B is lovely and is situated over the road from the water -- I could see it from my en-suite room -- with a whole lot of cows in the intervening meadow. That was lovely to wake up to -- seriously!
Just get off the beaten track as much as you can ... and, since the Brits speak "our" language, talk to the locals. You never know when you might meet your New Best Friend!

Posted By frogprof on September 19, 2008, 6:24 PM

Check into the Royal Oak Society - the membership made for an incredible month in Great Britain! Their detailed guide, free admission to hundreds of castles, gardens, and historic homes, even free parking made our vacation a breeze. (Stonehenge included) Camping was an affordable option, even with the constant showery weather. Cornwall, Wales, and Scotland included. My personal favorite - Isle of Skye.

Posted By Theresa on October 14, 2008, 9:35 PM

What great comments! I do disagree, however, with the "skip-Stonehenge" advice. When one has read about and indeed looked at pictures of this wonderful pre-historic site all of one's life, just seeing it in person is worth the time and effort. I recall coming up over the hill before descending into the valley where the monument is located and actually catching my breath with excitement. Or, perhaps I am just a romantic! No one seems to mention the close-by town of Salisbury with its much Constable-painted cathedral that contains a original copy of the Magna Carta. The town itself is wonderful to just wander around and visit a pub or two.
I went to Plymouth the last time (2007) I visited the UK, and I was much disappointed. Other than the Barbican, there is not much to be enjoyed. The town itself is post-war because of its proximity to the Naval Headquarters, so much was destroyed by the Luftwaffe, including much of now-restored cathedral. The "new" town is quite ugly without any promising features.
One of my very favorite places (also visited last time) is Hay-on-Wye, the just across the border Welsh town with seemingly hundreds of used book stores. My first taste of clotted cream came from there along with wonderful strawberry preserves and scones.
London is just too, too--too expensive by a great deal ($30.00 US for a Polish-style pizza and a small glass of soda.) No, thanks, I'll take York any day. Larry Adams

Posted By Larry Adams on October 20, 2008, 1:56 PM

In 2007, I visited England for two weeks with my 14-year goddaughter, and Stonehenge was for her one of the highlights of the trip. I think jaded adults - including me! - don't appreciate the wonder and mystery of sights like Stonehenge as much as kids to whom the world is still new. Other things she especially enjoyed were the theatre in London, Buckingham Palace, Castle Howard (her favorite), a ghost walk in York, and, of course, Topshop. We rented a car and while I'm glad we did, driving was a little stressful for me. When we got back, I have never been so happy to see a 4-way stop in my life! And it's definitely true - you do NOT want to be hauling around a large suitcase on the Tube - too many stairs-only stops, and malfunctioning escalators.

Posted By simone on October 20, 2008, 3:11 PM

Great meal & market deals.
When traveling in almost any town they have supermarkets (Tesgo, Asda for example)
They have the greatest and cheapest meals, fresh cooked with food from the store, save $$$ and also go shopping for the best deals in the store.

Visit towns when they have their "Market Day"
the place is full of locals buying not only fresh food local snack bars where you can try "local sandwiches" but also great deals on souvenirs, also look for the local historic society or information centre, they in many towns.
Stratford for example has a great market day.

Gifts-
Try the towns charity shops,they have gifts very good and cheap, ceramic, brass, clothes and much more, it also goes to a good cause.

Posted By flooperdave on October 20, 2008, 3:37 PM

Two years ago visiting England, we wasted going to London on a day trip-it's not enough to do justice and VERY difficult getting around-buses were confusing, on the tube, you can;t see anything-and the overwhelming crowded Islamic presence is horrific-not even English character left and these are NOT friendly people! Go down through Salisbury, read the great novel about its cathedral and stay in B&B country nearby to visit:Stonehedge which is not a "been there and done that" type of place- go in off hours, avoid the crowds and read a little about it to better understand and feel this wonderful place. Aveburty was a poor substitute as the drunks and hippies lying around by the stones ruin your appreciation of the place-also make it dirty with litter! Southwest: Cornwall and especially Devon are marvelous country with real England to see-pasties and good seafood make up for English cooking reputation. Wells is a real sleeper with perhaps best, prettiest and most unique of all English cathedrals.To enjoy the Southwest rent a car-the trins are NOT relable and don;t get you inot back roqd discoveries as well.Buses next best bet.

Posted By Robert Bentley on October 20, 2008, 8:51 PM

Sorry, Robert - but just have to comment on your London aside about the 'overwhelming crowded Islamic presence.' Where the heck were YOU? Have spent a couple of weeks over the last two years in London over the November, early December time frames and have no clue what you're referring too. And we did a LOT: the Brit, out to O2 and Greenwich, every street market I could get myself to, grocery shopping (LOVE Tesco), the Tower, stood outside to watch the sentries at The Palace, and more. Loved the parks (green lungs) of London. Took buses and the Tube. Walked a LOT. Hung out in Bayswater. Shopped at least two High Streets. Had a BLAST! And would go back in a second. While London is just a small part of the country, it is fun and full of wonderful things to do - and not all of them cost a ton of money. It is multicultural and diverse while remaining just enough 'Britishness' to make it a great way for timid Americans to start their explorations over the Pond. I stand in support of London.

Posted By been there, done that on October 23, 2008, 10:00 PM

My husband and I just got back from a WONDERFUL trip to London. Dec 5-Dec 14, 2008. We rented an apartment, walked and took the tube everywhere. When we first landed at Heathrow (we had the overnight flight from LA on Friday night, got in Sat afternoon). Because of that, we took a taxi to our apartment, cause we weren't sure exactly where it was, and the cab drove past it once. BUT on the way back to Heathrow, we took the Tube. It was early Sunday morning and EVERYONE on it was going to the airport. I just wouldn't do luggage on the Tube during rush hour - like Fri or Sat nights. But if you have an early morning weekend flight or late evening flight -- tubes should be fine. and less crowded. But a lot of regular London residents, working people, have the little carry-on suitcases (some the size that flight attendants carry and a bit larger), that they have on the Tube and everywhere. Beats carrying a lot of stuff in a briefcase etc. We saw those everywhere. And it wasn't ''luggage''. That would be my advise on Tubes and luggage.
Because of our apartment, we had to go grocery shopping and get in with the locals with was the way we like to vacation. We ate mostly breakfast in our apartment, cause we were out all day.
I wasn't that impressed with Tesco. Some of them are little more than a 7-11, or gas station convenience store. Waitrose or Whole Foods or Sainsbury are good. But we checked them all out.
TOURS:
I would NOT book ANYTHING before your trip. Wait until you get there. You'll save money. For example, we booked thru Orbitz. Orbitz gave us an option to book a "Tour of London" for $183 per person. (We thought that was steep so we didn't book thru them). When we got there we booked the exact same trip for 79pounds per person, Total 179pounds, which equals about $200. We saved over a hundred dollars.
Because we didn't have a concierge, there was a rack with A TON of tour company brochures, leaflets, booklets, flyers. For Plays, Palaces, etc. We grabbed one of each, and planned our excursions. BUT do have an idea of where you want to go and do BEFORE hand or you'll spend your whole trip ''planning'' what to do, instead of doing it.
Helpful websites: www.visitbritain.com and www.visitlondon.com
Both offer Tube info, tips, travel guides, etc. They are official websites from the country.
TUBE
You can buy Oyster card at the TUBE stations. Basically it is like a pre-paid phone card or a Toll road meter. You buy a card and put whatever amount of money you want on it.(I suggest at least 20pounds if you're there for at least a week. It is 3pounds to set up. So we put on 17 pounds to use. And we had to put on an extra 10pounds for the last two days.)As you run out, you can put more money on the card. GREAT thing about it, is when you leave, you can turn in your card and get whatever money you have left back. At Heathrow they have a ticket office just off the Tube station that gives you back your ''unused'' money. But it is in pounds. Then we went and had breakfast and paid with our leftover money and paid the difference with a credit card. So, then we saved money on exchange rates to change it back to dollars.
THE OYSTER CARD PEOPLE are at their help windows everyday at least until 8pm. Some tube stations longer hours. Call them anytime too for assistance.
MONEY
We exchanged money at LAX, and then more at Heathrow. I think Heathrow gave us a better exchange rate. There are a TON of Bureau of Exchange all over London, cause they need to change to Euros when they travel to other parts of Europe. But we knew we needed to have some cash upfront, so we took the initial hit in fees at the airport.
CREDIT CARDS
I would recommend using CREDIT CARDS as much as possible. You get a better exchange rate for a small fee that your credit card may charge you. We did for the majority of things. But be aware, some vendors only took cash. For example, the Natural History Museum had a holiday ice rink and little Holiday craft fair outside with vendor booths and food booths. The food booths only took cash. But look and ask. We only had about $200 in cash and that sufficed for us. Everything else we did credit cards.
TRAINS
We booked train tickets the night before for Stratford-Upon-Avon (Shakespeare's birthplace and the home of the Royal Shakespeare Co-RSC). I got their timetable on line, and called and booked. You can pick up your tickets at the station on a machine using your credit card. You could buy them there too. STATIONS - some Tube stations are also stations for Trains. Your Tube map will tell you. You find the one nearest you, and then check out the train times. Chilten Railways operates to Stratford-Upon-Avon.
SIDE TRIPS
There is so much to see and do, you'll never be able to do it all. So, pick some stuff that you really want to see and do.
Stratford-Upon-Avon
Bath
Stonehenge
Windsor Castle
We did the Stratford-Upon-Avon on our own, cause we wanted to spend all day there.
We bought a tour for Bath, Stonehenge, Windsor Castle - all in one day.
**I would recommend NOT doing too many things on one day. There are a lot of tours going to 4 or 5 or more destinations in one day trip. There is NO WAY to spend any quality time at any of the places doing that. They would have to just be drivebys. So if you are going to pick a tour, pick a tour that goes to 3 or less places to fully enjoy. I cannot imagine doing anything more on our Bath, Stonehenge, Windsor Castle tour. We had time to really experience each site, but really we could have had way more time. So, keep that in mind.
There is also a tour company - Anderson Tours - that does small van tours to popular spots. But they only do specific tours on specific days. We just couldn't make it fit our schedule. But I would recommend small.
THEATRE
Go down to Leicester Square (prounounced "Lester") in the morning. There is an ''official'' ticket booth across from the movie theatre. Concrete, square hut. London Tourist Info shares the space.
You can buy tickets there. Also, there are a ton of other ticket sellers. Half price or less. On the day that you want to go. So you go during the day to buy tickets for that night.
You can also go to the theatres themselves as well.
We saw Twelfth Night at the Donmar. FANTASTIC production. We bought them at the theatre's own box office.
OTHER COOL STUFF:
1. www.londonwalks.com -- walking tours, 2hours max, 7pounds each. To anything and everywhere you want to go and see. We did the British Museum and Jack the Ripper walk. Check it out.
2. Harrods - thee most decadent place I've ever seen. But you have to see it. It sells EVERYTHING. Part market, restaurant, cafe, highend jewelry, fashion, furniture, housewares, etc.
We had dessert there. In the food court. Fantastic.
3. Tower of London - allow at least 2 hours. 3 hours better.
4. Westminster Abbey, Big Ben and Houses of Parliment -- do a tour of London.
5. Tour of London -- either on the "original tour of london" red bus, or with some other tour company. I would recommend Premium Tours.
5. London Eye - pretty at night, but I suspect even better during the day time.

**A comment on Stonehenge: we loved it. Locals probably are tired of it, but to see it up close after hearing about it forever, it was pretty awesome. There's an audio tour that you pick up at the ticket booth. Some tour groups - if you go early in the morning, are allowed to go under the ropes and walk around the stones. Also on certain holidays and solstices, they take down the ropes altogether. But there are some stones to touch that are accessible with the ropes.
It doesn't take long to see it, so you should combine it with a trip to other areas.

Posted By Kelly on December 18, 2008, 1:49 PM