Planning a trip to England/Scotland

[mom0299]

Hi! I'm from the States and my family is planning a trip to England/Scotland. We are looking at this one: http://www.trafalgar.com/usa/england-and-scotland-heritage-2013
It will be me, DH and our kids who will be 16 and 18 when we go for DS's high school graduation in 2015.
I'd like to know from the locals if you ever see these tours or hear about them. Do you hear good things or bad things? Does the trip look like it is too much? I'd like to know anything you can tell me.

 

[mom0299]

bump

 

[steve76]

My first thoughts are:

- It doesn't give you very long in London. You will probably arrive very early on the morning of day 2, giving you the remainder of that day and one other day. However you will be very jet-lagged (it's always worse going from US to UK, rather than the other way round) so you have to factor that in. If it's your first time I might be tempted to add another day at the start or end, depending on cost and time.

- The Ibis hotels are budget hotels - I would definitely not describe them as Moderate First Class as the itinerary suggests. Nothing wrong with that, of course (I have often stayed in Ibis hotels); just making you aware. Although as everyone knows, London especially is very expensive for hotels. I can't speak about any of the other hotels.

- It does look like quite a rushed itinerary but you should see a lot. I love the fact that it does more than just London and Stonehenge! Bath, the Lake District, Edinburgh etc. are all beautiful and definitely worth visiting. You can't get a feel for the country based just on London.

Those are only my personal opinions, other may disagree.

 

[Minniesgal]

you would certainly get to see a lot by oh my what a packed itinery and what a distance to cover in a short time. In my opinion it is too much in too short a time and you may well end up exhausted but if full on is what you like it may suit you. Personally coming the distance you are i'd do england or Scotland in 10 days and plan in time for jet lag recovery.

 

[queendisney]

- It does look like quite a rushed itinerary but you should see a lot. I love the fact that it does more than just London and Stonehenge! Bath, the Lake District, Edinburgh etc. are all beautiful and definitely worth visiting. You can't get a feel for the country based just on London.

Those are only my personal opinions, other may disagree.

I agree...Having read the itinerary I think you will be spending so much time just sitting on a coach. You will only just touch on the towns and attractions mentioned. I think its a great tour as a little 'taster' of Britain but I do feel like it will be like 'if you look to the right, thats York Minster and now onto Bath'
I am sure it will be fun but also very hard going with all that millage sitting on a coach

 

[houndlover]

I have to agree with others - it's all a bit rushed, especially as you are visiting places which are all about not being rushed! Apart from the main cities - London, Bristol, Edinburgh, the other places are countryside based areas where the joy is in taking your time and having a gentle wander.

As someone has said think you may be better doing a trip to Scotland or England - the places you are seeing on the trip are in order to facilitate driving up to Scotland and back, rather than perhaps what you actually want to see. (like staying in Leeds! No offence to Leeds itself, but it is not high on the tourist 'must-dos' LoL!) You may also be better doing a split stay - say week in London, from where you can do day trips on the train easily to places like Brighton, Oxford, Cambridge and Windsor then a few days elsewhere, like Edinburgh from the train in London, York, or even to Cornwall or Devon. I have worked on the tour buses in London and met many people on these sorts of trips who were a bit stressed TBH! It's pretty easy to plan your own trip as everything is accessible by train, especially from London.

 

[Ware Bears]

I agree with the others that it seems rather packed in and I'd personally prefer to visit less places and spend longer at each one. However my parents spent many happy holidays travelling the world on busy itineraries like this and thoroughly enjoyed each and every one.

 

[katiec]

My DS girlfriend's dad & step mum did the uk in a week!!!

2 nights London, 1 York, 1 Edinburgh, 1 west coast scotland, 1 lake district & last night in London!!!

Never in a million years would I do a trip like that but they loved it!!!

Happy planning

Katie x

 

[Chilly]

I agree with the others, you'll be spending a lot of time on a coach driving up and down the country not seeing anything.

If you know what you want to do and see we can help with how to get from place to place and you could book it all DIY so you get exactly what you want out of the trip.

 

[mom0299]

Thank you for all of the replies. I am going to contact AAA and see what they can put together for us that is more DIY. The trip is still 2 years away and we won't book until next year. I'm glad I've started research now so I'll be prepared.

DH and I took a trip to England, Ireland, and Wales about 10 years ago and DH took students to England and Scotland when he was teaching High School English. We have both seen London and the surrounding areas. We expect this trip to be an overview for the kids and a chance to travel overseas (other than the Caribbean cruises we've taken).

 

[mom0299]

OK, since it is DS's graduation trip we let him look at the options and he chose this one: http://www.cietours.com/us/escorted_tour/2013/scottish_dream_8d/. It covers less ground and doesn't seem quite as rushed as the other one. It does not include England, just Scotland, but I really like the tour. What do you think?

 

[irenep]

OK, since it is DS's graduation trip we let him look at the options and he chose this one: http://www.cietours.com/us/escorted_tour/2013/scottish_dream_8d/. It covers less ground and doesn't seem quite as rushed as the other one. It does not include England, just Scotland, but I really like the tour. What do you think?

Looks great
I don't know anything about that tour company but I have been to most of those places and a few of those hotels - I think it sounds lovely