Tips for UK vacation?

[DSNY4ever]

Thank you Gemmybear for the link, I am definitely going to check those out!

I live in trainers/sneakers for sightseeing.

Okay good, I won't look like a dork (well, I still might ) Is it okay to wear sneakers while touring the churches and castles too?

 

[Dimplenose]

Thank you Gemmybear for the link, I am definitely going to check those out!



Okay good, I won't look like a dork (well, I still might ) Is it okay to wear sneakers while touring the churches and castles too?

I've worn trainers everywhere - only had problems in restaurants with a "dress code" but I think that's the same in America.

 

[Rosie]

From what I can see you have had some wonderful advice!
My family had similar difficulties trying to decide what NOT to do when we visited California last August.
I would plan to do a little of everything, it is the only way to satisfy each person in the group.
Obviously you have the wedding and related social events. Public transport in the UK is not as good as it used to be and on a short timetable I would drive if at all possible between destinations and save buses and trains for getting around urban areas just as you would at home.
York, Durham, Hadrians Wall and Liverpool should definitely be at the top of your list this trip.
The Lakes or Snowdonia, the coast around Pembrokshire or North Yorkshire.
A really good Tea Shop - Bettys have several wonderful shops in Yorkshire, Fish and chips somewhere good too and of course some real ale somewhere!
Enjoy your planning!

 

[Tanzanite]

Thank so much everyone for all your suggestions. I loved them all so much that I made a rough draft itinerary that included pretty much everything you guys recommended.... but we now think it might be a little too ambitious for our amount of time and I have to cut something out which I am literally losing sleep over- this is the hardest vacation I have ever planned!

We are also starting to try to figure our train tickets and car rental pries and I am blown away at the prices. For some reason I thought train travel would be a lot cheaper. Do you guys have Magical Express?

**Okay, one sort of stupid question... what kind of shoes do you guys wear when you go out sightseeing? I want something comfortable to wear all day, but I want to be prepared for cold/wet weather. Last time we went to Europe I could get by with my nice sandals and tennis shoes on real walking days, but I think I need something else this time as neither of them are waterproof or warm!

Thanks for all the tips- I might PM some of you with questions about specific cities once we make our final choices. Thanks again

I am also in States did a trip last year to england we brought Brit rail 14 day pass it was great as soon as you use it on first day you get 14 days consective days you can go anywhere in Englandfirst time you use it show passport as it cant be brought in england only overseas visitors we went all over Scotland London Southern England only thing is it takes a bit of time on trains not to fast on long distances.It saved us a lot i travelled with 3 kids by myself was good deal as train travel in England expensive.

 

[les2425]

hi i am from newcastle upon tyne not far from durham it self.
the place i would visit when youre in the area would be,
alnwick castle and its garden, the garden are great there is large waterfall castcade , tree house (i worked on) and other attractions.
angel of the north, peace of art work by the a1 look like a man with 747 wings for arms.
beamish you got the open air museam wear you go back to 1913 or later in time and you stay at beamish hall hotel i heard its haunted.
and of course durham city.
most of all bring a jumper and water proof jacket it can be cold and wet hear.
lately it been very cold,ice and snow.

les m

 

[Earstou]

Not far from Edinburgh is the Falkirk Wheel, a rotating boat lift connecting two canals. We rode this last summer. My dh, ds and I really enjoyed this.

We had trouble deciding what to do, too. Now we want to go back and see the things we missed! But dh hated driving, and won't do it again! He didn't enjoy the trip as much until we got to London and turned the car in.

 

[izzie-wizzie]

If your close by - i'd say one of my favourite things to do in UK is Alton Towers.

Since your flying to/from Edinburgh - I can list a few things I enjoy there, since i live in Aberdeen (a couple years north from the Edinburgh) - I visit often and would love to move there as its my favourite city in Scotland.

Edinburgh Castle
Ghost Walks on the Royal Mile.
If theres no younger kids, The Dungeon can be a fun experience too - similarly The Whisky Experience is also good and really interesting for adults - AND its right beside Edinburgh Castle.

 

[#1MMFan]

Why don't you pop to the west coast of Scotland - take in Loch Lomond, Ben Lomond, Dumbarton Rock, University of Glasgow (>500yrs old), Burrell Collection, do a Glasgow City Tour (2nd best place to shop in the UK also!). You could also do a quick jaunt to St Andrews (home of golf) and Perth & Scone (pronounced Skoon) Palace. You're not far from the Trossachs staying in the Central Belt of Scotland (the Glasgow-Edinburgh corridor). Enjoy.

 

[DSNY4ever]

Yes, we are doing Glasgow for a day- any must sees or places to eat that you suggest? I haven't started to research much of what we want to do that day yet. We are also doing 2 tours that will take us to the coast and the highlands then drop us in Edinburgh. My husband is most excited about this part of the trip because he won't have to drive at all

Another question for you guys- is the Lake District not to be missed? It looks wonderful from what I have read, but we are having a hard time getting a car for that leg of the trip, since apparently the car rental places are all closed for the holiday weekend and I am not sure how easy it will be to get around there without one. I am thinking of trying to rearrange things to work it out so that it lands at another time of the trip, or I might have to give it up and stay somewhere else longer.

Any dining suggestions for the bigger cities? York? Edinburgh? Cardiff? Durham?

Thanks for all your help guys- I hadn't even considered York much until so many of you guys suggested it, and it looks wonderful (glad I won't miss it now!). I am so excited, I am already starting a countdown!

 

[Tanzanite]

We went to Edinburgh last summer got to warn you its a mess+ all the streets are dug up in city center very offputting as noisy & dirty. Glasgow was loveley great shopping very nice city we stayed in Edinburgh but would have prefered Glasgow York is nice went afew years ago friend lived in Leeds took me there for the day did York Castle very nice.Went to Ayr to the beach its not far from Glasgow.

 

[orlandothebeagle]

Not far from Edinburgh is the Falkirk Wheel, a rotating boat lift connecting two canals. We rode this last summer. My dh, ds and I really enjoyed this.

We had trouble deciding what to do, too. Now we want to go back and see the things we missed! But dh hated driving, and won't do it again! He didn't enjoy the trip as much until we got to London and turned the car in.

Falkirk wheel is cool

If your close by - i'd say one of my favourite things to do in UK is Alton Towers.

Since your flying to/from Edinburgh - I can list a few things I enjoy there, since i live in Aberdeen (a couple years north from the Edinburgh) - I visit often and would love to move there as its my favourite city in Scotland.

Edinburgh Castle
Ghost Walks on the Royal Mile.
If theres no younger kids, The Dungeon can be a fun experience too - similarly The Whisky Experience is also good and really interesting for adults - AND its right beside Edinburgh Castle.

I think Falkland Palace is cool, west coast is just gorgeous, even nicer than ph1 imho
What do you fancy doing???
Give me some clues so I can help.Edinburgh looks a bit better at the minute, but as pp said its been a mess, In fact a disgrace the tram works.
The east coast in very nice, Anstruther and st andrews for instance, a lot of very pretty fishing villages.

 

[orlandothebeagle]

Not far from Edinburgh is the Falkirk Wheel, a rotating boat lift connecting two canals. We rode this last summer. My dh, ds and I really enjoyed this.

We had trouble deciding what to do, too. Now we want to go back and see the things we missed! But dh hated driving, and won't do it again! He didn't enjoy the trip as much until we got to London and turned the car in.

I just noticed you are from kansas.

It is funny, the first time I went to the wheel it was because my friend from Kansas City Mo wanted me to take her while she was visiting!!

 

[MazdaUK]

Lake District is lovely but hard to see very quickly - roads are very twisty, and April is about when it starts getting busy.

If you're heading for York think about going to Castle Howard - "Brideshead Revisited" was filmed there, and they have a lovely costume museum (if that interests you). York Castle Museum and the Jorvik Centre are excellent, as also loved the Royal Armouries in Leeds (if anyone is into weapons). You may find a Dr Who exhibition in Cardiff?