London Is Exciting, But...
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You can have adventures anywhere you go even if it's not adventure travel. It's likely that London will be one of your first international trips. Americans find the UK comfortable because there is no language problem... well, almost none. And London seems familiar. We see it on the news... you know... Big Ben, the Tower Bridge, why, even the Queen and the Royals seem like friends because you've seen them so often on the TV.
Did you get to this page by clicking on the red bus? That picture is so typically London.... the sad news is the old Routemaster buses were retired (or decommissioned) in 2005. But don't worry, they still have red buses, and they're still a good way to get around.
We included London on our first trip to Europe.... we started in Edinburgh then took the train to York and on to London. There are all the museums, all the plays, the Thames and the walk along its banks, the Tower of London, the Tower Bridge.
See Buckingham Palace and the changing of the guard.... there is shopping at Harrods and the flea markets. Trafalgar Square, Picadilly Circus, Covent Gardens. If you haven't heard about these on the TV (or the telly as they say) then surely you've seen a Masterpiece Theater or PBS Mystery that takes someone there.
There are pubs to crawl and the tube to ride. London is a wonderful city. You can find accommodation in anything from a B&B to a five star hotel to suit your budget. You can eat in those cozy pubs or in upscale restaurants.
We encourage you to see London... on your own or on a tour. It will wet your appetite for travel! If it's more comfortable for you to travel England with a tour on your first trip... go for it, but you don't need a tour. Just get your favorite guide book and start exploring or check out the
London Travel Guide
before you leave.
Travel England Outside It's Cities
You have to see the famous cities like London, but whether on your first trip or the next, you really should consider getting out into the countryside to explore. You can travel England on trains or buses to other cities and towns or you can drive yourself. On that first trip we broke our train trip in York and had a wonderful time exploring that city.Our favorite way to ramble around the whole of the UK is by rental car. Yes, you have to drive on the left. Don't say on the wrong side of the road.... the left side of the road is the correct side for half of the world! OK maybe not half... but a lot do. It will seem unfamiliar at first to Americans and others used to driving on the right, but take it slow and easy and you can do it.
England may not seem that big, but travel England and you discover so much history, and the small back roads take you to small, charming villages, and manor houses, and castles that Americans just love to explore. Drive southwest of London and see
Cornwall and Devon
as we did. For local tips see what our friends say about East Devon.
Explore Stonehenge and the Lake District. Venture beyond England to the rest of the United Kingdom... Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. You can captain your own canal boat. If you love old trains, there are plenty to ride and a great train museum in York. If you like historic airplanes, there are plenty of air museums to visit and some great air shows where you can see planes you can't see at air shows in the U.S. You can even go wine tasting! Wow, I feel like grabbing my passport to travel England right now. Our point is, get out of the city and explore. Use your hobbies or interests as a draw or just choose a region to ramble around. Cities are exciting, you must see London, but to get a true taste of England get outside of the city.
Happy travels... even if you don't travel the world... just remember that life is a journey... embrace and enjoy it! Judy and Mark
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