hi idah,

please come back and tell us how you faired and what you thought of Manchester [if you get there!]

...and if you want some great places to see, stay and eat, ask away.

Hi I might have missed it.. but have you driven in the UK before? We just got back(from USA) and most likely would not do it again.. We ended up hitting a curb in Bath and had to get a new tire.. it was so stressful! Do you know how many round abouts there are!! I can't imagine doing this with kids.. I was on the edge of my seat with maps, cell phone and gps on..and and we are normally very good drivers!

Anyway we booked Enterprise in Oxford and returned in Warwick.. be sure the car has a GPS.

Bath has the baths which are very good for kids and adults.. otherwise just lots of shopping.. VERY narrow streets!! good luck!

Bath and larger towns and cities are not good places to drive. Whereas trains and buses takes you into the center of town.

In Bath, coxbox must have not noticed the Pump Room, the Cathedral, the Costume Museum, the Crescent and the Circus, the parks. We walked over to the Kennet and Avon canal to see the narrowboats. They should interest children. You can rent a bike and ride along the canal path.

Flying into Manchester upon arrival at Heathrow would be the best use of your time. You can rent a car as you leave Manchester. It may be possible to change your tickets to fly into Manchester. Might be worth the cost of the change.

Or, if Oxford is important, take a bus from Heathrow after arriving.

In any case, if you're arriving after a long, overnight flight, expect to be jet-lagged for the first day or two. That's another reason for using that first day to travel farther.

You have so many places you want to see in relatively few days. You need to make the most efficient itinerary possible.