Jennifer

My 14 year old son and I will be spending a week in London this July. I certainly want him to experience all of London, but I also want him to get a taste of British life outside the city. What suggestions do you have for 2 or 3 different one day trips from London?

Kavey

If you only have one week, I wouldn't plan on trying to see much of United Kingdom... I know we're small on the map, but there's still a lot to cover.<BR><BR>What are your son's interests?<BR><BR>Recent History? (how about Bletchley Park)<BR><BR>Older History? (Any number of castles to choose from)<BR><BR>Countryside and villages? (Cotswolds is a good bet for a complete contrast to London without travelling too far)<BR><BR>I noticed when buying guide books recently a great one entitled something like day trips from London...<BR><BR>Instead of covering what is IN london it concentrated solely on day trips out.<BR><BR>Sorry I can't recall the name but a search on Amazon might help identify it?<BR><BR>Kavey

thinkingaboutthis

A very short day trip would be to Richmond.You can stroll Hampton Court,gardens and Palace.The park with the deer.Go to Kew Gardens.<BR>A train ride will get you to Bath in about 2 hrs. There he can look at the Roman Baths,the town is great! <BR>Oxford?<BR>Brighton?<BR>The Cotswolds?

kavey

Jennifer<BR>I appreciate you didn't ask for advice on books, but have found these titles any of which might have been that excellent book I saw in the bookshop...<BR>Perhaps your library might stock some?<BR>I suggest these not instead of asking here, but as WELL as...<BR><BR><BR><BR>Tripbuilder - England: Easy Day Trips from London<BR>Nancy L. Judson<BR><BR>The Amateur Historian's Guide to Medieval and Tudor England : Day Trips South of London <BR>Sarah Valente Kettler , Carole Trimble <BR><BR>Day Trips from London by Train<BR>Automobile Association of Great Britain <BR><BR>Day Trips from London: Fifty One-Day Adventures by Rail, Bus or Car<BR>Earl Steinbicker <BR><BR>Day Trips London: Fifty One-Day Adventures in and Around London and Southern England<BR>Steinbicker, Earl <BR><BR>Days out-in and around London<BR>Pauline Gorman <BR><BR><BR>Kavey

Lori

One week is hardly enough to see all of London (I've been dozens of times and see new things each time) but you should be able to see the major tourist sights. As Kavey said the UK is small on the map but distances are deceiving! In one week you won't have time to do much besides London, but you could sqeeze in a day trip to Hampton Court (or 1/2 day if you rush it). Go via train from Waterloo Station, 30 min. ride. You could do an all dayer at Warwick Castle (90 minutes by train from London's Marylebone Station), your son might enjoy it (look at their website for info). A full day trip to Canterbury is another good one, likewise Bath (from Paddington Station), and even York which is 200 miles north of London and accessible via train (2 hrs) from Kings Cross Station.<BR><BR>The major problem, as I see it, is that one week is not nearly enough time to take in London let alone anyplace else on a first trip.<BR><BR>Your best bet is to get your son involved in the planning and let him choose places to visit, it will make the trip a lot more enjoyable for you (at least this is what I've been told by people with children!!).

Ellen

I spent 3 weeks in the UK last summer with my 14 yo son. Certainly, you don't want to spend the whole week in London, I don't understand how anyone would think you should just because there's plenty to do there. If you have seven full days (in addition to travel days), you should probably choose two or even three trips.<BR><BR>My son enjoyed Kew Gardens and Greenwich, both of which are readily accessible via the tube or boats on the Thames, but they don't feel like you're in the city. <BR><BR>I strongly recommend a day going to Warwick, it's a delightful place. Check out their web site, last sumer they had a festival going on wtih special events and entertainment on selected days.<BR><BR>Other destinations that would be reasonable day trips have been mentioned: Bath, Brighton, Hampton Court Palace.<BR><BR>I strongly recommend that you have your son do ssome online research and help choose two field trips. Have a great time!

jpm

Jennifer,<BR><BR>I have three suggestions (things I did with my 13 yo nephew)<BR><BR>1. Southampton - The naval museum there is Awesome. The HMS Victory (250 years old) can be explored from top to bottom, as well as several other ships from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. This is a great way to spend the day.<BR><BR>2. Dover Castle - Another day trip that has plenty of passages to explore as well as the WWII tunnels.<BR><BR>3. Warwick Castle - In July, especially on weekends, they will have tons of activities going on as well as the castle itself.<BR><BR>Have a great time.<BR><BR>jpm<BR><BR>ps. I have my travelogues of my trips to England posted at www.appleberryroad.com<BR>

Belle

The Royal Armory outside Manchester is filled with a wonderful variety of displays, "live demonstrations" and actors recreating battles and the like. I thought I'd be bored to tears and be sitting in the day room reading a book while my husband toured but found the Armory engaging and something that a young boy might enjoy.

Jen

There's really no need to trek all the way up to Manchester to get a taste of England outside of London.

xxxx

I definitely second jpm's suggestion of the Royal Naval Museum, but it's at Portsmouth, not Southampton. As well as HMS Victory, there is also the Mary Rose, the 16th century warship excavated from the sea bed 20 years ago.<BR><BR>http://www.royalnavalmuseum.org/<BR><BR>

Elaine

All these museums and castles that people are recommending will make great days out if that's the sort of thing he's interested in, but won't really give him much idea of British life today. As you're visiting in July, why not have a day at the British seaside - e.g. Southend, Margate, Clacton, or as already suggested, Brighton? I think places like these will give him a much better taste of British life.

Jennifertheidiot

jen baby, UK is a lot more than Britain. ayeah, oh yeah, it is Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, but you're to $#@! stupid to look that up, cause you're an idiot, right????? RIGHT???? <BR><BR>WHY the hell do idiots post here before they do research?????

patrickw

averting my gaze from the previous posting, is it a false impression that I have, that Americans tend to prefer to ask for information from a person...? It's something that's midly interested me since my first trip to the US in 1987, when it struck me that public signage of all kinds (airports, streets, wall maps, charts of department store specialities, and so on) seemed to be much less developed than in Europe - but there seemed to be more prominent staffed information desks. My instinct is always to look for the information leaflet or map first. Or is this the well-known gnder thing?

pv

To Jennifertheidiot ([email protected])<BR><BR>Jen ([email protected]) was talking about England, not the UK.<BR><BR><BR><BR>

Elaine

Anyone who decides to call other people idiots should be sure to check their spelling and caps before posting. BEcause otherwise, people might think they are TOO stupid to know any better.