My wife and I will be arriving in Southampton on April 28 and will depart from Gatwick on May 4. We will have a rental car and have reservations for the first night in Bournemouth. Otherwise, our plans are open. We want to see Cornwall, and we do not intend to go into London on this trip. Is there a bank holiday on May 2 (Monday)? Are we likely to need lodging reservations traveling at this time? Any recommendations for places to stay, things to see. (We are in our late 50's, have been to UK several times, like gardens, villages, craft shows, local events. Are not on a tight budget, but do try to get good value for money.)

Yes, May 2nd is a bank holiday and you may be better booking in advance over that weekend. If you like gardens, you shouldn't miss the Eden Project and the Lost Gardens of Heligan.

http://www.cornish-links.co.uk/gardens.htm

Also you will find some more interesting gardens, stately homes, etc, owned by the National Trust.

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/scri...a=South%20West

If you click on my screen name together with "United Kingdom" in the Search Box, you'll come up with a number of ideas that I've posted in the past and that might answer some of your questions...

Not only should you book in advance, you should book ASAP. Cornwall/Devon are VERY popular destinations over holiday weekends. The Friday afternoon through Monday traffic can be really, REALLY bad.

I live in Devon close to the Cornish border. One place YOU MUST NOT MISS is St Just-In-Roseland's church. I am not particularly religious but this church is by the sea inthe most peaceful place you have ever seen. Jesus was apparenetly supposed to have been there at some time. It is truly beautiful.

If you are in Devon, go to the market towns of Totnes and Tavistock, lovely market towns. Totnes is quite a "hippy" place but is on a steep hill.

Lovely villages of Looe and Polperro in Cornwall, very olde worlde villages which you are sure to love and when you go it won't be too crowded. There are lots of lovely villages on Dartmoor especially Widecombe-On-the-Moor which is a really lovely little place.

In the South Hams (around Totnes) there is Dartmouth (lovely boat trips, shops and restaurants) and Kingsbridge which is another little town by an estuary, you can drive from Dartmouth to Kingsbridge you go past a very long beach called Slapton, its where they practiced the normandy landings, stop there and walk along the beach. Then there is the actual village of Slapton, which is at the end of the road on the left, a lovely olde pub there called The Tower (I think thats its name, but you cant miss it). I could go on and on, its a really lovely part of the world.

Thanks for the very helpful information so far, especially Jannis for the specific suggestions. If traffic in Cornwall is likely to be really bad on May day weekend, does anyone have suggestions for quiter places? The only must-keep parts of our schedule are arrive at Southampton on April 28 and depart from Gatwick on May 4. Everywhere south of London, except around Bournemouth, will be new to us, so if there is a different region that we might more easily sample this weekend, we are open to it. Any other ideas?