Wendy

Help! My mom and I are going to England in Sept. and need help with an itinerary. What day trips are good to take from London, and what places warrant a visit on their own (Lake District, Cotswolds, Bath, Stonehenge, Stratford, etc). <BR>Thanks so much.

Beth

We took day trips to Cotswolds,Blenheim Palace, Oxford and rode the train to Bath. My favorite was the Cotswolds and Bath. Both are quite unique and beautiful. Make sure you have plenty of time in both. We just rode the train to Bath, and you can get a bus tour from the train station. Be sure you take some day trips to get a different perspective! Enjoy!

Beth

Hampton Court makes a good day trip, its only about 1/2 hour by train (and three hours by boat which is really not the best way to get there!). Also Windsor Castle. You can do Dover and Canterbury cathedral in a single trip. I agree with the previous poster (with the excellent first name!) about Blenheim, thats one of the most beautiful of the Great Houses.

Bill Irving

Day trips we have taken from London: Portsmouth to tour historical ships, Warick(castle) & Oxford, Dover & Cantebury, Windsor, Bath, Salisbury-Stonehenge-Old Sarum, Nottingham, Cardiff & Caerphilly in Wales for the Castles & people. Have meet friendly people all over Britain but the people in Wales & Scotland are even more so. Also overnight train to Edinburgh to vist numerous historical sites during the following day & leave Edinburgh about 3 or 4pm to return to London. That is not much time in Edinburgh, but it is a way to see it & the overnight train is an experience in itself. The Portsmouth, Bath, Cardiff, Edinburgh, & Windsor trips, I have done more than once. <BR>

wes fowler

Wendy, <BR>Contact the British Tourist Authority. It has offices in New York,tel: (212) 581-4700; Chicago tel312) 787-0490 and Los Angeles tel: (213) 623 8196 and tell them of your interests. Ask specifically for a copy of their booklet "Welcome to Britain, Trips from London for a day or more" which provides information ranging from departure train stations to costs, time of travel, sights to see, etc. If you pick up any guide book to Great Britain or London at your library or bookstore, you'll find mailing addresses for the Tourist Authority offices as well. Also, look for Earl Steinbicker's guide book "Day Trips in Britain" which should help in your decision making. <BR> <BR>Check the website www.raileurope.com for information on Britrail passes, itineraries and timetables. The Britrail website is presently under "reconstruction", thus the raileurope alternative. <BR> <BR>Also on the web, check www.kgp-publishing.co.uk which has the entire contents of the "Great British Bed and Breakfast Guide" on line. It lists over 600 B&Bs with photos, amenities, prices and orientation maps.

elaine

Hi Wendy <BR>May I ask how long your entire trip is going to be? That would help me make suggestions about priorities in day trips and sightseeing. <BR>

Alan Hemson

Hi Wendy <BR> <BR>Day trips from London: <BR> <BR>You must visit Windsor if you love history. The castle is wonderful and only takes half a day for a really good look. You can also take a boat trip along the River Thames or visit Runnymede where the Magna Carta was signed (there's not much to see here though). <BR> <BR>I agree with Beth regarding Blenheim Palace, it's a great day out. As well as an impressive house, it has wonderful grounds and a small lake where you can hire a rowing boat (very english). <BR> <BR>I would say the Cotswolds and Bath are too far for a day trip. It's about 2 and a half hours by coach. Definately a must see though, Bath is incredibly well preserved and is an excellent example of a Roman Spa town. <BR> <BR>If you want to see some typically English villages with great Pubs try Kent or Surrey. You could probably find some good ones around Canterbury if you're planning ti visit the Cathedral. <BR> <BR>I suggets when visiting all of these towns or cities to take a bus tour first. This is particularly true for Bath, Oxford, Sratford and London. We always do this, you can see all the sites, get information from a guide and then decide where you want to return to for a better look. <BR> <BR>Stonehenge is an interesting one. Only drawback is it's just a pile of rocks, but if you're passing it's worth stopping. <BR> <BR>I agree with Bill about Edinburgh but it's worth a few days at least. All of the sites are relatively close together and the people are great. I ate at an excellent restaurant there once, can't remeber what it's called but it's on the hill leading up to the castle, it used to be a Witches Coven. <BR> <BR>I could go on all day. I'm sure you'll have a great time.

Danni

Hi Wendy! <BR>Try taking the train to Rye and walking to a nearby village called Winchelsea. It's an easy walk and gives you a great <BR>view of both towns. We did it in an <BR>afternoon.