AR

As a Londoner, born and bred, I sympathise with your viewpoint but think that perhaps the Isle of Wight might not be representative of the whole of the UK.

Last year I spent a week in Anglesey with a group of about 25 friends. Although some attractions did have entrance fees which were a little steep there was also much we could see without paying any fees at all such as the beautiful natural landscape and ancient ruins such as Din Lligwy.

In previous years the group has gone to Cornwall and Devon and also enjoyed relatively inexpensive holidays. Cottage rentals are often cheaper and more convenient than hotels, many pretty towns do offer cheap parking and inexpensive refreshments (such as Bude and Boscastle to name just two) and coastal walks, beaches and many attractions are free.

In terms of costs of attractions in London, much as I agree that prices are steep, these attractions are, of necessity, run as commercial ventures and therefore charge only what the market can bear.

I do like the idea of discounts for UK residents for attractions which are subsidised by the government since UK residents pay the taxes that go towards the subsidies, but I believe I am in a minority of people who consider two-tier pricing to be a positive thing.

(PS I am not just saying this as a UK tourist - I understand that SAfrica has recently introduced a two-tier payment system into some of it's game parks and as a future visitor, who will be paying the higher foreign visitor charges, I am all for this).

Of course as stated yexpensivey is objective/subjective. I see posts here about the amount travelers spend in Europe on food and lodging and it is almost makes me gasp. When I go to Europe I never spend as much but still manage to have a good time. Iym fortunate to have friends in England and France and that can save a BUNDLE.(And yes, France is much less expensive to travel than is England. That's why one meets so many English in Paris.)

Last year I went for 3 weeks (France and England) and could not have traveled at home in the States for so little but only because I relied on the kindness of my pals.

Many things in England are just inherently more expensive. I've gone to many a market and marveled at how much my friends pay for items that some of us consider staples such as bacon and other cuts of meat. The charge for petrol etc. is almost beyond the average Americanys belief. The English train system is great, in relation to how much the English carp about it, but it isnyt cheap.

London is EXPENSIVE by anyoneys standards and not everyone enjoys museums (I do) and just how many cathedrals can one look at? Fortunately I also enjoy the parks and green spaces. But restaurants, hotels, B&Bys, and even pubs are pricey.

Having said all that I talk to friends here in the States who take their families to Disney World, Disneyland, and the other big amusement parks and Iym staggered by what they spend.

But I had to laugh about the post stating that yThe UK is only for rich Americans who don't know any better.y

Iym self employed and a very long way from rich (it is doubtful that I will ever be able to afford to retire) but still I love the U.K. as it is a most unique spot on planet Earth and is a wonderful place to visit.

Me too, Diablo! And AR I will take advantage of your offer, thanks! And if you are ever in SW Fl, come visit us, and we will take you out on our boat! We are going to France & Italy next week, but I love the UK the best,(can't wait to come back) you are very fortunate to live in such a great country! And like Bootman said "expensive" is such a subjective thing. Judy

We did Scotland last summer for two weeks. We spent double the amount I thought it would cost. We also went to England. Same thing. Warwick Castle, What a rip off. A total tourist trap. If you have to enter through a gift shop and exit through another gift shop, stay away. But we did like Scotland.

We have been travelling to England every second year for the past 20 years. In that time prices have climbed steadily, but I suspect it is also has a lot to do with the strength/weakness of the Canadian dollar. We have learned that there are lots of things we can do to cut costs. I have to admit I'm sometimes shocked when I read on this forum what people are prepared to pay for hotels, food, etc. but I've thought either they are in a different economic class than I am or this is their one trip to England and they want to splurge.

When we travel to England we decide on two or three areas that we want to visit - no more. We fly mid-week to save on airfare. We rent a car but always a manual and on our trips we've rarely found that we needed air conditioning because we avoid July and August when (for us) the humidity is highest. The other advantage of avoiding the summer is that's when the English themselves and their children are holidaying as well as other tourists and it can get crazy.

We always get the smallest car we can for the number of us that are travelling. If it's just my husband and I we pack pretty lightly and are quite content with the smaller cars. If we are going for three weeks, we would rent cottages in two places and perhaps visit London for a few days and stop on our way to and from cottages. If staying for a month, we would rent three cottages, etc.

We rarely stay in London now, granted we've been there often, but usually stay somewhere where we can easily take the train or tube in (my favourite is Windsor because it's so nice to be there in the evenings). If we do stay in London we look for a B&B that's clean, close to the tube (we like the area around Victoria Station) and don't pay extra for a private bathroom or A/C. We hardly spend any time there anyway and if it's clean and reasonably quiet that's all we want. If we do splurge we stay at a hotel that's very English and small like the Basil Street Hotel.

Staying in cottages means we always have our breakfasts in. We usually only have one meal out a day - packing a picnic lunch or buying fixings at the local market/Tesco for dinner. We tend to eat most of our meals in pubs - they are reasonably priced, wholesome and you can watch the locals and soak up atmosphere at the same time (we rarely go to pubs recommended in the guide books. When we check into our cottage we begin asking locals for their favourite pub.) We also always try the local ales which are usually a bit cheaper than the imported American bottled beer. We probably splurge once a week at a restaurant that, again, has been recommended by locals.

The cost of petrol is horrible, but then you can travel a long way in a day. We make the best of our travel time by buying one of the AA Big Road maps and plotting our our sight-seeing so that we see things in one day that are located in the same area. Although we aren't fond of the motorways, they can actually save petrol because you can go a consistent speed and get to your destination without a lot of stops and starts on the backroads.

After these many years we don't buy as many knicknacks. Our one indulgence is film - which we can keep healthy in our cottage fridge. If we are going to buy something we check out the local markets, second-hand shops, charity shops (some of the best finds on the Antiques Road Show come from Oxfam) or local fetes.

We always buy a Great British Heritage Pass and use the booklet they send along with the pass to plan out all the places we want to see. It's rare that my husband and I don't pay for the pass in the first four days of our visit. Those places that aren't covered by the Pass have to be pretty special for us to see them, but we always plan at least two a trip.

I can't imagine not being able to go to England again because the prices were too astronomical to either afford or enjoy it. I'll just keep my fingers crossed that if enough people like AR, who live there, put pressure on the tourist industry, prices may stay affordable - at least for my husband and I.

Thanks everyone.
Geoff - You have answered my original query! I now realise that this particular jaunt was expensive compared to where I usually go. I do try to support our tourist industry at least once a year (especially after F&M disease), and usually do Devon and Cornwall. I just thought that Alum Bay was a complete rip off. BUT, to restore my faith in the Isle of Wight, I found Godshill - with even a free car park!
To Judyrem - Don't offer that or you may find a short Welshman (me) on your doorstep (do you have those in the states?) with a suitcase!! Any excuse to visit the US.

Hi AR,
As a fellow South Wales Tax payer I have to agree with you.
Everyone in the UK wants to screw every single penny from you from Car Parks to amusement arcades.
Did you Americans know that we in Cardiff (and probably the rest of UK too) have to pay 2 Pounds to park our cars if we have to go to the hospital !
Even if your child has a serious illness and you were to rush them to the Emergency unit, you still must get a parking ticket before you go in or your wheels will be clamped.
I know people who didn't visit their relatives often because they couldn't afford the constant car parking fees. (Any excuse...lol)
I rarely holiday in UK if I can help it.
And its a real shame because with the exception of London the place is lovely.
I find I get far better value saving up my hard earned cash and going to Australia every couple of years.
Its far better value and the ozzies dont seem to have the greedy streak in them yet.
Muck

Mucky-I paid about $12 a day to park at the hospital in Pittsburgh when my father was there, so that's not unique to the UK.

Here in Washington, D.C., we are very spoiled. The vast majority of the sites and museums are free. I get annoyed even when I go to NYC, because I forget that most museums charge admission!

I visit the UK often (about 3 times a year at least), and don't find it overly expensive (except for petrol, of course!). But then I'm not really the type to visit manor houses and such. When we're visiting my husband's family, we'll often do a "mini-break" and have found some great weekend package deals at hotels.

I love that there are many sites of interest in the UK that are undeveloped. We spent several hours in Fermanagh in NI once tracking down some prehistoric carvings. They were in the middle of a field, and we had to run through a herd of cows (and a bull) to get to it. In the U.S., there would be a gift shop, paid parking, and possible an entire amusement park built around it.

AR: yes do come over, or down, or whatever..... We love company, especially short Welshmen >g<, just promise to show me your Castle!

A fictional post:

We spent a week in New York. We stayed in a small hotel. We entertained ourselves walking the streets and just relaxing. We avoided the tourist spots and never went up the Empire State or went to a nightclub. We didn't go to any museums, most charged too much. We didn't attend theatre because they charge a lot for it, but had a wonderful time and spent very little money.
Then we went to Smith Junction, Idaho for a week. There is a big theme park near there we went to but it cost $30 per person for the day and they charged us an additional $ 12 to park the car. Sun Valley is nearby, but they charged us for everything there. We even paid a small fortune to ride a chair lift up and then walk down! We went to an old ranch that charges a $ 10 admission fee.
So the answer is: New York City is really cheap. Idaho is terribly expensive.

This post now makes as much sense as the original one. What you do is what makes the difference, not where you are.

Hey Mucky. I presume that you are talking about the Heath Hospital? I work there, and you are darned right about the parking charges. Just to trump Ann41, the 8 hour rate at the hospital is 19 Pounds - which Ann is $30. The all-day rate does not bear thinking about.

My original question asked for suggestions for value for money in Britain. It matters not one jot how many $$$ you pay for sites in America.
Now, I've had excellent suggestions as all national museums are free in the UK. Cardiff museum has a brilliant collection of French Impressionists thanks to the Davies sisters. St Fagan's museum of Welsh life is also free - and a thoroughly good visit. The downside of the UK is places such as the Lake District where all the lakes have double yellow lines (i.e. parking restrictions) ALL the way round so that you can't stop to admire the view. You have to pull in to designated car parks at an astronomical rate. Also remember that petrol costs $5 a gallon, and an average small car starts at $16,000.

Hi AR,
Yes it is the Heath ! what a bloody shambles they have made of that place.
I really feel sorry for you people that work there, its pathetic to charge you so much to park your car.
Do Consultants pay it too?
Anyway If you want somewhere cheap to stay I don't really know where in UK .
You are welcome to use my tent which I will pitch in my little Pontprennau Garden for you...lol
I was brought up in Heath (in fact my mum worked in the cash desk in the Heath hospital for years) and the whole Heath area has really died a death this last 20yrs or so and its solely because of the governments hospital policy.
I am just waiting for them to begin building on the park !!
Muck

greetings,
an excellent thread - richmav's comments right to the point. Just wanted to say for the record that it's imposnot nhospitals ;rhe
e

whoops - what happened there! Anyway - hi - great thread. Just wanted to say, for the record, that you have to pay to park close to some Sydney hospitals - true of both of the ones I've ever had to visit - Royal Prince Alfred and Royal North Shore. - unless you get really lucky or can just waat

whoops - what happened there! Anyway - hi - great thread. Just wanted to say, for the record, that you have to pay to park close to some Sydney hospitals - true of both of the ones I've ever had to visit - Royal Prince Alfred and Royal North Shore. And on the subject of petrol - with respect to you Americans - the cheap prices you have over there are a global outrage. They encourage unrestricted and unthinking use of private cars - consuming unrenewable resources and polluting, polluting. You must know the statistic -20% of the world's population consume 80% of the world's resources. The numbers aren't spot-on exact (perhaps someone can enlighten us all on the current figures) but they serve to illustrate my point.

I know England (not the whole of the UK) is expensive. I am waiting to be shocked when I return there shortly for the first time in 3 years.

Happy Trails - and happy travels

That arguement against automobiles is getting old. The USA could never depend on public transport because its so BIG. Besides, we now have hybrid autos and hydrogen fuel cells driving on our streets NOW. Its only because petrol is $5.00 a gallon that public transport exists. Subsidized buy petrol tax. Don't get me wrong. Public transport is great in densely populated areas. We have trains and busses in our urban areas and they work just fine. Just dont try to get a train from San Angelo Texas to Miami. You'll drive all day to Dallas or San Antonio just so you can ride the train for 2 more days. You have to drive over here to appreciate how big the USA really is.
Petrol costs the retailer about 60 cents a gallon. A few cents to transport. Add a few cents profit and add 35 cents tax you get about $1.35 a gallon. In UK the TAX is like $3.75 a gallon.
Just because you allow your socialists to steal from you doesnt mean I should allow my government to steal from me. I'll bet some would complain if autos ran on plain water and no pollution. Its a freedom thing. Big brother. Oh yea. The socialists would still collect their 3.75 tax on the water. They would make the autos so you need a special device to put the water in. Government controlled of course.. Boo Hoo. *LOL*

Hi AR. As you apparently live in Wales, I'm not surprised that you were gasping at prices elsewhere in the UK. From the perspective of this 'outsider', Wales was a pleasant surprise on our UK trip, with very reasonable bed and breakfasts and lots to do. A lovely, lovely place, Wales, you are so lucky!

That said, I think you do have to be careful, as others have said, to compare apples to apples. It is true that London, for example, is expensive, but then London is an urban destination, with all of the pluses and minuses of a large city, whereas Wales has the charms, and the liabilities, of a largely rural area. As others have said, it would be fairer to compare prices in New York, say, to London, or those of a seaside resort near New York (or some other major city) to the cost of a stay in the Isle of Wight, rather than to a beach resort in Cyprus which is a plane fare away. (Forgive my ignorance, but I'm assuming the Isle of Wight is a resort area, since I've never been there.)

It is also true that when you vacation at home, it is difficult to trace just what happens to your hard earned vacation dollars, but chances are you do wind up receiving some of the benefit indirectly, in that your money stays in your local economy. That offsets the price somewhat.

Mucky - the one saving grace is that the consultants have to stump up as much cash as us mere mortals! Actually, I know of one consultant who has a general parking pass but all his staff in the day-centre have priority as they work 9-5 regular (no, I cant work that one out either!).
Thanks to everyone who has contributed. Yes, I am lucky to live in Wales. I have 3 castles within a 5 mile radius from my house. I also have a heritage coast 3 miles away, and the Brecon Beacons are only a 20 minute drive afar. Please don't stay away from the UK because of high prices as Dr Howells was initially correct. We need tourists.