My wife and I are starting to plan our first trip outside the United States, ever. We have traveled across much of the US but this will be the first time we've left its borders with a trip to the UK. We are thinking October of 2014.

We have a lot of questions, some of which may seem small and insignificant, so I'm looking for any insights/advice for a 10 day trip to the UK. My wife saw a location in Edinburgh which does Falconry for guests and it seems like it would be quite a unique and fun travel experience, therefore, its at the top of our list with about 3-5 days tentatively scheduled in.

We also would like to spend 2 full days in London seeing the sites, but are a bit uncertain what exactly we want to see of all the possibilities. Westminster Abby, Buckingham Palace, London Eye, and the Globe Theater (for me - would love to see a show there).

Questions -
1. What to do in-between London and Edinburgh? I know this is a broad question, but we really can't seem to decide as there are so many options. Wife has eyed a few things in York, while I'd love to see Stonehenge and Bath, perhaps even Canterbury.

2. Best way to travel between locations? - I've been reading about Bus and/or Trains, and while I love the idea of being able to see the country and not having to focus on driving a car in a complete strange roadway system, I've never made a trip without a car. A couple of questions immediately leapt to mind as I read an a suggestion about travelling after 5pm allowing a full day of sight seeing. Love the idea, yet wondering about luggage! Not sure I want to carry it around with me all day.

Any links to sites or other forum pages which may help guide us would be helpful as well. Thank you

Lumpy, you have a lot of time to read before you need to decide anything and yes, the questions you ask now are pretty darn broad. Better to dive into that stack of guidebooks from the library first then come back with the more informed questions. also search previous threads. This is not a brushoff, just a suggestion.

Not sure why you have allowed only 2 days for London - for a first trip I would definitely allow 4 full days (5 nights) or more. Not sure why you are spending 3 to 5 days on falconry exhibits 0 I would think one day of that is plenty - unless you plan on taking it up. Edinburgh is a charming city but has about 1/10th as much to see as London.

So I would do:

Fly into Edinburgh
Arrive day 1
Days 2 and 3 there
Day 4 pick up car and drive from Edingurgh to York by way of Hadrian's wall
Day 5 see York early and drive to Bath
Day 6 see Bath and Stonehenge
Day 7 drive to London and drop car
Days 7 to 10 in London (3.5 days)
Fly back to US

(This assumes that you are not counting the days you arrive and leave - if you are, you really only have 8 days in the ground and will have to make some difficult choices.

You should fly open jaws into Edinburgh (or Glasgow) and out of London - it won;t cost any more and will avoid wasting time.

Strongly suggest you make a list of sights that are must sees in each place (Michelin green guides will tell you how long it takes to see major sights)

You aren't really down to specifics yet, but Bath is beautiful and so historic; with ancient Roman Baths, great architecture, literary connections with Jane Austen and social and political history - for all practical purposes the center of social and political life outside London for awhile. IMHO, a don't miss place.

The Globe, for sure! The season lasts until mid October typically.

As are probably know, they drive on the "other" side of the road in the UK. Would you be comfortable doing that? Not everyone is.
And remember that in October, you will have fewer hours of daylight, especially as you go further north.

Train travel is not difficult in the UK, and you will not need a tremendous amount of luggage for 10 days. You can stay in a few places and also take day trips.

IMO I would spend more than 2 days in London. Give yourself more time to see more things. If you would like to see a show, there is a half price booth in Leicester Square, for same day tickets; or you could book something in advance.

I think it would be helpful to visit your local library and get some travel books about the UK, and then make a list of what you would both like to see and do. Once you have your top places and sights for your 10 days, it will be easier to organize.

I agree that you should allocate more than 2 days to London. There is lots to see and a day trip to Windsor castle and the village is very easily done by train.

If I understand you correctly, your wondering what to do with your luggage after you check out of your hotel, if the train doesn't leave until evening? No worries -- your hotel will be happy to store it in the luggage room for you , or sometimes there are luggage check rooms in the train stations that will store it for a smallish fee (I don't know about Edinborough/London , but somebody here will chime in).

You are 1.5 years out -- much too early to get down in weeds/details like where to leave your luggage. Start to figure out exactly where you want to go. Then fill in the details in the next year.

(BTW - daylight is <i>not</i> an issue in October. Not quite sure where folks get that idea. The days get VERY short by Dec - but not in October. To give an example Oct 1 in London 11 hrs 36 min daylight/Oct 1 in NYC 11 hrs 44 min daylight)

I am a bit surprised you want to devote 3 days to a falconry experience and only 2 days to London. Or did you just mean that you would spend part of one day doing the Falconry -most of these things only last about 3 hours.

W/ only 10-ish days, while nyt's itinerary is <i>doable</i>, it would have you behind the wheel for HOURS several days. Edinburgh to York via Hadrian's wall would be more than 6 hours plus stops -- probably 11 to 12 hours total. York to Bath is a tedious 5+ hour drive . . . or a 2 day drive if you want to see anything enroute.

W/ only 10 days I'd do just London, York and Edinburgh and no car would be necessary anywhere (London to York is a 5 hour drive but only a 2+ hours by train)

But - If you could swing 2-3 weeks - then you can start thinking about driving part of it . . .

It's good that you are starting to think about this in advance. I've been living in the UK for ~2 years and have been documenting my travels. Given the ample time on your hands, have a look and see if anything strikes you.

ukfrey.blogspot.com

Specifically, there's

London
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...andparents.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-with-kids.cfm

Scotland Highlands
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...rip-report.cfm

Edinburgh
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-with-kids.cfm

Bath/Stonehenge
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ay-weekend.cfm

N. Wales
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...orth-wales.cfm

Lake District
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...e-district.cfm

Falconry
http://ukfrey.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03...xperience.html

and more. Good luck with the planning.

Do keep in mind that you won't get much out of your first day so you might want to tag an extra one on in the front.

The falconry would be unique, but there are quite a few around as well.

"<i>The falconry would be unique, but there are quite a few around as well.</i>'

Yes - I meant to mention that too. I love LOVE Edinburgh, but if you primary reason for going there is to do falconry . . . lots of other options/destinations for that.

Sorry if I wan;t clear. I'm not recommending that itinerary. We do lots of road trips - and they are many more days - with multiple stops = usually for more than one night.

But the OP has limited time and some specific requests - although the falconry thing is new to me. I was just trying to show how it could be done giving a little more time to London - which they are really stinting on in their plan.

Driving in the UK is fine if you are confident and assertive drivers - and understand the rules of the road and the differnt things you will run into (roundabouts - traffic circles - are almost unknown in the US, as are very narrow country lanes with ditches on each side).

"<i>as are very narrow country lanes with ditches on each side).</i>"

Ah - but if one takes those scenic/narrow country lanes the drive times will double and that itinerary would be totally impossible. Those long days I described are taking the fastest/most direct routes - mostly on un-scenic Motorways/dual carriageways. I drive a LOT in the UK and love it . . . But trying to visit Edinburgh, Hadrians Wall, Yorkshire, Bath, Stonehenge and London in 10 days - nope.

AND - if you mean 10 days total (home to home) then you really only have 7.5 days 'on the ground'

First, if at all possible I would try to arrange for more days. Ten days is not much once you consider traveling time, etc. The biggest cost is usually airfare so if at all possible once you have spent the money to get over there, try to spend more time. For a first trip somewhere around 14 days or a little longer will give you an overview.

Second, as it's your first time, and you sound a little nervous or uncertain, I wouldn't try to drive. It's not difficult but it is one more thing to worry about - driving on the other side, the rental itself. Most American's assume train travel over there will be like in America - it's not, it's MUCH better. Other than small rural villages, you can get everywhere by train, and they run much more frequently. And with two people the cost will almost certainly be less than a rental car.

I would start with 4-5 days in London. Actually, I would probably spend a whole week in London and do day trips on several of them. The advantage of this is less schlepping of luggage, the flexibility to spend a day doing city stuff and the next doing a day trip. The disadvantage is that hotels are generally more expensive in London than outside of it. Places that you can easily do day trips to include Oxford, Bath, Cambridge, Warwick, even Canterbury. Of course you could overnight in all those places as well. Another option would be do the 4-5 days in London, then move on to Bath for a couple nights, then up to Oxford for a few days, etc.

I would spend two to three nights in York. Then up to Edinburgh. And yes, try to find flights that go into London and out of Edinburgh to avoid backtracking.

Many castles in the UK have falconry exhibits. However, I think most of them are in the summer so not sure how many in October.

Get some guidebooks, look at guidebooks on line and read up, then when you undoubtedly have way TOO many places you want to go, come back here for specific advice on how to do it.

I do not recommend driving in London area.
It was more difficult than we expected.
We started out from Gatwick airport to Stonehenge and ended up in the wrong direction.
There aren’t exits every 2 miles like here in the US. We drove 45 minutes out of the way and then back again, still looking for correct direction. By the way, we finally reached Stonehenge that day.
Number one mistake, we did not rent a GPS.

We did stay in Warwick once and that was nice. You can take the train from London to Warwick. You will need a taxi from train to hotel, if you stay at Holiday Express or Hilton, which we did. We used the public bus for Warwick Castle and to get to Stratford- upon-Avon. Very helpful hotels and the bus drivers were wonderful.
You might get lucky and a Shakespeare play be performing in Stratford. I have never been lucky at this. It is always a children’s play.

Another visit we took day trips from London. Day trips run to Windsor Castle, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick Castle, etc. Much easier and enjoyable and they pick you up at your hotel.

We drive in other countries, but the UK I feel is difficult.

There is so much to see and do you really need a full week and then another visit.
The tower of London took us 1/2 day alone. We also enjoyed the Churchill War Rooms.

If you get hungry for American food visit: Adams Rib in Leicester Square area.
http://www.sophiessteakhouse.co.uk/ was really good.
Also you can purchase discount play tickets at Leicester Square and good Italian restaurants. Les Mis was my favorite.

Never done it, but you can take the train from London to Edinburgh. The train station in Edinburgh I think is convenient to hotels from what I read for my future trip list.

We have been in late October. Very nice in the fall. Less crowded.

"We have been in late October. Very nice in the fall. Less crowded."
I meant we have been to London at this time of year.

hi, alumpyone, [great screen-name BTW]

with only 10 days, and 3 days already ear-marked in Edinburgh, I would fly into Edinburgh [or Glasgow] and then fly to London. if you want to, you can always do a day trip to Canterbury, or even an overnight away that takes in Stonehenge and Bath.

I'm pretty sure you won't run out of things to do in London in a week.

Thank you all for your input; it's comments like these which I was hoping for to help me focus on the items which may be most important.

We actually will have a full 10 days, perhaps 11.

I know the luggage question seems insignificant so far out, however, I ask it because its little details like which sometimes get me so worried I can't sleep. In fact, before I made this post that thought kept me awake far too long one night! Now that I know there are means of storage, I'm less worried and can focus on other more important topics.

betsy3, your comments about driving are exactly what I fear, and we are certain to plan the trip with public transit in mind.

indy_dad thanks for the links!

I think the hardest part now is narrowing down what to see because I know I can't see it all in one trip!! Thank you all for the input and I'm sure to be posting more questions later.

Whatever else you do, invest in at least one good guide book - you'll learn all sorts of things you didn't even think to ask about.

>>betsy3, your comments about driving are exactly what I fear, and we are certain to plan the trip with public transit in mind.<<

It's not that hard to drive in the UK. We didn't rent a GPS, but we used the Automobile Association's route planner http://www.theaa.com/route-planner/index.jsp and printed directions for everywhere we planned to go. We put those in a binder, and I navigated while Mr. Pickle drove. We got lost a couple of times, but that added to the adventure.

Lee Ann