I planned a Southeast/South England week for myself for June before a conference I am attending. My husband has decided to join me, so I have thrown out the gardens and castles and added in his preferred destinations, which are north of London. Now I have a mess of day restrictions in different directions and nights in London when I didn't plan to stay in the city at all. We have both been to London before and some surrounding destinations, so this is a "fill in" of places we each have wanted to go, but haven't made it before. We use public transportation. We both would enjoy one day in London to visit missed museums and other experiences, but don't need more time in the city this trip.

Arrive LHR Saturday morning June 16 and he departs back Sunday June 24 afternoon.

Destinations:
1. Avebury/Silbury hill via train/bus early in week to avoid Summer Solstice on Thursday (is this a concern for crowds or do they only go to Stonehenge?)
2. Salisbury/Old Sarum--day trip from London or overnight in area for Salisbury and Avebury?
3. Bletchley on a Wednesday or Thursday for tour day trip from London
4. Imperial War Museum airplanes (with extension to Cambridge possibly) on any day as day trip from London
5. Dover on Sunday or Saturday for cliffs, castle, tunnels (only open on weekends)--husband suggested day trip from London, but that is 2 hrs each way, really cutting down on time, but can be done with early start. Otherwise overnight somewhere between London and Dover and add back in a castle, garden or walk in countryside town like Chilham.
I've suggested we consider Brighton + Eastbourne to get the chalk cliffs closer to London than Dover, but my husband says "It's not Dover" and doesn't come with the fortifications. I'd like to see the royal pavilion, but I can do that on my own after he returns home.
We could drop Imperial War Museum, if necessary.

I'd put the London days first, but Bletchley needs to be later in the week. I'd put Avebury and Salisbury first, but I can't find any easy way to get there from Heathrow. I'm about ready to just book in London for the entire time and spend time on trains each day to keep it simple. But is seems strange to pay for more expensive London hotel just to use it to sleep each night when we prefer small towns anyway. Any magic itinerary solution?

I know you said you only use public transport . . . but is that absolutely final? I ask because this would be MUCH easier and significantly cheaper if you could hire a car and drive. That way you wouldn't have to spend the big bucks for accommodations in London nor waste time on daily R-T trains. It would also give you a LOT more time at the various destinations.

But if driving is not possible than you pretty much have to stay in central London. and do day trips from there.

We will rent and drive a car for a day or two outside of cities, but driving all week is not a vacation for us.

There are direct National Express coaches from LHR to Salisbury at 12:20 and 15:25. You could also take the RailAir coach to Reading for the train, but you'd need to change trains at Basingstoke.

There is loads to see in Cambridge, but if you are into cathedrals it is worth going a little further to Ely.

For example, we rented car in Orkney Islands.

I hadn't seen the National Express coach to Salisbury. Probably I put in earlier time in the search. I'll look closer.

I've checked the Avebury website and it does draw crowds with the Manor likely closed Wednesday to Friday (based on 2017 information).
So it looks like we need to get to Avebury by Tuesday or on Saturday to avoid the crowds.
I will add that to my puzzle.
Maybe accept Dover without the tunnels to loosen up the schedule.

Yes why stay in London and not Salisbury - sweet old town anyway - anyway trains are great for Cambrdge-Dover and back to London from Salisbury. For lots on trains check www.nationalrail.co.uk; www.seat61.com; BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com. I'd rent a car perhaps for Stonehenge and Avebury and take trains to Dover and Cambridge.

I did Dover as a day trip from London and did not find it a terribly long day. I felt had plenty of time to see the castle - including the tunnels, the hospital, the castle and the cliffs. I even walked through the town from the train station to the castle ( and back). So it's definitely a doable day trip and I think one of the more interesting castle complexes.

Zenfolio | Isabel's_View | Southeast England: Arundel, Brighton, Dover, Canterbury, Leeds Castle, Hever Castle, Rochester

And easy to see Canterbury's cathedral perhaps along with Dover. I'd also consider staying in Canterbury two nights and expand you Kent experience - Chilham small town short train ride from Canterbury is a gem with its own imposing castle:

https://www.google.com/search?q=chil...w=1503&bih=738

Chilham would also make a neat small - very small town place to stay.

If you rented a car for 4 days you could easily hit Salisbury/Sarum, Avebury, and Bletchley from a base say in Oxfordshire or Berkshire for 2 days, and Brighton and Dover from a base in East Sussex for two days.

Bletchley would be one day trip and Salisbury/Avebury another and both would be short enough drives you could fit something else in.

Then say from Tunbridge Wells or somewhere on the coast, Dover would be one easy day trip and Brighton another. Then you could drop the car at LGW or Maidstone or Ashford or any number of places and take a train in to London. This gives you two 2-night stays for probably a fraction the cost of the same quality accommodations as in London. And that also gives you much more flexibility re not having to hit timetables, what you see along the way, where you want to linger . . .

I'm not saying driving is a must but for complicated wish lists like yours, having wheels can be a big help.

Tunbridge Wells (Royal) is one of the nicest cities anywhere in Kent I've been to. I stayed there and did a day trip to Battle, small village site of 1066 final battle of the Norman Conquest - can walk around the battlefield with interpretative signs.

I think we are going to cut Salisbury to cut travel in that direction and put the day back into Kent, where I had planned to spend time solo.

A renovated hotel near Paddington and a very nice serviced apartment in Clerkenwell by Farringdon Station are reasonably priced for London for part or full week. I'll have to look into the neighborhoods further as it has been a few years since we stayed in London. Then choose a base in Kent.

Thanks for the ideas.

Great- Kent is so overlooked by many here when planning England trips - but there is a whole lot of diverse interesting places in a very compact area with excellent public transit.

Kent Rover rail pass

If doing several train trips or even a couple per day check out the Kent Rover Pass that gives you 3 days unlimited off-peak travel for just 45 pounds or 15 pounds a day- see map for coverage.

BTW sold at local stations - no need to pre-order, etc.

So, I cut Avebury and Salisbury because Avebury was on my list, but not his and would simplify.
Now it turns out Stratford upon Avon is one of those places we've never been, but he has always wanted to go.
No geographical savings there!

If railing to Stratford and Dover and a few other places check out the London Plus Railpass which lets you take any train anytime to places all over southern England, including Stratford -nice on day trips to leave earlier than cheaper discounted tickets may allow and come back when you want on any train. Compared to full fare fully flexible tickets a good deal but you can do much better with discounted and restricted tickets. In addition to days of train travel in SE England it includes return tickets on airport express trains. Again only a good deal if you want complete flexibility just to bop to station and board any train.

Nice to stay in Stratford and take in evening theatre - now nice when day trippers gone -really lovely town with river running thru it.

And if staying the night Warwick Castle, one of most famous and popular in England would be a natural to twin with Stratford but not in one day trip.