Dude, you should buy a guidebook and come back with specific questions. We're awesome at that.

what is close>>

which is close, obviously.

kasg: >>Thanks again....!! What countryside spots would you say are "not to be missed?"<<

>>Any thoughts on a good hotel to call home that is centrally located to everything?? <<

We are not being mean (well most of us aren't ) -- but you <u>really</u> do need to buy a guide book or two. Maybe one(s) that have a lot of photos of various areas/regions.

There are quite literally hundreds of places in the countryside that should not to be missed. But you'd only have time for maybe 2 or 3 of them so you need to get some idea of the sorts of things out there and what looks interesting to you. We can't do that . . . A guide book(s) is your friend.

As for a London hotel -- none are near more than a handful of the major sites -- but that is not a problems since the public transit is very goo and connects just about every neighborhood with every other neighborhood. More important than a precise location is . . . What is your budget??

But again - until you look at a few guidebooks we can't help you very much.

Ok - this dudette thanks everyone! I just thought I get some ideas from people who have been there and has any recommendations for me since there IS so much to do. Cheerio!

London, York, Edinburgh, with a day trip out of London to Stonehenge and Bath if you can squeeze it in. Use the trains so you can enjoy the countryside, take your time, and have fun. But, as someone above said, it's expensive.

>><i>I just thought I get some ideas from people who have been there and has any recommendations for me</i><<

We can give you all sorts of ideas and really (REALLY) do want to help you. Heck - I could give you a list of three things you MUST see in the countryside, and a week's worth in London . . . and not a single one of them may be interesting to you. You at least need to have <i>some</i> ideas of your own . . that is where the guidebook(s) help.

What would you tell someone who wanted to visit NYC, the US countryside and Canada? You'd likely ask what sorts of things interest him/her, what time of year, and advise them to get a few guidebooks to help narrow things down a bit. Same here.

Hopefully you have the time/inclination to check at least one guidebook or tourist authority website - otherwise I don't see how anyone can help you much.

(or book a brainless guided tour and let them do everything - bad idea IMO)

i this waste your money if you book a tour company BS?

kasg, you can easily spend all your time in England, depending on what you want to do.

What are your interests - history, castles, scenery, art, literature?

Here is a link to our trip report from 2007. We spent 12 days in England and Wales for our 25th anniversary. Maybe this will give you some ideas. As you'll see, we didn't some of the usual must-dos, like the Tower of London, because we didn't have time. However, we got to see things which were important to us, and, Lord willing, we'll get back to see more someday.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...b-may-2007.cfm

Lee Ann

>>i this waste your money if you book a tour company BS?<<

Dukey -- what is your problem?? I didn't say anything about $$/££. I said 'brainless' - meaning no need to research, read, make any decisions. You get on the bus and go where they take you. No planning or research required.

No brain power/effort required. easy peasy.

Castles, river tours, walking tours, palace, PUBS, tower, theatre, Stonehenge, off the beaten path places - yes. Museums - prob no.

cferrb - thanks - that's what I guess I was looking for!

Thank you Lee Ann - I am looking forward to seeing your itinerary and getting ideas from that!!

From your list of interests, stay in London and research what you can do in the city and on daytrips.

In November 2011 we flew out of Charlotte, round trip to Gatwick. Now they are flying out of Heathrow. We spent 14 days, 2 traveling, 1 day in zombie mode adjusting to the time, 2 in London, 5 driving around Northern Wales, 2 in the Cornwall area and two more just exploring other areas around London. No tour guides. Just my husband and myself. We saw an awful lot of the countryside but not a lot of museums and modern castles. We did see a lot of beautiful small towns and old ruined castles. We are getting ready to leave for another 16 days now but this time it will be 10 days in Scotland, skip Wales and London, the rest of the time in North/West England.

Word of advice on your first day. Your flight will arrive around 8 am UK time, 3 am our time. You will want to spend as much time walking around in the sunshine the first day as you possibly can. DO NOT take a nap or go to bed early. Try very hard to make it through the day. You'll adjust from jet lag much faster that way

That helps, kasg.

I agree with Mimar that if you only have 7-10 days, you could easily stay in London and do two or three day trips from there.

Walking tours - though I haven't personally used them, London Walks gets good reviews here. www.walks.com

Pubs - www.fancyapint.com has tons of listings and reviews for pubs all over London.

Theatre - go to the TKTS booth in Leicester Square and see what is available that day.

Others can help you with day tours.

Lee Ann

The trip really is up in the air and open but I def want to see London and other highs of England>

OK after London you have Stonehenge - easy day trip by train and bus from London - Salisbury also has a great cathedral and nice town center

Oxford or Cambridge - not peas in pods but kind of with all the ornate old colleges to tour.

Bath and York to me are the finest English towns for the visitor

The Lake District would also be high on my list for something more rural.

Well start there as those are to many the highlights of England.