US view on visiting the UK
 

Hi<BR><BR>As a Brit, I'm curious to know what those of you visiting from the USA/Canada think of the "historical" sites in the UK? Do they live up to your expectations? Or are they tourist traps - over priced and too crowded?<BR><BR>Typically I'm thinking of Stratford On Avon, the famous "locations" of London, Stonehenge, Oxford? etc etc etc<BR><BR>I'd be really interested to have your opinions - it would also be good to know the bits you REALLY enjoyed!<BR><BR>

As an American who also lived in the UK for several years I have both a Yank and Brit perspective. <BR><BR>Stratford - touristy - but out of high season not bad at all. Especially if you include the RSC. The birthplace and isn't the most interesting site - but the other properties and St Mary's are great.<BR><BR>Oxford - except for the "Oxford Story" it isn't too touristy. It is too bad more of the colleges don't open to visitors. But I guess that's unavoidable.<BR><BR>Stonehenge - disappointing to most Americans. But it is the Travelers (a cross between hippies and gypsies) and phony Druids who ruined it for everybody. Avebury is a much better experience if you want to "feel" the past.<BR><BR>London doesn't have to be "touristy" at all. It can be of course, but I go there at least once a year and mostly do non-touristy things. I don't consider theatre, museums and galleries as "touristy" since I would do them even if I lived there.<BR><BR>Most Americans concentrate on London, York, the Cotswolds and Scotland. Kent, East Anglia, the Peak District, North Wales, the rest of Yorkshire, Wessex and the south coast are overlooked by most -- which is too bad.

We went to the usual places during our 3 weeks last summer and were delighted with almost all. The only disappointments were lack of parking in Oxford, the London Zoo, and the hot, overcrowded, badly-lit Vermeer exhibit at the National Gallery.<BR><BR>In Stratford, we avoided some of the "touristy-ness" by staying at a B&B a half-mile out of town and walking along the canal. Some places are full of tourists because they're worth visiting! Oh, yes, another disappointment: In Stratford, Harvard House was closed for the day because of a special party -- we had left it til our last morning in Stratford, so were very disappointed that we hadn't checked in sooner -- we had been so careful all along to check opening times everyplace!<BR><BR>We planned our days so that we arrived at opening time at the places that would be most crowded (e..g, Tower of London -- we had the jewels all to ourselves).<BR><BR>We are budget travelers, but do splurge sometimes, and were glad that we went for the inner-circle tour at Stonehenge. I suspect that we would have been disappointed with the roped-off version.<BR><BR>We especially enjoyed some of the smaller, quirkier museums that are off the beaten track -- William Morris house, Sir John Soane, etc. Warwick Castle was another highlight for adults and kids.<BR><BR>The most offbeat thing we did, and one of the most fun, was gong on a "badger watch" with a rep from one of the local badger-protection groups. Not only did we get to see a variety of British wildlife close-up, but we got to really know a delightfully quirky amateur nature enthusiast.<BR><BR>Did not try Mme Tussaud's, Dungeon, etc. -- we do avoid anything that exists solely to BE a tourist attraction.

We particularly enjoyed our visit to the Roman baths in Bath. Of course, we are Roman history enthusiasts and try to visit Roman sites wherever we go.<BR><BR>We weren't disappointed with Stonehenge. Aside from being terribly cold that day, it was quite an experience seeing those huge stones in obvious arrangements and wondering who put them there and what it all meant. It wasn't necessary to be close enough to touch them (or some nut to spray paint a stupid message on them) to enjoy seeing them.<BR><BR>We had a superb guide at the Tower of London (I suppose most of them are) and enjoyed our tour. I thought the crown jewels were obscene and considered what great good this collection of gold and jewels could do in the world if put to better use. <BR><BR>We visited both Stratford On Avon and Oxford and enjoyed both. We were fortunate to visit a college in Oxford that had a beautiful chapel.<BR><BR>Never went to Madame Tussaud's (sp?) as we felt it wouldn't be to our liking. Loved the art museums we visited and who could not love the British Museum (if you like museums).<BR><BR>I very much enjoy just "hanging out" at Trafalgar Square, people watching, etc. London is a favorite city of ours and hopefully some day we will be able to visit more of the British countryside. We have been to a number of places in Scotland, but not England. <BR><BR>In any case, perhaps we are easy to please, but I can't think of anyplace we found to be "tourist traps" or that we were "underwhelmed" by.<BR><BR>j

I think you make the experience what you want...<BR><BR>We went to Mme Tussaud's expecting and WANTING it to be touristy so we could take pictures of each other next to Patsy and the Beatles. We did not expect great historical value. We weren't disappointed with any aspect.<BR><BR>We went to Stonehenge expecting it to be touristy and that we'd be far away from the stones; it was, and we were. We also walked away from the stones and took in the mounds and the vistas and the "feel" of the place (definitely a place where men celebrated; extremely masculine energy all around). I'd go back again in a heartbeat.<BR><BR>The Tower of London is touristy and crowded, but you know what? Standing in the spot where Ann Boleyn got the axe (so to speak) was very VERY intense; who cares if the Tower is touristy....<BR><BR>Even the cheesiest of sights (Richard III museum in York comes to mind) are not a disappointment...there's always something to learn, something to enjoy, something to remember.<BR><BR>And sometimes it's the unthought of that makes the difference: at Bletchley Park there isn't as much "stuff" as I'd thought there'd be; the huts are pretty beat up, there aren't Enigma machines everywhere...but the guide was fantastic. With her descriptions and stories and anecdotes, the place came alive.<BR><BR>And, please, who gives a darn how crowded Salisbury Cathedral is? It's got an original Magna Carta...a MAGNA CARTA...all the mundane, everyday crap just disappears when you're in front of that. <BR><BR> <BR>

<BR> As I said before, I am quite an Anglophile. <BR> If the UK starts to look like Dollywood(say it ain't so), then I won't go back. Until then, I will continue to make my pigrimmage back to the "Mother Country". <BR> Judy :-)

I was not disappointed with the historical sites at all. The only one I thought was overpriced was the Roman Baths. How can you not be impressed with any structure that has survived for so many centuries to tell its story. The one thing I wish they wouldn't do though is put those cheesy mannequins around when they restore castles. I love the furniture and other props but I wish they would leave the "people" to the imagination. They look out of place and the cartoonish faces detract from the atmosphere. Period clothing would be better displayed on dress forms or the like in glass cases. That's just my opinion of course. London is fabulous and Oxford magical. I enjoyed my visit to your country very much.

I don't quite understand this statement by an earlier poster:<BR><BR>"I thought the crown jewels were obscene and considered what great good this collection of gold and jewels could do in the world if put to better use."<BR><BR>If Britain were to sell the crown jewels (to Saudi Arabia for example) and use the money for charity, then the British crown jewels would be sitting in a room in Saudi Arabia instead of a room in London - and why would that be any less obscene? Diamonds and gold have no intrinsic value (except for nominal industrial uses) - so it's merely a matter of shuffling hunks of mineral between wealthy owners. <BR><BR>My point is that gold and jewels have no "better use" than serving as a proxy for real wealth (food, clothing, shelter, etc). The crown jewels aren't edible, and can't be turned into fuel or pharmaceuticals, so I don't understand why they're "obscene".

It's an interesting question. We keep going back to England so it must live up to our expectations, although I must say that the summers are getting unbearable, particularly in places like Oxford and Stratford. Just too many people. There are some places that we'd go to only once - Madame Tussaud's, the Tower of London, etc. and yet there are others like Sudeley Castle, Lincoln Cathedral and Warwick Castle that we've returned to many times. I agree with the one poster who said that it is often the out of the way places/things that are most special - having a picnic on a hillside in Wales, Baddesley Clinton in Warwickshire, watching the boats from Henry VIII's fort in St. Mawes. We tend to stay in self-catering cottages so find that a lot of our fondest memories are local pubs, being invited to see a farm where hunting hounds are raised, going to a village church on a Sunday. We enjoy watching British television, the news, their cerebral game shows, The Bill, and advance versions of Coronation Street and Heartbeat. We read newspapers, rent videos we wouldn't get in our local store and wander around garden centres trying to imagine some of the things we could plant at home. Interspersed with those things are the Roman Baths, Stonehenge, etc., which somehow ends up making a memorable and rich holiday. My only 'dismay' is seeing french fries on menus instead of chips, and caesar salad. These I could do without.

Never been to Stratford, Stonehenge and quite a few famous tourist sites in London, even after dozens visits to U.K.<BR><BR>Gardens,landscaped parks and walks are the main attractions in U.K. to me. And Many times,I head to some area directly without going to London.

I've been the Great Britain three times and have loved every place I've been to except for Madame Tussuads (way too crowded, felt like a sardine) and Jorvik Viking Center in York (tacky but my kids liked it).<BR><BR>I'm thrilled to see places I've read about my whole life. It is so neat to see where all the famous people I've heard of lived. I'll keep coming back to Great Britain again and again because I love the country and ease of getting around (train system is fabulous).<BR>

Kitty, Fabulous train system ?? obviously you havn't been here for a while, it's in dire straits

We loved the historical sites in London and in the parts of the countryside we were able to visit in a too short trip. (1.5 weeks out of a 6 week adventure) I wouldn't have devoted as much time to Stratford-on-Avon, as it left us less time in more interesting places, but everything else was totally worth it. I'm so glad we went to Stonehenge--with all the criticism, it vastly exceeded our expectations. Glastonbury was another pleasant surprise, and Bath was lovely. We especially enjoyed North Wales. The scenery is spectacular, and with its castles and gardens, we really needed much more time to appreciate it all. We stayed at Portmeirion, which isn't as historic as many places, but a (strange and wonderful) trip all the same. I can't wait to go back and see all the fabulous (and historic) gardens that my kids wouldn't have been able to appreciate.