England is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Roughly the size of Alabama and with a population of about 56 million its not a destination that you can cover in a week or two which is why most families stick to London as it is steeped in history and there is so much to see and do for the whole family.
Why is England a great destination for families with kids?
Remember we are talking just England here. Many people confuse England with the UK, which is made up of England, as well as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Those destinations need to be explored on their own on a separate vacation altogether.
The biggest thing going for England is its an ideal location for a cultural and historic visit. So many visitors are taken by the English charm, the Royal Family and the love for English dramas like Downtown Abbey and a desire to visit the English countryside. This leads us to the incredible scenery. Whether its the pretty villages of the Cotswolds, the white cliffs of Dover or the view of London from Primrose Hill there is no doubt that you will be in awe on most days. England has a huge selection of museums, art galleries and theme parks that make it a destination that can easily fill your kids days.
Must see places in England
The list of places to see in England is vast but a small subset should include the following:
a. London – Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Tower of London, London Eye, The Shard, Covent Garden, Notting Hill, Borough Market
b. The Cotswolds – Castle Combe, Painswick, Chipping Campden, Upper & Lower Slaughter, Burford, Bourton on Water, Bilbury
c. Bath – Roman Spa & Baths, Sally Lunns, One Royal Crescent
d. Cambridge – Kings College, Church of St Mary the Great. punt the River Cam
e. Oxford – Christ Church College
f. The Jurassic Coast – Durdle Door
g. Cornwall – St Michaels Mount, Tintagel Castle
h. The Lake District – Windermere, Scaffell Pike
i. The New Forest
How long would you vacation in England?
Ideally 10 to 14 days would allow you to focus your attention on 3 locations for a first visit to England. We would suggest some time in London then heading out into the English countryside to the Cotswolds or New Forest for 4 to 5 days and then the last few days in the Lake District. If you wanted another city, not as busy as London then York, Liverpool or Manchester is a good add-on
Realistically you only need 3 to 5 days to see the main hot spots in London but if you have more time and want to get out of the city for a few days in other parts of the country for a day trip then we recommended – Bath, Oxford, the Cotswolds. These are some of the most popular, but getting down to Cornwall or Brighton for some seaside fun should be on your list if the weather is good.
For travelers who have a little longer than 10-14 days vacation time we recommend that they pair England with Scotland (Edinburgh), Ireland (Dublin) or France (Paris). A two city trip to London and Paris is very popular with our clients thanks to the 2 hour 15 minute Eurostar that takes you door-to-door.
Our top 10 reasons to visit England
- History and Heritage
- Countryside – lakes, hills, valleys
- Seasons
- Cosmopolitan
- Art
- Pubs
- Architecture
- Villages
- Food – British cuisine is not the best but the variety of other foods available is incredible
- Scenery
Top 10 things to do in England with kids
Out top 10 things to do in England with kids are in no particular order and presume that you are visiting the whole of England and not just London. For us these have been grea fun and we have got fantastic feedback from our clients and friends.
- Take an orientation tour of London with a local
- Take a Street Art Walking Tour in the East End of London
- Stroll through the Cotswold Towns and Villages
- Visit Oxford, Cambridge or Windsor Castle
- Head up to Warner Bros Studios to see the Harry Potter sets
- Visit the Tower of London
- Arrange a Afternoon High Tea (with or without the Queen!)
- Visit Downtown Abbey village and Blenhein Palace
- Have a leisurely cycle (and picnic) through Hyde Park
- Visit the London Eye
How can we help?
Having lived in the UK for many years we believe we are in the best position to speak about it, to advise you and help you to plan a memorable vacation. Let us help you by taking advantage of our vacation consulting or itinerary development services. Working to your budget we’ll discuss the best locations, present you with the best family accommodations, family focused tours/excursion/activities and work out the logistics for you.
So if you are planning a vacation to England and you need some help then just drop us a line and we’ll set up a time to call you and let you know how we might help. Alternatively if you are unsure of what is the best location in England to start with then click on one of the great cities below and explore!
London
The Cotswolds
And if you still can’t decide then here are some recent posts about different parts of England and things to do in England that might help…