My husband and I have some annual leave to take up but I will be too pregnant to go abroad so we are planning to drive around the UK in search of interesting places. Bonus is that it'll be wintery and cosy.

We did the same thing a few years ago and went to Buxton, Oxford and Bath, so that might give you an idea of what we like. We are happy to drive further afield.

We love quirky places with a history or a cool vibe, but as long as there are restaurants to eat at and pubs to drink in we are super happy with wherever.

You don't have to give me a full itinerary, but I'm just looking for nice places people suggest! We may then be able to put them into a nice list.

I booked a flight with only an hour and 15 minutes layover in London Heathrow

Of course, with three kids two adults and one senior I knew it was a big stretch. I knew we were bound to miss it.

The first flight got delayed, however, but the pilot said there was a lot of tailwind and was able to pick up the pace so a delay of 30 minutes in departure was only a delay in 10 minutes in arrival.

As soon as the plane landed, we asked everyone to let us pass and they did surprisingly.

As soon as we reached the door of the plane, there was a gate agent that informed us that we were rebooked.

Air Canada provided paid bus tickets to a hotel, dinner at the hotel, breakfast at the hotel and two rooms and one of them had two beds.

We were worried about Immigration not letting us into the UK since London Heathrow closes at night.

We went to Immigration and to our surprise, even the people who needed a visa to go into the UK and the people that needed an ETA everyone was let in on a single day visa until our next flight. Very smooth!

Then we went to find the hotelhoppa and we reached the hotel kitchen closes at midnight we barely made it.

Food was delicious, rooms were basic, but clean and comfy, breakfast was great and the hotel Ibis red also provides a Bag hold free service.

We are about to go and do some sightseeing in London.

This was relatively painless and effortless. Thank you Air Canada.

We’ve never been outside of the London Heathrow airport, so this is a nice delay that allowed us to do it!

I finally have a reason to visit Wales (outside of Cardiff), one of my all-time dream destinations, this summer 😍

I’m looking for tips for traveling with a 6- and 4-year-old in July. Right now everything is still flexible. 5-10 days, open to car rental, camper van, or public transit.

We prefer to travel a little slow, not moving every day (unless through-hiking). We love being outdoors, so looking into hiking and/or camping. Maybe a base where we can take day trips. A small town we can explore a little and meet some locals would also be great.

How crowded does it get in the national parks in July? Is tent camping easy, and do you need to book in advance or can you play it by ear?

North Wales has been on my radar for years, but also open to other areas.

Hi everyone!

I'm visiting Glasgow for a few days next month and attending a concert at the OVO Hydro. I'm also hoping to enjoy afternoon tea, do a walking tour and possibly visit a museum.

I'm trying to narrow down where to stay and would really appreciate advice from locals or anyone who's stayed at the hotels below.

I've been reading reviews daily, but a lot of the complaints are about things that wouldn't bother me (like not having a kettle in the room, street noise, or the room being on the small side!). My main priorities are:

-Somewhere I'd feel comfortable returning to alone after a concert( either on foot or by public transport)

-A clean, secure hotel with a comfortable bed

-Secure luggage storage before check-in and after checkout

-Minifridge in the room

-Blackout blinds

The hotels I'm considering are:

-Holiday Inn Glasgow Theatreland

-citizenM Glasgow

-Point A Hotel Glasgow

-YOTEL Glasgow

-Leonardo Royal Hotel Glasgow

-Glasgow Argyle Hotel

I'd love to hear about your experiences with any of these, particularly regarding comfort, location and getting back to the hotel after a concert at the Hydro. I'm also very open to other suggestions if there's somewhere I've overlooked!

I'm really looking forward to the trip, but this will be my first time in the UK, so I'm probably overthinking the accommodation a little. 😅 Any advice or reassurance would be very much appreciated!

Thanks so much! 😊

EDIT: I've decided to go ahead and just book a hotel at the Premier Inn in T4 and get the train the day after.

EDIT: I have a Staff Leisure Card/PRIV 75% discount, so the cost of trains is largely irrelevant.

Flight lands at 20:50 from Frankfurt (connecting leg of ICN-LHR itinerary). Flight is with Lufthansa so I will arrive in to Terminal 2.

Travelling to Manchester and the last Avanti is 22:03 out of Euston, so not a chance of catching that.

Forgot to mention, this is on a Friday, November 20th.

There is the 23:33 to Leeds from Kings Cross, where I can connect with a TPE to Manchester Airport/Piccadilly at 02:20 or 03:20.

That would give me roughly 2.5hrs from touching down, to the train leaving KGX.

Looking at my options, if I am past immigration, baggage claim and customs by around 22:00-22:30, I have the following options:

22:15 - Piccadilly Line, arriving 23:16

22:22 - Piccadilly Line, arriving 23:22

22:25 - Elizabeth Line + Circle, arriving 23:12

22:32 - Heathrow Express + Circle, arriving 23:12

Am I reasonably likely to make it, and what is likely the best/easiest TfL routing with a large backpack and suitcase?

Oh, and before someone suggests the coach.... no.... just no 😆

Hi all! My partner and I are heading up from Manchester on Wed 9 June 2027 for 11 nights, getting the sleeper back to London on Sun 20 June.

We've only been to Edinburgh before, so this is our first time in the Highlands. We're fit and healthy and love walking, but haven't done too many long hikes. We enjoy great views, good food and pubs, and authentic places.

Here's our current plan (no car):

• Wed 9: Train Manchester → Oban (arrive evening). Night in Oban
• Thu 10: Ferry and bus to Iona. Night on Iona
• Fri 11: Boat trip to Staffa and Lunga (puffins). Night on Iona
• Sat 12: Back to Oban for lunch, bus to Glencoe, evening walk round the village. Night in Glencoe
• Sun 13: Hike through the hills into Glen Etive. Night in Glencoe
• Mon 14: Glenfinnan day, viaduct viewpoint to see the steam train cross, then ride the afternoon Jacobite to Mallaig and back. Night in Glencoe
• Tue 15: Morning hike to the Lost Valley, then bus to Portree. Night in Portree
• Wed 16: Small-group day tour of Skye (Fairy Pools, Neist Point, Fairy Glen etc). Night in Portree
• Thu 17: Old Man of Storr and Quiraing walks using buses/taxi. Night in Portree
• Fri 18: Bus to Inverness, train to Pitlochry. Night in Pitlochry
• Sat 19: Day trip to Aviemore (see reindeer, Loch Morlich). Night in Pitlochry
• Sun 20: Pitlochry (dam, Blair Castle, Queen's View), then sleeper home

Some questions:

1. Would you recommend a car for this plan, particularly for Glencoe and Skye? I haven't driven for 4 years since moving to London.

2. Would you drop Pitlochry and instead slow down with an extra day each in Glencoe and Skye, getting the sleeper from Fort William instead?

3. We've seen people recommend Arisag or Loch Lomond; would they be better alternatives to Pitlochry?

4. Are we missing a lot by not visiting Edinburgh, Glasgow or Stirling? We will have just visited York and live in London, so we thought the Highlands would be a different experience for us?

Thanks!

Hi
We are traveling from the South Island of nz to the UK early December returning early January.

Will be visiting my daughter for Christmas and otherwise road tripping go as far as Edinburgh.

She has advised I will need a really warm long coat , like a long puffer coat with down filling.
My dilemma is I have a down jacket that’s just below my hip and I’m wondering if I need to purchase something warmer.
I will be wearing a thermal top and jumper as well as woollen tights under my jeans which is what I did in Europe nearly 9 years ago but she thinks I need the coat

Can anyone advise? We will be walking around outside sightseeing etc

Two of us leave Porthmadog Wales in a rental car. One to return the rental to Heathrow for a 13:30 flight on this Monday 10/19, flying out from Terminal 3. The other to arrive at Luton Airport by 12 noon. Feasible to leave 06:00 Monday morning to return the rental car to Heathrow? Getting to Luton by National Coach regular shuttle bus looks doable. My big concern is the chance of delays on the highways from Wales to LHR and delays on the shuttle bus route to LTN, or long wait getting thru Luton security. To drop one of us off in say Birmingham to train or bus to Luton doesn't seem to improve the timeliness. Is there another route (car and/or bus and/or train)? On Google, there's not many National Express departures at that time of the day.

Hello everyone i will be in milton keynes for 2 weeks. If i want to stay in london and commute what is the best neighborhood? Is this commute feasible monday thru friday for 2 weeks? Or will i be stuck in traffic the whole time. And should just stay in milton keynes?

I could’ve cleared the city in 1 day by just walking because all the major sites are so centralized and compact. Public transport is very easy and smooth. There’s so much to look at along the Royal Mile. Such a charming city.

I picked up some small seashells in Tenby and I don't know if I'll be fined passing through Malaysian customs.

My train from Bath will arrive at Paddington at 12:44 and then I'll take the Eurostar at St Pancras, leaving at 2:31pm (on a Sunday). I thought that would give me plenty of time, but after reading some comments online, Im now wondering whether I should book an earlier train from Bath.

What are your thoughts?

Side notes: Ive never been to London and I'll only carry a small luggage.

EDIT: thanks everyone! A lot of you mentioned everything should be fine as long as my train from Bath is not delayed, and some of you mentioned the queues at St Pancras and border control, engineering work on sundays... so I decided to play it extra safe and change my booking for an earlier train (giving me one extra hour in London). I really cannot afford to miss the Eurostar because I have another train to take once in France (yeah it's going to be a looong day). Thank you all for your input and advice!

Hey guys, American here. I’m planning on doing a solo-trip in Scotland in March before I go to my cousin’s wedding in Manchester. I’ve got 5 days, so I’m wondering if anyone’s got any suggestions for me. I’d love to visit Edinburgh for sure, but a lot of people are also suggesting I see the highlands. Should I spend all 5 days in Edinburgh or should I split it up? And then what should I do if I go with either of those plans? I’m big on history, art, food, shopping, and nature. Not super big on drinking unfortunately so I probably won’t be hitting up any pubs or scotch distilleries. If anyone could also recommend a spot in Edinburgh to buy an umbrella, that would be great. I’m super open to suggestions. Cheers!

Hi

I have a foreign friend visiting London for the first time soon. Please can I have any pub recommendations in zone 1.

Criteria:

1. Olde worlde ambience

2. Shows football

3. Serves pub grub

My parents are flying from India to London, then heading to Scotland. A travel agency sent me this quote; does this look like a solid itinerary and a fair price?

FYI ₹1,89,000 is Close to 1,500 GBP.

Having lived most of my life in the United States, I was pleasantly surprised at the no-fee use of luggage carriers not only in the UK but other countries in Europe. Even 4 carry-ons with kids can be chaos!

However, I just concluded my first trans-Atlantic visit, with my tweens, and am exhausted. We had so much baggage going home with gifts, and even more returning with prizes, and I was starkly reminded why we never got carts in the US: $7 USD, non-refundable, to have a cart. Theft control? Maybe. But the grocery stores have some "freeze" feature on shopping carts, so I am just thinking opportunistic venture. Of course, I didn't pay the ransom but I dearly paid for it in other ways.

I hate how my country has a price tag for everything.

Edit: Tentative plan is 17-25 dec. christmas day is the only day I’m really worried about.

Any suggestions for tourists planning to visit Edinburgh, Inverness and Isle of Skye? It’s a group of students so we’ll very likely stay in dorms to cheap out on stay costs..not a huge fan of the timeline (people have exams in 1st week of January for some reason) but Christmas in Edinburgh doesn’t sound too bad.

For now I have a rough plan of Edinburgh - Pitlochry - Inverness - Skye - Inverness - Edinburgh (return)

I’m also planning to book flixbus, is it good? The tickets are going for pretty cheap currently..i know citylink is the only option between Portree and Inverness though.

I'll be visiting UK in a couple weeks. If i have booked the tickets on my card and have them on my apple wallet, would showing that be enough at the station?

Im really struggling to get International Driving Permit in Birmingham. i visited one of the paypoint / spar locations as per website and they didnt know what i was even talking about. Please help me to find a paypoint to issue IDP.

Im headed for a week in Brighton and area. Been a decade since I’ve been in England. How many places might be cash-only? Or can I get away with just tapping cards?

Hi all - not sure if this kind of post is allowed so dont ding me for posting.

Let me know if anyone wants £10 off from their official gatwick airport parking

Cheers

Just wondering how people make an income while travelling the uk or other countries as I’m about to start a year of solo travel and struggling to find info on what can help with income.

Looking for ideas for a seaside summer holiday for next year. Mum & dad with 12 year old son. 2 weeks, happy to look at holiday parks as well as holiday lets. The ideal would be somewhere within walking distance of a relatively large sandy beach, a pool that you don't have to book into in advance, some level of public transport in the area so that I don't need to be driving all the time and some basic amenities in the immediate area, e.g. shop, takeaway, pub, ideally some amusements, etc.

We've been to some lovely places but looking for somewhere new. Ideally within a 5 hour drive of South Yorkshire. Definitely not somewhere like Skegness (sorry Skeggy). So would appreciate suggestions of suitable locations.

Hi! Has anyone been to the Palace Theatre in London to watch Harry Potter and the Cursed Child recently? We’ll be sitting in Balcony and I was wondering if they have binoculars/opera glasses available to hire at the theatre. If so, how much do they cost, and are they available in the balcony? Thank you! 🙏🏻

Hello! Taking my first trip to the UK this week and looking for some itinerary advice, recommendations, and things I should know ahead of time. It's a mix of work and personal travel, so some days will be more flexible than others.

I'll be bringing appropriate winter clothing, although the weather doesn't seem as bad as I expected?

1. Friday, Oct 16 — Glasgow

Arriving at GLA around 7 PM. Planning to get to my hotel near the financial district and grab dinner, so probably won't do much else that night Any food recommendations nearby?

1. Oct 17–18 — Edinburgh

Planning to take the train to Edinburgh both days and spend the day exploring before heading back to Glasgow in the evening.

Is ScotRail the best place to buy tickets? I don't have anything specific booked yet, so the plan is mostly to walk around and explore.

What are some must-sees in Edinburgh? Any recommendations for food, neighborhoods, or things that are worth doing beyond the typical tourist spots?

1. Oct 19–21 — Glasgow

I'll be working during the day but should have some time to explore in the evenings.

What are some must-see spots in Glasgow? Any good food recommendations or neighborhoods worth checking out?

1. Thursday, Oct 22 — Train to London

Taking Avanti from Glasgow Central to London Euston. Staying near Covent Garden / Waterloo.

Nothing major planned for the day besides the train ride and getting settled. Any recommendations for dinner or things to check out that evening?

1. Oct 23–24 — London

Two days in London and want to see some of the typical tourist attractions while also experiencing a bit of the local side of the city.

A few things I'd like to do:

• See the main sights like Big Ben, Westminster, Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, etc.
• Visit Speaker's Corner in Hyde Park.
• Attend a Premier League game.
• Visit a pub for the atmosphere. I don't drink but would like to experience one.

The football question is probably my biggest one. From what I've seen, Chelsea and Fulham are playing in the London area on Saturday, Oct 24. How difficult is it to get tickets this close to the game? Are the official club resale platforms the best option, or are there other ways to get tickets as a visitor?

For food, I'm open to pretty much anything. I'd appreciate recommendations for places that are actually worth going out of the way for, as well as casual spots. With only two days, what would you prioritize? Anything that needs to be booked ahead of time?

1. Sunday, Oct 25 — Departure

Flight out of Heathrow is at noon, so I'll be heading straight to the airport that morning.

Mainly looking for recommendations and advice on how to make the most of the trip without overplanning everything. Thanks!