England 2012 Guidebook
Best and worst sights, experiences and destinations:
Best: Premium Tours (Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, Bath
Why: We took the day trip from London. A lot packed into the day so not really a long time at each spot. Would have liked more time at Windsor Castle but we knew it would be limited because of the other attractions we would see. A lovely taste of 3 classic English sites. Got to see changing of the guards at Windsor - unexpected pleasure. Stonehenge was perfect; the day was gray & windy & chilly - perfect weather to imagine the human history of those amazing stones. Comfortable bus, & tour guide David was very knowledgeable. We didn't return to London with the group, but got off to spend the night in Bath - planned in advance& there was no problem storing our luggage under the bus. A nice way to combine sightseeing with transportation, instead of taking the train later.
John Reed in Alexandria, LA USA 10/02/2011
Best: Cotswolds
Why: Gorgeous countryside! It's oozing with quaintness and history. (It was especially interesting to us because we're fans of Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth book and recent mini series.) In Stow-on-the-Wold we bought a grandfather clock from Styles of Stow, and it's being shipped now. We appreciated the background you gave about the wool industry there in the past, and the "wool churches". Other things you pointed out that were interesting: the lavender farm, the needlepointed church kneelers, the J.R.R. Tolkien door on the church and Fleece Alley in Stow-on-the-Wold.
Yousuf & Theresa Omar in Coppell, TX USA 08/04/2011
Worst: York Castle Museum
Why: We are baffled that this museum received 3 triangles and was described as one of Europe's top museums...we have visited many museums in Europe and would not include this in the top category. It was interesting but tended towards boring...one triangle at best.
Susan in Bellevue, WA USA 06/25/2011
Worst: St. Martin-In-The-Fields Church's "Cafe In The Crypt".
Why: As per our Rick Steves' "England" guidebook, we visited the St. Martin-In-The-Fields Church, which was truly a fascinating place. We ate at the Cafe ("Cafe in the Crypt") and loved the food. The second time we went to the cafe (we were in Trafalgar Square and decided to drop by for a concert and dinner) we were eating dinner when we noticed three or four rats running past us under the adjacent table. We let the management know that there were rats/mice running around the dining area, and they shrugged us off with an "mmmhmmm". Although I do understand that rats can be a common occurrence in such an old crypt, they should NOT be anywhere near the buffet area or the kitchens. WE WILL NOT BE RETURNING HERE (when we return to London next year.)
Sara in New York, NY USA 05/30/2011
Best: York: Number 34 Bootham Crescent
Why: This is possibly the nicest B&B I've ever stayed in. The mid-December days were short and the streets were ice-covered, but my room was quiet, bright and warm. The welcome from the owner, Amy, and her mother was even warmer. Pleasantly decorated, scrupulously clean, fabulous breakfast. Excellent location; it was easy to find by car without getting involved in inner-city traffic. We parked the car for two days and explored the city on foot; the Minster was an easy walk despite the ice and bitter cold.
Trish Wells in Germantown, MD USA 12/22/2010
Best: Cathedrals at Lincoln,Peterborough,Ely
Why: (continued) Norwich. These, as you know are magnificent churches--11th-13th century with good docents
Kilian Knittel in Michigan City, IN USA 12/09/2010
Best: Walking in Britian
Why: I agree with Rick's blog. We have discovered the grand possibilities of England and it's walking. We spent 3 weeks in Taunton, a somewhat standard British town, but my lord the walks in Dartmoor and Exmoor more than made up. My family of 4 spent about 2 of our 3 weeks walking from town to town through the moors. But I would hate to see them overrun by American tourists.
Chris in Wimberley, TX USA 09/23/2010
Best: Tour of Durham Cathedral & Mad Max tour of Stonehenge/Avebury
Why: Very informative guides made both tours absolutely wonderful. Durham Cathedral was beautiful and not crowded with tourists, so the experience was very reverent as well as informative. Evensong was a heavenly experience. The Mad Max tour allowed us to cover a lot of territory and leave the driving to someone else. Our guide was entertaining and informative. We also ate lunch at a wonderful pub in Lacock. He also got us to Stonehenge ahead of the bus tours, which made the experience so much better to be there without the crowds.
Worst: YorkBoat cruise
Why: It was promoted as a "floodlit" tour of York sites, but we didn't see much of the city as the boat cruise leaves the town and goes into the countryside. It would have been much better in the daytime when you could see and enjoy seeing the countryside. It was so dark that we could see very little on the return trip and the boat captain provided scant commentary. I would not recommend it.
Susan Manning in Davidson, NC USA 07/29/2010
Best: Too numerous to single out just one: British Museum, National Gallery, Victoria and Albert Museum, Globe Theatre, St. Paul's; Evensong at Westminster; Royal Observatory
Why: I would give the Globe Theatre 3 stars rather than 2. For me, the tour, museum, and a performance of Henry IV, Part 1, were highlights of my trip. Maybe not everyone's cup of tea, but a 3-star for me. I didn't even have enough time to see everything in the museum I wanted to see! I would also give the Victoria and Albert Museum 3 stars. Again, I could have spent much more time there.
Paula Telesco in Chelmsford, MA USA 07/23/2010
Best: York, Durham, Warwick Castle
Why: Started my trip in York and ended in Bath (reversing Rick's itinerary), as I knew I'd find a lot more in York and wanted to see it while fresh. Walls, shambles, gardens, railway museum, and glorious Minster (despite East window under repair) were all fantastic. Castle Museum was odd combination of excellent and cheesy; some parts seemed a bit thrown-together-in-someone's-basement.
Durham is lively with students, yet serenely and majestically lorded-over by the awesome Norman cathedral. Enjoyed the hilly setting, full of character.
Gray and drizzly on my Cotswolds driving day, I postponed & added Warwick Castle to my list instead -- and I'm so glad I did! Everything was on, from the falconer flying eagles to the jousting and the amazing trebuchet catapulting a ball of fire. Interiors are gorgeous; ramparts & towers fun to climb, and the view from on high is superb. It's like you've time-traveled there. It was Saturday, kids everywhere, yet never waited in a line or felt drowned in a sea of people. Great experience.
Kevin in Princeton, NJ USA 06/17/2010
Best: Alan Price: we hired him for the day as a tour guide to Stonehenge, Avebury and Wells. He was terrific and a font of knowledge.
Why: Alan is both personable and knowledgable. Encyclopedic knowledge, plus a knowing guide.
Christopher Binkert in Atlanta, GA USA 06/13/2010
Best: Bath as a starting point
Why: It truly gave us a chance to settle into our tour. Starting with London would have been just too hectic. And we loved the Madd Maxx tours, especially our driver/guide Chris who was so pleasant, informative, and fun.
Worst: trains
Why: Schedules were hard to understand and station staff too often were rude, not available, or involved in personal discussions - one such was very heated and blocked the one stairway leading to access to a needed gate.
Adair Pickard in Clayton, NC USA 05/30/2010
Best: The Roman Baths, in Bath
Why: Every few years I go back to the baths. The displays and audio had been changed and improved. Some of the comments are recorded by Bill Bryson, an American who has lived in England. His remarks were interesting, and were very "first person" as he experienced the place. Bryson also did some of the audio at the Salisbury Cathedral.
Swan in Napa , CA USA 10/03/2009
Best: The display of Henry VIII "Dressed to Kill," at the Tower.
Why: Several floors of the White Tower are dedicated to the display and interpretation of armor and weapons in use during that era. There is also a display of the minting of coins.
Swan in Napa, CA USA 10/03/2009
Worst: Elizabeth House and Jubilee Hotels
Why: Both hotels, once they get your credit card numbers, charge those cards, even though you have either paid with cash, or cancel reservation and get confirmation that there are no charges. I'm getting fed up with the hassle between these hotels and my credit card companies. You cannot trust them. Do not reserve with credit card! Plus, cleanliness is not the best.
georgiana shaw in chickamauga, GA USA 09/28/2009
Best: Roman Baths, Bath
Why: stunning in the evening. Great exhibit, easy to navigate, great audio tour.
Worst: York Castle Museum
Why: The lack of a map, audio guide, or any direction caused us to spend too much time in a portion we werent as interested in, and left us not enough time for what we did want to see. Probably great for kids and families but for a middle age couple without kids it was rather boring.
Peter Thompson in Charlottesville, va USA 09/20/2009
Best: MadMax Tours, Hampton Court
Why: We took the full day tour of Stonehenge,Avebury, Lacock, and Castle Combe. Their tour guides are brilliant- informative but not overbearing. The tour was reasonably priced and for all we got to see and do, well worth the cost.
Hampton Court was another really great site and, in our opinion, worth more "triangles." They had wonderful exhibits celebrating Henry VIII's ascension to the throne and the palace itself was captivating. Well worth spending a full morning. I've had several other friends all mention since my return that Hampton Court was their favorite of the royal residences.
Whitney in Atlanta, GA USA 09/05/2009
Best: Roman Baths at night, Museum of Bath at Work, Tower Tour (Salisbury)
Why: The baths were jam-packed during the day, so we waited until the evening like the book recommends, and what a treat it was! Gas-lit and quiet, it was a magical trip back in time. Also, the Bath at Work museum was absolutely fascinating for anyone with an interest in mechanical things. In Salisbury, the tower tour is worth every step to see the old wood beams and view from the top with a great guide.
Reya in Carson City, NV USA 09/01/2009
Best: Theatre on the Lake, Keswick
Why: World-class production of Shakespeare in an intimate, regional-theater-priced setting.
Steve Meyerhardt in Oak Hill, VA USA 08/28/2009
Best: Mom: Cotswolds, esp. the hikes; teen one: seeing Parliament; teen two: seeing Stonehenge up close; everyone liked The Tower, esp The Crown Jewels
Why: The main reason we had a great time at The Tower, despite having to go on a busy Sunday, was the tip you gave us to get there early. We just managed to beat the worst of the crowds for the tour, etc.
Worst: Dungeon Tour at Warwick Castle
Why: We loved Warwick Castle, but the dungeon tour was disappointingly cheesey, gory, and inappropriate. Knowing something about Warwick Castle and English history, I know they could have given a great, authentic tour, but they didn't.
Antje in Portland, OR USA 08/20/2009
Best: London
Why: Excellent destination. So much to see and do. All four of us found it to be our favorite place. Also, you might want to look into the Midlands. We went to the Chatsworth House outside of Bakewell and spent 2 days in the area. Beautiful and accessible and very English! No American tourists there. Excellent hiking as well.
Worst: Moving too much, not enough time in London
Why: With kids, in lieu of moving about every 2 or 3 days as we did, next time I would just rent an apartment/flat/suite in London for a week. There is so much to see there. We have travelled a lot with our kids and I always find that a one week stay somewhere in the beginning allows us all to get our bearings and really get to know a destination.
Maria Shuman in Boulder, , CO USA 08/10/2009
Best: Royal Pavilion in Brighton
Why: I've been to England a number of times so I've seen all the "main" things in London, etc. I'd never been to Brighton or the Royal Pavilion before. It was amazing. Well worth going out of your way to pay a visit.
Paula Harris in Milwaukie, OR USA 08/01/2009
Best: Premier Inn hotels
Why: They were very helpful, rooms clean, and offer a satisfaction guarantee policy. Stayed in Bodmin and London Heathrow. Both positive experiences.
Kris in Riverside, CA USA 07/29/2009
Best: "Traveling as a temporary local" and buying the oyster card to use the public transportation
Why: From the moment I entered the city I tried to let the city just take hold of me. I felt like a thirsty woman who just drank in the sights and sounds of London. I let the experience of the travel just wash over me. I sat in pubs and listened to conversations around me, rode the buses and tube with the locals, meandered down the streets sometimes with no purpose in mind except to explore what was around the next corner. While waiting in line or for a performance to begin, I would initiate conversations with the people around me and we met some intriguing people and had wonderful, interesting conversations. While riding the train back from Windsor into London we started talking with a group of people and the one gentleman picked out different sites from the train that we would never have known. We bought oyster cards and rode the buses and the tube and I am sure we got our money's worth. It just made traveling in the city so easy. We had a few moments of confusion but that was quickly remedied by asking a local a question or a second glance at a map. We found if we just remembered that if we took the wrong route on a bus or the tube we would just sit back and enjoy the mistake and make a change at the next stop. Also, since we didn't use our oyster card for a full seven days we got a refund on the last day when we turned it back in on the way to Heathrow airport.We had a wonderful time and I found the city and the people exhilarating, friendly, and fun! Actually, I could have listed a dozen other things your recommended but I have to stop somewhere!
Philomena Karol in Raleigh, NC USA 07/14/2009
Best: We liked everthing the book recommended.
Why: Very thoughtful descriptions of everything, insightful in every situation.
David Watson in Del Mar, CA USA 07/14/2009
Best: The British Museum
Why: The collections were incredible and well laid out. The crowds were annoying, but well worth enduring.
Worst: D-Day Museum in Portsmouth
Why: The D Day embroidery was great, but the rest of the museum was amateurish and not on the same level as Imperial War Museums in Duxford or London.
Mike Flaherty in St Louis, MO USA 06/13/2009
Best: Castle Museum--York
Why: The unusual and unexpected. The visitor leaves with a clear understanding of the difficulties and hardships early Europeans faced during centuries gone by. Also liked the reproduction of the Victorian era street---very realistic.
Jeff Anderson in Portland, OR USA 06/06/2009
Best: Harry safari tour, Mad max tour
Why: Harry safari was great, this grizzled old Cornishman knows everything and everybody on the penwith paninsula
Paul DiBlasi in Jacksonville Beach, Fl USA 05/27/2009
Best: Windsor Castle (Windsor)
Why: If you enjoy the royal family or castles that are lived in this is a great day trip. Windsor Castle has the friendliest staff I encountered in England (they genuinely enjoy their work and want you to see everything).
Dave W. in Seattle, WA USA 01/20/2009