A Beginner’s Guide to Planning a Trip to England

England is the largest country of the United Kingdom. It borders Scotland and Wales and also includes the capital of the United Kingdom, London. The country has some great coastlines, as well as countryside. If you have never been to England before, here’s a brief England travel guide for holidays in England.

Airports and ports in England

You can reach England from abroad either by air, train, or by sea. London’s Gatwick and Heathrow airports are the largest in England, and so these are an obvious touchdown point for reaching the South East of England at least. However, if you are visiting the South West, then Newquay Cornwall Airport in the West Country may be a better alternative. Further north, Manchester’s airport is one of the largest airports in northern England.

Aside from the airports, you can reach England via boat. Some of the more notable ports are in the south of England and include Plymouth and Southampton harbors. Cruise liners and passenger ships embark and disembark from these ports.

The Channel Tunnel connects England with France, and therefore continental Europe. As such, you can also reach England from France via this tunnel, which runs from Calais to Dover. Book your tickets with Eurostar.

Accommodation

There are a few accommodation options in England. As elsewhere, hotels are the primary accommodation options, and these are rated by English tourist boards from one to five stars. The more stars the hotel has, the greater resources it has, and generally, higher-star hotel rooms have the largest range of amenities. As such, five-star hotels are the best hotels, but will also have the highest rates.

However, there are alternatives to hotels, such as English bed & breakfasts or guest houses. These are usually smaller than hotels, with fewer rooms. They also do not serve dinner, but do provide extensive breakfast options. Like hotels, they are also rated on a scale of one to five by English tourist boards, but do not expect to find large swimming pools or gymnasiums at bed and breakfasts or guest houses.

Self-catering alternatives such as campsites or rental accommodation can also be considered. If you bring a tent with you, you can set up your tent at a good campsite, which is usually located around coastal seaside resorts. Or alternatively, there is some variety of vacation rental accommodation which you can rent on a self-catering basis for a week or two, and perhaps longer if required.

The Currency of England

The currency of England is the pound sterling. Although a part of the EU, England and the UK remain out of the Eurozone. The bank notes include £50, £20, £10 and £5s.

The Destinations of England

There is a variety of potential vacation destinations in England. As mentioned, London is the capital of the UK, and the city has many highlights. In London you can visit the Tower of London, Tate Modern, New Wembley, Trafalgar Square and St Paul’s Cathedral which is the largest cathedral in the UK and still one of London’s tallest buildings that rises of hundreds of meters.

Beyond London, the West Country has some great destinations. Devon and Cornwall are two notable counties in England that have some great coastlines and beaches. In Devon, there are notable seaside resorts such as Torbay, which includes the seaside towns of Torquay, Paignton, and Brixham. Further north, in northern Devon, there is Exmoor National Park and seaside resorts such as Ilfracombe and Westward Hoe. While in Cornwall, you can visit the Eden Project, one of the biggest ever greenhouses, or further great seaside resorts and towns such as St Ives.

In the north of England, Blackpool is the biggest seaside resort town. Blackpool has been one of England’s great vacation resorts since the 19th century, and includes the famed Blackpool Tower, which dominates the skyline. Blackpool also has a fantastic collection of rollercoasters, such as the Pepsi Max Big One, which rises hundreds of feet.

England also has numerous national parks, which collectively cover thousands of square miles of the English countryside. In both north and south, you can visit national parks such as Dartmoor National Park, the Lake District, Exmoor National Park, the New Forest, the Yorkshire Dales, and the Peak District. These national parks are preserved parts of the English countryside that have a variety of wildlife, and have a number of hiking trails and routes that can be followed.

These are just a few of the potential holiday destinations in England. For further details and England travel guides, this English Tourist Board travel website is recommended. Or alternatively, UK travel websites are also worth noting.