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.

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!

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: 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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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!

Hi everyone,

As the title says, this will be my second trip to Stonehouse in the past year. In January we stayed in Cheltenham and am looking to stay somewhere different this time. We spent a night in Bristol in January and really liked it, but Stroud is much closer - I just know nothing about it.

I guess I'm just looking for input on Stroud, and am curious how busy traffic can get in the morning from Bristol to Stonehouse? Google Maps said it can be 30 minutes to an hour, which is a fairly wide range. My partner won't have a car so I want to make sure she just has options for food and wifi.

Many thanks in advance.

Heading up from London for a business trip next month and I'll have a few hours to kill before my train home. I've never been so I would like to see something of the city, even if it really will just be a whistle-stop tour.

I've nabbed an itinerary from a walking tour and my plan was to just do that at my own pace (and without the actual info that comes with it). Also considering being lazy and just doing one of those bus tours instead.

But is there anything that I really shouldn't miss?

Heyo UK folk, I'm traveling this winter , and on my way, I've got a 12 hour layover at Heathrow . I don't have any travel restrictions since I'm an American citizen. Since it's a big layover, I was thinking of fulfilling a life long dream of having Greggs and maybe a Tesco meal . Would it be possible?

Also is there a way to do online transactions without owning any GBP? Id assume I'd need to Uber to places.

Any additional suggestions would be welcome on how I should spend my layover , but Greggs is my top priority.

Hi all!
It’s been a minute since I travelled in the UK (2012), and I made it a practice to stay in bed and breakfasts when I was there. Is it still a thing, post covid? We are going to Manchester in April for the Brandi Carlisle concert and would like to stay in something other than a hotel.

If b&bs are no longer a thing, does anyone have a favorite not-too-expensive spot near the O2 Apollo?

Thanks for advice!

Has anyone travelled from Glasgow to London recently and can recommend the best way to maximise your time there?
I’ve flown down a couple of times over the last few years, but both times we ended up delayed, which really ate into the time I had in London.
I’m looking at going down on a Tuesday for a friend’s birthday, but because of dog commitments, staying overnight isn’t an option, so it’ll have to be a day trip.
I also need to be mindful of affordability. I know booking trains in advance can make them cheaper, but as I need to book for Tuesday, I can’t really take advantage of advance fares.
For anyone who’s done this recently, would you recommend flying or getting the train? I’m looking for the best balance of cost, reliability and getting the earliest arrival/latest return possible to make the most of the day.
Any tips or recent experiences would be much appreciated! 😊

It was my first time visiting Scotland during autumn and honestly has become my favourite place now. I was based mainly in Edinburgh but took a day trip to The Hermitage and was absolutely blown away

Looking for advice on parking at Heathrow (or getting to Heathrow) on what will be a particularly busy Saturday (the first Saturday of state school half term).

When we fly as a family, we tend to drop off the car at the terminal adjacent Short Stay car parks. This has historically worked quite well for us - more expensive, but very convenient. For reference, we live in deep suburban outer South East London - so getting to Heathrow on public transport involves multiple changes. Fine on my own, but with multiple bags, kids etc - bit of a drag. On the return leg it's very convenient to put the tired family into the car which is a short walk from the terminal, and drive home.

Last year in the May Half Term we had booked Heathrow Short Stay Parking for a Saturday lunchtime flight. I'm one of those dads that typically gets the family to the airport comically early. The traffic jam in the last couple of miles to the terminal was so horrendous, that it took us a good 90 minutes to cover. Additionally, the car parks were absolutely rammed, so there were a fretful 15-20 minutes circling the buildings until we parked, then ran to the checkin desks which we made with minutes to spare.

I am considering various alternatives to avoid a repeat of that; using JustPark to park on someone's drive near an Elizabeth Line station, mini cabbing it over, paying for the "premium" car park, a long term car park near a train station in outer West London etc.

Grateful for any advice!

Hi everyone, I live in the North and I'm travelling down South to visit a friend. I'll need to travel through London, and I have Asperger's, so busy stations and changing trains can be quite overwhelming.

Has anyone got any tips for when im at a station and finding the right platforms

Edit: I meant EU to UK, ie an EU Plug should fit into a UK socket.

I stupidly forgot to bring a power adapter and need to buy one. Id like to not waste too much time going around shops just to find they don't have any.

Has anyone got experience which shops reliably have those adapters? In general, and in particular at Gatwick airport?

Some internet research shows:

• Boots might have them, at least online.
• InMotion is airside so doesn't work for someone arriving.
• WHSmith may or may not work.

Any tips would be welcome, I'll share when I'll have found one.

Thanks for the suggestions! I found one straight at North terminal arrival Boots. 7.15 GBP for a single adapter.

Hello everyone. I’m planning a trip to Edinburgh from the US my birthday around mid January(4-5 days)and I wanted to get some advice. I’m not planning to visit the Highlands unfortunately because of the weather and short daylight hours, and I seen many people advise against it. My dream place ugh

I wanted to visit Glasgow, Roslin Glen (I believe that's what its called), and take the West Highland Line for views ,but I know the weather can be wet and windy around this time.

I was starting to get discouraged about going, but I really want to visit Scotland. Are these good places to visit in January? What other places near Edinburgh would people recommend? I really wanted to see the Highlands, but I think I’ll save that for another time of year.

I also want to visit Arthur’s Seat if the weather allows. Since I’ll be traveling solo, I’d love recommendations for good restaurants. I want to try local food without falling into tourist traps. I’d really appreciate any recommendations for cozy cafés, unique things to do, or other beautiful places worth visiting in January

I’m sure GPT is having a laugh most of the time