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Category Archive: UK

Kendal Museum in Cumbria

Kendal is a small town located in the Lakes District of Cumbria with a rich history that attracts tourists. Located on the River Kent, it was once known as Kirkby in Kendal, but now is referred to as simply Kendal. It’s historically been a popular spot for visitors in the Lakes District, both because of its setting and its history. If you’re planning a visit you can book Cumbrian cottages and settle in just like you were a local, then spend your days setting out exploring the area. One popular spot to visit in Kendal is the Kendal Museum. Founded in 1796, the Kendal Museum features collections covering a variety of topics with a focus on history, archaeology, geology, and nature. The museum is divided into galleries, each featuring impressive exhibitions. The Wainwright Gallery – Named after a former honorary […]

Festivals in Brighton: Party On

If all Olympics and Jubilee festivities of London are a bit too stuffy for you, get out of the city and head to Brighton, known as a premier UK hotspot for nightlife, music, and festivals. About an hour south of London, by train (the Jurys Inn Brighton is located not too far from the station), it’s easy to pop down for a day trip. But with so much to do, you may want to make it a weekend. Here are a few Festivals in Brighton to choose from: Brighton Festival – The second largest arts festival in the UK (the largest is in Edinburgh), the festival is full of parades, fireworks, theater, music, dance, visual arts (and lots more) all staged in venues around the city. One of the unique features of the festival is the Artists’ Open House […]

10 Things To Do in St. Andrews, Scotland

Named for the apostle Andrew, the town of St Andrews is located on the east coast of Fife in Scotland and was originally founded as a religious settlement. Today it is widely known for its university and as the home of golf in Scotland (and the world), and is a popular spot for travelers as well as a site for conferences. Here’s a list of just a few things to see and do in St Andrews. Visit the University of St Andrews – The university is one of the United Kingdom’s most prestigious and it is the third oldest in the English-speaking world. When in session, student enrollment accounts more nearly a third of the town’s population, so it’s no surprise that the university is well integrated into the community. The university has a great museum as well. Walk among […]

Royal London: 8 Royal Parks in London

A visit to London this year is sure to be full of hectic activities and adventures. The 2012 Olympics Summer Olympics will bring in athletes, fans, and visitors from around the world, and Queen Elizabeth’s Jubilee has the calendar chock full of commemorative events and displays. You can easily find yourself wrapped up in a whirlwind of activities at a maddening pace. When you’re ready for a break, and a get back to nature moment, try visiting one of the 8 royal parks of London, most of which are an easy walk from your London location. Fair warning, they can be busy, crowded, places, but the opportunity to enjoy some beautiful grounds in the out-of-doors, can be a tonic to the traveler’s soul. The parks were originally 5,000 acres of hunting grounds for the royals. Later they became formal gardens, […]

7 Spooky Spots for a Haunted Halloween in London

The spooky, eerie, and downright creepy, take center stage in October as interest in the paranormal peaks for Halloween-time. If visitors are not too nervous to leave their London hotels, it’s a good time to explore the spookier side of London. Here are seven haunted sites in London to get you started: Tower of London – The claim is that this is the most haunted place in England, perhaps not a surprise as so many people lost their heads here. Literally. Do you think it’s true that the White Lady haunts the White Tower? And it’s said that the spirits of Anne Boleyn and Lady Jane Grey (both wives of Henry the VIII) are said to haunt the Tower as well. The Bank of London – The location on Threadneedle Street is said to be occupied as a ghost named […]

Subversive Ways of Seeing London

Are you tired of doing the same thing day in, day out? Do your travel plans seem a bit routine? Have you gotten stuck in a rut? Today we have a guest post from travel writer Andrea Kirkby who is trying to convince us of ways to look at things differently while in London. —- I recently met up with a friend who has been living in West London for a while. After being there a month or so, he found that he was sticking to a rather regular pattern of commuting, rarely going out of his particular area and not seeing much of the city. Most of us get like that after a while, but he decided to do something about it. Every time he went to a meeting or to visit a friend, he decided to get off […]

The Powerscourt Estate: A Daytrip from Dublin

Many first time visitors to Dublin don’t know that the ‘Garden of Ireland’ – County Wicklow – is only 30 minutes south of the city center. No trip to Ireland would be complete without leaving the capital city to see the countryside that the Emerald Isle is so famous for. While there are many destinations worthy of a Dublin daytrip, one of my favorites is the Powerscourt Estate in County Wicklow. Unlike other destinations outside of Dublin that are on the train line, you will need to rent a car or join a tour to visit Powerscourt. Reaching the estate in a rental car is half the fun – passing through quaint villages and following rickety old signs will give the daytrip an adventurous quality. The estate is famous for being home to the five-star Ritz Carlton Powerscourt and […]

Royal Beasts Return to Tower Of London

The Royal Wedding isn’t the only royal excitement in London the spring, although it probably overshadows most. But there’s another magical story that comes to life this spring, and that’s the story of the Royal Menagerie at the Tower of London. The Royal Menagerie was first established at the Tower of London in the early 1200s, making it one of the country’s oldest zoo. “Royal Beasts” offers visitors a chance to see these former residents through a display of modern sculpture, along with interactive and sensory displays. The displays will be housed in the north wall walk (recently restored) as well as the Brick Tower, opening for the first time. The Tower offers audio guides in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Dutch, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean and Chinese (Mandarin), providing English School in London students an opportunity to enjoy a […]

Top 10 Things To Do In London For A Wheelchair User

Today I have a guest post on a topic I know very little about – accessible travel. I take for granted getting up and down stairs, walking down narrow cobblestone streets, and making plans with very little thought. While not every traveler is as carefree with planning their vacation, accessibility is no longer the barrier to travel that it once was. Here’s what you can expect from accessible London —- Many of the tourist attractions in London are wheelchair friendly, although some are unfortunately entirely inaccessible. Here is a list of what I feel are the top ten wheelchair friendly things to do in London, but if you have something else in mind that does not appear on this list, just call ahead to check accessibility or to organize special assistance. Calling ahead is particularly important if you are travelling […]

London Bridge in London & Lake Havasu

Do you remember singing this as a child: London Bridge is falling down, Falling down, falling down. London Bridge is falling down, My fair lady. I sure do. But when I sang it, I had no idea what London Bridge was really all about or where it was – other than London, I mean.. So what’s the real scoop? London Bridge crosses over the River Thames connecting London and Southwark. This is city central, with lots of London hotels and attractions nearby, and is a busy spot in the city. Although London Bridge is often confused with the Tower Bridge, it is actually located between the Tower and the Cannon Street Railway Bridge. London Bridge has actually been a succession of bridges, with many incarnations occupying the same space and the same name. In the mid 1960’s, the then […]