Consider booking a guided day trip from London rather than a do-it-yourself effort. While the do-it-yourself option gives you more freedom to explore and the ability to veer off course should you find something interesting, guided tours make everything really easy. Don't worry about getting lost, driving on the wrong side of the road, or other common travel problems. Just sit back and relax as tour companies like Grayline load you into a luxury bus and shuttle you effortlessly to your destination. Your guide will provide plenty of historical anecdotes to keep you entertained and make the history of the places you're visiting come alive.
Give public transportation a try. The United Kingdom has a very competent bus and rail travel public transportation system. If you don't want the expense and hassle of renting a car, but want more freedom for independent exploration than the typical organized tour can afford you, public transportation may be just the thing for you. Visit the Transport Direct website to plan your trip from start to finish.
Plan a day trip from London to Salisbury Plains and visit the beautiful Salisbury Cathedral. The 90-minute drive from London to Salisbury is worth it to visit the over 750-year-old medieval cathedral. The very reverent cathedral boasts the largest spire in Britain and Europe's oldest working clock, dating back to 1386 A.D. Inside you'll find the best preserved of the four surviving copies of the Magna Carta. Visiting the Salisbury Cathedral makes you glad you sat through high school World History to learn about the Magna Carta in the first place.
Feel the mystery in the air at Stonehenge. Not too far from Salisbury Plains is the famous prehistoric monument Stonehenge. There are many mysteries surrounding this UNESCO World Heritage Site, from how the 30-ton stones made it to the plain to the monument's exact function. Archaeologists believe Stonehenge was first erected in 2500 B.C. and was used by ancient peoples as a burial ground. Truly breathtaking, no visit to England is complete without a stop at Stonehenge.
Take a bath. You know the saying, "When in Rome..." Though you can't actually take a bath at the Roman Baths in Bath, England you can tour the ancient spa and learned how it benefited the lives of people in medieval times. The city of Bath itself, with its quaint shops and cobbled stone streets, is a great place to spend an afternoon. If you're feeling homesick for the U.S., stop in to the Ben and Jerry's for a refreshing taste of home.
Visit the historic ruins of Glastonbury Abbey in Somerset, England. The over 2000-year-old Christian abbey is rumored to be the burial place of the legendary King Arthur and his queen Guinevere. Hear all about the abbey's rich history and connection to Joseph of Arimathea and Jesus Christ from costumed guides from March to October.
