U

• United Kingdom

From a young age I have always wanted to live in England (probably because I had dreams of being a princess) but the love I have for British history, countryside and monarchs has only grown. Now let me straighten some things out. England is part of Great Britain, as well as Wales and Scotland, and with Northern Ireland they make up the United Kingdom. With that, it is pretty obvious that there is much to see, do, explore and learn in a country full of gardens, pubs, estates, historical tours, rolling hills, misty moors, grassy mountains and rocky coastline.

So to help with this post I went online to www.visitengland.com to make sure my information was correct. Needless to say, I spent two hours virtual touring around the UK.

Here are the Top Ten Destinations:

London

Exeter

Birmingham

Cambridge

Liverpool

Bath

Brighton

York

Oxford

Chester

Now, England is divided into 9 regions, each with unique and beautiful cities, castles, cathedrals, gardens, shops and stories. Here are but a few of the things to see when traveling through each region.

North East: World Heritage Site Hadrian's Wall, Durham Castle, Alnwick Gardens

North West: Blackpool Beach, Liverpool, Cumbria, Lancaster Castle

Yorkshire: York Minster, Whitby Abbey

Heart of England: Cotswolds, Coventry, Stratford-Upon-Avon

East Midlands: Chatsworth in Derbyshire, Sherwood Forest, Blue John Cavern

East of England: King's College in Cambridge, Hatfield, Audley House & Gardens

London: Parliament, Westminster, Buckingham and Kensington Palaces, St. Paul's Cathedral, West End, Tower of London, Convent Gardens, tea time at Harrods, Hampton Court, The Globe, shopping on Bond Street and the markets in Camden, Notting Hill and Brick Lane

South East: Dover Castle, Kent, Blenheim Palace in Woodstock in Oxfordshire, Surrey, Isle of Wight

South West: Forest of Dean, Dorset, Cornwall, Bristol, Bath, Somerset, Devon, Stonehenge, Gloucester Cathedral

I spent 10 days in London and a couple days in York visiting a friend. I wish I could have stayed longer, and seen more. The tube is so convenient and so are the trains, though they can get a bit pricey. Avoid at any cost London Heathrow (if you can). If you can drive on the other side of the road think about seeing the countryside that way, a road trip around Bath or the Cotswolds doesn't seem like a bad idea. No matter what your idea of a vacation or traveling looks like, England is sure to have it, and exceed your expectations. Just remember, English weather tends to be colder, wetter and unpredictable, come prepared. Safe Travels!