IN AND AROUND ENGLAND/UK

London - How to see all the TOP sites in a few hours

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Can you really see London major sites in less than a day? 

Sure you can!! This guide will show you the best way to maximize your time and pocket book for a day trip to London. 

 

Living close to a major city like London is great, but when people come to visit it’s the first place they want to see. I am here to share with you how I have mastered visiting London in less than a day. This route is not only child friendly, but cost effective if you are on a budget in London. While this does not include entry into any site, it does offer a true whistle stop tour through London without the hassle of queuing for public transit or sightseeing buses.

Your first stop is the parking garage right outside St. Katherine’s Dock. The parking is great, because it is outside the congestion charge area if you are visiting on a weekday. The great thing about this carpark is that due to it being underground there is plentiful parking for larger cars. The address to the carpark is City Quay Car Park, Thomas More St, London E1W 1YW. To enter the carpark you will insert your debit card for authentication. You will use your debit card to enter the carpark from the steps located on the back side of the Ivory House. Parking starts at £1.40 per hour. Let me assure you that the area is not full of crazy London traffic. So if you have a fear of driving in London it will be just fine.

This route even works from Liverpool Street Station or Victoria Coach Terminal. 

Upon exit you will be near the Ivory House and you will see a wooden walkway. Now a 5 minute walk to the Tower of London and right under the Tower Bridge. 5 minutes in London and you have already covered two major sites. Once you have taken as many selfies as possible head down around the Tower of London to the pier right in front. There are a LOT of options to see London, but the most affordable and effective is the TRS Circular Cruise. You can use your Oyster Card or pay at the kiosk out front with your debit card. For this tour you will only need a one way ticket down to Westminster. At the time of writing the family ticket for 2 adults and 2 children is £28.50. Adults are £10 and children £5 if buying individually. While this is not a full sightseeing tour with headsets; the guide will offer some amusing and historical commentary along the Thames. There is food and bathrooms on board and the cruise takes around 30 minutes.

Pro Tip: Once on the boat head to the back of the boat on top. Once the boat pulls away from the Pier the view of Tower Bridge and Tower of London is the best.

Stay on the boat until you reach Westminster Pier. As you begin to approach the pier you can capture some good photos of Ben Big, Parliament and the London Eye. That’s 5 sites in under an hour already. Once you exit the boat make a right towards Big Ben. If you stay across the street you can capture the Red Phone booth shot with Big Ben in the distance. There will likely be a few people doing the same so be patient.  After your photo opportunity you will then head down past the back of the houses of Parliament towards Westminster Abbey. If you have time to spare, you can make your way in for a quick visit.

Now you will need to make your way down Birdcage Walk to the gates of Buckingham Palace. This is about a mile walk down along a shaded pathway past old military barracks and armoury buildings. A few photos here and you will be on your way down The Mall to Trafalgar square. Stay on your left of The Mall as there will be an opportunity to see the famous Guards who watch over Buckingham Palace. They are usually set up in their booths along The Mall and you can take a photo with them. Another London bucket list item I am sure.

You have already seen 8 of the famous sites in London in just short of 3 hours, depending on your walking pace. Now you can stop your tour at Charings Cross and make your way back to Tower of London on the tube or you can follow the rest of the tour to St. Pauls Cathedral.

Upon entering Trafalgar Square you can see a great view of Big Ben from the front of the square near the Lions. You will continue along The Strand past the Somerset House and onwards to St. Pauls Cathedral which is about a mile up the road. You can jump on the tube at Embankment towards Mansion House if you are limited in mobility to reach the Cathedral. There is a lot of history from WW2 in the Cathedral so well worth the admission and visit. Once finished you will head over the Great Fire of London monument for a quick photo stop and back over to the Tower of London.

I hope you enjoyed your whistle stop tour of London. Please see links below for more information about car park, transport and river cruise.

http://www.skdocks.co.uk/location

http://www.thamesriverservices.co.uk/discount-boat-trips-greenwich.cfm

http://www.crownrivercruise.co.uk/bookings.cfm

 

Happy Traveling,

Katrina

 

Money Savings Tips for UK Travel- Passes, Memberships and More

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MEMBERSHIPS

National Trust: £93.50/year for a family (or £70.12 special offer if you do a direct debit aka automatic renewal every year until you cancel). Whether you're interested in gardens, castles, wildlife, or just somewhere peaceful to relax, our membership gives you unlimited access to hundreds of days out. Gain free entry to over 300 historic houses and gardens, access to some of Britains most dramatic countryside and over 700 miles of coastline owned by the National Trust. Historic properties range from Winston Churchill’s Chartwell, the boyhood homes of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Countryside areas include significant parts of the Lake and Peak Districts. Coastal areas include the iconic White Cliffs of Dover and St. Michaels Mount, to name just a few. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/membership/

 

Royal Oaks Foundation: The Royal Oak Foundation engages Americans in the work of the National Trust of England, Wales and Northern Ireland, one of the world’s largest and most progressive conservation organizations. IF you do not want to do the direct debit route directly via the National Trust, you can join through Royal Oaks, receive all the same benefits as other NT members, and pay $115/year for a family. Not only is it cheaper, the money you spend can also be a tax deduction (under donations). http://www.royal-oak.org/join/

 

English Heritage: £82 for a family membership (up to 6 children under the age of 19). With English Heritage annual membership you can explore over 400 castles, stately homes, ruins and more for free! Sites include Stonehenge, Dover Castle, Battle of Hastings, Audley End, to name a few. IMPORTANT: English Heritage members can gain half-price admission to Historic Scotland, CADW (Wales, e.g. Caerphilly Castle), and Isle of Man attractions during the first year of membership and free entry in subsequent years. Don't forget all the other discounts (look under "associated attractions", e.g. Discount tickets to Castle Howard, Woburn Abbey, Duxford, that you can get with your EH membership: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/support-us/members/benefits/

 

Scotland Explorer Pass: If you plan on hitting a lot of major sites in Scotland (and are not members of the English Heritage), you may want to consider getting this pass. Check the website for pricing details: http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/places/explorer.htm

 

Wales Explorer Pass: If you plan on visiting many sites managed by the Wales government, and are not members of English Heritage, you maybe want to consider getting this pass: http://cadw.wales.gov.uk/daysout/explorerpasses/?lang=en

 

Historic Scotland: The Scottish version of the English Heritage Pass:http://members.historic-scotland.gov.uk/netcommunity/page.aspx?pid=212

 

Merlin Pass: Unlimited entry to Sealife, Legoland, Thorpe Park, Blackpool Tower, and others. Merlin Annual Pass UK brings together 30 top attractions, making it the UK's biggest attraction. With over 100 roller coasters and other rides, 45 million LEGO bricks, 80 waxworks, hundreds of marine creatures and more: http://www.merlinannualpass.co.uk/

Rail Cards: Get 1/3 off your rail tickets if you qualify: http://www.railcard.co.uk/

Bite Card: FREE discount card for used at participating train station eateries, e.g. Burger King, the Pasty Shop, Upper Crust: https://www.bitecard.co.uk/

 

ONLINE DEALS

 www.groupon.co.uk - money saving deals

 www.livingsocial.co.uk - money saving deals

  www.uk-offers.timeout.com/deals - london money saving deals

 www.vouchercodes.co.uk - restaurant and online shopping deals

www.localsecrets.com - money savings and coupons for Cambridge, Bury and local area

 www.lakenheathyardsales.com - Our local Craigslist

 www.gumtree.com - UK version of Craigslist

www.uswitch.com - compare gas, electricity, broadband, TV, etc companies

 www.moneysavingexpert.com - coupons/vouchers, deals, money saving tips, forum, etc

Transport In and Around the UK Explained

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To get around England and to Europe

EU/Eurostar train tickets:

§  RailEurope: http://www.raileurope.com/index.html Select the US dollars option and you shouldn't have a problem paying with your American credit card (if it's your first time, you might even see a pop-up that will ask for your residency of preference). You can buy all sorts of European train tickets here, even the Eurostar (what people use to get from London to Paris if train is their choice of transportation).

§  Eurostar: http://www.eurostar.com. If you choose United States as your country of residence, you'll see the prices in dollars and will have no problem paying with your US credit card and APO address.

Flights:

§  Ryanair: http://www.ryanair.com/en

§  Easyjet: http://www.easyjet.com/EN

§  Skyscanner: http://www.skyscanner.net/

§  Kayak: http://www.kayak.co.uk/

§  CheapOAir: http://www.cheapoair.com/

§  Cheapflights: http://www.cheapoair.com/

 

UK train tickets:

§  http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

§  http://www.raileasy.co.uk/

§  http://www.mytrainticket.co.uk/

§  http://www.thetrainline.com/

TIP: When going long distance, try to always reserve your tickets. If you don't, you're not guaranteed a seat, or seats together. You cannot reserve seats for short travels, usually if the ride is under and hour, e.g. Cambridge to London.

FAQ: Is it cheaper to buy in person or online?

It depends. For short trips (especially if you have a group of people going), you can most likely get a better deal when buying in person at the train station before you leave, e.g. Cambridge - London. For longer rides, e.g. Ely - Edinburg, you can go either way. Sometimes you can do well online and sometimes you can do great in person. If you live near the station, it doesn't hurt to shop around but if you're so not fortunate, buying online might just be worth it.

FAQ: Is there a discount card for train travels?

Yes! There are a few which you can find here: http://www.railcard.co.uk. If you have a child over 5yrs of age, the family and friends card is one that you can buy. If you are 24yrs old, there's the 16-25yrs card. If you're 26, the one card you can get is the Network card. You can get a discount if you go up to Scotland (or anywhere outside the SE of England) but if you go to London often enough or the southern coast now and then, this is something worth looking into.

Ely

Ely has a great train station. It's small but it can take you pretty much anywhere from here. Going north, e.g. York, Edinburgh, the price is cheaper than if departing from Cambridge. If you live near Cambridge, Cambridge is better for trips to London (more trains go between the two cities and a tad cheaper) but if you're not sure about securing a car park bay (on a weekday or a busy weekend, e.g. during the Olympics), Ely is a safer bet. On most weekends, you can find parking easily at either station.

TIP: When returning from London, try to be on the first four coaches. Often time the train will split in Cambridge and only the first four will continue on to Ely. to go to London, you need to cross over to the other side, platform 2. The walk is step free.

FAQ: Can I pay for my car park with a credit card at the Ely train station?

Yes! You can install "RingGo" on your Android/iDevice (need Internet access to pay) and pay via mobile this way or by texting/SMS RingGo. To download the app, on your mobile app store search for "Ringgo" or go to their website: https://www.myringgo.com/apps. For SMS info you can find at the car park pay station. RingGo works at many train stations and other car parks in England, one I know is Bury St. Edmunds car parks.

NOTE: Ely station car park gets full during the weekday. People commute from Ely to London daily. Don't pay for parking until your car is sitting on one :)

FAQ: Where can I park at the Ely train station if the station car park is full?

There is a car park behind Tesco (Angel Drove car park), see map:http://www.elycathedral.org/pdf/carparkingposter.pdf and from the car park it will be about a 5 minute walk to the station. Direction: Exit car park and walk towards the front of Tesco. Go pass the front door towards the train station and you should see some stairs that goes from the Tesco car park to the train station's car park.

This long term car park is rarely full and it is a bit cheaper than the station. It doesn't take cards though, so make sure you have enough coins to pay for your time. For pricing, visit this website: http://www.eastcambs.gov.uk/node/6697

Cambridge

FAQ: How do I get to Cambridge?

Some people drive into Cambridge and some others drive to a Park and Ride and take the bus into the city. A few would also take the train (from Downham Market or Newmarket for example) or take the bus (which was fun for my young children and I could just sit and daydream). Cambridge is not hard to drive in but do take extra cautious with the bikers.

FAQ: Where do you park in Cambridge?

There are many car parks in Cambridge but if you plan on sight seeing all day, they price do add up. The most economical for this purpose is to do the Park and Ride. The nearest to RAFM is the Newmarket P&R. For other purposes, it all depends. Do your math.

Price comparison: Saturday £2.50 P&R from 8a-8p and £12.20 all day at Queen Ann car park. For a quickie lunch, £2.50 P&R and £2.40 Queen Ann. For a stroll with the hubby: £5 P&R and 4hrs at Queen Ann for £4.50. Do note, Queen Ann is not city centre but it's not really that bad of a walk either, but it's one of the cheapest car park. The Grand Arcade is the most expensive. But, after 5p the rates at car parks do go down significantly, 70p/hr and Sundays are about £1.80 so just check the car park website & P&R and yes, do the math. Parking on the Streets is free on Sundays but you have to get in eearly to get a parking space!

FAQ: Can I pay the bus drivers for the P&R/bus tickets?

Yes you can. For P&R, it is a smidge cheaper (30p or so cheaper) to buy your tickets from the ticket machine but for the regular city bus, it makes no difference (plus, it's not like there's a ticket machine at every bus stop). While the bus drivers do carry change, on some occassions they might not have enough of something or another. So try to have small currencies with you.

Useful websites:

§  Park and Ride: http://www.parkandride.net/cambridge/cambridge_frameset.shtml

§  Car parks: http://www.cambridge.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/transport-and-streets/car-parks/

§  Suffolk bus and train timeschedule: http://www.suffolkonboard.com/timetables_leaflets/timetables_by_area/newmarket_surrounding_area

London

FAQ: How do I get to London?

There are a few ways to get to London: Drive and park in London, take the train from Cambridge, Ely, etc., or drive to a tube station and take the tube in.

FAQ: Which is the nearest tube station from RAFM?

Epping is the closest mileage wise (57 miles), zone 6, but Redbridge (66 miles) is the easiet to get to, zone 4. It takes about 1hr 10 minutes to get to Epping and 1hr 15 minutes to Redbridge from RAF Mildenhall. Once you're on the tube, it takes 45 minutes from Epping to Holburn and 27 minutes from Redbridge to Holburn. It takes 53 minutes from Epping to Leicester Square and 36 minutes from Redbridge to Leicester Square.

TIP: If you travel with a less able person, use the Chingford train station. It's about 1.5hr drive from RAFM and it's step free.

FAQ: Can I park overnight at the tube station?

Yes. Make sure you have enough coins for your stay and check out the tube website for daily price http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/tubestationcarparks/default.aspx or for more details http://www.ncp.co.uk. I believe you can pay at some stations with a credit card but I am almost sure the machine only take pin and chip cards.

Payment example: To pay for Saturday to Monday in Redbridge, you would put £6.50 in. £1.50 for Sat, £1 for Sun, and £4.00 for Monday.

Epping station car park info: http://www.ncp.co.uk/car-park?cpid=800474&name=Epping%20Station

Redbridge station car park info: http://www.ncp.co.uk/car-park?cpid=800487&name=Redbridge%20Station

London Public Transport

§  Downloadable tube map: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/standard-tube-map.pdf

§  Interactive tube map: http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/im/SI-T.html

§  Journey planner: http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/user/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2?language=en

There are a few different methods that one can pay for the London transport (tube, train, or bus). There is a single pass, where you select your start and end destination and pay just for the trip, a day pass/travel card and an Oyster card.

If you plan on going to visit London a few times during your UK PCS, an Oyster card will be the most economical way of going all over London. You can purchase this card online or at a tube/London commuter train station for £5 (refundable when you return the card) and you can top up at any ticket machine or online. Up to four children (0-10yrs old), as long as they are traveling with a paying adult, are free on the London public transport.

Oyster vs travel card: http://www.visitlondon.com/travel/oyster/

To compare prices, check out this page: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/14416.aspx

Example scenario: I usually catch the tube in the Redbridge station (zone 4) and I tend to just visit one area in London (zone 1). For a Saturday ride, I'd pay £2.60 one way. By the time I get back to my car, I'd have spent £5.20. If I had purchase a one day travel card, I'd have spent £7.70. It's not a huge difference but that bit of saving got me a latte in the city while people watching :) Don't worry about overusing your Oyster card either. There is a cap, which is the same price as a one day travelcard for that day. So if I kept using the tube that Saturday, the most I'd pay with my Oyster card is £7.70.

To purchase and top up Oyster card online: https://oyster.tfl.gov.uk/oyster/entry.do

Croydon

FAQ: Can I get to Croydon via the train/tube?

Yes!

You can go from Ely/Cambridge/anywhere else via the train towards King's Cross. From King's Cross, take the tube to Victoria train station and from there, take the train to East Croydon. You can also take the train from London Bridge to East Croydon but trains going from Victoria are more frequent (10-15 minutes apart).

Here is a sample travel itinerary courtesy of traveldirect.info. If you have children with you, give yourself more (toilet/slow walking) time.

If you need to wait and have a cuppa, there is a Starbucks and McDonalds between the train station and UKBA. If you rather go to another coffee shop, Caffe Nero is a few minutes down.

Heathrow

FAQ; How do I get to/from Heathrow/Gatwick?

There are a few options:

§  The bus/National Express: http://www.nationalexpress.com/home.aspx

§  Taxi: JP Couriers - 01638-515300, M&L Taxi - 01638-712261, Phoenix Taxi - 01638-533060

FAQ: Can I take the tube to/from the airport?

Yes, but it can be complicated. First, somebody still needs to pick you up from the tube station (or drop you off at a tube station) at the edge of London and second, and if you have a lot of luggage, the tube can be a bit challenging.

FAQ: Can I take the train from the airport?

Yes, you can take the express train from either Gatwick or Heathrow. The train will take you to Paddington station and from there you need to take the tube to get to King Cross/Liverpool St (depending on what your next destination will be). While the train can be a great option if somebody is picking you up in Cambridge/Ely/Bury St Edmunds etc, you might have to change a few times and any station you go to around the base will still be a good 25+ minutes drive.

FAQ: What is the best way to get to the airport outside of driving your own car?

The National Express bus. You can get to/from either airport from almost every town/city, e.g. Mildenhall.

Norwich

Same info as Cambridge, more less.

Useful websites:

§  Park and Ride website:http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/Travel_and_transport/Park_and_ride/index.htm. The nearest P&R from RAFM is Thickthorn. It's right off the A11.

§  Car parks:  http://www.norwich.gov.uk/TransportAndStreets/Parking/pages/Parking-PayDisplaymulti-StoreyCarParks.aspx

§  Norfolk-Suffolk bus timetable:  http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/suffolk_norfolk/journey_planning/timetables/index.php?operator=22&page=1&redirect=no

France

There are three ways to get out of the UK onto the bigger part of Europe: Fly, train, drive.

To drive to France, you can do the follow:

§  Ferry from Dover to Calais

§  Ferry from Dover to Dunquerque

§  Ferry from Portsmouth to Caen/Cherbourg (usually quite a bit more, £64 from Dover vs £176 from Portsmouth for the same week, but do calculate gas, toll and time cost if your destination is the western part of France)

§  Eurotunnel from Folkstone (near Dover) to Calais: http://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/home/

 

Ferry tickets:

§  P&O Ferry: http://www.poferries.com/

§  DFDS: http://www.dfdsseaways.co.uk/

§  Ferry ticket agent: http://www.aferry.co.uk/ferry-to-france-ferries-uk.htm

§  Ferry ticket agent: http://www.directferries.co.uk/

 

Vacation Apartments, B&B and Camping

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NOTE: Before booking any sort of lodging, read the reviews first before committing. To get reviews, copy and paste the name of the cottage/B&B/apartment/camp site onto Google and most likely you will be able to find a Google, TripAdvisor (http://www.tripadvisor.com) or UKCampsite (http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk) review. You also need to review the terms and conditions of each accommodation. This info can be found on the booking site or each individual website. 

If you have a child under 2-years-old, most are free of charge. If there is a fee, it'll be £5 or so. Not much. Some places may even have a cot and high chair for you to use. But free or not, you still need to let them know that you'll be bringing one (or two) for safety and fire regulations purpose. 

When doing a search, let's say for a group of 4 adults, 3 children over 2-years-old and a baby, put in 4 adults and 3 children in the search criteria. Once you see one you like, scroll down or to another tab with the details and read the baby info. If all's good, book it and in the notes section inform them of the baby. If you're not sure, ring them up! 

Worldwide/European Holiday Apartment Rentals

The below are hotel booking websites but they also have a few apartments/B&B listed

UK only

DOG FRIENDLY LODGING

The below link takes you to dog friendly cottages (although if you use the search function on any of the above link and make sure "pet/dog" is checked):

If you are leaving the island, make sure you read the how to take your pet(s) in and out of the UK. Your pet will need a pet passport and the base vet at Feltwell can get one for you. It does take a few weeks so do plan ahead: 

http://www.cottages4you.co.uk/sites/cottages4you/pages/Search_C_pets.aspx?QS=3E0F3DCD-882D-4738-9E61-B90EA3C005F2~C~216~

https://www.gov.uk/pet-travel-information-for-pet-owners

Camping