Itinerary

Here's the itinerary map I used for my 2023 trip.

Remember - itineraries will be dependent on transportation. I could never have gotten to so many of these sites in the time I had without a car so please keep that in mind when viewing. I might have been able to get to most of these on public transportation, but it would have taken a LOT longer.

We started in London and headed southeast to Kent, then southwest to Sussex, and then up to the wall hitting some sites along the western coast. We stayed in Northumberland on the Wall for about 4 days total before heading back down through York and then Colchester and St. Albans. We ended the trip in London seeing sites there including the British Museum.

Driving a car in England was slightly nerve-wracking and definitely a two-person job for Americans. Luckily, my husband loves to drive, and I love to navigate so we had very few issues really. But we both enjoyed taking a break from driving, on a bus tour to Stonehenge.

I highly recommend a camper van. We started out in one, but he gave up his clutch on Day 3. We wanted to get hold of another, but we'd already lost a day so we went the easy route and rented a car. While he was with us, we loved finding jolly campgrounds to park at and spend the night in the van. So much easier than having to lug bags into hotels every night.

Here's my actual itinerary. Although we had to change up a few things due to the camper van breakdown, I stand by this trip. It was a great plan, and I'd do it again. With more time, I'd add the Isle of Wight, the Dolaucothi Mines in Wales, a couple more sites on the Wall, and Leicester on the way from York.

Transportation in England

The Tube (underground train) in London was fantastic, and here's a tip I learned way too late: if your credit card has a chip in it, you can swipe your actual credit card to ride the Tube. It maxes out the card at 8 lbs per day - a steal, and with this method, you don't have to waste time worrying about which kind of ticket to buy and which zone to buy it for. Game changer!

Trains sound wonderful, but I only had so much time for my visit. I had heard a frequent train-riding friend of mine complain non-stop recently about strikes and delays. I didn't want to get caught up in waiting too much. If I were planning to ride the trains though, I would definitely read Rick Steves' helpful tips. 

Renting a camper van from Quirky Campers was fun and easy! We loved staying at campgrounds with shared showers, friendly families, and helpful grounds managers. Many had laundry services, restaurants, supply shops, and walking paths. Highly recommend!

Renting a car was super easy with an American driver's license. Trickier was driving on the left side of the road - it took some practice, but we did it without incident. The mental gymnastics can get exhausting, however. The hardest part of driving in England was the narrow roads bordered on both sides by tall hedges. Next on the hard list is navigating roundabouts! Definitely a two-person job - one driver and one navigator. But this was definitely the quickest way to get around England. On some days, we were able to see 3 or 4 sites. And I don't mean that we rushed through them either - with the long days, 2 to 3 hours at each site!

Phone Service

If you want to use your phone while in England, you'll need an international phone plan. My phone company offered an unlimited plan for $10 per day. If you like to share your travels with friends via social media like me, this was a great deal! Check with your provider before you leave.