A family vacation to England can be almost anything you want it to be, filled with history, culture, nature, and, if you’re lucky, may even be warm and sunny.
Some of the most spectacular countryside in Europe is contained in English national parks.
There are cities packed with museums and galleries; towns where history is part of everyday life; cute villages with sinister tales to tell.
And the length and breadth of the country is criss-crossed by road, rail, river and sea networks, so nothing’s more than a few hours’ travel, lots of the best stuff is free and almost everywhere deserves more than a quick visit.
Five of England’s top 10 attractions are public museums, and they’re all free.
Seventeen of the United Kingdom’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites are in England, including Stonehenge, the City of Bath and Dorset’s Jurassic Coast.
England has Britain’s three largest cities: London, Birmingham and Manchester.
From camping to glamping, treehouses to venerable London hotels, heritage guesthouses, stately homes and country cottages, England has one of the widest choices of family vacation accommodation in Europe.
A rich hub of history and culture, London is perfect for a long weekend or extended vacation.
This is the part of the country to visit for huge dramatic landscapes, wild moors, mighty fells, historic villages and grand – but down-to-earth – cities like Manchester, Newcastle, Leeds and Liverpool.
The heart of England is where you’ll find big, bright Birmingham and Shakespeare’s hometown, Stratford-upon-Avon. It’s also the land of ancient Cambridge and magical sailing holidays on the Norfolk Broads and the enchanting Suffolk Coast.
From resort towns and bustling coastal cities to fabulous forests, white-knuckle theme parks and world-class zoos, the south of England has lots going on above and beyond London.
Bustling Bristol is loved for kids’ festivals, spectacular sights like the Clifton Suspension Bridge and masses of green space that’s free to enjoy. Further south, the Dorset Coast is fossil-central, and Cornwall and Devon are strong contenders for England’s list of best family vacations ever.
In the southeast, Kent is known as the Garden of England for good reason, and the captivating coast features marvels such as the White Cliffs of Dover.
England’s extensive road network makes driving almost anywhere possible. Motorways are easy to avoid if you want a more leisurely pace, or you can hand the driving over to someone else altogether and take the train. Public transport in towns and cities is the best way to get around day and night.
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