The 10 Best Things To Do in the UK

There are loads of things to do in the UK.

I’m talking the United Kingdom here — England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

And while I’ve seen just bits and pieces of these destinations, I do believe I’ve experienced enough to offer up some of the best things to do in the UK.

Call it a kind of UK bucket list because I’ll be skimming the surface, but with a few surprises.

Ready?

 

Check Out London

Duh.

You’re heading to the UK so natch you’re going to hit London.

Now, bear in mind that London is one the most expensive cities on the planet.

So, depending on your budget, you may just want to to spend a couple of nights here and have some jam packed days.

The upside is there are some fab things to do here that are free (yes, I said free) such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, the National Gallery, the Natural History Museum, the British Museum and the Tate Modern just to name a few.

There are actually 23 free museums in London!

I can attest to the National Gallery and the Victoria and Albert museums as being worthy of time.

What I recommend as you explore London is to see the bits and pieces you want to see.

I just had to see the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace — also free.

It’s a busy place and time so be prepared to get there early.

But it’s so impressive.

I took a Thames River cruise to really see all of London.

This costs, but was wasn’t too pricey at £16.

It took me to Greenwich and back.

Greenwich was one of my favorite spots in London.

The Tower of London, Westminster, Westminster Abbey, Soho, Piccadilly Circus, Hyde Park, Kensington, Harrods of London…

The list goes on.

Choose a few and make those your priority.

Get your tube pass and put on your walking shoes!

 

Unearth Wiltshire

“Where?” you ask.

Well I’m guessing you’ve heard of Stonehenge.

So Wiltshire is the county where Stonehenge is located.

But not only will you find Stonehenge, but you’ll find Avebury — another ancient site with standing stones that I just love.

It’s more spread out than Stonehenge, but you can get up close and personal with the stones.

There’s also Silbury Hill — an artificial prehistoric mound — and West Kennet Longbarrow which is a neolithic tomb.

Then there’s the fabulous city of Salisbury with its gorgeous English Gothic cathedral which also happens to house one of the copies of the Magna Carta.

This is probably the best preserved copy of this historic document.

Jaw. Floor.

It’s so cool for a history and politics nerd like me to see an original copy of something that was so earth shattering at the time.

I mean this document brought up the idea of personal liberty and the protection of a person’s rights that were seen as God given.

The Magna Carta is the precursor to the American Constitution.

And the Magna Carta was created in 1215!! It was considered to be very modern thought at the the time.

So yes, my jaw dropped to the floor as I gazed wide-eyed at this copy in its glass case in the dark little tent where I thought I might run into a woman with a crystal ball.

It’s a highlight of my time in Wiltshire for sure.

The town of Salisbury makes a great base to explore the area as it has some nice spots to stay, good restaurants and a lively pub scene — not to mention an authentic feel to it.

And it has the Magna Carta.

I just had to bring that up one more time.

Add in some castles, estate houses that sit on gorgeous pieces of land, pretty lakes and rolling green hills and you’ll have plenty to keep you busy.

Seriously, exploring Wiltshire is one of the best things to do in the UK.

Don’t miss this amazing county in England.

 

Wander York

I love York!

What a cool city.

And while York is a fairly good sized city with a population of 208,200, it seems much smaller with a compact old town area that’s easily walkable.

The star is the York Minster, another Gothic Cathedral that is just stunning.

I highly recommend visiting this cathedral in time for Evensong.

This event is when the choir leads a short service.

All these beautiful voices come together in this grand building.

It’s a religious service so there is no photography or recording allowed.

Be respectful.

Even if you’re not a religious person (ummm…that would be me) you will appreciate the beauty of the ritual, the voices, the songs and the ambience.

It’s a must for time in York.

The other things to do are to wander about the Shambles and to walk on the city walls.

The Shambles is a cobblestoned street with old buildings dating back to the Elizabethan age.

It’s thought to be the inspiration for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter books.

There are cute shops and restaurants to pop into.

Walking along the city walls is a wonderful way to see York from a different perspective.

I highly recommend getting a tour guide for this to really learn more about the history of this amazing city — and to hear the fun stories.

There’s more to York with its Viking Center, National Railway Museum, fabulous restaurants and some good craft beers.

York is definitely one of the best things to do in the UK.

Don’t miss it!

 

Golf St Andrews

No.

I’m not a golfer.

I am, however, a huge fan of the game due to my 88 year old father who still plays 9 holes a few times a month.

Thanks to him, I grew up watching this game, learning about it and becoming a fan.

I just don’t have the patience to play.

But I visited the birthplace of golf — St Andrews, Scotland — in 2017.

I had to tour the Old Course for the Old Guy.

It’s amazing!

If golf is your sport, then do take a tour — for sure.

And even if it’s not, you’ll still want to visit this charming university town and wander about its Medieval streets — something I wish I had taken the time to do.

You can take in the ruins of the St Andrews Cathedral or walk along the beach where they filmed Chariots of Fire.

I just took the tour of the Old Course — in the rain.

It’s a fabulous tour filled with lots of history and wonderful stories.

And if you are really into golf, then you can book a tee time.

This link will help you get started.

Or you can ask your favorite travel planner (that’s me!) to help out.

 

Walk West Highland Way

One of the best things to do in the UK is to walk all or at least part of the West Highland Way in Scotland.

Every step of the 96 miles is worth the sore feet and muscles.

The scenery is diverse, stunning, amazing and beautiful.

If you are reasonably fit and have an adventurous spirit, I highly recommend making this long distance walk.

I completed it in 7 days.

But you can take your time and walk it in 10 days.

Or you can try to do it in 5 or 6 days.

Consult your favorite travel planner to help you organize it, for sure (yes, that’s me).

And if walking for 7 or 8 days is too much and you’d like to just walk a section of it on a day hike, you can do that too.

The walk from the Bridge of Orchy to Kings House would be a section I would recommend as it takes you around Loch Tully and across the gorgeous Rannoch Moor.

There are ways to arrange taxi rides so you don’t have to retrace your steps.

The West Highland Way is truly a natural treasure of Scotland — and the UK.

If you are a walker or hiker, don’t miss it!

 

Travel Northwest Scotland/North Coast 500

Remote.

Wild.

Rugged.

Stunning.

These are the 4 words I use to describe this piece of Scotland.

I might add desolate, jaw dropping and off the beaten track.

Northwest Scotland is popping up a bit more on lists of “must see” in the UK due to the North Coast 500 which is a 516 mile loop drive around this peninsula that’s way up in the far north.

So many folks race around it.

Don’t. Just don’t.

You won’t be able to truly experience this phenomenal part of the UK.

I didn’t drive around it all and didn’t have the desire to do so in 5 days.

The part I did see — around Gairloch and Ullapool — is awesome.

While there are bucket loads of natural beauty and outdoor activities to pursue, there are also castles, standing stones, charming villages and beaches to explore.

This area is so rich in history and natural beauty.

Don’t just stick to the coast though.

Inland you’ll find some hills to climb — such as Sulivan, Canisp and Ben More Assynt — bogland to explore and valleys that will be covered with yellow gorse in spring and purple heather in summer and early autumn.

There are rivers to fish, bays to kayak and pubs to warm up in — and have a wee dram. 😉

The far northwest of Scotland does require time.

But it’s time well spent.

My plan is to spend at least 2 weeks here on my next visit.

I wouldn’t say it’s one of the best things to do in the UK — I say it is THE best thing to do in the UK.

 

Discover Snowdonia National Park

You can’t go to Wales and not visit Snowdonia National Park.

Located in north Wales, this national park is definitely one of the best things to do in the UK.

Yes there is the famous, Mt Snowdon that many people hike.

It does get a bit busy at peak times — like school holidays!

And natch, there are some stunning peaks and gorgeous lakes, some with easy walking trails around them for those who are a bit less adventurous.

You’ll find some beautiful waterfalls in this national park as well.

But there are also some villages that’ll charm your socks off — I’m looking at you Beddgelert — and there’s some spectacular coastline as well.

The pastoral landscape is lovely here with sheep and cattle grazing.

There’s a rich history in Snowdonia as well as strong Welsh traditions with many of the 26,000 people who live within the park boundaries speaking Welsh.

You can hop on a mountain bike and get your adrenaline fix or you can hop on a steam railway car and sit back and take in the amazing scenery.

Snowdonia is a must for your UK bucket list!

 

Explore Anglesey

I’m quite sure I would NOT have known much about this island in Wales (also a county) had it not been for my friend who attended graduate school at nearby Bangor University.

Since her school is located in Menai Bridge she chose to live in this town just across the straight from Bangor, thus putting her on the isle of Anglesey.

Now Anglesey is more popular with the Welsh and the English because it has some nice beaches.

And these beaches — Red Wharf, Rhosneigr, Benllach — are fab!

The interior of Anglesey is flat and pastoral with lots of farms.

It’s really lovely and shouldn’t be overlooked.

The coastline has some resort towns with those aforementioned beaches which are wonderful for playing or relaxing.

But you’ll also find areas along the coast that have loads of plant and animal life.

Anglesey is so fun to explore with its plethora of creatures — marine and feathered in particular.

You won’t want to miss Beaumaris with its colorful buildings along the harbor and its stunning castle, Penmon Lighthouse or taking a boat ride out to Puffin Island.

While you don’t actually get out of the boat to visit the island, you will be treated to lots of birds who nest on the island, including some puffins, as well as dolphins that call the waters home.

There’s a lot to explore on Anglesey which is why it’s on this UK bucket list.

Plus, it’s a place that easily gets overlooked, but shouldn’t.

Anglesey really is one of the best places to see in the UK.

 

Investigate Giant’s Causeway/Causeway Coast

Not everyone realizes that Northern Ireland is actually part of the UK.

I think this is because England, Wales and Scotland all share the same island/body mass — called Great Britain.

But this piece of the island of Ireland is under the crown so, therefore, it’s part of the United Kingdom.

And one of the best things to do in Northern Ireland is to visit Giant’s Causeway.

This is a geological wonder.

Admittedly, I was a bit underwhelmed at first because the area of Giant’s Causeway — the basalt columns — wasn’t that big.

It’s not small.

It’s simply not as large as I pictured it in my head.

But once I began to walk on them and really investigate these “rocks” I became truly awed by the entire site.

If you’re up for the walk along the cliffs above, I highly recommend it as the views of Giant’s Causeway and the entire Causeway Coast are stunning.

From Giant’s Causeway you can also visit Bushmills Distillery, Dunluce Castle, Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, Kinbane Castle and Whitepark Bay with its lovely beach.

There’s a lot in this part of County Antrim to keep you busy.

I didn’t even mention the fabulous golf courses around Portrush or the coastal path you can walk.

So visiting this part of Northern Ireland is one of the best things to do in the UK — without a doubt.

It’s gorgeous!

 

Tour County Down/Mourne Mountains

The last destination on my list is also in Northern Ireland.

County Down is just across Carlingford Lough in the Republic of Ireland.

I spent time in Carlingford in 2009 and gazed longingly at the beautiful mountains across this bay, learning on this trip that those mountains are the Mourne Mountains and they are in Northern Ireland.

While I only spent 1 brief night in County Down on a recent trip, I know I’ll return.

And it made my ultimate UK bucket list because it’s lesser visited than the above destination, but it’s no less beautiful — and it has lots to do.

Because I only had 1 short night here I didn’t explore as much as I wanted.

But I did stay in the little town of Dundrum which I highly recommend and ate one of the best meals in my life at Mourne Seafood Bar.

I didn’t get out to hike in the Mourne Mountains, but I did visit a nearby park called Castlewellan that had some nice trails with some fantastic views.

Down has a LOT.

There are stately homes and castles, more world class golf courses, loads of coastline, and the Mourne Mountains which offer some fabulous walking trails.

In fact some of those trails are old smugglers’ trails.

Driving back to Dublin from Dundrum took me through some lovely pastoral landscape of the interior parts of County Down.

I think this is one of those under the radar destinations in the UK that needs to be on more travelers’ lists.

 

So… there are the best things to do in the UK

There are lots of destinations that could be on here that aren’t.

As I said, this list is from my personal travels.

If you’ve been to the UK, you probably have your own list.

I’d love to hear your ideas.

Feel free to drop them in the comments below or email me!