Traveling to the UK For the First Time? Here’s a Complete Guide For Visiting the Country
By Space Coast Daily // January 28, 2021
Are you planning your first trip to the UK? Here is a complete guide with everything you need to know to make the most out of your trip to England.
The UK remains one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe (especially since Brexit came into effect and the Sterling Pound has weakened, making the country cheaper to visit).
Now, most first-time travellers in the UK opt for visiting London, which is understandable because it is not just the country’s capital, but it is also a great city with plenty of things to do and see, from immersing in the royal history to playing some great online casinos or visiting the land-based casino venues.
However, many other cities and places across the UK are absolutely worth visiting if you are a fan of backpacking across foreign countries.
Even England’s smaller cities such as Oxford or Bath are equally as impressive with lots of cultural treasures and fewer crowds than the capital city. What’s more, once you get outside of London, the prices also drop dramatically, making a trip to the UK a lot more affordable.
No matter your travel style, be it visiting the capitals and its surroundings or backpacking around the country to visit more places, our UK travel guide will help you have an amazing time during your visit!
Best time to visit England
First things first, if you’re just about to book your plane/train/bus tickets for your visit to the UK, let’s see which period is best for travelling to the country.
The good news is that thanks to the country’s temperate climate, the weather in the UK is enjoyable year-round as there are very few extremes.
However, it’s no surprise that summer is the peak tourism season. During this season, the temperatures are warm but not too hot as they rarely go above 86 °F (30°C).
Now, there are both advantages and disadvantages to visiting England during the summer. More precisely, while the weather is warm and nice, most sites and tourist attractions will be very crowded.
Spring and autumn are also great seasons for visiting the UK as the temperatures are still pretty warm and it’s possible for the touristic attractions to be less busy.
As for the winter season, that’s when tourism crowds will thin out almost completely, but the temperatures might be pretty low, and some tourist attractions may be closed for the season.
Money, money, money
Keep in mind that the UK’s currency is the Pound Sterling. So, before travelling here, make sure you have some Pound Sterling cash with you.
The good news is that the UK is a very card-friendly country, so you can also use your credit or debit card to pay for the things you visit, eat, sleep in, travel, or even when playing online casinos games while traveling there. What’s more, there are plenty of ATMs across the UK so you will be able to withdraw cash as well as long as you first tell your bank that you’ll be using the card overseas.
Typical costs
You’re likely wondering “How much is it going to cost me?”. Well, we can’t provide you with an exact answer to this question because that depends on your travel style and personal preferences. However, we can help you get an idea of the average prices in the UK.
Accommodation
Accommodation costs highly depend on the city you visit in England. Yet, on average per night, for hotel rooms, you should expect to pay between $13-50, around $46-65 for apartment rentals, and about $9 for a place to install your tent.
Food
You can find cheap food in the UK as well as long as you don’t visit 5-star restaurants. Fish and chips, a kebab, or other fast-food will only cost you a few pounds. Yet, for a sit-down restaurant with table, a meal there might cost you around $32 for the main course.
Activities
We have great news for you if you are a fan of museums: museums in England are free! Yet, if you want to visit some other attractions such as castles, expect to pay a $13 entrance fee per person.
Things to do and see in the UK
There are plenty of famous attractions that are must-see when travelling to the UK.
Here is a list of the most popular ones that you simply can’t miss during your trip to England:
■ The Buckingham Palace
■ The Tower of London
■ Brighton
■ Liverpool
■ Oxford University
■ Chatsworth House
■ Glastonbury festival
■ Stonehenge
■ Old Trafford
■ Museum hop
Besides those touristic attractions, the UK is filled with plenty of fun bars, pubs, and amusement parks to visit.
What’s more, the UK is very popular for its casino tourism industry. Besides the top UK online casinos you can play on your smartphone, there are also many land-based casinos to visit.
The UK gambling industry is one of the biggest in Europe. If you are a fan of online gambling, here’s where you’ll get plenty of fun from online casinos to play in the UK.
How to get around the UK
Want to travel across the UK to many cities and places? We have some great news: England has plenty of transportation options you can use during your trip to get around the country. Here are some of the options you have:
Public transportation
If you are travelling in cities from one attraction to another, you can use public transportation. England has excellent transportation in nearly every town and city. You can travel by bus, train, or trams.
Train
Although travelling by train from one city to another in the UK can be a little bit expensive, it is one of the most comfortable and fastest ways to travel across England, unless you rent or use your personal car. However, do expect to pay a pretty big amount of money for train tickets.
Bus
Travelling by bus is the cheapest way to get around the country. Yet, to travel from one city to another, you need to book your bus tickets at least one month in advance.
Car renting
Renting a car in England is generally an affordable option. Keep in mind that when driving across the UK, you need to drive on the left!
Hitchhiking
Hitchhiking across the UK is a safe, yet pretty tricky option as it can be time-consuming to get a ride. Yet, it’s not impossible!
