Can't get my head quite right on details

You might want to start at a bookstore or library looking at travel books.

They often have itineraries for x number of days.

We used to travel fast and far. Now we travel slower--and better.

There's enough tourist sights in London alone to take up your entire week. It takes 2-3 days just to get your bearings and learn how to handle public transit, etc. After all, it's impossible to see everything on one short trip.

I'm guessing one of the things that is tripping you up is that you've got too many things on your "must do" list for a week. Is that 7 days on the ground or does that include your travel days?

You can take the train to the Lake District and then rent a car if you decide you want to see some of the things there.

I'd put the Cotswolds off to your next visit as it will be difficult to do them and the Lake District sights in a week.

Things to do from your London base:

Harry Potter Tour (I assume you mean the studio tour? Or do you mean like a walking tour of London seeing HP filming sites?)
Natural History Museum (this is an excellent museum but if you have been to one of the Natural History Museums in the US you might consider deferring this?)
Castles - The Tower of London is a fortress. Windsor Castle which is a royal residence and a castle started in 1066 or 1067. It is a train ride from London and can be easily done as a day trip.
Gardens - There are many big parks in Central London. Kew Gardens is also a tube (the subway system in London) ride away so easy to do for a day trip

So...right there you've got a day for HP, a long half day for Windsor Castle, a long half day to a day for Kew, that is most of 3 days, not counting the Tower of London and the Natural History Museum.

Honestly, I would defer the Lake District to the next trip and concentrate on big sights in/around London this first trip BUT it's your trip not mine and your choices might be different.

So the Beatrix Potter stuff is in the Lake District, the Harry Potter tour is a day trip from central London, the Natural History Museum is in London and you can see gardens and castles all over the place.

With only a week I don't think 3 centres makes sense and it's difficult to do the Cotswolds in a day trip. Given that the Lake District will give you lots of rural countryside experience I would stick to the two centres.

Where are you flying in from? Ideally you would fly into Manchester and back from London or vice versa. From Manchester you can get a direct train to Windermere, which would be good place for a Lakes base. Hill Top, Beatrix Potter's farm is just on the other side of the lake from Windermere. A small scale tour operator like Mountain Goat runs a variety of one day tours around the national park which will mean that you can avoid hiring a car - the Lake District is not the best place to drive if you at all nervous about driving on the "wrong" side of the road.

From Windermere you can get a train to London easily with a short ride to Oxenholme and the main line.

Make sure that you book your Harry Potter Studio tour soon - it sells out months in advance.

That itinerary is just as easy the other way round - London first then train to Windermere and train back to Manchester. You can do it flying into and out of London but that means two longish journeys by train which will wipe out a large chunk of another day, which isn't ideal if you've only got a week. Flying into and out of London might be cheaper but remember the extra train travel costs.

I would imagine that you might save money with a Friends & Family Railcard. It costs £30 but gives 1/3rd off adult fares and 60% off kids' fares.

Whilst it's true that you can easily spend a week or more in London, that's also true of the Lake District. You have 5 priorities, 2 in the Lakes, 2 in London and one that could be met in either location - I would stick to those two locations.

For a castle you can';t beat the Tower of London, unless what you are imagining is a castle in the rural countryside. Kew Gardens are as good as anywhere but might be something your kids might get bored with? I would plan a day in Greenwich with your party.

Also don't forget that you can split up if not everyone agrees with the plan - one adult with 1 or 2 kids and the other with the other 1 or 2.

Block-quote Harry Potter Tour *

If you mean the Warner Brothers Studio you need to be booking that yesterday

-National History Museum *

There isn’t such a place in London. Do you mean the Natural History Museum? The British Museum? Somewhere else?

-Gardens and castles *
The mother of all castles the Tower of London is right in the city. Windsor is the largest and oldest inhabited castle on Earth and is an easy day trip from London. As for Gardens there is of course Kew. And the Royal Horticultural Society garden at Wisley is in Surrey.

I don’t think you can do both the Lakes and The Cotswolds.

This can be done quite simply as a two-centre trip - London and the Lake District (where Beatrice Potter’s house is). But you’ll still be very tight for time.

Don’t bother with the Cotswolds. Nice for older adults who want to potter around villages and antique shops. But very little to interest teenagers. If you want villages, the Lake District has them.

And frankly you don’t have time for anywhere else. The Cotswolds are not compulsory, incidentally, and are not the only part of England with pretty villages.

In London, the Tower of London is a fantastic castle right there in the centre - or you could take a short day trip by train out to Windsor from your base in central London.

There is no National History museum. There’s the NATURAL History museum - dinosaurs, nature etc - beloved of kids. And there’s the British Museum, which is world history and ancient artefacts.

Harry Potter is very easily accessible by public transport from central London.

You can catch a train to the Lake District but you’ll probably want to hire a car once there. It’s not a short journey so you’ll probably want two or three nights there minimum.

I’ll leave others to deal with the Lake District details but yeah - a week is no time at all, so stick to London (with trips from there to Harry Potter and maybe Windsor Castle) and a short trip maybe midway through to the Lake District.

Also: book your Harry Potter tickets as soon as you know your dates. I can’t emphasise this enough.

By Beatrix Potter's Home I am assuming you mean Hill Top, near Hawkshead in the Lake District (there is a whole thread on this forum about the many places associated with this forum).

Windermere (connection at Oxenholme) and Penrith are 3 hours from London Euston by hourly train (bus to Keswick every 30 minutes from right outside Penrith Railway Station).

I'm not personally fussed whether you stay in Windermere, Ambleside or Keswick (or somewhere else). Being from the area I'm not focussed on one particular town. All have their plusses and minuses.

From both Ambleside and Windermere (which are only 4 miles apart) you can take an hourly bus to Hawkshead then the Cross Lakes Shuttle Bus right to Hill Top. That bus goes on from Hill Top to the Windermere Car Ferry, a 5 minute crossing (which also takes passengers) then walk round Cockshott Point to Bowness, then visit The World of Beatrix Potter at Bowness.

For a wildlife park in the Lake District there is the Lake District Wildlife Park at Bassenthwaite- hourly bus or 15 minute drive from Keswick. Round the corner (under a mile) from there at the Lakes Distillery are the Alpacas.

Then you could go another mile or so for Afternoon Tea at the Orient Express at Bassenthwaite Lake Station (the train cars from the most recent re-make of the movie).

Then stop at Bryson's Bakery in central Keswick on the way back.

Chocolatiers are a plenty in the Lake District-
Kennedys at Orton (need a car)
The Chocolate Cottage at Grasmere
The Old Bank House at Ambleside
The Chocolate Factory at Hawkshead (ideal for the children)

to name a few.

For a castle and garden in one there is Muncaster Castle (car preferable)- which also has the Hawk and Owl Centre. In May the gardens should be really good. From Keswick that is an hour by car for me, and that's going the long way round. Make a day of that with the Ravenglass and Eskdale Steam Railway.
From Ambleside the other (arguably more scenic) way there by car is via Torver and Broughton in Furness. There are other castles in the area but for the children that may be the best.

Agree with all the above suggestions. 2 centres (at most) - ie omit the Cotswolds. If you reconsidered and spent all your time in London, you could maybe do a day trip to the Cotswolds, but don't think it would be interesting for children.

We don't know where you are coming from, can you fly to Manchester and return from Heathrow? Easy to get to the Lakes from Manchester by train from the airport. Then train from the Lake District to London.

As mentioned you need to book Harry Potter now. And castles in London - the Tower of London - and/or trip out to Windsor.

To answer some questions I've seen - we're flying from Cinci, OH to London on the new non-stop flights they have.

I don't want to stay solely in London - I do def. want the Lake District on our agenda so some of these suggestions are already so helpful...

I'm literally sighing in relief reading them. You all are so helpful.

I did try travel books, Youtube videos, etc (hence me finding you all) but like I said, it can just get to be so much information so fast that I can't digest it, go paralyzed, and then put off planning.

Also - sorry about the above typo. I meant the Natural History Museum, yes.

So just from these replies alone I feel confident in only two main places - Lake District and London for this trip for sure. That alone takes weight off my brain, thank you.

Some of this may seem elementary to stress about, I know, but my husband and I do not come from families who traveled and have never traveled outside of the country. So we're trying our best and I figured you all would have wisdom to share.

PS- If you come up by train from London and rent a car get off at Oxenholme and rent from Enterprise. They will pick you up at Oxenholme and take you the mile or so down the hill to their rental lot in Kendal to pick up the car- https://www.enterprise.co.uk/en/car-hire-locations/uk/kendal-u3a8.html

If you are staying in Keswick, train to Penrith (one more stop, just over 20 minutes) where Enterprise also have a depot.

PPS- If the flight is not already booked you could do this open jaw flying back from Manchester- a connecting flight MAN to LHR leaves at 1255 with a 2:30 connection at T5 at LHR to your flight for CVG. MAN is a two hour drive from the Lake District- although you may want to drive down the previous evening.

For a longer connection at LHR there is also a 1050 flight from MAN

I hope this could help, and not contribute to paralysis:

For a castle and gardens (lots of them), there’s Hampton Court Palace. It’s easy to reach by train from downtown London. It’s not medieval, but is over 500 years old and was home to Henry VIII, as well as many other monarchs. It’s closer to London than Windsor Castle. I’m sure many here will argue that it’s a historic palace, not a castle, but I believe it’s what you all would be looking for - and the gardens would complete fitting your wishlist. Some exterior gardens are free, even if you don’t pay to go inside the palace walls or courtyards. All the gardens will be free on May 10 & 11, 2025.

Kew (botanical) Gardens is in the direction of Hampton Court, and on one trip years ago, we went to Kew and then Hampton Court the same day.

For annother option for gardens, right on the north side of downtown London, there’s the enormous Regent’s Park, which was once a royal hunting ground. Now, at the lake on the south entrance, there are lots of swans and other birds. Elaborate gardens are scattered throughout the park.

On the north end of Regent’s Park, with lots more animals, is the London Zoo. While wonderful, it is pricey - more than £30 for adults and more than £20 for kids. Besides Tube, taxi cab, double-decker bus, or walking, you can also reach it by canal boat, from Little Venice to the Camden Market. The boat passes through the Zoo, and once it reaches the Camden Market stop, you can get off and walk back to the zoo in a few minutes. Walking south from the zoo through Regent’s Park gives you access to all those gardens.

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Ok let me ask this (and possibly put a wrench in things)... lol.

Would it be better to do Lake District when we do Edinburgh/Scotland?

Scotland is also on our list to hit up next. We were gonna do it in 2026 after doing England.

I did not realize how close the Lake District is to there... just not familiar enough with the areas for it to hit me until you all started mentioning flying into Manchester.

We could even reverse our plans and do Scotland/Lake District one year and London area the next...

Have your kids research Richmond Great Park for incredible deer and wildlife. The largest of the Royal Parks in London. It was established by Charles I in the 17th century. We thoroughly enjoying exploring the park with our then teenagers and the incredibly beautiful deer. It is a really happy memory for us. Then stroll along the Thames and/or enjoy a meal at Hare and Hounds pub.

would it be better to do Lake District when we do Edinburgh/Scotland?

Yes. It’s much closer to Edinburgh than it is to London. But give yourself more time than one week for that trip! Also - have a good look at the map… ;-)

As you’ve only got a week this time, why not have a great time in London - I agree with the additional recommendation above of Hampton Court Palace, which absolutely isn’t a castle but is an amazing place that your kids would enjoy.

Would it be better to do Lake District when we do Edinburgh/Scotland? Scotland is also on our list to hit up next. We were gonna do it in 2026 after doing England. I did not realize how close the Lake District is to there... just not familiar enough with the areas for it to hit me until you all started mentioning flying into Manchester. We could even reverse our plans and do Scotland/Lake District one year and London area the next...

Hi, kalenclark! First, welcome to another Cincinnatian! I am a long-time poster here who is from Cincinnati. I retired about 5 years ago and moved to Minnesota to be near family, but I miss Cincy. That's great that they have a non-stop flight now!

Okay, you have one week with children. I will be honest. If it were me (and it sort of is, as I am taking two grandkids [ages 11 and 14] to London next spring for 10 nights), I would honestly consider spending the entire time in London. You could then save the Lake District for your Scotland trip (and maybe plan more time for that trip?).

With 6-7 nights in London, you could see a lot. Definitely the Warner Bros Harry Potter studio tour but also places like Hampton Court Palace (a huge hit with kids and teens), the Natural History Museum, possibly the Science Museum (my 14 yo grandson wants to see that). Are any of your kids soccer fans? You can tour one of the Premier stadiums like Arsenal, Tottenham and so on. Leadenhall Market is where Diagon Alley was filmed and worth a visit.

Other ideas are to go for a boat ride in Hyde Park, see the Horse Guards parade at Buckingham Palace, and the Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London, a nightly event that has been going on for over 700 years. Visit some of the open air markets like Borough, which has incredible food (including edible insects). If anyone is interested in WWII, there are some wonderful museums for that, and also Bletchley Park, where you learn about the WWII coders. The kids would probably enjoy visiting Greenwich, where they can straddle the prime meridian, tour the Cutty Sark ship, and other places of interest. You can even take a boat ride to there along the Thames.

If you really wanted to get out and experience the countryside, there are some lovely quaint villages right outside of London that are very easy to get to. Here is a link to a recent thread I posted about 8 "chocolate box" villages near London. Any one of them would be worth a visit, and easily doable as a day trip. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/england/eight-chocolate-box-villages-near-london

Then on your next trip to Scotland, maybe plan for a little more time than a week (if possible) and build in a stop in the Lake District, which is closer to Scotland than London.

Staying the whole time in London for a short trip makes the best sense. There's so much to do in London itself and dozens of things that can be done as day trips out. Going to the Lakes, you lose a day traveling.

Agree Hampton Court Palace is great for kids, has gardens and a maze. When you book Harry Potter suggest you don't book it for the day after you arrive - leave it a couple of days until you have all got over jetlag.

You will have more than enough to do if you stay in London this trip and do the day trips people have suggested.
Since it's your first time traveling to England, I would keep the plan as simple as possible.
You have received great advice from all the forum members above.

In your original question, you wrote:
"Stroll the Cotswolds and/or other small villages & shops."
"Renting a car to get to places like the Cotswolds?"

If you are insisting on a second location (in addition to London) you might consider two to three nights in Moreton-In-Marsh in the Cotswolds. From here, you can take a one-day tour of the Cotswolds by mini-bus and use one day for hiking in the area.
Moreton-In-Marsh is easily reached by train from central London. It has several good hotels and B&B's.

The mini-bus tour stops at several villages, giving you time to stroll around and look at shops, small churches and cottages.
There are several good pubs and bakeries I can recommend if you wish, which you can visit on this tour.
No, it is not necessary to rent a car for this visit. That would be more necessary if you were renting a cottage there for a week.

I am actually starting to feel excited and confident again with your suggestions vs. just intimidated.

Rebecca - I'm actually in Lexington, KY. But a short drive to the Cinci airport and a non-stop flight is ideal for me both bc of the kids but also bc I'm a a bit of nervous flier... which of course you never would have imagined giving my posting here! lol ;)

I've gone to Seattle so I keep telling myself this will be just a bit longer than that. lol. It's right under 8 hours direct.

Hello kalenclark,
Sounds good.
You will find plenty to do during your flight.....sleep, watch movies or listen to music, read a book or magazines.
The 8 hours will pass quickly. You will enjoy the meals and snacks served. I'm always happy when I get a break from fixing all the meals myself!

I think the less complicated your plan is, the less nervous you will feel about your trip.

Since it's your first time traveling to England, I would keep the plan as simple as possible.

You will find that putting too many destinations on your schedule will ruin your trip.

You have many years to go back to England, so things can be "bumped" and added to a future plan.

Best wishes,
Rebecca

Rebecca - I'm actually in Lexington, KY. But a short drive to the Cinci airport and a non-stop flight is ideal for me.

Ha ha, I think you meant me as I mentioned the Cincinnati connection. But that's okay - I like Lexington! I was an attorney and practiced in both Ohio and Kentucky and made it down to Lexington a few times. Those non-stop flights really are great. My two grandkids and I will be nonstop from Minneapolis, which I love.

London to the Lake District is basically the same distance as Cincinnati to Chicago- except a lot easier to get to. On a reasonable day for driving it is about 2 hours longer by car (Via Michelin gives me 4 hours 12 minutes fastest route Cin-Chi) although the London to Lakes drive time can vary a lot. And a lot more, and a lot faster trains than the 1 a day (in 8 hours) Cin has. ; compared to 3 hours for us.

A lot of people in the Lake District go down to London for the day by train and get a full days business done down there- that is how easy and quick it is.

There is also a big collection of Beatrix Potter material at the Victoria and Albert Museum- https://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/beatrix-potter

Next year Dunkeld and Perth are significant places for Beatrix Potter in Scotland, And the book The Tale of Mr. Tod is associated with the Isle of Ulva off the Isle of Mull.

Next year allow proper time for the Lake District- don't just do it as a one or two day adjunct to Scotland.

If you've been up to Oban and the Isle of Mull it is almost as far to the Lake District as from London, and if you have been up to the Isle of Skye it is almost 100 miles further to the Lakes than from London.

What isn31c said in his last 2 sentences.
To me, the Lake District is worth one week, Scotland is worth a bare minimum of one week.
"Would it be better to do Lake District when we do Edinburgh/Scotland?"
Will it be possible to make your next trip a two week trip? I hope so.

For future planning....tours departing from Edinburgh with Rabbie's Tours are in the link below.
This company is very popular with Forum members here.
https://www.rabbies.com/en/scotland-tours?q=&destination%5B%5D=Scotland&departure_point%5B%5D=Edinburgh&start_date=&end_date=&sort=popular&order=desc

Note there are several pages of these.

https://www.rabbies.com/en

Rabbie's tours will help you see Scotland without renting a car.

kalenclark welcome to the Forums. So glad you found us, and I think you'll find you may not need a travel agent.

You said a little earlier:

have never traveled outside of the country

so just thinking about the basics - have you got getting your passports and the newly required ETA all set?

You might want to look into having credit cards with tap and pay facility and with no foreign transaction fees.

Hotels for a family of 5 will be a challenge - as soon as you work out the places you're staying, 5 months ahead is not too soon to be looking around for where you will be sleeping.

I hope that all of you, kids included, have a great vacation.

Speaking of the kids, the older two especially will really appreciate being in on the decisions and doing some of the work for you - and they will be invested in the trip so it will go that little bit more smoothly.

Once again, happy travels.

Regarding Beatrix Potter in the Lake District- through the My Cumbria scheme (a discount scheme for locals, like me) I have just come across Discover Lakeland-https://discoverlakeland.co.uk/ (one of the current discount offers)

This is a Blue Badge guide who will put together a bespoke guided tour for you. Look under Tours- Special Interest Tours- and you will see mention of her doing BP tours. If you want she will accompany you in your car or by public transport, as well as doing a tour in her vehicle.

Another option for you.