England - 7 days with 2 college kids May 2023

I would just stay in London with a day trip or two. That sounds totally breakneck pacing for your other alternatives. Are your college students the type who will like to be out at night and won’t want a 6 AM wake up for non stop sightseeing?

When I took the Best of London in 7 days, I only wish the tour was longer. There are so many sites to visit and things to do in London, you’ll be disappointed if you schedule too many day trips. You lose a lot of time traveling place to place and even more if you change locations.

London in two days? Maybe five days in London and two day trip?

I totally agree that a week in London will be your best option. So much for you all to see and do. Just take a couple of trips out of the city eg, Hampton Court or Windsor. You could even do Bath as a day trip if you really wanted to go there.

Two days in London is not nearly enough. I agree with those who say 5 days for London and maybe 2 daytrips. Maybe one daytrip to Stonehenge and one to Bath? But Scotland or Paris---that's just too much for the time you have.

Forget Scotland and France. It is becoming a tick list and you will end up seeing nothing of a lot...

Stick to London - there are so many places you can do as a day trip from there. Stonehenge can be done by train to sailisbury and then bus.

Canterbury with its cathedral is also another popular day trip by train. .

Bath for the Roman Baths , is again is doable in a day by train

Either Oxford or Cambridge by train for a university town experience.

Whilst I would agree that the best option is to stay in one place for the whole 7 days with the option of a day trip or two, it would just be possible to add on either Edinburgh or Paris. But for that to make sense you would really need to fly home from the latter two or do it the other way round. Having 7 days and spending two of them travelling would be silly.

STAY in England.

There is much to see in just England. We did four weeks in England and S, Wales in 2017, rented a car and toured on our own, skipping London altogether. Near London is Bath, Oxford, Salisbury, Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, Avebury, Winchester, Cambridge, Canterbury, Stratford Upon Avon, Warwick Castle, Blenheim Palace, the Cotswolds and more.

Whatever you decide, decide quickly. Tickets / reservations for many popular attractions are already gone for many days in May, especially day trips out of London. Indeed, your decision may be made for you based on what's left available.

You could easily do a four London one travel two Edinburgh or Paris. I think the latter warrants more. YOu could then, if going to Edinburgh, use the travel day to stop at York.

Then fly back to London, before leaving

But London would occupy you for the full time if required, especially with some day trips

This person hasn't bought air tickets yet. Maybe fly into London and out of Paris?

EDITED: That would only work if the 7 days do not include the day you leave the US and the day you leave Europe to fly home.

I know it isn't in the presented choices, but do either of the kids have any interest in a semester abroad, perhaps Oxford or Cambridge? If so, a look see might be of interest.

Kids? If they are in college, they are young adults and sharing their opinions on this and other aspects will make the trip a better memory.

Stick to London:

You can climb the O2

Visit and explore the Shoreditch neighborhood

Visit Spitalfields

Visit Richmond Park

Enjoy pub lunches

Visit the Sky Garden

Walk along the Thames Path

Visit Camden Lock Street Market

Eat at Joy King Lau in Chinatown

Visit the Horniman Museum

See Theatre ( check to see if Witness for The Prosecution is still playing)

Visit the Churchill War Rooms

Have them research on their own for places that interest them.

Train to Oxford or Cambridge or Whitsable for a day out.

We just finished:
London- 5 days

Edinburgh- Day trip (Overnight sleeper train)

Harry Potter Studios/ but that day can be added to London or Scotland

And a fully day tour to Windsor/ Stonehenge and Bath which I thought was plenty of time. Definitely would like to go back to Bath another time but got a good taste of it