What was the places you loved most on your trips to England.??? What would you skip?

If you like museums, I highly recommend the Museum of Welsh Life, easily reachable from Cardiff. It is a rural version of Williamsburg and very well done. I thought Bath was overrated, maybe because I've been to Pompeii so had no desire to see the Roman Baths at Bath. Salisbury was charming and museum was enjoyable.If you decide to go to Salisbury, you will enjoy it more if you read Rutherfurd's historical fiction about the area, "Sarum". I've been to Cotswolds and Canterbury on a bus trip and was underwhelmed. Have not been to York yet, but it's my next top priority. Windsor is also on my bucket list-went to a Good Friday service there but state apartments were closed. I like castles that are all about defense, rather than being palaces. The two I've been to that meet that qualification are Caerphilly (easily reached from Cardiff) and Dover.

I went to England last year and my favorite place by far was York. It had the city walls that you could climb, lovely English homes with beautiful flowers, and the Minster. The most beautiful church in the world. My son and I also went to their evensong. Just lovely. We ate at Jamie Oliver's Italian Kitchen though it isn't English food, it is owned by my favorite chef and I had a 11 year old boy's palate to feed. Though I haven't been, I have heard that Chester does have the city walls as well.

It depends on what you are interested in. I like seeing history, old buildings, and castles. I enjoyed seeing Hadrians Wall. We did the Catbell Walk in the Lake District. Saw North Wales and Caernarfon Castle (we enjoyed this a lot). Did the MadMax tour of Stonehenge - we really liked this. They drove us around the English Countryside and we got to learn the history of the area as well as learn more about Stonehenge. I thought I would not like Bath, but I did enjoy walking around the town at night. In England, the towns close up shop (except for the Pubs and Restaurants) at 5pm and people are outside walking around, enjoying the beautiful weather. My son liked Brighton Pier but I am not sure if it would of interest to older people.

I will be going next month and visiting Cornwall. I am looking forward to seeing more stone circles and magnificent scenery.

Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace over rated.

Museum of London under rated.

Canary Wharf boring.

Places I enjoy on each visit:
Camden Lock, Portobello Road, Brick Lane and Leaden Hall markets, walking or riding bikes in Hyde and Regents park, walking in the Hampstead Heath, the Red Lion Pub in the Crowne passage, the gorgeous Blackfriars Pub, attending theatre nightly, the Photography Center, Wilton Music Hall, walking along the Thames, enjoying a new London walk www.walks.com.

NOT TO BE MISSED:
Tower of London
Somerset House
Natural Museum of History
Touring Parliament
Westminster Abbey
Churchill War Rooms
Hampton Court Palace
York
Durham Cathedral
Cotswolds
Liberty Department Store
Theatre

Well, you know from your previous experience you'll get radically different views!

Bath - I LOVE Bath! I spent 5 nights there last year and 3 nights 2 years before. I just love this city! I love the juxtaposition of the Roman ruins with the Georgian architecture. In a previous visit I did a Mad Max tour out to Stonehenge, Avebury, Lacock and Castle Combe. My particular favorites are the Roman Baths, the Royal Crescent (Georgian architecture), the Circus (more Georgian architecture), the museum at #1 Royal Crescent, Bath Abbey, Prior Park (landscape garden with Palladian Bridge), the Assembly Rooms, the Pulteney Bridge/weir in the Avon, walking the streets Jane Austen walked, The Holburne Museum. The only think I did not like was the Jane Austen Centre which is a waste of time and money. It also is crowded at times and would not be a city that would be fun as a day trip altho many do.

Salisbury - I really enjoyed my time here last year. I took the train from London, rode the local bus that runs a loop out to Stonehenge and back via Old Sarum. I also enjoyed the Salisbury Museum (had a terrific temporary exhibition last year of Turner's paintings), Salisbury Cathedral (an original Magna Carta), the Cathedral Close.

London -
*Loved:
Churchill War Rooms
Buckingham Palace/Queens Gallery tour - offered only during a short time in the summer when the Queen is away
National Gallery
British Museum
Courtauld Gallery
London Walks walking tours
Tower of London
Westminster Abbey
St Paul's
Windsor Castle
Hampton Court
*Not so much:
Imperial War Museum- I may be the only one that didn't care for this museum - and it's not because I don't like military history!
Thames Cruise - boring
Museum of London - Again I may be the only one. It always seems to be filled with school kids when I've visited and just feels loud. What a great resource for school trips though.

I found the Cotswolds slightly underwhelming. I enjoyed walking thru the countryside there more than driving thru.

I love Wales as well!

I would suggest that as you plan you edit what you think you want to see. You cannot see it all!

Have fun planning!

There's almost too many things to list for London, but my personal not to be missed:

Hampton Court
The Tower of London
Westminster Abbey
The best fish and chips ever with mushy peas

And just for fun, walking through Selfridge's (inspired by PBS, thank you very much)

Lots of good ideas so far!

A few things that come to mind from some of our past trip:

The Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London. You apply in advance and get into the Tower at night for the closing up ceremony. It is free! Very atmospheric. The kids enjoyed spotting the actual guards dressed all in black that were hidden about to protect the Queen's Jewels as the Beefeaters had no weapons. Just awesome outfits. Here is the link http://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/whats-on/ceremony-of-the-keys/#gs.pp5KNPU

Picnic dinner amongst the stones at Avebury. We found it so much more fun than Stonehenge as you could touch the stones and there were no crowds.

Charmouth Beach on the Jurassic Coast in Dorset. We spend a lovely morning collecting fossils on the beach and got the keep them all! The area had a fascinating history and is gorgeous.

Bath- I can see that when over run with tourists this would not be so appealing. We found out which evenings the Roman Baths were open late and went then. We toured the Baths by torchlight with violins playing by the Baths and not a tour bus in site!

Barclay Bikes! These are the public bike rentals in London you see all over. We rode through Hyde Park and then over to Buckingham Palace where the kids delighted in doing donuts on their bikes in front of the palace. A really fun evening.

The war tunnels under Dover Castle were amazing. Well worth the visit is you have an interest. Dover itself? Not so much.

Cornwall- loved it. The beaches are some of the most beautiful I've ever seen. It is a long haul to get to though. And a couple of bits were not great: Land's End- nothing there! Penzance- way too Pirate-ty! Very bizarre.

Have fun planning!

I've only been to southern England and London. Overrated for me - Stonehenge and Stratford.

I've been to London several times. Between the museums and the theatre (but not the big musicals), I never have enough time for other sights, so I still haven't gotten to Oxford or Cambridge . . . I can't seem to tear myself away from the city.

My only suggestion is to plan based on what your travel style is. You can see a little of a lot of places with Rick's itinerary. Or you can choose 4-5 areas to base yourselves in and see more of them (and not change hotels nearly as often). For instance, start with 3 nights in Bath, 2 full days for the sights, then car to Cornwall/Devon for 4-5 nights. 3-4 nights in the Cotswolds, 3-4 nights in the Lake District. Return the car in York, stay 2-3 nights, then train to London.

While our entire trip was great, the visuals that stay with me most are:
--4-day, 48-mile walk to/from Bath using Cotswolds Walks. We stayed in Bradford on Avon, Laycock, and Castle Combe. Absolutely fabulous, even with rain.
--Roman Baths in Bath. The audio guide is the best I've ever experienced. Probably a good idea to get there when they open to see it before the crowds get too big.
--York Minster and Evensong service; also walking the entire wall.
--Durham Cathedral!!!!!
--London Walks tour of Westminster Abbey
--British Museum
--Plays in London
--Walking along the south bank of the Thames on a gorgeous afternoon
--Buying a Paddington Bear for my great-niece at the Paddington Bear shop at Paddington Station

I am English, but my list of not to be missed is:

York unmissable
Whitby a fantastic blend of seaside town and history
The New Forest fantastic walks
The Northumberland coast the best coastal area plus castles
North Norfolk for wildlife
Rutland for pretty villages
Duxford IWM near Cambridge
National Trust gardens
Eskdale in the Lake District

Over-rated:

Changing of the Guard in London
Stonehenge
Stratford upon Avon
The Cotswolds (too much traffic these days)
Land's End
Loch Ness (I know it's Scotland, not England!)
The Globe (not a Shakespeare fan)
The eastern Lake District between June and September - too many people

Wow, there's just so much. In London, I love the Churchill War Rooms, British Museum, British Library, Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and Regents Park. The V&A Museum and London Eye are pretty cool, too. All the parks are lovely, and the Imperial War Museum is quite interesting. Outside of London, don't miss Windsor.

Other places in London that are awesome are Bath, York, the Cotswolds, Warwick Castle, Canterbury and Dover. I loved Stonehenge and Avebury, but I know not everyone falls in love with Stonehenge. The cathedrals in Salsbury and Wells are very nice, and Glastonbury is fun. If you are a Beatles fan, Liverpool is definitely worth a visit.

I am totally in love with Wales, but not sure if you are considering that.

If you want to be wowed: Harrods, the candy store and the food (department? Idk if you'd call it that) - but when I was there in 2005...the dragon sculpture made out of butter behind the glass case was awesome (but of course it's most likely not there anymore - I would be very surprised if it was!).

The rest of the store are too expensive, and I'd skip.

If you want beautiful scenery, beautiful lakes, green hills, sheep, and beautiful small villages then head up to the Lake District! I don't know when you are traveling but it's one of my favorite places in the world in any season. Summer can be quite crowded with tourists in the main towns and villages but it's easy to get away out into the country for the views and peace.
We usually stay in Keswick and use that as out base. I can recommend the Herdwick House B&B - lovely owners, reasonable rates, and excellent breakfast.
Eskdale, Buttermere, Coniston, Ullswater are just a few of my favorites. You can visit two of Wordsworth's homes as well as one of Beatrix Potter's Farms (Hilltop) and the home of John Ruskin, Brantwood, on the shores of Coniston Water.

Definite highlights for me were ceremony of the keys, watching a play at the Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon (merchant of Venice - my favourite and such a perfect way to introduce my kids to Shakespeare) and the lovely town of Bourton-on-the-water. Also really enjoyed the boat trip from London to Greenwich- we meant to take the fast boat but I got my directions mixed up and ended up at the wrong wharf so got on a slower boat with commentary and he was absolutely hilarious
The main thing that was a complete waste of money was the London eye. That was the only thing that we regretted.

You will be at the Tower of London anyway (as you should, it is amazing!), so while you are in the area check out the nearby All Hallows Church (a block or so from the Tower entrance). The church itself is lovely but you will be drawn to the exhibits downstairs featuring part of the old Roman ruin under glass in the floor which once stood here (the church was built over the Roman ruins of the original city of Londinium). The church actually dates to an abbey from 675 AD, more than 300 years before the Tower of London was initially built. Bits of history surrounding the church itself and other interesting artifacts from the site make the exhibit worthwhile including the baptism of William Penn and the marriage of US President John Quincy Adams, and being down there is actually a little creepy as it is deathly quiet. It is well worth 30 minutes after leaving the Tower of London.

From your handle you might be a photographer? I am closer to your Mom's age now. I really enjoyed all of the English Treasure Houses because you get to see antique furnishings and art in their proper setting in fabulous mansions and fantastic gardens. Some are on some of the passes available. Look on the National Trust UK site which lists their properties by region. They offer family membership passes. They may still have a time limited pass to Overseas Visitors...but you'll have to search their site. Some of their properties are wild places, too. Check English Heritage: they seem to have more castles and ruins. World Heritage has some of the Industrial Age Factories which have been repurposed into museums, etc. There are also some special art museums now. Pick your favorite artist online and visit their home or studio. I was bored with the Lake District which has too many day trippers anyway. There are some special places to see in the Cotswolds but it is also too crowded and expensive now. The further away from London the less costly. Except for London I also believe in only staying one night in a place and moving on. Depending on time of year you can still wing it if you have a car. Check with the Tourist Offices for lodging info as you go along or call ahead. Remember that not everyone is online. We prefer B & Bs because they usually more charming than a hotel.

If you enjoy history (or even if you don't), I highly recommend the Tower of London. Take a quick Beefeater Tour then go to the Crown Jewels. They are beautiful and not to be missed!

I also enjoyed visiting Bath. It an absolutely beautiful town full of history. Even though it is crowded with tourists, it thoroughly enjoyed my time there.

My top 5 places would be ...
Durham Cathedral - so majestic it moved me to tears
Chatsworth House
Sissinghurst Castle Gardens
Blenheim Palace
Padstow and St Ives in Cornwall - yes, sorry, I know, they are 2 places

What a question! The mind boggles. We also are nearer your mom's age, but I don't think our likes and dislikes are all that different from what they were when we were in our 40s.

Favorite things: Dover Castle, Dartmoor, St. Ives, Tower of London - I didn't think I would like it, but I did. British Museum, Café in the Crypt. A pub with outdoor seating (try the Swan on Bayswater - lots of tourists, but lots of locals as well.) Cider. A performance at Shakespeare's Globe - see A midsummer Night's Dream if you're there this year. National Gallery. Tate Britain.

Skippable (a completely subjective list): London Eye, Penzance, Changing of the Guard, Ceremony of the Keys, Bath (sorry, Pam.) Beer and ale. Covent Garden you should see once. Ditto Portobello Road Market. Skip Picadilly Circus.

I'm sure I'll think of more things in both categories, but these are the first that leap to mind.

I'll break the current tie on the Globe in London. I think it's unmissable, even if you aren't there at a time when a play is on. I did the tour many years ago, but seeing a play there was #1 on my list for my trip this year. I loved Midsummer Night's Dream.

I went to a matinee, sat on the front row of the middle gallery, rented a cushion and had a blast. I'm 70, have issues going up and down stairs and sitting with my knees bent for a long time, but I forgot all that during the performance.

I still haven't seen the exhibition. I guess I'll just be forced to go back!

I didn't notice if anyone mentioned this, but I really enjoyed the John Soane's Museum. It is so different from anything else I have ever seen. This is a quote from the opening page of the website: "Welcome to the historic house, museum and library of distinguished 19th century architect Sir John Soane. At Soane’s request, the house has been left untouched since his death – almost 180 years ago." It is a real step back in time to 1837 when he died. Not to worry, there are some dim electric lights and there are skylights and there are some toilets in the basement.

WOW- hard to answer. We've been more than 40 times and there's still lots we want to see and do.
Things I'd do again (and again and again....)
Kew Gardens- beautiful any time of year
Tower of London
London Theatre- esp. musical theatre
Markets- any of them any time!
Windsor- favorite castle in Europe, lovely rose gardens, the town is fun too
York- good as a day trip, even better as a 2 or 3 day visit
Edinburgh- again- 2-3 days
Aviemore- 3 or more days, anytime. Ride up Cairngorm mountain and enjoy the view, go to the local microbrewery and do the tour and get samples, go to one or more of the marvelous Speyside distilleries (we LOVE the Dalwhinnie Distillery), visit Blair castle, ride the restored steam train, visit the Heather Center...... more and more.....
Inverness- perhaps my favorite UK city after London
Bath- good as a day trip- wonderful, large Christmas market, too
Cardiff Wales- a funky, fun city
Snowdonia- lovely

Things I did once and that was enough (good but not worth a repeat anytime soon)
the Cotswolds
Winchester
Dover
Canterbury
Changing of the Guards
Stratford-upon-Avon (unless you are there on market day- it is worth a day trip, but maybe not more unless you're a Shakespeare nerd)

My wife and I have traveled to England on vacation twice (2000 and 2013), and I stayed over for a day or two in London on a couple of business trips. I feel like I have hardly scratched the surface!

London:
Tower of London—one of the great sights of Europe
British Museum
National Gallery + Portrait Gallery
Victoria and Albert Museum
Churchill War Rooms
Westminster Abbey
Theater—we saw Jersey Boys with seats maybe twelve rows back for $70 a ticket, in San Francisco the cheapest seat would probably have been well over $100

Outside of London:
Salisbury Cathedral
Dover Castle
Roman Baths in the city of Bath
Climbing Glastonbury Tor and visiting the Chalice Well gardens. Because they are nice gardens, not because I believe the legend.
Dartmoor National Park in Devon—very glad we made the effort to get out there
Shakespeare sights in Stratford: the church where he is buried and Mary Arden's farm in Wilmcote (a charming tiny town)
York, even though we ended up having too little time there
Castle Howard outside of York
Rye—charming little town
Minor castles: we visited Powderham Castle and Berkeley Castle, and while they did not blow our mind they were both nice visits.
Stonehenge: I thought it was pretty cool, actually
Avebury

Future wish list:
Return to York and stay three nights
Lincoln Castle—we turned back at the gates because we needed to go onward to Stratford and it was getting late
Royal Pavilion, Brighton—saw it from our rental car when we were on our way to return it. No time to visit though. Sigh.
Chester
Canterbury
Jurassic Coast
Cornwall—not very practical since it's not on the way to anywhere, but I really like to go places where most people don't

Lo, we went to Sir John Soane's Museum as well, and enjoyed it. I wouldn't put it on my "don't miss" list, but I do recommend it for people who have extra time and who, like me, live with a pack rat. I kept thinking, "His wife was a saint!"

My wife and I recently went to London. We very much enjoyed, and/or were irked by, the following:

1. Kew Garden. More like QUEUE Garden to get in, roight? Still, it's a loverly place then, innit? We walked and saw the roses, then we walked and sweated in the hothouses, then we walked to the pagoda, then we walked back from the pagoda. All-in-all, if you like flowers and walking, you'll probably adore Kew Garden. if you DON'T enjoy flowers or walking, you may take a somewhat dimmer view of this locale.

2. Tate Modern -- avoid! Yeah, the bridge over the Thames is pretty cool and all, but unfortunately it ends at the Tate Modern. Apparently we arrived in the middle of a huge construction project so all the cool exhibits were closed, not that there were many to choose from in the first place. I know this makes me a total pleb, but I rather enjoy the large-breasted nymphs frolicking in the dales school of art rather than the "we paid $25m for this steaming pile, so you'd damned well better be impressed!" one. But if you like Cubist bosoms, the Tate Modern has them in numbers.

3. The Victoria and Albert. At first, I thought this was the name of a dirty sex move, but once I was inside, I realized I'd been cheated! I mean, if you're into clothing, this place is the bomb. And if you're not, well, you're about to find out the depths to which boredom can reach. The V&A, as it's called by people in-the-know, was how my wife got even with me for dragging her through the IWM two days earlier. I imagine that had I not been so tragically sober, I might have enjoyed it more.

Speaking of tragically sober . . . or not, as the case may be:

1. SOCCER HOOLS!! If I learned one thing from staying in Fulham, it's that the streets of this fair district become a human zoo once the match ends. I have never seen more conditions of inebriation than went on display when Chelsea lost. "The tipsy, the reeling and the drop-dead pissed" (thank you for that line, Nick Cave) doesn't begin to describe the assortment of drunks stumbling through the streets. Observed safely from my ensconcement at The Malt House (who wisely put three bruisers at the front door and those guys were brooking NO crap off anyone), the Parade of the Pissed meandered through the streets; menaced and/or declared their love for all things female; barfed in the gutter with gusto; leaned on anything upright that would (or often wouldn't) hold their weight and finally caused enough mayham to bring out a cadre of the constabulary to restore some sense of order. For the cost of two pints, I was able to observe a collection of human behaviors usually not on display outside an Oakland Raiders game. This might not be your thing, but if it is, Fulham is the place to be!

2. Westminster Abbey: hey, look, famous dead people! You sorta gotta mind your P's and Q's in here, so not such a great place for situational comedy and general wise-acring. Also, the loo is located somewhere near Cardiff, so if you gotta go, you'd better start walking.

3. Riding the bus from St. Paul's to Fulham: What a really neat way to see a big swath of the city! So many famous places, tony shopping districts, trendy eateries and wonderful places for pint or three. Plus, there's a wonderful B&B at the end of the line that serves great food and many tasty drinks. What's not to like?

-- Mike Beebe

Mike.....that was an awesome read.
thank you.......you are a gem

A couple of places come to mind. First would be the British library. Not a big collection but worth your time. Second would be Camden Lock markets. Even if you're not into shopping it has a funky-hippie vibe to it and fun just to walk around.
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I loved wandering around Cambridge - the University is so beautiful. If you can catch some music in the King's College Chapel (one of the world's loveliest buildings), all the better.

Must see- Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, British Museum, theatre, London Walks walk, York, Durham Cathedral, Hadrian's Wall, Roman Baths in Bath, Dover Castle, and the entirety of Scotland. I love Scotland.

Overrated - Stonehenge, Windsor (just not a fan of intact castles, I love ruined ones) Tate Modern,

The Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace is open year around. The State Rooms are only open for a few weeks each year August-September.

Im going to give a few I haven't seen listed above

Hever Castle- but taking the Hever station stop and walking the public footpaths to get there (1 mile, easy walk), rather than taking a taxi frpm the previous stop. Lovely gardens, wonderful day trip outside of london.

Hatfield House- another wonderful- super close to london-day trip- absolutely love that house- beautiful.

Tintagel in Cornwall.

Mousehole- in Cornwall.

Just driving around the country roads anywhere- opposed to taking the easier to navigate main roads. Some of my favorite parts of England I came across just by driving through.

I'll confirm many already listed but give a couple of suggestions. Decide what interests you... history, art, countryside peace and quiet, city hustle and bustle... then pick a smattering from categories to meet those interests. Be sure to take some time to just BE...

York was wonderful, and if you've gone that far north, go on to Durham for the cathedral. AWESOME Norman architecture and the burying place of the Venerable Bede (for history lovers). Oh, and a scene from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was filmed in the courtyard...

My daughter loved staying in one of the off the beaten paths towns in the Cotswolds and thoroughly enjoyed walking between villages. She was followed by cows on one path. That is an experience she will NEVER forget... us neither as she made a video.

In the Midlands, where you can tour Chatsworth, there is also Haddon Hall... one of the best preserved old estates as the family left it for untold years while living at another estate so much of the core has not been modernized. It was the filming location for the most recent Jane Eyre movie, and of course Chatsworth stood in for Pemberly in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice. We stayed in Bakewell for that trip.

I'm a history buff so in London the Churchill War Rooms... unbelievable. Museum of London is often overlooked but a gem. Pick what interests you at the British Museum otherwise you could wander for hours, if not days, not really grasping much of anything.

Lunch in the crypt of St Martin in the Fields... right on Trafalgar Square and try to catch a concert too!

I'm taking my niece for her first visit in May... we are planning the Harry Potter Studio Tour... probably not on your mother's list of things to do!

We enjoyed Bath - even tho we only had a day and a bit there - hoping to return someday.

We have been to Portsmouth more than a few times (my sister lives there) and last year, we finally bit the bullet and did the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. We've balked before because of the cost (you are Canadian, you understand our cruddy exchange rate) but we lucked into an online sale buy one get one free admission. I was prepared to be bored out of my gourd...but quite enjoyed it. The walking around the HMS Victory and Warrior was ok, we enjoyed the hour boat ride around the harbor, but the Mary Rose museum was fascinating. I would love to go back as they are finally reopening after being closed for the last 8 mos or so and I believe the ship will finally be fully on display. (we had to look at it thru windows in a wall as it was being dried out and preserved). The artefacts, the stories of people on the ship - all really interesting. If you find yourself Portsmouth way, you may want to check this out.

We also enjoyed our visit to the Royal Garrison Church - most likely because of the wonderful custodians who talked with us almost an hour and had wonderful stories (and one of them handed me a wooden religious carving, then proceeds to tell me it is hundreds of years old - TAKE IT BACK - I don't wanna break it!)

...and I'll throw in another vote for the Museum of London being underrated - we visited on our first trip to London and it was another museum that I didn't have great expectations for, but quite enjoyed it.

Did anyone say yet that Harrod's is overrated? Walked thru on our first trip and other than going to see the food area, in the shopping area it just seemed to be a bunch of posh associates standing around wearing all black and looking like they only wanted to help rich people. (But I'm probably just projecting because I'm not one to browse thru designer clothing and $10,000 watches).

I have been to London 5 times now.. and will go again.. ( even if I consider it stupidly expensive.. that pound is painful....lol )

Love:

The Victoria and Albert Museum( I love museums with decoritif arts.. jewelry ,clothing , household goods.. its like time travel to me.

British Museum- this place deserves 2-3 shorter visits so you can enjoy it.. as opposed to trying to push through a whole day there ( there is enough to see could keep you busy for a week however)

Imperial War Museum ( especially sections on what life was like for locals during ww!! and the blitzs) and the Holocaust section.

The Tower of London

Bath ( I read a lot of classis novels.. so of course Bath is a location often used in them.. but also like Roman ruins/history below the Baths)

Portsmouth ( hubby liked this more then me.. into ships etc)

Portrait Museum,, loved it.

Overrated:

Anything to do with seeing the Buckingham palace or guards.. we never have been specifically to visit.. just walked by.. do that I guess ..

Strathford on Avon.. were taken there by local friends on the way to somewhere else.. boring.. cute for about 10 minutes

Stonehenge

So much good advice above that I can't really add to since it is already stated. But, if you get into Wales make sure you go to Conway Castle. It was amazing! Look it up and you'll see for yourself. You could spend one night within the city walls.

We loved our rental house in the cotswolds! http://www.rentcotswoldcottage.com/

It had a church on one end of the village and a pub on the other. The location is central and we visited little villages throughout the area. We didn't find crowds. The house was about as quintessential English as you could get.

I also thought the London Eye was a waste of my time and money, but if you enjoy doing touristy things then it would be worth it. I went first thing in the morning and it took about 45 minutes to stand in line and take the ride around.

Unlike some of you I've only been to the UK 16 times and have been a lot of places. I'm just a little older than your mum. The first time I went to England we stayed with family in Clacton on Sea. While my friend was visiting with her family I went to London...several times. Even to the China sales at Harrods. After Clacton we hit the rails with our Britrail passes. York, Inverness, Oxford, Dover, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Wales where we took a ferry to Ireland I read all the responses here and to several of the "overrated" opinions my response was "really"? I don't think I need to see The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace again and that's about it. RobinZ, I think I'd even go to Manchester again. Not my first choice for destination but still.... I just love being in England.

In addition to the many excellent suggestions, here are a few additional places that I have enjoyed:

Dartmoor National Park (for a more isolated part of the English countryside, it features scenic rock formations, stone circles, and deserted medieval villages as well as small scenic villages). It has been used as the setting for Sherlock Holmes movies/shows and is the setting of the “Hound of the Baskervilles.”

This includes the villages of Moretonhampstead and Postbridge and the rock formations of Hound Tor, Hound Tor Deserted Medieval Village, and Hay Tor (about a 2 miles walk from Hound Tor)

Walking around Oxford, especially in the evening. High Street, of course, but check out Turl Street as well. Blackwell’s Bookshop has an amazing selection.

Nearby Binsey (Alice in Wonderland connections) and The Perch Pub are a nice stop.

Bletchley Park in Milton Keynes (near London) is a large Victorian mansion and estate. It has excellent displays that tell the story of the WWII code breaking Enigma machine really well. One room used as a set for the movie “The Imitation Game” still has the movie props set up. See the movie before you go if you haven’t. It’s a fascinating story.

Liverpool has the McCartney home and John Lennon’s home (both now owned by the National Trust, book tours ahead of time). There is also a Beatles museum (a bit touristy, but still fun). Even if you aren’t a Beatles fan, Liverpool has several free museums (including a maritime and one devoted to the history of slavery). The waterfront area has great restaurants and often events.