England

Everyone has a different list of "must sees" depending on their interests. Rick Steves does a good job of describing the highlights in his guide books. In my family each member gets one day to plan the activities and the reset of us relax and enjoy the freedom from decision-making on that day. You can switch things around depending on the weather when you get there, of course, or just pack ponchos. If you like history see Edinburgh Castle and the Tower of London . If you don't mind heights, the London Eye is pricey but fun. Have fun!

Nancy,
There is so much to see and do in Edinburgh that you'll barely scratch the surface in two days. I spent two days and wished I had at least three more so you'll have to use your time wisely. Everybody's opinion is arbitrary but here's mine. The castle is a must and you can easily spend 4-5 hours there. You probably don't have time to see it in full. I also liked very much the People's Story museum. Holyrood House, the Scottish parliament, and the Museum of Childhood (if you have an interest in toys) were all great. I found both the John Knox House and the Writers' Museum were not worth the time. If you have an interest in the Scottish authors, do the evening Literary Walking Tour instead. It's more informative, more fun, and won't cost you daylight time you can use for other things. Can't comment other major attractions because we ran out of time. 3-4 days in London is just right for an adequate taste of the city. Tower of London and Westminster Abbey are my top 2, followed closely by Cabinet War Rooms, British Museum, the Imperial War Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Both cities are amazing and you'll have a great time whatever you choose. Happy travels.

May is great time, may be cold but not too crowded. For Edinburgh make sure you find time (before and after attractions have closed) to stroll the streets on and off the Royal Mile. Those were some of my favorite memories. The City's geography is quite complex. Edinburgh Castle was great especially for views. I liked the Museum of Childhood--it was small and homely but fun and quirky. The Peoples Museum was good in a previous visit. I liked Carlton Hill as well (though not at night). For only 2 days I'd take a walking tour to get more out of it. Try to limit your visits to "Tartan Tat" shops--they mostly all sell the same stuff. If you get a bit off the Royal Mile the prices at Pubs drop quite a bit. For London I would try to see a show one evening--it is all quite good. Try a London Walks tour as well. Since you have a lot of time try arranging for the Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London. It's free but you need to write for tickets. Look online. I think you get more out of it if you have seen the Tower previously. It was a highlight of my visit. We also really liked Dr Johnson's House, a small house museum that was not crowded but hard to find. Westminster Abbey is a zoo to get in (tip, if crowded the cash line is faster) but was amazing. St Pauls' not so much. The Tower was worth it. So many museums for every taste. Leave plenty of time for getting around. We found walking and just navigating tube stations was more time consuming than you think. We ate a lot of Tesco/Sainsbury/Boots sandwich "meal deals" to save time at lunch. Most places are only open 10 to 5 so it limits what you can fit in. We have really enjoyed Hampstead Heath/Highgate Cemetery as well as Kew Gardens but they all are outside Central London and that takes time out of your schedule.

Great ideas so far. Is is worth taking time out of London to go to Bath or Cotswolds or other areas?

You wrote: "Is is worth taking time out of London to go to Bath or Cotswolds or other areas?" As Matt said, "3-4 days in London is just right for an adequate taste of the city." But if you're feeling the need to get away maybe a short train trip to Hampton Court Palace (or a longer journey by boat) if you like palaces and gardens. Greenwich is another easy day if you like boats and time (there's a fascinating exhibit on measuring longitude at sea). It all depends on your interests and how much time you're willing to spend getting from one place to another. I loved the Roman ruins but wasn't wowed by the rest of Bath. I've never seen the Cotswolds. But I've spent a day taking long train rides to/from Portsmouth to see the Mary Rose. These are all just my opinions. Read up on our suggestions and see what appeals to you.

My husband and I will be taking our first trip to England at the end of the month. We were talking to a doctor from England a couple days ago. He was happy to hear that we are going to the Cotswolds and said if you want to see what England is really like you need to get out into the countryside.

If you had a week in England, I would say to spend a couple of days in the Cotswolds. However, with only 3 to 4 days, I would stick to London. You probably don't even have that much as I suspect that a good part of one day will be the train from Edinburgh and perhaps part of another taking the Eurostar to Paris. Grenwich, okay, but I wouldn't take the time to go to Hampton Court or Windsor with your timeframe.

My votes: The Tower of London is a YES, Westminster is crowded but oh so worth it! Taking the boat ride to Greenwich is worth it and will give you a different feel than Central London. You may not have time but we visited a small FAN museum in Greenwich. It was a short walk from the city center and what a find.
Catch a show or play if you can! The Tour of Parliament is one of the best I have ever experienced. Highly recommend! We are heading to London in September to stay with friends in Hampton Court....you would enjoy it but I agree with some of the other suggestions...a bit too much time to take with your time frame. Enjoy!!