Places to take Americans

I've got an American friend coming over this week for 2 weeks. Been over a few times before and done most of the obvious tourist stuff in London.

This time they want to see more of the country, especially some historic towns/villages. Even any gems in Southampton that go unnoticed.

I've got a few ideas but need more, so am turning to the oracle of knowledge that is this forum.

My maternal grandfather has some distant American relatives - they came to visit a few years back and by all accounts loved just about everything in Winchester. It's certainly a historic city.

Portsmouth...

Portsmouth...

Well that is actually a good suggestion as the Historic Dockyard is great.

How about a day seeing the Avebury Stone Circle followed by Stonehenge?

Well that is actually a good suggestion as the Historic Dockyard is great.

 

How about a day seeing the Avebury Stone Circle followed by Stonehenge?

And, if you're in that area, a trip to Great Bedwyn is always worthwhile. Lovely little village alongside the Kennet & Avon Canal. Good value pub grub here

http://www.thexkeys.com/

How about Salisbury for Stonehenge and the Cathedral? Stonehenge is the obvious one but in the cathedral is a copy of the Magna carta that officially is the "father" document of all their "documents of freedom"...it's also a much better and readable copy compared to the Perot family one in the national Archives in DC.

What type of music does he/she like?

Bagdad

Has to be Salisbury - take the walk from Harnham (The Old Mill) across the Water Meadows & Constable's bridge then into the Cathedral Close and back through to Harnham. Stop for a Real Ale at the Old Mill. You can go down to Exeter Street, wander off the High Street to the Market Square & Poultry Cross

Knocks every tourist out every time.

Then you can worry about heading up to Stonehenge through the Woodford Valley Stop for a second pint at the Bridge Inn in Woodford, drive past Sting's house on the way.

Highcliff Castle just north of Winchester is used for Downton Abbey, Americans love this apparently.

Exbury gardens and House. New Forest, Corfe Castle and Swanage. I

Tudor House and Sea City Museum are a must. You can get a combined ticket.

Cornwall via Plymouth - Pilgrim Fathers steps and the Barbican. but avoid Newquay at all costs.

If he's a petrolhead you have to take him to Beaulieu...National Motor Museum is pretty good value. The Forest has a lot of olde worlde pubs which never fails to impress. Don't bother with Buckler's Hard...bit of a rip-off for not much to see IMO.

Highcliff Castle just north of Winchester is used for Downton Abbey, Americans love this apparently.

That's Highclere Castle.

titanic museum, any castle or abbey (netley), try the village of Castlecoombe - quintessential english village

Beulieu - walkto buckers hard and lunch in master builder?

New forest - they love the animals wondering around,they also love the forest pubs - The one at Bank and other at Emery Down have proved popular with the Seppos I have taken around

That's Highclere Castle.

Yeah whatever, It's all just big frocks and tuxes. Mrs loves it though so I took her there for a look round. She said after it was one of her favourite places in the UK

All sounds good. A few I already had noted down but defiantly some I didn't think about.

What type of music does he/she like?

English music generally. Oasis, Arctic Monkeys etc. Bit of an indie fan I believe.

Take them to a gig then, somewhere like Brixton http://www.o2academybrixton.co.uk/

Beachy Head with a gale force northerly wind. Or if you want to be more hospitable....the airport. Yanks love ye olde Britain. National Trust type places in the country should float their boat. Followed by a cream tea in an old fashioned cafe - one that pays Corporation Tax of course. An American woman once asked my old man if he played golf. When he said yes, she asked him, "do you have room for golf courses over there?'

Lulworth Cove - and walk from there to Durdle Door.

The "Hovis Hill" (Gold Hill) in Shaftesbury.

Stonehenge and Salisbury Cathedral.

Beaulieu - the House and the Motor Museum.

Winchester Cathedral.

british pubs and a trip to the brook for some live music.

http://www.the-brook.com/

Stiff little fingers, Fairport convention, limehouse lizzy

brooklands

watercress line

london, the eye, thames cruise , cabinate war rooms,

Bit further afield

Wookey Hole

Cheddar Gorge

Glastonbury Tor (for the ley lines)

Mottisfont and the Abbey. Cracking little place.

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/mottisfont/

Ah yes, Stourhead too

If you're in Salisbury, head for The Old Mill for a pint http://www.signature-hospitality.com/ Just a short walk from town through some water-meadows (get a great view of the Cathedral as well). Mate of mine used to run it and it was always full of Yanks banging on about how much they adored the place.

Also, you can't get much more quintessentially English than a drive through the New Forest and it's various villages.

An American woman once asked my old man if he played golf. When he said yes, she asked him, "do you have room for golf courses over there?'

My mate is what I'd consider intelligent (for a yank) and when I was over there I went to their parents place which was a decent size and had a lot of land. They thought that we'd be amazed by all the open space. They just couldn't grasp that we also had open space in England.

A wander around Lymington then a day return to Yarmouth on the ferry (remind them to turn their watches back by 50 years!).

They'll get a bit of fresh air, maybe lunch in the Kings Head, a stroll along the pier, a look around the shops and then home !

I'm sure that some will take the p!ss but on a nice day it will be a bit different !!

Definitely the forest. Then when you are alone with her, you can whip out those golden balls!

take them to a match. Pre match beer, pie at half time, the game, another beer, curry. That's what I'd want to do if I was coming across.

Bit further afield

 

Wookey Hole

Cheddar Gorge

Glastonbury Tor (for the ley lines)

I was also gonna say Wookey Hole and Cheddar Gorge. Also, Bath.

Got to be Bath, Stonehenge is on the way and most foreign visitors wet themselves over the place.

That's a point, is she good looking? Were you looking more for answers like, ginos restaurant, followed by wine at yours then up the bum? And everyone just assumed you meant list a county castle?

A walk along the Solent coast at Lepe is very nice. On a good day you get lovely views of the Isle of Wight. It's excellent British coastal scenery close to Southampton.

I'd also recommend walking from Winchester to Shawford. Start off at the Cathedral and follow the Itchen. You'll pass St Cross and the almshouse and there'll be nice riverside scenery and some nice pubs when you get to Shawford.

Beaulieu and then on down to Buckler's Hard.

Cambridge, including a punt on the river and a walking tour of the colleges. Follow that up with a visit to the Imperial War Museum at Duxford nearby, which includes the American air Museum. Take a boat out for an hour or a day from here - based at a good old pub (Pike & Eeel in Needingworth) right on the river http://www.boatsaleuk.com/

My American friend loved Bath and the Cotswolds - Bourton on the Water, Winchester and generally older towns

Jane Austin is massive in the States - a trip to Winchester (or Bath) might be useful if that's the sort of thing they are into. Bath especially has loads for visitors to see.

If it's old-worlde towns, how about Lacock, it's a bit of a drive (not far from Longleat), but might be worth the trip, especially as it can easily be coupled with Avebury/Salisbury that others have suggested.

That's Highclere Castle.

Yes, Highcliffe Castle is a burnt-out shell near Christchurch that has been partly restored. It's not very historic.

I had a young Canadian customer many years ago and we had a spare day. I took him to Portsmouth Dockyard, Southampton Walls to show the Mayflower gate and inscription, West Kennet Long Barrow, Stonehenge, Silbury Hil and Avebury for some really old stuff. Anything historic, really.

Jane Austin is massive in the States - a trip to Winchester (or Bath) might be useful if that's the sort of thing they are into. Bath especially has loads for visitors to see.

 

If it's old-worlde towns, how about Lacock, it's a bit of a drive (not far from Longleat), but might be worth the trip, especially as it can easily be coupled with Avebury/Salisbury that others have suggested.

Yes, indeed. So a visit to Austen's cottage in Chawton (north-east Hampshire) would be impressive.

And I agree with Lacock - an amazing place (some scenes from the early Harry Potter films were done in the Abbey there). And the village is incredibly picturesque.

If its fresh air, country views and a city you want, with the hassle of driving, take the train to Bradford on Avon. Walk to Bath (about 2 hours - more if you stop for lunch). Then explore Bath and back on the train, for supper in Salisbury.

Americans'll be amazed you can do all that without using a car.

Alternative version; hire bikes in Bradford (by the canal bridge, not too far from the station) cycle along the canal path to Bath, explore and then back again by bike as opposed to walking.

A walk along the Solent coast at Lepe is very nice. On a good day you get lovely views of the Isle of Wight. It's excellent British coastal scenery close to Southampton.

 

I'd also recommend walking from Winchester to Shawford. Start off at the Cathedral and follow the Itchen. You'll pass St Cross and the almshouse and there'll be nice riverside scenery and some nice pubs when you get to Shawford.

lol, there's one and it's what it used to be. granted it is a great walk but if u divert to twyford at the end, beatiful little church with an ancient yew tree, the oldest independent school in england, and eat at the bugle, best pub food in hampshire. cant get more english than that

most places already been noted, and beaulieu is the new permanent home of the bond exhibit, cars, gadgets, costumes etc.

also in winchester there's the great hall and the round table, as well as the college which is pretty jaw dropping, they do guided tours.

or even the watercress line if one's into steam, pretty sure you can connect at alton to london, and the other end alresford is very picturesque, if not busy and expensive.

Castle tour - Bodium, Leeds (near Maidstone) castles followed up by Deal,Walmer and Dover on the coast. Overnight somewhere in Kent.

Guaranteed f**k.

Back up the M3 to the Airport.

Exbury gardens and House. New Forest, Corfe Castle and Swanage. I

Was going to say Corfe Castle. Spectacular in its own way. Then on to the Square & Compass in Worth Matravers. Most authentic village pub I know of or can imagine. Remembered by anyone who has been there!

Aa above, my home City Bath, Americans love the whole city is world heritage site. The Roman Baths are amazing and it is an easy place to walk around with plenty of good eateries and traditional pubs.

Winchester-Start off at St Georges Hill for an overview-you can park up there. Then The Cathedral, The College and along the water meadows to St Cross.

Bath-One of the most beautiful cities in the world. Take in Stonehenge on the way.

Oxford-the dreaming spires, Warwick and of course Stratford on Avon.

Cambridge has been suggested-The Backs are beautiful and the colleges especially Kings and Trinity are beautiful. It is very compact, and as well as the

Imperial War Museum at Duxford-if they have any relatives who served in The USAF in WW2 the American Cemetary.

if they like steam railways then The Mid Hants, Didcot, Swindon.

Oxford. they love the Dreaming Spires and the university buildings - Christ Church, Sheldonian Theatre, Radcliffe Camera, Bodleian Library, etc.