Things To Do in the United Kingdom

By Ferne Arfin, About.com Guide to United Kingdom Travel

Dive into Shakespeare, dive shipwrecks off Scotland, dive into a vibrant street market, or dive into a plate of hand-dived scallops - whatever you enjoy on vacation, there's loads to see and do in England, Scotland and Wales.

The UK is small but packed with variety. It has brilliant white cliffs, gentle rolling countryside, remote rugged mountains and coasts, windswept fells, timeless islands, quaint villages, ancient market towns and vibrant cities. Here you'll find information, advice and inspiration about all kinds of places to go and things to do in the United Kingdom.

1. Best Bets for First Time Visitors To the UK
2. Free Things To Do in the UK
3. Royalty
4. Historic Homes and Stately Mansions
5. Shopping
6. Food and Drink
7. Special Outings and Unusual Experiences
8. Festivals and Seasonal Events

9. Arts and Entertainment
10. Family Fun
11. Museums, Exhibitions and Galleries
12. Gardens and Garden Shows
13. Sports
14. The Great Outdoors
15. Nudism

Best Bets for First Time Visitors To the UK

There are so many different things to see and do in the United Kingdom. Where do you begin? If you've never been to the UK before - or you've never ventured beyond London - deciding where to go can seem overwhelming. Relax - it's pretty hard to make a mistake because there is something cool to do wherever you end up in England, Scotland and Wales. But, to get you started, here are a few of my own top picks and must-sees.

• An Even Dozen "Must-See" Places in the United Kingdom
• The Seven Wonders of the United Kingdom
• UK Day Trips - Short Easy Away Days From London

Free Things To Do in the UK

Vacation fun in the UK doesn't have to cost a bundle. In fact, it doesn't really have to cost a penny. All of Britain's national museums - not just the ones in London - are free for everyone, every day. There's free access to most of the countryside too - for recreation, birdwatching, kite flying, you name it. These ideas and resources should steer you toward more than enough activities to fill a long vacation or loads of fine days out. Take public transportation and you won't even have to worry about the cost of petrol.

• 50 Free Things To Do in the UK
• Free Activities - Walking the Best UK Trails
• The Beautiful Beaches of England and Wales
• The IKON Gallery - A Stunning Artspace in a Converted Schoolhouse

• The Royal Armouries in Leeds
• The National Railway Museum
• Cycling in Scotland - The NCR 7 Around Loch Lomond and the Trossachs
• The Jurassic Coast - Fossil Hunting in Dorset

Royalty

Love them or hate them, Britain's Royals are impossible to ignore. Here's where you can satisfy your curiosity about Royal homes and palaces, find out how to attend annual Royal events, see Royal exhibitions and keep up with the comings and going of Britain's Royal Family, past and present.

• Plan a Visit to Windsor Castle
• Plan a Visit to Balmoral - The Queen's Private Estate
• Royal Ascot - The Social Event of the Year
• Althorp - Princess Diana's Childhood Home

Historic Homes and Stately Mansions

Treasures, fabulous grounds, amazing collections and even menageries. Visiting UK's historic homes, palaces and mansions offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the rich and famous of the past - and sometimes the present.

• Hardwick Hall, More Glass Than Wall
• Plan a Visit to Longleat
• Top 10 Stately Homes to Visit in the UK

• Plan a Visit to Traquair
• William Morris's Red House - English Home of the Arts&Crafts Movement
• London Away-Days: Plan a Visit to Beaulieu

Shopping

Napoleon called Britain a nation of shopkeepers. He probably meant it as an insult but, hey, it's a fair cop, Guv. The UK has some fabulous places to shop - for everything from cutting edge fashion to comforting classics. And the best part is you don't have to stay in London to find serious shop hound territory. So, get ready to whip out that plastic.

• Birmingham - Shopping Capital of the Midlands
• Visit Leeds Glorious Victorian Shopping Arcades
• Luxury Discount Shopping

• UK Department Stores - Get the Rundown on the Best...and the Worst
• Follow the Orkney Craft Trail
• Gift Buyers Guide

Food and Drink

There's a lot more than fish and chips on British tables these days. Raise a glass in a traditional pub, dine out in grand style, sample ethnic cuisines from the length and breadth of the British Commonwealth or bring the taste of Britain to your own kitchen with traditional recipes to try.

• Cheap Eats in the UK - 12 Money Saving Mealtime Ideas
• Food Safari - Days Out and Field to Fork Events in Suffolk
• The English Pub Pundit Visits the Old Cross Pub
• Visit a Scotch Whisky Distillery
• The Turf Tavern - Inspector Morse's Oxford Local
• The Best Burger in Britain?
• Foodie Heaven at Kirkgate Market and Leeds Corn Exchange

• The Pipe & Glass Inn, a Tasty Yorkshire Gastropub
• Finding Your Way in the Balti Triangle
• Top Tips For a Great Hotel Breakfast
• English Summertime Means Strawberries and Cream
• L'Ecole de Cuisine at Simpsons - Learn to Cook With a Master Chef
• Bangers and Mash to Cook at Home
• Romantic Restaurants with Rooms

Special Outings and Unusual Experiences

Sometimes you just want to do something a little different, hard to categorize, unique. The UK has loads of places and experiences like that - from murderous little villages and ghostly galleries to coastal forages for wild food, elephants in full suits of armor and journeys alongside Postman Pat.

• Plan A Tour to UK's UNESCO World Heritage Sites
• Ightham - A Peaceful English Village With a Murderous Heart
• The Indian War Elephant at Leeds Armouries
• Ghosts and Haunted Places

• Finding Buried Treasure in the UK
• Flamenco in London
• Cheese Rolling in Gloucestershire

Festivals and Seasonal Events

Plan your trip to take in one of the hundreds of festivals and special events that take place all over Britain. From celebrations of ancient traditions, to huge opera, theatre and rock festivals, something special is happening somewhere in England, Scotland, Wales and the Offshore Islands just about every day of the year.

• The Best Christmas Markets in the UK
• A Shakespearean Christmas
• Christmas Carols at English Cathedrals
• New Year's is Hogmanay In Scotland - Where New Year's Lasts Four Days
• The Best Winter Fire Festivals in Scotland
• Best Rock and Pop Festivals in the UK
• Romantic Inspirations for Lovers and Valentines
• Easter Egg Hunts and Easter Egg Rolls at Gardens and Stately Homes

• Quick Facts About the Brighton Fringe Festival
• The Chelsea Flower Show
• Wimbledon Fortnight
• Royal Ascot
• Festival Survival Guide - Top Tips for Glastonbury and the Music Festival Season
• Quick Facts About the Edinburgh Fringe Festival
• Summer Solstice at Stonehenge
• Glyndebourne Opera Festival - Britain's Most Elegant Opera Evenings

Arts and Entertainment

The UK has something for culture vultures of every persuasion. Theatre, literature, music and the visual arts are important elements of daily life in England, Scotland and Wales. Whether you're into Shakespearean theatre, Beatles nostalgia or indie music clubbing; the paintings of Old Masters or the latest art brat's unmade bed, you're bound to find your kind of entertainment amidst so much Great British creativity.

• The Royal Shakespeare Company - Where the Play's The Thing
• British Music Experience - A New, Interactive Attraction at the O2
• New Music and Old at the Cavern Club in Liverpool
• Clubbing and Nightlife in the UK
• What is a Panto - Find Out About Traditional British Pantomime

Family Fun

If you're heading for the UK, don't leave the kids at home. There's plenty to do for the whole family, including animal parks that are SO MUCH FUN, great family accommodations, family friendly walking and cycling vacations, Viking centers and loads more.

• Longleat Safari Park - A Kid's Eye View
• Top 10 Family Attractions in the UK
• Car-free Cycle Routes in Scotland
• The Swannery - Up Close and Personal with Wild Swans in Abbotsbury

• The Deep - The Northeast's Fabulous "Submarium"
• The Indian War Elephant - The World's Largest Animal Armor
• Out and About in the UK National Parks

Museums, Exhibitions and Galleries

The UK has hundreds of outstanding museums. Whatever your interest - fine art, applied art, science, history, arms and armor, costumes, furniture, music and musical instruments, and more - there's bound to be several a world class museum collections in the United Kingdom.

• The IKON Gallery in Birmingham
• The Royal Armouries in Leeds
• Britains Best Museums and Galleries - A Guide to Collections Around the UK
• The Must-See British Galleries of the Victoria and Albert Museum

Gardens and Garden Shows

English cottage gardens and the 18th century landscapes of Inigo Jones are justifiably famous all over the world. In the past, British horticulturalists traveled around the world to bring back rare and exotic specimens that would thrive in the UK's unique climates and microclimates. The gardens they created are bursting with pleasures to enjoy throughout the year and full of ideas to take home.

• Best Gardens to Visit
• Isabella Plantation at Richmond Park
• Garden Design at The Red House of William Morris
• Plan a Visit to RHS Wisley
• Fountains Abbey and Studley Water Garden

Sports

No true Brit ever let a little wet weather stand in the way of a day out sailing - or a football match for that matter. The British are a sporty bunch and there is plenty to enjoy as a spectator or a participant - regattas, tennis matches, famous horse races and horse shows; cycling, riding, skiing, even surfing. Pack your sporty gear and get moving.

• Wimbledon Fortnight
• The Grand National - The Greatest Steeplechase in the World
• Cowes Week - International Yacht Racing Round the Isle of Wight
• Dive the Shipwrecks of Scapa Flow

• The Henley Regatta - An Insider's Look
• Top Mountain Biking on the 7stanes Trails
• Golf in Scotland

The Great Outdoors

From the countryside to the coasts, the landscapes, national parks and beaches of the United Kingdom are wonderful places to explore throughout the year and in all kinds of weather.

• The Most Beautiful Beaches in Britain
• Quick Guide to the National Parks
• Loch Lomond - A Quick Guide to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park
• A Quick Guide to Snowdonia National Park

• The Lake District at a Glance
• Hike the Jurassic Coast of Dorset
• The Countryside Code of England and Wales
• The Scottish Outdoor Access Code

Nudism

Find nude beaches and learn about nude beach etiquette and nudity laws in Britain.

• A Guide to UK Nude Beaches
• Morfa Dyffryn in Wales
• Pednevounder in Cornwall
• UK Law on Public Nudity
• Nude Beach Behavior