Family Tours of England

In London enjoy a trip to the Harry Potter film studios, a walking tour totally customized to your interests, or for sports fans, trips to Wembley Stadium, Lords, Twickenham or Wimbledon! Further afield, be like Henry VIII at Hampton Court, or stay in the same castle that Anne Boleyn once stayed in! Walk along York’s city walls – the original walls date back almost 2,000 years! Enjoy Jane Austen’s Bath and its Roman Baths or the spectacular small towns and villages of Dorset – Thomas Hardy country.

One of the most glorious regions in all of Europe is the Cotswolds. Walk country paths from village to village (we’ll take your luggage) or go biking through bucolic farm fields. Enjoy high tea in beautiful towns or take in the sights of Downton Abbey where the filming took place! Most of all just lose yourself in some of the prettiest landscapes anywhere!

Try traditional English treats such as scones loaded with jam and cream, traditional fish and chips wrapped in yesterday’s newspaper, bangers and mash, Cadbury’s Fingers, every kind of pie you can imagine and much, much more!

Day 1
On arrival at one of London’s major airports you’ll be met and transferred to your hotel in the center. Usually, we book hotels near one of London’s iconic green spaces like Hyde Park or Kensington Gardens. The rest of the day is free at leisure.

Days 2/3/4
It is almost impossible to condense all that London has to offer into 3 days! That’s why we use our experience and expertise to narrow your choice down so that we give you the very best experience of the city in a short time. Our selection of possibilities is huge so we work with you to make sure your time spent in this great city is absolutely memorable.

This is just a sampling of what we have:

Day 5
Today a complete change of pace! You’ll take the train out to the Cotswolds, one of England’s prettiest areas. The Cotswolds means walking cobbled paths from quaint village to village; exploring castles, enjoying a pint in a traditional pub or tea in a 500 year old building!

On arrival you’ll be met by our guide and transferred to your lovely B&B in a quintessential English village.

Days 6/7
Depending on your preferences, we have designed 3 different styles of travel for your stay in the Cotswolds! As always we are totally flexible so we can mix and match.

1. For the next 3 days you will walk the Cotswolds! Starting at your B&B, and with your luggage being transferred for you, you’ll walk the gorgeous green valleys and fields of this wonderful area. Along the way you’ll pass through some of the area’s loveliest locations – Bourton – on – the Water, Broadway, Chipping Campden, Stow on the Wold, Painswick, Upper and Lower Slaughter and more. You’ll sleep in quaint B&B’s or 16th century inns and eat local food along the way. The length of your daily walks will be predetermined by you and you can easily walk unguided with our maps or with a guide if you wish.
2. The above can also easily be done by bike or a combination of bike and walking! How about a day of walking the famous Cotswold Way from lovely Winchcombe village to Sudeley castle?
3. If you prefer to take it easy, our expert local guides will spend these 3 days showing you the best of the Cotswolds including Blenheim Palace, Broadway Tower, Highgrove Gardens (overseen by the Prince of Wales) and many more. Your guide will also show you to the best pubs and tea rooms, all obligatory stops when in England!

Day 8
Today you will be transferred to the train station and catch the train to York in the North of England. On arrival you’ll be met and transferred to your hotel in the center. Our expert local Yorkshire guide will be waiting to meet you and show off this incredible region!

Days 8/9/10
George VI said “the history of York, is the history of England” and we agree! Our tour will take you on a guided walking tour around this great city — bringing to life the history behind the city from Romans and Vikings to Normans, Tudors, Georgians and Victorians. We will also be able to visit the jewel in the crown – York Minster. There is so much to see and do in this fantastic city – besides the Cathedral (York Minster), The Shambles is possibly the most recognizable walking street in England; Clifford’s Tower just drips with history and we can meander along the city walls – the original walls date back to 71AD!

When you’re tired we have to stop in at Betty’s Tea Room and enjoy their local delicacy — Fat Rascals! And York is also famous for its multitude of candy shops all over the Shambles. It’s hard not to stop in a few times to do some tasting!

Days 9/10
You may want to do more touring in York itself. Be warned though that the area offers a LOT so 2 full days will still leave you wanting much more! We could do a movie/tv themed day out. Well known productions like All Creatures Great and Small, Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax and Bridgerton have many local filming locations. Even Harry Potter has some scenes filmed here!

We could spend a day visiting some of Yorkshire’s most famous old Abbeys (ruins), Priories and Heritage Houses. Places like Fountains Abbey, Bolton Priory and Castle Howard will take your breath away.

Or we can spend a day on the famous Yorkshire Dales – places like Wensleydale, Wharfdale and the market town of Hawes. Stunning countryside, hear stories of times past and enjoy some real local Yorkshire food! You’ll also never be far away from Yorkshire cheese! There are (approximately) over two thousand types of local cheese! You can’t try them all but we will make sure you get a handsome sampling!

Day 11 – Back to London
Sadly today it’s time to take the train back to London and on to your next destination! (We can extend this itinerary further into England or into Scotland on request)

England is wonderful in Spring and Summer (April – June and July – September). It is popular all year round but can get pretty wet in winter! In fact in England one has to be prepared for rain every day no matter what time of year it is!

England just might be the best family destination of all! It has established itself as a perfect destination for families! History is everywhere in the form of palaces, castles, cathedrals, Roman ruins and incredible documents and objects ranging from the Magna Carta and the Rosetta Stone to Beatles’ original lyrics on scraps of paper in the British Library!

Everything and anything! In London go to a pub where Dickens went; watch a Premier league soccer game or go to the theatre on the West End; enjoy a Jack the Ripper walking tour, indulge in a scrumptious High Tea or visit the Warner Brothers Harry Potter film studio! Outside of London walk through glorious countryside in the Cotswolds or in Yorkshire and sleep in 500 year old guesthouses in quaint villages, get lost in the great maze at Hampton Court or in Roman York’s great Shambles streets after which you can enjoy the local speciality, a Fat Rascal at Betty’s Tea House! And the big surprise – England has wonderful beaches!

Not too long ago, England’s food had a very poor reputation. No longer. Besides age old favorites like fish and chips or shepherd’s pie, England has every ethnic cuisine imaginable – Indian, Middle Eastern, Italian, French, Caribbean, Chinese, Morrocan, Japanese – the list is endless. And England has excellent sandwich shops on almost every street so it’s a great place for eating on the go!

Accommodation can include intimate boutique hotels, large North American and European chain hotels and lovely guesthouses and B&B’s. There’s also the option of staying overnight in a castle where Anne Boleyn once slept! Staying overnight in an English country guest house is a great way to interact with local people.

England is not a cheap destination. However outside of London one can find excellent value in accommodations and food. At Quivertree we are experts at mixing free activities into your trip so don’t worry!