A Hop Across The Pond
England has always been somewhere I admired and wanted to go, but was not necessarily at the top of my travel list. But when a flight to Manchester, England popped up on Scotts Cheap Flights for nearly 1/3rd of the price I could not resist.
My best friend Catherine and I booked our flights for August, right before school started. To get the cheap flights we chose to fly out of Houston, TX so there was a little leg added to our adventure getting to Texas and back from Arkansas.
As we began to plan our trip we used resources like Google Maps, Pinterest, & asking friends who had been there.
We hopped on the plane in Houston, flew to Atlanta (where we thought we were going to miss our flight) and then to Manchester. Big shoutout to Virgin Airlines for having the best customer service! Their flight attendants were so sweet and served passengers well. I also go a whole row to myself on an overnight flight so I can’t complain.
We arrived in Manchester around 9 AM. While I had gotten some sleep on the flight, jet lag still hit hard when we arrived. We could not check into out Air B n B till later so we killed some time eating a classic English breakfast and hopping from coffee shop to coffee shop till check in time. Once we had freshened up and took a quick nap our English adventures began!
My thoughts on Manchester are this: You know the the kid who was weird in high school and then went off to college and became super cool. Well thats Manchester. When you think of England you probably first think of London, but I would say Manchester is worth a visit!
Transportation is good in Manchester. We only used the free bus and Ubered once; you can walk everywhere else! I would suggest walking too! Not only does it give you a better feel for where you are, but you get to smell the flowers that are on every single window seal and take in your surroundings better.
Quick Guide To Manchester
Things to See
-Rylands Library
This is a gorgeous old library with stunning stain glass and old statues that are worth seeing. If that doesn’t convince you, they also have really old wooden toilets that are in a little chamber thats kinda cool.
-Town Hall
Town halls and bell towers are always a classic European tour sight! It was under construction when we went, but if you get the chance to go in I hear it is stunning.
-The Patagonia Store
One of my goals for the trip was to go to a Patagonia store. As Catherine and I were walking around town we stumbled upon one. Turns out it was the only Patagonia store in the UK! What are the odds that we would happen to find it!
Places to Eat
-Dishoom
If there is one place you eat in Manchester let it be here! Dishoom is a Iranian Indian food restaurant that is well worth the wait. I have traveled to India and eaten similar Iranian Indian food, but hot dang this was so good. The atmosphere is incredible and Catherine swears by their old fashion cocktail. Don’t miss this dinner spot.
-Able HeyWood
If you are looking for some classic english food and drink look no further! Not only is their food good, but their gin and tonics have some really fun flavors. England is know for their gin and have lots of festivals in the summer. I got the elderberry one and it was delightful.
Coffee Shops to Visit
-Trove Ancoats Cafe
While we waited to check into our Air B n B we found this gem. Trove Ancoats was by far one of my favorite stops in the city. With its light and inviting environment you want walk by without wanting to go in. They have a generous selection of pastries and a lovely coffee menu. We did not eat their lunch, but peoples plates around us made me want to try it
A lifesaving thing to have when you are traveling England is a rail pass. (There are discounts for students.) A rail pass is the cheapest option for across country transportation. On our second day we began to use the rail pass as we boarded at train to take us to Edale- a tiny town in the peaks district to go hiking.
The train winded through the lovely rolling hills on a light rain tickled the window. I looked out the window the whole way and determined there were too many sheep dotting the hillsides to count.
Upon arrival we stopped and asked for directions at the small coffee shop near the train station. Even though their directions were good the signs were not. Hesitantly, we keep walking hoping it would be the trail we wanted to hike. Thankfully it was! On our march to the top, and subsequently into a cloud, we got soaked with the heavy mist that topped the hills. Yet, the view was totally worth the wind and rain we endured. Our hike on Man Tor did not disappoint
Edale- A must visit if you are in Manchester
Hike: Man Tor
Coffee Shop: It’s the only one there. You cant miss it! It is very cute and hits the spot when you are soaked and chilled.
Lunch: Rambler Inn. Again, you can’t miss it. It’s the only pub in town. Just walk up the hill from the coffee shop. It will be on your left.
Next Stop: London!
4 hours south of Manchester by train lies the famed London. There is so much to see, eat, and do there. Catherine and I spent 3 days exploring. If you are a big city or museum person you could easily do a week.
There is so much history in the city and cool old and important buildings to see. To make sure we saw all we needed to see we did a self guided walking tour around the key spots like Buckingham Palace, Downing street, Westminster Abby, ect. The tour took a few hours and we stopped at each spot to read what the guide said about the place or its relevance. In the summer it is fairly crowded as it is a popular tourist destination.
Guide to London
Places to Eat
London has some incredible food. I think during the whole trip food might have been my biggest expense because we ate at some really great places. Here are some MUST eats in London.
-Blacklock
Make your reservation ahead of time because you want a seat at this table. does a special of a Sunday Roast. It is a meal to die for! (It is only on Sundays per the name.) Following your very filling main meal you can get cheesecake as well. Catherine and I each said wanted our own and the waiter looked at us like we were crazy. Now, I won’t say we regretted each getting our own bowl, but I was beyond full of amazing food after.
-The Aqua Shard
There’s a few great things about this restaurant. One, if you eat here anytime you watch a movie that takes place in London you can point it out to people. Second, the views and food are so good. The Shard is one of the tallest buildings in London that has offices in it with restaurant at the top. Again, you are going to need a reservation but they are really easy to get. Make sure you ask for a window seat! Fun fact, you can see the London Bridge from the restaurant as well. We got the 3 course meal. It came with prosecco and desert. Would recommend!
-Maltby Street Market
I know I keep saying this is a must stop but really, guys, you have to go here! Maltby street is a narrow ally filled with food vendors that have any type or nationality of food you could imagine. Then, tucked in the walls there are other restaurants and bakeries that have delicious goods. Choosing what you want for lunch is hard. Catherine and I both went with Arepa’s that can be found at La Pepiá followed with a cream filled donut at the bakery right next to it.
-Baker Street
Fan of Sherlock Holmes? Then this is for you! The famed 221 Baker Street home is real! I didn’t pay to go in the museum but that is always an option.
-Regents Park
If you are already on Baker Street might as well finish your walk down the block and take a stroll around Regents Park! The flowers and ponds are lovely!
Bring an umbrella. A rain coat is good but an umbrella is better. It will most likely rain and you do not want to be like me who had to spend half a day soaking wet.
Things to Do and See
Narrowing down what were wanted to see and do in our limited days was really hard and there is always more you can do. Here are a few of my favorites and more highly recommended things!
-Walking tour of the big stuff
I mentioned this above but the walking tour helps guide you through the iconic London sites in a really efficient manner rather than spreading them out over a few days. If you google self guided walking tour of London you can take your pick!
-The British Library
Secrets out. I am a sucker for good library and books. If you are like me than the British library will not disappoint. Towering shelves of books lay before you when you walk in. There is a super dope museum; we got to see the Magna Carta which honestly was a day maker. The library also has a few really cute and well designed coffee shops. So while this is library it is also a museum! Even if you’re not into books the library is a great spot to take trendy photos.
-Shoreditch
This London neighborhood is bursting with cool graffiti, cute shops, pubs that are bopping good music at night, and amazing food. Easily one of the most hip neighborhoods in London. Shoreditch is perfect to spend an afternoon in and then grab dinner at Blacklock! This is where our Air B n B was and it was pretty conveniently located.
-Lambs Conduit Street and Persephone Books
If you are by London School of Economics or have a few extra hours head over to Lambs Conduit Street. There are a lot of cute little shops and a book store that is particularly cool! Persephone books publishes only female authors; many of the books are published after the author is dead so they are hidden treasures of sorts!
Tips to make your visit to London better
2. Get an Oyster Card! This card allows you to preload money on it to use on the subway. They can be bought and reloaded at any station. Start with $10 and then add more if needed.
-London School of Economics
LSE’s campus is really pretty and a fun place to walk through. Since we were there in the summer it was dead quite and felt like we were walking in our own private little kingdom.
3. Eat a light breakfast to save money for your nicer meals. London has some really good food despite England being known for its bland food. I’m really glad I saved for our bigger meals.
Onward: To Oxford
After our lunch at the Shard Catherine and I ran (literally) to the train station to catch the next train to Oxford. We made it in a matter of minutes! Around and hour and fifteen minutes later we arrived in what would soon be my favorite town in England.
Oxford is know for a few reasons. One, the university. Two, it’s where Harry Potter was filmed. The campus doubles as Hogwarts. Three, it is home to two of my all time favorite authors: C.S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien! There is so much magic in the air as you walk the streets; it’s like a dream. The whole town seems to be the University and the buildings are spectacular. We only spent an afternoon here so just walking around the town was a perfect way to see it all.
A few stops that I would highly suggest:
-Take a Walk around Campus
The town and campus are so intertwined honestly walking around if you have a short time will cover lots of bases. You might have a sore neck afterwards from looking up at all the breathtaking architecture! There are a few places you can pay to go in like the library which is well worth it if you have time.
-The Eagle and Child
J. R. R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis used to hang out here all the time and the pub is filled the memorabilia of them. If you are lucky you may be able to snag a seat in the front room where they used to hang out and talk for hours. P.S. the food is good too if you like classic English food. Might I suggest the pot pie?
-The Covered Market
As the name says its a covered market. Inside you will find artisan goods of all kinds from hand decorated cakes to jewelry to fun dress shops. It’s a little hidden so getting to it is an adventure of itself.
Hopped back on the train to head to the coast!
After a incredibly dreamy evening at Oxford filled with warm sun, first edition books (an expensive, but worthy purchase), and a delightful dinner at The Eagle and Child we headed back to London, packed up, and then Ubered to the train station the next morning where we actually did miss our train. I know we sound like almost miss a lot of things, but thankfully there are lots of trains. We only had to wait 5 minutes for the next train that was also heading towards the coast.
Brighton had been described to us the Austin of England. Kinda funky, but totally dope! I was really excited to visit this colorful seaside town.
Our train was fairly early in the morning and the ride was not that long; we had some time to kill before we could check into our Air B n B. A friend who had studied abroad in Brighton recommended her favorite breakfast spot so we made a beeline there to grab some coffee and chill before check in! If you are looking for a coffee shop I highly recommend GAIL’s Bakery.
Noon rolled around and we checked into our Air BnB which was in the Lanes. To get to the Lanes you have to weave in and out small corridors and then it opens up a flag filled square. The Air BnB was centrally located in Brighton- a good walking distance from all you would want to see.
The afternoon started with a walk around the shops and then we bought our bus passes on Brighton & Hove to go out to the Seven Sisters Cliffs for a hike. We really had no clue where we were going so we just jumped off at a random stop. Two older fellows guided us to a good trail. We passed old houses in the middle of sheep fields that make me want to retire there and sip tea, read books, and talk about the good old days with my future husband.
The 7 Sisters Cliffs face France. On a good day you may be able to see it!
What they don’t tell you about the 7 Sisters Cliffs in the 7 Sisters dips that you have to walk up and down. Catherine and I were sweaty, but elated the with views. We hoped back on the bus that ran down to a town called Seaborne which is "is a sleepy yet, inviting coastal town where we sat at a cafe and ate a scone and sipped some tea.
Quick Guide to Brighton
Places to Eat
-Fatto O Mona Pizzaria
Nestled in the Lanes is the most authentic Italian pizza I’ve had since going to Italy! It’s always crowded but it’s worth the wait!
-GAIL’s Cafe
I already mentioned this one but I gotta state it again. The selection is massive and delicious.
-The Pond
The Pond is the perfect place to end your evening , grab a beer, and enjoy the fun interior design!
Things to see
-Seven Sisters Cliffs
Sussex is amazing and the 7 Sisters Cliff’s fall into the same category! Wether you hike a large portion of the cliffs or just walk the grassy path out to the beach you won’t be disappointed.
-Visit the Pier
Brighton’s Peer stretches out into the Ocean and topped by an arcade and fair games! At night the ocean seems to glow at dusk.
From it’s lovely and quaint country side to the hustle and royalty laced in the streets of London, England will steal your heart. There is so much more I wish to see in England and the rest of the UK but 'til then, Cheerio!
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