I can’t believe Grant and I visit the UK in about six weeks! As a lot of you know, I lived in Brighton for two years and traveled a lot throughout the UK in that time. I can’t wait to show him around and discover new places with him. I haven’t been there since I left in late 2018 and am really emotional about going back even if it’s just to visit
Here are some things I want Grant to experience:
General
These are some things we can do most any time, anywhere throughout our stay.
1. Eat an English breakfast: I’ll force-feed him the beans if I have to, they’re the best part!
2. Eat fish and chips
3. Visit friends: I have friends scattered throughout the UK, hopefully they can meet me where we’re at.
4. Drink my favorite cider: Symonds: I only know of a few places that serve it on tap and have never seen it bottled, hopefully it’s still around.
5. Drink at Wetherspoons
6. Take my Christmas card picture: Usually my brothers and I will take a picture together for the family Christmas card, but since I won’t be home until Christmas, I’ll have to have a picture of myself solo.
7. Eat at Honest Burger: A restaurant I love that has a lot of locations throughout the UK
8. Ride a double decker bus in the front row
9. Get meaningful souvenirs: I love getting postcards (cheap and easy to take home with me) but I’ll also grab a few things to remember this trip.
10. Drink mulled cider
11. Eat a Linda McCartney meal: We don’t have these frozen vegetarian/vegan delicacies in the US
Brighton
This is where we’ll spend the most time, four days. I want to show Grant everything about my favorite place.
12. Eat at Happy Maki: Amazing vegan sushi burritos
13. Shop in North Laine/The Lanes: Especially Snooper’s Paradise, the ultimate antique store
14. Stroll through the Pavilion Gardens
15. Go to Bonfire Night in Lewes: My favorite holiday!
16. Play arcade games on the Palace Pier
17. Go up the i360 Tower
18. Visit Beachy Head/Seven Sisters: Obviously, weather pending.
19. Walk through The Level park
20. Visit SeaLife: As marine biologists, we have to see the oldest aquarium in the world
21. Eat at VIP: Some of the best pizza I’ve had outside of Italy
22. Visit Queen’s Head pub: Where I used to work!
23. Visit Revenge bar: The gay club, hopefully there’s a drag show on
24. Visit World’s End pub: So we can race cars and play Brighton Monopoly
25. Visit Hope and Ruin pub: My all-time favorite pub
26. Show off my old stomping ground at University of Sussex
Liverpool
This is the one place we’re visiting that I’ve never been to. These are just ideas I’ve gotten off TripAdvisor, but please leave more suggestions in the comments!
27. Visit the Merseyside Maritime Museum
28. Stomp around the Royal Albert dock
29. Probably something Beatles related
Edinburgh
My second favorite city in the UK after Brighton. This will be my third time there!
30. Eat a deep fried Mars bar/Snickers
31. Take a walking tour
32. Take a ghost walking tour: Or give one myself as I can probably recall a lot of what I’ve heard over the years
33. Eat at Oink
34. Eat at The City Cafe: Oddly, this “American” restaurant does a mean English/Scottish breakfast
35. Visit Calton Hill
36. Walk the Royal Mile
37. Visit Arthur’s Seat: Again, weather pending
38. Visit Dean Village: I’d love to stroll around the idyllic part of the city, I’ve never been.
39. Pub hop in Grassmarket: There is something so magical about drinking in the shadow of the castle
London
We’re only in London for a couple of days so we won’t do everything on this list, but hopefully hit a few museums, meet up with friends and walk around.
40. See a play/musical at West End: I will not see a musical I’ve already seen, I will not see a musical I’ve already seen…
41. Visit Word on the Water bookshop
42. Walk Tower Bridge
43. Visit Sky Garden: Free views! If I can book on time…
44. Visit Camden Market: and stuff our faces with all the amazing street food
45. Visit Trafalgar Square
46. Walk Millennium Bridge
47. Visit the National Gallery
48. Visit Tate Modern
49. Walk through Covent Garden
50. Walk through St. James Park: I much prefer it to Hyde Park
51. See Big Ben: Is it still under construction?
52. See Buckingham Palace
53. Visit the British Museum
Well, this will keep us busy for the two-week trip! I’m getting more excited by the day, it’s come so quick.
Do you have any more suggestions?
Have Fun! Keep in touch if you can. We’ll miss you-especially on the holidays!
Love,
A. Charlene