Things we learned from a week in the U.K.

[diva_dynamite]

First of all - it's expensive. At the time of writing this, it costs about $1.66 to buy 1 GBP. It was worse a year ago, but it still makes budget travel a real challenge. We spent most of our time in Oxford (DH was presenting at a conference), but DS and I took a little side trip to York, then we all spent 2 days and a night in London.
Before you go, contact your cell phone company and see if your phone will work in the U.K. and what your company will charge you. We live in an area that uses a technology not used in the U.K., so we had to buy unlocked phones to use just in the U.K. With increased security though, we couldn't buy minutes from the U.S., and couldn't use a U.S. credit card to buy minutes in the U.K. - paying with cash from the phone retailer's store was the only way.
If possible, don't use your credit card at a payphone. I learned this the hard way. A U.S. company called WorldPhone has scammed many many people (do a google search & you'll see) by charging them tens of dollars per minute, plus a connection fee, for calling from a payphone with a credit card. No rates are posted on the phones, so you don't know til you get your statement.
Money: Contact your bank and credit card companies to tell them you're going out of town. That way, they won't block your card because they suspect fraud. You can take a U.S. debit card (with a Visa or MC logo) to a U.K. ATM to withdraw money. We weren't charged fees by Barclay's, Lloyd's or HSBC ATMs. Our home credit union charged us a 1% exchange fee. Capital One does not charge a fee for using their cards overseas. Other companies can charge multiple fees, so call your company to find out.
Safety: I felt very safe wherever we were. In a couple of crowded train stations, DH & I felt we were being watched to see if we'd be distracted away from our bags, but that was it. I had a great over-the-shoulder bag I found at Shopko in which I carried cash, our passports and railpasses. It had zippered pockets inside zippered pockets, and a good heavy webbing strap. Just be vigilant.

[diva_dynamite]

If you're going to be staying in town, consider not renting a car. Traffic was crazy in each of the cities we were in, and most of the sights were within walking distance, at least in the smaller towns. However, transportation was the most confusing part of the trip preparation for us, since we don't have a lot of experience with large-city public transportation options at home. The buses and trains we took were all very clean and on time. If you're going to be taking public transit multiple times in a day, definitely check on getting a day pass, or at the very least, buying a return ticket if you're going back and forth over the same route in a day. If you'll be traveling multiple times in a day, whole-day passes will save you a lot. If you have a train pass, you may also be able to get a bus pass at a huge discount.
If you'll be going between towns, you may save money by getting a BritRail pass (but it's not a given). They can only be purchased in the U.S., and at the time of writing this, you can get a free child pass with the purchase of an adult pass. If you're only making a couple of trips, you may be better off buying a round trip ticket and going during off-peak times. You can compare prices by going between britrail.com and National Rail Enquiries. For London city transport, check here for your options. A lot depends on how long you'll be there, and how much ground you plan to cover. The London Underground was a fairly efficient way to get around if you don't mind crowds, even on a weekend (we couldn't imaging going on a weekday during rush hour). Some stations had escalators & elevators, but many did not - making it very difficult for someone with mobility issues (or even when carrying suitcases from a station to a hotel, as my husband and his back can attest). We didn't take any buses in London, and ended up ditching the Tube after a few stressful trips of pushing & shoving. Taxis are expensive.
However, you can save a lot of serious money by walking. A lot of money. Just make sure you get comfortable shoes. Try them out for a long time before you go - I thought mine were broken in and comfortable, but by the end of my first day of walking for 8 hours, I thought I would die. And I still had a whole week to go. Remember that you may be walking on cobblestones and other uneven ground, too, so support is very important.

[diva_dynamite]

So you're there, now what? Well, luckily, if you like history, Britain's the place for you. And, thanks to lottery proceeds, many of the country's best museums are free, including (in London alone): the Victoria & Albert, the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, and the British Library (not really a museum, but the Rare Treasures Collection is amazing, housing the Magna Carta, among other things). Some museums are open later one evening a week, so it's wise to do a little planning ahead of time by checking their websites.
Just walking around, you could find yourself buying fruit from a market that has been in daily operation for over 200 years (Oxford), or walking along the top of a wall built during the Roman empire (York). It makes one realize just how short of a time America has been around as a country. It's very humbling.
The one thing that didn't really impress us was the restaurant food. I qualify that because I really thought the markets had great prices on fruits & veggies (DS & I fell in love with the Italian peaches from the market in Oxford, a treat at only about 45c each), and there were good cheeses & meats to be found in the grocery stores for making your own (cheap!!) sandwiches. We did have a couple of good meals in Oxford & York (notably, not 'British' food). However, after feeling really ripped off by expensive not-so-good food a few too many times, we finally broke my self-imposed "no American fast-food chains" rule and had a good old-fashioned McDonald's lunch in London. I thought I'd discovered a real secret, but I later saw it in a Rick Steves' guide book: a grocery chain called Marks & Spencer. They have a lot of their own self-branded items, and the quality is very good. We tried a few different very good English cheeses for only 99p each (about $1.60/4oz), and a fantastic Wiltshire ham for only 1GBP for enough to make 2 hearty sandwiches. Go towards the end of the afternoon (they usually close at 6) for the best mark-downs. Regular prices for breads & pastries in their bakery were unbeatable. They were my go-to place for getting pretty much everything I could. In town, you won't find large Tesco's or other groceries, but even the small Sainsbury Locals, Tesco Expresses & Marks & Spencer Simply Food were a good buy. Poundland ("Yes, everything's a pound!") had drinks for either 4 or 2 for 1GBP.
Souvenirs were not really in the budget, but we did try to find small things just to remember our family. I wish I'd thought of it sooner, but nice postage stamps could be a great inexpensive gift for a collector, or someone who does collages/scrapbooking/decoupage, etc. I pressed some little daisies I picked in a London park to give to someone else. You don't always need to get something huge, sometimes just knowing that you thought of someone will make them happy. Of course, there are always photos that can be printed and framed, especially if you can get a nice family shot.
Hopefully, there's something in these posts that can help someone. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to PM me.

[jenn1fer]

This is a really lovely write up. Being a Brit it made me homesick. How I miss Marks and Spencer :sad:

Great advice and the public transport can be really confusing and the pricing for public transport prices can vary throughout the day especially with trains but at most stations there is a little office to buy tickets and you can ask them the cheapest way to take a journey. It might involve going after 9.30am or making a change or two but the price can go down an awful lot.

[hcwhcw]

Agreed, good write-up. Lots of interesting useful details. Although the spacing or paragraph breaks seem messed up. Makes it a little hard to read. Thanks for posting info! :-)

[pwetypweas]

I have to agree - even though my trip was in 1997 the restaurant food was just awful! I even tried the "American" chains (like McDonalds, Burger King, KFC - remember I was a teen so ate a lot of fast food anyway) and they were just not good. I think they have a very different sense of flavor/taste than Americans do. I ended up buying a lot of bread and cheese (which was fabulous!) from stores and just making sandwiches.

[texwifeinct]

My favorite place to eat in London is St. Martin in the Fields basement. Creme' Brule' that will send you straight into ecstasy.

[tealover]

Interesting read, being British myself I'd say check out the pub food, usually cheap and delicious! Plus you have to have a pint while you are in there.

Marks and Spencer is also well known as the place to buy underwear, go figure!

[diva_dynamite]

Originally Posted by tealover Marks and Spencer is also well known as the place to buy underwear, go figure!

One-stop shopping!

[Hina]

This is what I am dying to know:

Do they still charge you for using public restrooms?

Do they now give you enough ice with your soda at the local McDonalds?