10 Kick Ass Reasons to Visit the United Kingdom

Disclosure: Advertising and affiliate services, including Amazon Associates, help the cost of running my blog. Clicking ads or making purchases through affiliate links may, at no additional cost to you, earn me a small commission. I appreciate your support.

The United Kingdom, Great Britain, Blighty. Whatever you choose to call it, make sure you visit at least once in your life. And I don’t just mean London. London is not the United Kingdom. Well, it is, obviously. But there is a lot more to the UK than just London, as beautiful a big city as it is. And it’s not all bad food, bad teeth and rain. There’s so much more than the UK can be celebrated for. In fact some of the best reasons to visit the United Kingdom are not even the ones you would think of, but they’ll have you ready to pack your bags anyway. Keep reading to find out what they are. Check out these amazing places to visit in the UK that are not London.

Top 10 reasons to visit the United Kingdom

Sure London is pretty, and big and full of fun and interesting things to see and do. But you can’t base your view of the UK on London alone. You have to venture further. And the country is the perfect size to allow you to do that. I currently live in Canada where I have been for the last 10 years, and it would take me about 10 hours just to drive to the next province. The UK on the other hand…I could almost drive the length of it in that time. And with a wicked train system you don’t even have to drive it. Just buy a ticket and get exploring. But if you still need convincing, here are some of my kick ass reasons to visit the United Kingdom.

Castles

Heck yeah! Castles are awesome. Don’t let anyone tell you anything different. To be able to go into these historic structures which have existed in the British Isles for more time than your country might have been a country is ridiculously cool. They weren’t all built as luxury homes for the country’s royal family. In fact a lot of castles were more for defensive purposes like the 900+ year old castle in my hometown of Carlisle in the North. Being that close to Scotland (and sometimes even a part of it) the castle saw it’s fair share of action. Castles in the UK are like temples in Thailand. They’re everywhere and every one of them is different to the last. Read more about my hometown of Carlisle.

Bloody history

The stuff they teach you in school is often bloodier than an R rated movie, and again hard to believe sometimes. But if you ever need reasons to visit the United Kingdom, its impressive history is one of them. Just learning about all the Kings and Queens is interesting enough, and not just the guy with all the unfortunate wives. The UK might be small, but that means it’s had its fair share of invaders who wished they’d never messed with Britannia. The castles will only tell you half the story, so seek out some local history wherever you go and by the end of your trip you won’t even flinch when you hear someone was hung, drawn and quartered Game of Thrones style.

The rolling green hills

Despite the political views of many in the country, the UK is not all sadistic, blood thirsty tyrants. So let’s move on from the bloody history and focus on one of the best reasons to visit the United Kingdom. It’s green. So green. Another thing you won’t notice if you only visit London. Take a train away from the big smoke and within 15 minutes you’ll be cruising through rolling green hills that can only mean you’ve made it to the gorgeous countryside of Britain. I guess all that rain has its perks huh?! Just because the scenery is not dramatic mountains or white sand beaches doesn’t mean it isn’t beautiful. Because driving through the countryside of the UK is one of my favorite things to do, and always makes me feel like I’m home.

Everyone sounds different

The varied dialects of the UK are always one of the most interesting parts about traveling around there. It’s crazy that such a small place can have so many regional accents. While the Brits would be aghast if you think everyone sounds either like Oliver Twist or Hugh Grant, these are the most commonly portrayed British accents. But take a trip in any direction of the UK and you’ll hear the dialects change with it. And I don’t just mean the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish accents, but everything in between. Chatting with locals is a great way to learn the differing tones as you travel, and by the end of the trip you’ll find yourself trying to guess what someone’s accent is. Word to the wise: just don’t mix up the Northerners and Southerners.

The weather

It rains all the time. Or at least that’s what everyone tells you. The truth is though that the British love nothing more than to talk about/complain about the weather. But the weather is the main reason you get such amazing landscapes like the aforementioned rolling green hills. But you want to know the good news about the British weather? Even when it’s bad there’s things to do. We’ve prepared for it. Lots of indoor activities, lots of cozy pubs with roaring fires and friendly locals. Although it can rain at the drop of a hat, the summers can be quite lovely and you won’t find extreme temperatures like a lot of places. I’ve been in Canada long enough to know that the extreme cold and hot humid summers will never happen in the UK. Here’s my guide on enjoying a trip to the Lake District in the winter.

Harry Potter

The wait is over. You were worried I wouldn’t mention Mr. Potter weren’t you? Truth is, I figured I should at least wait until the halfway point in these reasons to visit the United Kingdom before I dropped the fact that I’m a huge Harry Potter nerd. Go team Slytherin! While anyone who’s anyone wants to do the Harry Potter Studio Tour, there are other places in the UK where you can get your Potter fix. Visit Durham Cathedral or Alnwick Castle in the North East of England which were both used as filming sites for Hogwarts Castle. Or take a ride on the Hogwarts Express (really the Jacobite Express) from Fort William in Scotland. If you like Harry Potter as much as I do you’re going to want to explore more of the UK than London and relive your favorite moments.

The food

I’m actually not kidding. While it’s long been considered that the UK has some terrible food, there is no greater start to the day than a Full English breakfast. No greater afternoon snack than a hot, buttered crumpet. And no greater place than a warm British pub that serves a Sunday Roast. The food might not always be luxury cuisine, but the UK is getting better as showcasing some of its traditional dishes, elevated for even out-of-towners to enjoy. Celebrity chefs like Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver and Marco Pierre White all have restaurants in the UK that make you proud to be British by the amazing top notch food they serve. But again, I urge you to leave London for part of your trip and eat in some local establishments for hearty, home cooked grub!

Remember to take a reusable water bottle with you on your travels, like this one from FastTech

Music

I grew up on the British classics that shaped music worldwide: The Beatles, Queen, Rolling Stones, David Bowie just to name a few. But as a child of the Nineties I also have a patriotic affinity to Oasis, Garbage, Stereophonics, Snow Patrol and more. The UK music scene is incredibly varied and it might well influence where you want to visit in the UK. Celebrate the Beatles by heading to Liverpool. Wander around the old haunts of Amy Winehouse in Camden. And if you go to Scotland make sure you check out some live folk music in a pub because there’s nothing like it.

Gorgeous coastlines

I’ll let you in on a secret….you know the good thing about islands? You’re never far away from the sea. Whether you’re able to take a stroll along a sandy beach like Barafundle Bay near Pembroke in Wales, go surfing in Cornwall or brave the wind for a walk along the white cliffs of Dover, there’s coastlines galore. It’s not a British summer unless you’re making your way to the seaside with a bucket and spade in one hand and an ice cream cone in the other. There are the popular, more busy beaches and then there are the dramatic coastlines that make for some epic photos like Whitby which has literary connections to Dracula. And if you’re really up for a trip, head North to some of Scotland’s islands or get your Game of Thrones fix in Northern Ireland.

Beer

Saving one of the best reasons to visit the United Kingdom ’til last. And I have to reassure you that despite all stereotypes we Brits do not drink our beer warm. We like it cold and well poured, but many genuine ales are better cold or cellar temperature, but not necessarily chilled. But whether you’re on a patio somewhere in the rare and fleeting British summer, or by a warm fireplace in a cozy pub, we do have some good local beers. So meet some locals, listen to live music or play a pub trivia game, drink some delicious frothy beverages and walk through the countryside to get to the best pubs in Britain.

The best reasons to visit the United Kingdom

Hopefully these are some good reasons to visit the United Kingdom at least once, and more than that, I hope they are some good reasons to get out of London. Seeing London is a must. It’s a fantastic city, and I love to visit. But I also know that you can’t base “visiting Britain” as just seeing London. Do a day trip, take a weekend away but hop on a train and stare out of the window at the beautiful countryside. If you find yourself agreeing to these reasons to visit Britain, try taking my HOW BRITISH ARE YOU? test.

If you’ve enjoyed this post leave a comment or share using the social media buttons below. What are some of your top reasons to visit the United Kingdom? Where else have you visited in the UK?