Top 10 US travel destinations for 2013

We wanted to dig deeper and shine a light on 10 places in the US that travelers should add to their wish lists for the coming year.
1. Louisville, Kentucky
Could it be that the new Portland is in… Kentucky? Louisville has asserted itself as a lively, offbeat cultural mecca on the Ohio River. New Louisville, also known as the East Market District or NuLu, features converted warehouses used as local breweries, antique shops and the city’s coolest restaurants. On Bardstown Rd in the Highlands you’ll find a hipster strip of shops and bars, not to mention many ‘Keep Louisville Weird’ stickers. Bourbon reigns in Louisville. This is the traditional jump-off for the Bourbon Trail; with bourbon’s current wave of popularity, new upstart microdistilleries, including some in and around Louisville like the small-batch Angel’s Envy, are giving the old names in bourbon a run for their money. Try for the first Saturday in May to witness the ‘greatest two minutes in sports,’ the Kentucky Derby.
The coolest hotel in town is 21c Museum Hotel, an edgy contemporary hotel with scissor chandeliers and loft-like rooms.

 

On Louisville’s Urban Bourbon Trail
Photo by Marty Pearl, courtesy of Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau

2. Fairbanks, Alaska
Have you seen aurora borealis (aka the northern lights)? The sensation of seeing Arctic skies crackle with smoky blues, greens and reds has long drawn off-season travelers way north. 2013 will be big, marking the end of a fiery 11-year-cycle, when sunspots are particularly feisty, making for a big show in the Fairbanks sky 240 nights a year. Go. From May to mid-August daylight is too strong to see much, but by late summer they start to appear, and Fairbanks is the place to be. On the ground, curious foodies can sample traditional Athabascan cuisine at Taste of Alaska (call to book in advance) at the Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center, or take part in a unique pub-crawl, The Great Fairbanks Pub Paddle. Open all year, the 414-mile Dalton Highway plies north of Fairbanks into the Arctic, and air taxis reach the pristine 800-sq-mile Gates of the Arctic National Park, but the light show will be best back in Fairbanks.
A favorite place to stay is Ah, Rose Marie B&B, a homey Dutch-built cottage that takes its breakfasts seriously.

 

A stunning display of aurora borealis over a cabin near Fairbanks, Alaska
Photo by Todd Paris, courtesy of the Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau

3. San Juan Islands, Washington
Lonely Planet guidebook author Brendan Sainsbury has a new name for these dreamy islands north of Seattle: the ‘Gourmet Archipelago’. Proudly home to a decidedly un-Pacific Northwest-like 250 days of sunshine a year, the San Juan Islands have always gone for self-sufficiency. You’ll find fresh, fresh food, with local artichokes and marionberries from farmers markets, seafood plates of oysters, razor clams and freshly caught salmon, and foraged edibles like seaweed and elderflowers at places like the Doe Bay Café on Orcas Island, or Willows Inn on Lummi Island whose head chef is an alumnus of world-renowned Noma. Hop on a bike, explore the beaches and enjoy the scenery, but be sure to eat!
For more options, see Brendan’s article on the Gourmet Archipelago.

 

Friday Harbor Farmers’ Market, San Juan Island
Photo by Barbara Marrett, courtesy of San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau

4. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Forget the cheesesteaks and tri-corner hat, Philadelphia is becoming known as an art capital. In addition to the world renowned Philadelphia Museum of Art, the formerly remote the Barnes Foundation, a once private collection of Matisse, Renoir and Cézanne, has a new central location. And it’s not just the big museums – Philly’s gallery scene is exploding with new venues like the Icebox garnering international attention and turning the Northern Liberties and Fishtown neighborhoods into the new hot arts hub. First Fridays, the monthly gallery open house, long a tradition in Old City, has expanded to the refurbished Loft District, where the party goes on in a host of new bars, clubs and live music venues.
For places to stay, the vintage-boutique inn Rittenhouse 1715 is around the corner from the namesake park.

 

Barnes Foundation gallery, Philadelphia
Photo by R. Kennedy courtesy of GPTMC

5. American Samoa
Did you know that a US passport can get you to an isolated South Pacific paradise without even leaving US territory? From the US mainland, American Samoa is a longer trek than Hawaii, but the distance rewards the visitor with some of the most stunning, untouched beauty of the Pacific and a national park that even the most ardent park system fans won’t have checked off their list yet. From the US, flights run from Honolulu to Pago Pago on lovely Tutuila, with waterfalls, fishing villages and spectacular beaches nearby. But press on with a quick flight on Inter Island Air to the tiny nearby Manuʻa Islands of Taʻu and Ofu, with shining, palm-fringed white sand beaches flanked by shark-tooth-shaped mountains. The best time to visit is Flag Day, April 17, when there are activities galore. This may be US territory, but it’s some of the purest Polynesia you’ll find anywhere.
It’s simple, but the family-run Vaoto Lodge can get you snorkeling within minutes of arrival.

 

Ofu Island, American Samoa
Photo courtesy of American Samoa Visitors Bureau

6. Eastern Sierra, California
This year, hop past Yosemite – just beyond lies the secret California dream: the Eastern Sierra, the overlooked flank of the Sierra Nevada range, with other-worldly natural attractions and surprises (Basque culture?), not to mention far fewer visitors. Just follow the scenic US Route 395 as it connects wonders like the Travertine hot spring in Bridgeport, the Gold Rush ghost town of Bodie, Mono Lake’s bizarre calcified tufa towers, or the surreal Devils Postpile National Monument’s 60-foot curtain of basalt columns made from rivers of molten lava. Eastward, ho!
In Lee Vining stop at perhaps the greatest wonder of all: fantastic food served out of a gas station at the Whoa Nellie Deli with live music during the warmer months

 

Tufa towers in Mono Lake, Eastern Sierra
Photo by John Lemieux, Creative Commons Attribution license

7. Northern Maine
Moose, white water rafting, epic hiking. No, not the Rockies – we’re talking about Maine. Maine isn’t only lobster rolls, lighthouses and rocky shoreline. The woodsy interior, on the top half of the Maine ‘thumb’ reaching north to the Canada border, makes for a wilderness adventure. The Appalachian Trail begins/ends atop Mt Katahdin (which literally means ‘Mt Great Mountain’) in primitive Baxter State Park, with 200,000 acres of lakes and mountains to reach by hiking boot. Nearby is Moosehead Lake, home to a 99-year-old steamboat to ride, and the source of the Kennebec River, with great rafting opportunities at the Forks. To the north in remote Aroostook County, miles of old rail beds have been transformed into bike trails, and multi-day canoe trips can paddle you right up to the Canadian border.
Baxter is camping only. A good B&B nearby is the Greenville Inn on Moosehead Lake, built from a century-old lumber baron’s home.

 

Near Chimney Pond, Mt. Katahdin
Photo by Jue Wang, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike license.

8. Twin Cities, Minnesota
Lake Wobegon might be ‘the little town that time forgot, and the decades cannot improve,’ but time has been much kinder to the Twin Cities, Minneapolis and St Paul. Minneapolis is often called the country’s best bike city and the Nice Ride bike-share system with its web of new bike lanes proves the point. The St Anthony Falls Heritage Trail is a 2-mile path along the banks of the Mississippi River. Plan time for Uptown’s Bryant-Lake Bowl, an old bowling alley with seriously good food (think artisanal cheese plates). And pay homage to the epicenter of Twin Cities’ music scene, First Avenue & 7^th St Entry – hometown hero Prince sometimes comes by (seriously). St Paul is quieter, but key to see. Pedal over for a meal at the Hmongtown Marketplace, with authentic Lao dishes, and a show at the Fitzgerald Theater, where Garrison Keillor tapes his Prairie Home Companion.
Wales House is a cheery B&B with a fireplace lounge and frequent scholar guests working at the nearby University of Minnesota. (Go Gophers!)

 

Twin Cities Jazz Festival, St Paul
Photo by Chris McDuffie, courtesy of Visit Saint Paul.

9. Verde Valley, Arizona
Between Phoenix and the Grand Canyon, the Verde Valley is taking off as Arizona’s go-to destination, and not just among the spa and crystal Sedona-fans of years past. The Verde Valley region is beautiful, with green canyons rimmed by red rocks, and towns like Cottonwood, Jerome and Sedona that have long drawn visitors for good food, art and mining lore. But the Verde boost is all about the wine. The new Verde Valley Wine Trail links four new vineyards clustered around Cornville, near Sedona. Most fun is reaching the Alcantara Vineyards… by kayak. Less fun is being the designated kayaker.
Sedona’s Cozy Cactus is a, well, cozy B&B in an adobe with easy access to local hiking trails.

 

Kayaking to Alcantara Vineyards, Verde Valley
Photo courtesy of Verde Valley Wine Trail

10. Glacier National Park, Montana
One of the countries wildest, most remote and pristine national parks, Glacier is everyone’s favorite national park who’s been. Its jagged, snow-blanketed ridges and glacier-sculpted horns tower dramatically over aquamarine lakes and meadows blanketed in wildflowers. Most visitors stick to the drive along the Going-to-the-Sun Road, so it’s easy to escape crowds by venturing beyond it. A relatively new shuttle system offers an eco-friendly alternative. But go soon. The park’s 25 glaciers are melting – and could be gone altogether by 2030 if current climate changes continue!
The summer-only Many Glacier Hotel, built like a Swiss chalet, is a once-in-a-lifetimer hotel set on Swiftcurrent Lake like a queen on a throne.

 

Swiftcurrent Lake from at Many Glacier Hotel
Photo by Bill Weaver, Creative Commons Attribution license

Top Ten Value Destination In 2013

Best value destinations

Savour every centimetre of that shoestring with these budget-friendly boltholes, perfect for an economic downturn-busting break.

 

Rio, Brazil

If you’ve an unfulfilled plan to visit Rio de Janeiro’s beaches and iconic landmarks then this may be the year to do it. After 2013 the big events come thick and fast – the football World Cup in 2014 (also taking place in cities around Brazil), then the Olympic Games in 2016. One thing’s for sure: big-name events bring fresh development, a boost to infrastructure and, in many cases, higher prices for visitors. Come now to see a city in the process of gearing up to welcome the world, but before the costs of doing so rise. Indeed, if you visit during June you can be among the first to check out the recently upgraded Estádio do Maracanã, the world-famous venue that is slated to host not only the World Cup Final in 2014 but also the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics and Paralympics.

Gothenburg, Sweden

There’s good value in Sweden if you know where to look. That said, if you don’t, even popping out for a pizza and beer can make for a pricey night by the standards of your home town. Unless, that is, you’re from Norway. Either way, the savvy traveller makes tracks for Gothenburg. Away from the glitzy main drag Kungsportsavenyn (referred to as Avenyn by everyone) are characterful neighbourhoods (hello, Haga and, a little outside town, Kvarnbyn), cheap eats and some great attractions, including edgy art space Röda Sten and picnic-friendly city views in Keillers Park. If that wasn’t enough, ferries trundling round the beautiful, car-free southern archipelago are a tram ride from the city centre. In short, this is as much Scandinavia as you can get for your money.

Namibia

Namibia beckons those in search of a good deal. While neighbouring Botswana courts the big-budget traveller, the desert state to the west welcomes all, and offers a spectacular set of attractions to boot. True, you need your own wheels or must join a tour to see some of the wonders on offer like Etosha National Park and the Skeleton Coast, but Namibia’s big-ticket draws remain affordable for budget and midrange visitors via locally arranged tours or self-drive car hire. Towns and cities, many offering keenly priced hostels and campsites, are linked by inexpensive buses and minivans. Some of the most fun things you can do here – sandboarding around Swakopmund and hiking Fish River Canyon, for instance – are also some of the best-value outdoor pursuits in Southern Africa.

 

Cambodia

While perhaps not the whoops-of-delight-inducing bargain it was a decade ago, Cambodia is still a great deal. This means that despite the boom in the number of midrange hotels in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap in particular, a huge amount of budget accommodation remains at much lower prices. The imaginative visitor to the country exploring less-well-visited parts will find it easy to afford that extra Angkor beer or three. A budget of US$15 is tight but achievable, provided you forgo a room with air-con and don’t dwell for too long in the headline destinations.

Bolivia

South America’s best-value option continues to delight travellers. With public transport as cheap as anywhere on the continent, filling street food (another empanada? Don’t mind if I do!), and good-for-the-money excursions, this country is more than a bridge between the east and west coasts, it is an essential journey in itself. True, things are a little more expensive in La Paz and must-visit Uyuni, but away from here set-menu meals will rarely tip over US$5, budget rooms are not much more than double that and, should those chilly Altiplano nights require a higher standard of accommodation, you may find that you still leave for a pricier neighbour with a smile on your face.

Portland, Oregon, USA

Travel writers speak with one voice when asked to nominate their fave US cheapie: Portland, OR. Cheap food! Free things to do! Forty breweries (and counting) with pints of perfectly crafted beer often costing US$4! Yes, budget-conscious but still fashionably minded travellers may have reached the promised land in Portland, Oregon. The city has been thrust into the limelight by the Portlandia TV series, but was hardly unknown before, offering as it does a progressive take on urban life in a part of the Pacific Northwest that’s best appreciated slowly.

Spain

Spain has been getting much friendlier for budget travellers in the past few years, as currency fluctuations and falling costs for many items have combined to make what was once Europe’s best bet for a cheap break a contender once again for many international travellers. Presumably if you’re reading this you’re not really the fly-and-flop type, but the wonders of Spain’s cities, wilder north coast and fabulous national parks are more affordable now than for the past few years. Anywhere in Spain, to make your money go as far as possible live without a pool, go easy on the wine and extra courses when eating out and visit outside peak season, when price hikes remain a fact of life.

Slovenia

It’s tempting to leave this as one sentence: Slovenia is as picture-perfect as Switzerland or other Alpine areas to the north, but much smaller and easier on the wallet. Yes, there’s devil in the detail – the adoption of the Euro and popularity of Ljubljana, Bled and coastal areas in summer can push prices up – but that’s hardly the point. Small distances keep travel costs down, and buses radiating out of Ljubljana are plentiful and inexpensive. Private rooms offer affordable accommodation and anyone arriving from Austria or Italy will notice the difference in hotel prices at all budgets. If you’re keen on trekking, skiing, rafting or simply taking in the scenery of one of Europe’s most attractive countries then Slovenia will not disappoint.

 

Nepal

With visitor numbers steadily rising, Nepal remains a tremendous option for budget travellers. After all, the number of countries where you can live on the price of a Starbucks latte or two are diminishing rapidly. Sure, to do that you’ll need to stay in budget accommodation somewhere other than Kathmandu and resolutely stick to simple local food, but many consider this a price worth paying for paying a low price. Though costs rise once you enter national parks, if you’re up for trekking on your own and staying in teahouses, Nepal is not only the best-value spot for Himalayan hiking, it must be a contender for offering the most astonishing rewards for the least upfront investment of anywhere in the world. In fact, this remains true even if you factor in a porter and guide and opt for an organised trek.

Georgia

Georgia is, like its Caucasian neighbours, little known to most travellers. Those who do go come back raving about a beautiful, friendly country that offers excellent, inexpensive (though potentially waist-expanding) cuisine, typified by the near-universal khachapuri (cheese pie). In recent years the country has been speeding up its tourism development, resulting in a growing number of good-value hostels and homestays, which are great ways to meet locals as well as keep costs down. Look out for August if you’re hitting Batumi or elsewhere on the Black Sea coast, but otherwise anytime is a good time to visit this up-and-coming destination where even a bus, train or marshrustka minibus ride will give jaw-dropping views worth far more than the meagre fare you’re likely to be charged.

World's Best Picnic Spots

                             

Huayna Picchu, Peru 

 At an elevation of nearly 9,000 feet, the view from atop this peak, which towers over the 15th-century ruins of Machu Picchu, is breathtaking in a number of ways. A steep, slippery climb to this rocky summit is a nerve-racking effort—one instantly rewarded with a panoramic perspective of the Urubamba River Valley and the famed city of the Inca. But what to eat? Certainly not a complicated dish of roasted cuy (guinea pig) or a pisco sour. Instead, a celebratory Inca Kola and a pleasantly portable butifarras—a sandwich of Peruvian ham, onions, chili peppers, and lime. Don't linger too long—the hike down is a doozy.

   

Villa Borghese Gardens, Rome, Italy

                 

Olives, pizza bianca, marinated artichokes, salumi, and—of course—a bottle of wine are all it takes to make a picnic break from the ancient ruins and Renaissance highlights of Rome. Oh—and a quiet little park. The Villa Borghese gardens, near the Piazza del Popolo, is a picnic-perfect landscape for escape. The Spanish Steps lead up to this English-style garden, but the romantic feel of the urban park is all-Italian—a fact reinforced by the sculptures by Bernini and paintings by Titian, Raphael, and Caravaggio housed within the Galleria Borghese on the broad expanse of these scenic gardens

                                                                  

Singapore Botanic Gardens, Singapore

Photograph by Eightfish

A tropical rain forest in the heart of one of the world's busiest cities? Believe it. This horticultural haven is a compact but grand space that preserves much more than just a lush tropical rain forest. The National Orchid Garden maintains a collection of more than a thousand species and 2,000 hybrids here (including Singapore's pink-hued national flower, a natural hybrid orchid), while three lakes, a botany center, and a ginger garden offer opportunities for eco-education and urban escape. The greenswards of Palm Valley make for pitch-perfect picnics, especially when outdoor concerts are in session

                  

Point Reyes National Seashore, Point Reyes Station, California

Photograph by Tom Bass, MyShot

So you've collected fine wines in Napa and delicious bites in Berkeley and you've checked Chez Panisse and French Laundry off your list. Now where do you go for a simple outdoor meal? This spectacular nature preserve located on a 70,000-acre peninsula north of San Francisco is rich in wildlife, from raptors to tule elk, and bordered by a coastline favored by elephant seals. Hikers, backpackers, and beachcombers ply the trails, especially the wildflower-wild Chimney Rock hike, while picnickers head to the nearby Point Reyes Lighthouse for prime whale watching in January and March and coastal beauty year-round.

                      

Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, Western Cape, South Africa

Photograph by Heiko Meyer, laif/Redux

Make a quick green escape from Cape Town for a picnic lunch in this spectacularly rugged and refined space on the slopes of Table Mountain. Pack a bottle of wine from Stellenbosch and some biltong (it's like beef jerky)—a lot easier to carry than crocodile meat or ostrich burgers—and hike the trails through natural forests and fynbos ("fine bush" or shrubland in Afrikaans). More than 7,000 plant species and indigenous plants are cultivated in this expansive botanic garden, with exhibit areas dedicated to medicinal and fragrant plants, as well as the king protea, South Africa's national flower.

Popular Cities in England

London #1 most popular location

As a city that seamlessly blends the old world with the seductively modern, London is an atypical British city that – despite its multinational mish-mash of culture – simply couldn’t be…

10,160travelers 1,385reviews 1,323blogs

Blackpool #2 most popular location

It might be infamous as the home of an incredible array of tacky English tat (a not entirely undeserved reputation, it has to be said), but the northern seaside resort of Blackpool still draw…

88travelers 13reviews 9blogs

Manchester #3 most popular location

A city best known for its football teams: Manchester United, the most supported and most hated team in England, and the up and coming billionaires across the street, Manchester City. It’s t…

1,164travelers 155reviews 82blogs

Liverpool #4 most popular location

As the city that bought you The Beatles, that accent (if you’re not British, you can probably forget about understanding much of the native tongue) and the notorious harbor TV weather map (…

558travelers 69reviews 47blogs

York #5 most popular location

One of the most breathtakingly beautiful cities in Britain, boasting some of the most amazing architecture and surrounding countryside in the whole of Europe, and long the centre of attention…

192travelers 27reviews 33blogs

Birmingham #6 most popular location

One of the most progressive cities in England, and considered to be the second largest in terms of population, Birmingham is a massive metropolitan area in the West Midlands region of the cou…

522travelers 36reviews 22blogs

Torquay #7 most popular location

Torquay,which is also known as ''The English Riviera'' and the big sister of the three towns of Torbay. Situated on the Devon coastline, The south west coast of the UK, Torquay has been a …

44travelers 8reviews 1blogs

Brighton #8 most popular location

Brighton, the GAY capital. Generally known by its nickname of “London by the sea”, Brighton is a seaside city less than 50 miles south of London in the County of East Sussex. It is ac…

433travelers 44reviews 31blogs

Bath #9 most popular location

Named – a tad unoriginally, in truth – after its natural hot spring Roman baths, the city of Bath is an English hidden gem, both beautiful and slightly backwards, with the Roman influence…

138travelers 35reviews 45blogs

Bournemouth #10 most popular location

Bournemouth is a town in the South West of England, perhaps best known for its wide, sandy beach and its Victorian pier. The town lies across the water from the Isle of Wight, and South of th…

207travelers 9reviews 8blogs

Bristol #11 most popular location

There are places in the world which, for some reason or another, have fallen off the grid in terms of being considered a “tourist” destination. This is both good and bad. On the plus side…

524travelers 57reviews 34blogs

Cambridge #12 most popular location

With a skyline dominated by King’s College Chapel, Cambridge University Library, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, and St. John’s College Chapel, and a history that is just as lauded and lengthy …

328travelers 20reviews 16blogs

Oxford #13 most popular location

Home to the oldest university in the English-speaking world and a haven for the intellectual elite, Oxford is a city that boasts not only some of the smartest people in the world, but one of …

323travelers 28reviews 40blogs

Leeds #14 most popular location

The largest city in Yorkshire, Leeds is a modern hub of activity, famous for its metropolitan appeal, its vibrant nightlife, the multiple universities, sports teams, superb shopping experienc…

535travelers 21reviews 14blogs

Scarborough #15 most popular location

Scarborough is a vibrant modern town on the yorkshire coast of England. It has a population of around 50 000.

27travelers 1reviews 3blogs

Newquay #16 most popular location

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Weymouth #17 most popular location

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Nottingham #18 most popular location

Nottingham: Queen of the East Midlands. A Mecca for shoppers, drinkers and those going to get married. Famed for its nightlife, Nottingham sits in the centre of the region, powering a new ec…

369travelers 10reviews 23blogs

Newcastle upon Tyne #19 most popular location

Newcastle is the largest city in the North East and is populated by so-called 'Geordies'. The city isituated on the north bank of the River Tyne. The city is well known for it's vibrant ni…

286travelers 13reviews 13blogs

Windermere #20 most popular location

Windermere, and its nearby neighbour Bowness on Windermere are situated at the southern end of the English Lake District, Cumbria. Windermere the lake, on the shore of which both towns lie …

4travelers 4reviews 7blogs

Paignton #21 most popular location

Paignton is a popular seaside resort and famous for its long sandy beaches,popular Zoo and occasionally bustling pier. Paignton is located in the very centre of torbay,in between its big …

11travelers 9reviews

Southampton #22 most popular location

Southampton is a large maritime city on the south coast of England. Southampton has a population of approximately 235,000, it is the gateway to the Isle of Wight, and has an eventful past du…

262travelers 8reviews 11blogs

Salisbury #23 most popular location

Salisbury is a magnificent medieval city: historic streets and alleyways, charming half-timbered buildings, traditional English eating houses and characterful shopping streets, and of cause o…

58travelers 18reviews 19blogs

Plymouth #24 most popular location

Plymouth is a city with vast amounts of history! Situated on the south coast of Devon, Plymouth is famous for being a historic Naval city. One of only three English ports that holds naval shi…

159travelers 13reviews 10blogs

Chester #25 most popular location

Originally founded by the Roman's Chester or (Deva Victrix as the Roman's called it) is a touristy city with a population approaching 100,000. Popular attractions and sights include the ra…

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Eastbourne #26 most popular location

Eastbourne is a large sea side town in East Sussex, on the south coast of England, with an estimated population of 93,630 as at August 2005. The area has seen human activity since the stone a…

40travelers 7reviews 6blogs

Cheltenham #27 most popular location

Cheltenham is a spa town located within the borough of Gloucestershire in England. It is situated on the very edge of The Cotswolds and has an air of wealth and respectability! It certainly i…

73travelers 3reviews 3blogs

Canterbury #28 most popular location

Canterbury is the the home to 2 large universities and is very student populated. It is full of history - The Cathedral, St Augustines Abbey and Canterbury Castle to name just a few. Plenty…

85travelers 16reviews 13blogs

Harrogate #29 most popular location

Harrogate is a spa town in North Yorkshire, England, Located to the south-east of the Yorkshire Dales. The town is a popular tourist destination; its spa waters, RHS Harlow Carr gardens a…

51travelers 6reviews 8blogs

Sheffield #30 most popular location

Sheffield created two inventions that changed the face of the world: steel and organised football (Allegedly - I haven't seen any recent evidence of this myself, to be honest...) A city th…

314travelers 27reviews 22blogs

Norwich #31 most popular location

Norwich is a medium sized city located in the East of England within the county of East Anglia. It is in a great location very near to the Norfolk countryside and the Broads. The populatio…

207travelers 3reviews 10blogs

Stratford-upon-Avon #32 most popular location

Stratford-upon-Avon (IPA: /ˌstrætfɚd əpɒn ˈɛɪvən/) is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. It lies on the River Avon some 38 kilometres (24 miles)[1] south …

22travelers 4reviews 4blogs

Whitby #33 most popular location

Whitby is a seaside resort located on the Yorkshire coast, the East coast of England. The most famous landmarks and tourist attractions here are the statue of Captain James Cook, who sailed f…

12travelers 5reviews 8blogs

Great Yarmouth #34 most popular location

Great Yarmouth is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It has a rich history from the herring industry and there are a few museums dedicated to this. It is has a large residential area and …

16travelers 7reviews

Portsmouth #35 most popular location

Portsmouth or Pompey, as it is affectionately nicknamed, offers you a worldclass welcome. You'll enjoy a great day out shopping, boat trip services or a night on the town! Portsmouth Cathedr…

224travelers 9reviews 9blogs

Swindon #36 most popular location

Swindon is a strong UK business town on the M4 corridor, with a long history of engineering. It's home to the STEAM museum, dedicated to the Great Western Railway, a thriving railway by Isum…

79travelers 12reviews 5blogs

Windsor #37 most popular location

Windsor, Berkshire, England, is situated about 25 miles due west of London, along the M4, just south of Slough. Home to the royal family, it has evolved into a posh little neighborhood with a…

33travelers 11reviews 11blogs

Exeter #38 most popular location

Exeter is a city in the southwest of the Untited Kingdom, on the south-coast which has about 120.000 inhabitants. Exeter is located on the river 'Exe' and has been founded by the Romans. The …

125travelers 2reviews 4blogs

Reading #39 most popular location

Reading is a town on the main commuter routes into London from the West, lying a short way outside the M25 motorway. It is not well known for its tourism, but has a good shopping mall and a …

194travelers 5reviews 4blogs

Ambleside #40 most popular location

Ambleside is a bustling little tourist village right in the heart of the English lakes. Just a few miles from Windermere, and located on the northern end of the Lake itself. It may have a…

2travelers 10reviews 9blogs

Coventry #41 most popular location

Coventry is an industrial town in the Midlands, not far from Birmingham. It is known for its beautiful modern cathedral, built in the 1950s near the ruins of the medieval cathedral, and its …

103travelers 3reviews 3blogs

Milton Keynes #42 most popular location

Most English people frown when they hear about Milton Keynes. This, though, is only because most cities in England are really old have a lot of history whereas Milton Keynes was "built" as re…

114travelers 11reviews 6blogs

Bowness-on-Windermere #43 most popular location

5reviews

Durham #44 most popular location

Durham is a small city compared to giants like London and Edinburgh, but has its own lovely charm. Durham lies to the south of Newcastle upon Tyne and to the north of Darlington. The shops ar…

87travelers 9reviews 6blogs

Dover #45 most popular location

Dover is a major port on the south-east coast of England. Situated in the county of Kent, it faces Calais, France 22 miles across the English Channel. It has a population of over 40,000. D…

18travelers 9reviews 14blogs

Keswick #46 most popular location

6travelers 7reviews 4blogs

Southport #47 most popular location

Southport is situated in the North West of England and is a beautiful place mainly visited by neighbouring towns and cities who fancy a nice day out and a wander across the beach.

39travelers 4reviews 13blogs

Leicester #48 most popular location

Leicester is a city and county town of the county of Leicestershire. The city itself has grown from being a roman military settlement to the urban metropolis it is today. Many ethnic minoriti…

210travelers 5reviews 13blogs

Newbury #49 most popular location

Newbury is a nice typical town, located in the middle of Southern England. The town is famous for its racecourse, and also for its 17th century castle (Highclere Castle). It is very beauti…

29travelers 5reviews 2blogs

Crawley #50 most popular location

Crawley is in the county of West Sussex in the South of England. It is one of the new towns created as London overspill after the second world war. It has a college and a big shopping centre.…

42travelers 12reviews 2blogs

Telford #51 most popular location

32travelers 2reviews 1blogs

Ipswich #52 most popular location

99travelers 3reviews 1blogs

Northampton #53 most popular location

Situated in the centre of England, Northampton is steeped in historical significance. It was one of the country's most important cities during saxon times. Market square is the centre of No…

98travelers 3reviews 8blogs

Hastings #54 most popular location

Hastings town is home to the largest beach-launched fishing fleet in Europe, the remains of the first castle in England to be built by William the Conqueror, a preserved Old Town and a strong…

43travelers 4reviews 3blogs

Stonehenge #55 most popular location

Stonehenge is famous for one thing and one thing only and that is the Stonehenge monument itself situated in the English county of Wiltshire. One of the most famous prehistoric sights in t…

57travelers 7reviews 9blogs

Lincoln #56 most popular location

The Cathedral city of Lincoln is one of Britain's prettiest cities in the North. It has a fantastic cathedral, which gathers many visits from all over the country, and indeed the world, but t…

112travelers 3blogs

Skegness #57 most popular location

Skegness is a seaside town located on the Lincolnshire coast of the North Sea. It is 43 miles east of the city of Lincoln. It has one of the better known seaside resorts in the UK as the …

6travelers 3blogs

Warwick #58 most popular location

Warwick (pronounced /ˈwɒrɪk/ war-ick (silent w in middle)) listen (help·info) is the historic county town of Warwickshire in England and has a population of 25,434 (2001 census). The town…

20travelers 5reviews 3blogs

Derby #59 most popular location

Derby is a centrally located city with great access to the M1 and other cities. It has little else offer, unfortunately, in terms of nightlife and sports. It is connected to Nottingham via…

125travelers 4blogs

Carlisle #60 most popular location

24travelers 5blogs

Winchester #61 most popular location

Winchester is a small cathedral city near the South Coast of England, not far from Southampton with good rail links on the London mainline. It has a cathedral with some interesting early med…

47travelers 3reviews 7blogs

Maidstone #62 most popular location

Maidstone, in Kent is toughly an hour’s drive down the M25 or the A2 from London, about 20 minutes drive from the Medway towns and is probably most famous for two things. Firstly, it’s…

51travelers 7reviews 4blogs

Luton #63 most popular location

Luton is the biggest town in the county of Bedfordshire, which is 45km north-west of central London. Luton had a big straw industry back hundred's of years ago but now the main industry seems…

57travelers 16reviews 6blogs

Horley #64 most popular location

9travelers 8reviews

Taunton #65 most popular location

37travelers 2reviews 1blogs

Alnwick #66 most popular location

Alnwick is a quiet market town situated on the coast, in the North East region of England. Home to some fantastic landmarks including the beautiful Alnwick castle and the gardens that surroun…

5travelers 2reviews 2blogs

Dorchester #67 most popular location

9travelers 3reviews 1blogs

Dartmouth #68 most popular location

Dartmouth is a beautiful town situated on the mouth of the river dart,with its busting marina and posh restraunts,a few of which are run by celebrity chefs,it makes Dartmouth a popular destin…

5travelers 5reviews 1blogs

Poole #69 most popular location

Poole is a coastal city in south-west England part of the conurbation with Bournemouth and Christchurch in Dorset County. Poole is an historic harbour city which is easily noticed by its rela…

51travelers 3reviews 15blogs

Bradford #70 most popular location

The textile industry was pretty specialised by location in England and Bradford specialised in worsteds - fne quality cloth made from wool. The term 'woollens' was applied to cloth of lesser …

74travelers 4reviews

Chesterfield #71 most popular location

While the term “market town” might not hold any significance to most Americans, to Europeans and especially residents of the UK it still holds a special place in their hearts. Market town…

42travelers 13blogs

Richmond #72 most popular location

Richmond, North Yorkshire, the first of all Richmonds Richmond is an historic market town in North Yorkshire, with a Norman castle, Georgian architecture, cobbled market place (said to be …

17travelers 8reviews 4blogs

Kendal #73 most popular location

Kendal is an old market town located within the county of Cumbria, North England near to the Lake District and is often referred to as the 'southern gateway to the Lakes'. It is probably most…

23travelers 3reviews 3blogs

Colchester #74 most popular location

Colchester is England's oldest recorded town, and is in the North of Essex. The castle is one of the best preserved Norman keeps in England, although it has lost a lot of the outbuildings an…

89travelers 2reviews 2blogs

Gateshead #75 most popular location

19travelers 4reviews

Loughborough #76 most popular location

Loughborough is a town within the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England. It is the second largest settlement in Leicestershire after Leicester, is the seat of Charnwood Borough Council…

39travelers 3reviews 5blogs

Lancaster #77 most popular location

Lancaster, on the county border with a background of the Lake District, an old town with cobbled streets and intriguing passages. With its history based on its port and canal, Lancaster has…

64travelers 3reviews

High Wycombe #78 most popular location

51travelers 1reviews 5blogs

Wells #79 most popular location

Wells is a tiny city in the English county of Somerset. It is near both Bristol and Bath. It is very pretty, and has a stunning cathedral with one of the world's oldest working clocks. There…

7travelers 2reviews 3blogs

Cirencester #80 most popular location

Cirencester is in the Cotswolds, an area well known for its natural beauty. There is a church that is almost totally obscured by its own enormous stone gateway, and a recently refurbished mu…

16travelers 4reviews 3blogs

Stansted #81 most popular location

Stansted airport is based 45km north of the centre of London and was saved by no-frill airline Ryanair back in the early 1990's when the former air base looked like it was facing closure and …

3travelers 8reviews 9blogs

Chelmsford #82 most popular location

Chelmsford is the County Town of Essex. There is a small university, Anglia Ruskin, which also has a campus at Cambridge, but Chelmsford does not really have the atmosphere of a student town…

52travelers 3reviews 2blogs

Salford #83 most popular location

Salford is a city in Greater Manchester - many visitors do not realise they are in a separate city from Manchester itself when they visit. After decades of decline, it has been the focus of …

9travelers 3reviews

Glastonbury #84 most popular location

A land steeped in magic and myth, Glastonbury is believed by some, to be the Isle of Apples, Ynis Witrin, the Land of Youth...Avalon. Tradition says Jesus once visited the holy place and that…

21travelers 4reviews 10blogs

Wakefield #85 most popular location

29travelers 5reviews 1blogs

Halifax #86 most popular location

'Halifax, Huddersfield, Bradford Leeds - weave the wool that goes in tweeds' young children used to chant but Halifax was named in a more desperate adult saying - 'from Hell, Hull and Halifax…

35travelers 5reviews

Royal Tunbridge Wells #87 most popular location

Royal Tunbridge Wells, located just 30 miles south of London, is surrounded by glorious Kent countryside. In Georgian times, this historic spa town gained a reputation as the place to see an…

12travelers 4reviews

Camden Town #88 most popular location

Camden Town is an inner city district in northwest London, England. Camden is home to the ever famous Camden Markets. Camden is well-known for its markets, Camden Lock market proper started …

11travelers 9reviews 7blogs

Heathrow #89 most popular location

Heathrow Airport, is UK's and Europe's biggest airport, and also one of the biggest airports in the world alongside JFK in New York. Based 20km west of central London, Heathrow is expanding r…

6travelers 4reviews 28blogs

Alton #90 most popular location

9travelers 6reviews

Greenwich #91 most popular location

Greenwich (pronunciation (help·info); IPA /'ɡɹɛn.ɪtʃ/ "GREN-itch", /'ɡɹɪn.ɪdʒ/ "GRIN-idge" or /'ɡɹɛn.ɪdʒ/ "GREN-idge")[1][2] is a district in south-east London, England, on th…

19travelers 7reviews 11blogs

Southend on Sea #92 most popular location

Southend-on-Sea is a part of Essex down in the South East of England. Its main claim to fame is that it is home to the world’s longest pier extending into the sea at a whopping 1.34 miles!!…

25travelers 2reviews 1blogs

Watford #93 most popular location

63travelers 1reviews 6blogs

Devizes #94 most popular location

Devizes is a small town near Salisbury Plain, Swindon, and the prehistoric sites at Avebury and Silbury Hill. It has at least two independent coffee shops, a village green, and a market squa…

8travelers 5reviews 2blogs

Warminster #95 most popular location

4travelers 4reviews

Grasmere #96 most popular location

2reviews 19blogs

Stoke on Trent #97 most popular location

43travelers 3reviews 2blogs

Staines #98 most popular location

Staines is located in Surrey, about 30km to the west of London. It has its origins in Roman times; there used to be a settlement at the banks of the River Thames. There's not really anything …

18travelers 7reviews 4blogs

Aylesbury #99 most popular location

Aylesbury...a square miles of rolling countryside, the lively market town since 13th century, makes up a whole by modern shopping areas. A lot to offers, historic houses, beautiful countrysid…

28travelers 2reviews 18blogs