Top 5 Destinations in England, other than London

England has more to offer

England has more to offer than London, and visiting those locations will make you wonder what the fuss is all about only touring Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey.

Expanding your vacationing horizons in England is a rewarding experience, rich with history and breathtaking scenery. Here is a rundown of the top five spots to visit in England without a thought of London:

Liverpool

This is a must-see location for Beatles music lovers. You can visit the places where George Harrison, John Lennon and Paul McCartney were raised, and where Ringo Starr worked as a steward. Spots made famous by Beatles songs – Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields – are popular attractions.

The Beatles Story, a multi-media museum, offers plenty of information about the legendary pop group’s history. Recreations of some of the Beatles’ roots in Liverpool include the Kasbah Coffee Shop (owned by the mother of Pete Best, the group’s first drummer), and the Cavern Club (where the Beatles played more than 200 concerts before they became famous).

Perhaps the most interesting location is McCartney’s childhood home, where he and Lennon wrote their early songs in a back room because the acoustics were better.

An hour-long roundtrip ferry ride on the Mersey River is captivating. Millions of immigrants departed from there for America and Australia, symbolized by a statue facing the Mercey.

Isles of Scilly

These islands are to England what the Hawaiian Islands are to the United States. Off the Cornish coast, the Isles of Scilly, a cluster of small islands, is warmed by the Gulf Stream. The climate is very tropical with winters rarely seeing frost.

Six inhabited islands and more than 100 other small rocky islands comprise the Isles of Scilly. Some are only a few square miles. The largest island – St. Mary’s – is more than 30 square miles. St. Mary’s, Tresco and St. Agnes are the major tourist attractions.

So many beaches, beautiful and serene, exist that you may find yourself alone on a beach for the entire day. How relaxing is that thought? You will be alone only among humans as thousands of seabirds flock to the islands from the Atlantic.

The Isles of Scilly is also a hot spot for fishing, especially for lobster, crayfish and crabs. The islands also feature burial chambers, standing stones, deserted cottages, lighthouses and windmills.

Cambridge

Located 55 miles north of London and 80 miles northeast of Oxford exists the college town of Cambridge. Oxford and Cambridge are notorious for being England’s ancient seats of learning.

You can walk the narrow lanes in which Darwin, Newton and Cromwell walked in Cambridge. The university touts esteemed alumni such as Isaac Newton, Virginia Woolf and John Milton.

With its college atmosphere, Cambridge is very festive. The city is also known for its May balls, which are held in June at a Cambridge college at the end of the academic year. The balls are held in the college gardens, lasting from 9 p.m. until well after dawn.

At Christmas time, the carol singing on Christmas Eve in King’s College Chapel is also a must-visit for England tourists.

Canterbury

Located 56 miles southeast of London, Canterbury is rich with history from the medieval times. Once completely walled, Canterbury has many traces of its old fortifications. The city was inhabited centuries before the birth of Christ.

The most famous historical incident in Canterbury was the murder of Thomas a Becket, archbishop of Canterbury, by four knights of King Henry II in 1170. The city is also known for Bloody Mary’s order to burn nearly 40 victims at the stake.

Canterbury’s city center also suffered immense damage from Nazi bombers in World War II. Because of this, the city no longer has its medieval pre-War look, but it still has a lot to offer. The city has plenty of pubs, and its High Street is filled with shoppers.

Brighton

Brighton, Sussex, is England’s most well-known city with a beach. The famous pebbly beach consists of many cafes, art galleries, second-hand bookstores, restaurants and a mini-rail. If you cross the seafront road between the two piers you will enter the historic Lanes which were once the heart of this fishing town.

The town is also a popular attraction for day-trippers from London with its railway, which was built in 1841. The city is also recognized for its nightlife, namely its more than 400 pubs and nightclubs that feature live pop music.

Another notable beach city in England, is Bournemouth… this city is known for its beach like atmosphere, and is also a university town, the home of Bournemouth University. In a recent survey First Direct Bank, Bournemouth was found to be the happiest place in Britain, with 82% of those questioned saying they were happy with their life in Bournemouth. So this is also a notable beach city that England has to offer. If you plan on visiting, you may want to also check out one of the Bournemouth Hotels rich with excitement and class.

When researching cities outside of London to visit, it is clear that England offers plenty of culture, good times, serenity and history. Who would have thought that England – so stodgy in its perception – has beautiful beaches on the Isles of Scilly and Brighton?

The country has an image of conservatism with its royalty and parliament government, but a strong liberal element exists with its music and pubs. In other words, England is worth much more than a simple vacation to London.