Planning a Family of 6 Trip to The UK, Jan 2023 - Help, Tips, Advice (Anything!)

HamBoi69 on 31/07/2022 - 13:08

Hi all,
So I and my family of 6 (4 adults, 2 kids) are in the planning stage for a trip to London/the UK in January 2023.
We've just submitted our passport applications (was told there are LONG delays), and here are the details we've got nutted out so far :
- We're booking through a travel agent as I've been told by friends that its the best thing to do so as to ensure you don't miss anything important
- We're going to be staying with family (who live in Winscombe, southwest of Bristol if you are familiar with the area), we figure it will be a LOT cheaper than staying a couple of weeks in a hotel.
- We're thinking if taking the train most places
- Also thinking of staying in London for the first few nights (hotel), before taking the train to Winscombe, where we'll stay for the rest of the trip and as previously said if we want to go places i.e back to London for the day we'd take the train.

So those are the details so far, I would appreciate any tips, advice, money-saving hacks, anything really whether from past experience or thoughts. (deals for the train passes? anything!) Also, at least you don't have to tip in in the UK (or do you?)

Thanks in advance OzBargain!

Travel England Europe London United Kingdom

Comments

  • elgrande on 31/07/2022 - 13:14
    -1

    If you don't know what to do…..

  • dahax77 on 31/07/2022 - 13:26
    +1

    My tips…

    1. Book things in advance if possible to save money (even better if free cancellation).
    2. Pack warm clothes.
    3. Eat/Drink at a Wetherspoons pub if you want to save the $$$ and eat semi-decent food.
    4. Don't tip.

    And seriously for next time just learn to book it yourself - super easy unless you are massively time short.

    • Ade99 on 01/08/2022 - 08:23

      Harvester pubs …..

  • SBOB on 31/07/2022 - 13:41
    +6

    You have family that live there.
    Apart from flights, use their local knowledge and just wing it.

    • Mechz on 31/07/2022 - 14:20

      Yep, waste of time and money.

      Also, you'd think between 4 adults and the rellos already there they could work it out between them all.

      Have or get CC with no currency conversion fees and free travel insurance
      Get passports
      Buy flights
      Buy travel insurance if needed
      Book hotels with free cancellation
      Pack bags
      Get in Uber pointed to the airport

  • savemore on 31/07/2022 - 13:43
    +5

    If you can, get a family member to pre-purchase a SIM card or if they use a Telco, get them to refer you as a family/friend (can recommend GiffGaff).
    If booking events, worthwhile joining TopCashBack UK (PM me if you'd like a referral) if paying £GBP, but most things tend to be cheaper if paying in $AUD as opposed to £GBP (VAT 20% vs. GST 10%).
    Also recommend getting a Currency Card with £GBP pre-loaded when exchange rate is good.
    It appears you have kids, a number of places (supermarkets) currently allow kids to eat free.
    Useful websites: https://www.hotukdeals.com/, https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/
    If a member of CashRewards/ShopBack, then look to see if they have upsized offers for Expedia/Booking.com/Viator/TripAdvisor/Klook for activities.

    • cashless on 31/07/2022 - 14:38
      +3

      Giffgaff will send a free SIM card to your AU address. Just go to their website to order it.
      Activate upon arrival in UK. Currently £20 for 80GB of data with free UK calls & SMS. Uses O2 network.

      • HamBoi69 on 01/08/2022 - 11:02

        Thanks, Ordered.

  • [Deactivated] on 31/07/2022 - 13:45
    -4
    • We're booking through a travel agent as I've been told by friends that its the best thing to do so as to ensure you don't miss anything important

    Looks like you've never travelled anywhere so lucky your 'friends' told you to use a travel agent

    • We're thinking if taking the train most places
      ……… and as previously said if we want to go places i.e back to London for the day we'd take the train.

    Got it …….. you'll be taking the train 'cause …….. you know………it wasn't obvious when you stated it the first time

  • try2bhelpful on 31/07/2022 - 13:59
    +1

    If you are thinking of train travel consider this site
    https://www.seat61.com/train-travel-in-britain.htm

    Don’t know what the kids boredom threshold is but the Tower of London was interesting and the museums we went to were good as well.

  • [Deactivated] on 31/07/2022 - 14:35

    Book online in advance whenever possible.

    Booking systems in the UK are relatively good. You usually get a discount for booking online, and it means, especially for a tourist attraction, that you don't have to join a long queue to buy a ticket at the door.

    Book ahead for your train journeys especially if you're doing Bristol to Paddington. Book ahead for things like Tower of London, Windsor Castle.

    London

    You're right not to stay in London. It is a very dangerous city. There is always the risk of being stabbed with very little provocation. Travelling as a group is better - but theft is also rampant - and all the best thieves in Europe operate in London. Anything you don't hold can and will be stolen, especially in places like cafes and theatres. Do not leave anything hanging on a chair behind you.

    Be hyper vigilant on the London tube, and on buses. Do not criticise anybody of a different skin colour even if they are flat out breaking the law in front of your very eyes - racism is rampant although the British will go blue in the face denying this - and may lead to a violent response.

    London is tiring. Getting anywhere is slow. The tube network is good, usually, unless there is industrial/strike action, in which case forget crossing London.

    Be aware that train journeys in/out of London are eye-wateringly expensive. Also avoid peak hours otherwise you may be standing most of the journey.

    Tipping

    Generally not expected although if you're in a nice cafe/restaurant it isn't unappreciated.

    • jjjaar on 31/07/2022 - 15:46

      Tipping

      Generally not expected although if you're in a nice cafe/restaurant it isn't unappreciated.

      Most places have an “optional” service charge (10-15%) that is just added to your bill and you have to ask for it to be removed, so tipping is just included in the bill these days.

  • cashless on 31/07/2022 - 14:58
    +4

    Seriously, don’t use the train, it’ll clean out your wallet fast. Winscombe is a fairly remote place where you may need transport. There are reasonably priced car hire places if you avoid the big names & go to a local car hire business.
    There should be plenty in Bristol or Taunton.
    Make sure you take warm outdoor clothing & shoes for January in the Mendip Hills. Beautiful countryside, but awful if you dress wrong.
    London overpriced & overcrowded, get out quickly.
    Loads of great places to see in the SW, including all the coastal areas of Devon & Cornwall. You’re not far from Wales as well.
    There’s Stonehenge about 1.5 hours away, Salisbury (watch out for Russians with perfume bottles) & loads of other great places.
    Hope your UK rellies have a nice big house if they’re putting up 6 of you. UK houses tend to be small and can be a squeeze. Maybe consider a few days away in a Premier Inn to give them a break? Premier Inn is basic, but can be had for less than £50/room if booked more than 3 months in advance.
    Eating out can be pricey, especially in pubs, so budget for that.
    Don’t forget that in January it gets light at 9am & dark by 4pm, so plan your day if you’re going out.

  • MrThing on 31/07/2022 - 15:04

    lol….travel agent.

  • savemore on 31/07/2022 - 15:33
    • We're thinking of taking the train most places
      Consider all possible options for transport, including train, coach, buses, trams. Useful website: https://tfl.gov.uk/. If you have a Currency Debit Card, you can pay for most forms of transport using this, rather than having to purchase individual tickets/cards for travel.
    • HamBoi69 on 01/08/2022 - 10:38
      +1

      Yes, going to consider everything.

  • oscargamer on 31/07/2022 - 15:47
    +2

    The SW of England is beautiful. Take more than a few days and explore Devon and Cornwall. The weather won't be great, but it's England. Bath and Bristol are beautiful. Wales is stunning. Dartmoor NP is wild. Stonehenge used to be great when I was a kid, you could climb all over the stones, probably not a great idea, but I loved it. Mendip Hills / Cheddar Gorge, again gorgeous.

    London - do one night and 2 days there. Tick those dull tourist boxes.

    Maybe take the opportunity to nip to France? Cheap cheap flights. Grab a backpack and go to Paris for a mid-week day or two.

    • [Deactivated] on 31/07/2022 - 20:17

      Can't climb the stones at Stonehenge any more, there is a roped-off path around the stones at some distance from them.

      • oscargamer on 31/07/2022 - 20:52

        Hence I said "used to be great" …..

    • Yola on 01/08/2022 - 09:54
      +1

      Love Paris. Since your kids are older see if you can leave them with the relies for that weekend. Try to make it a long one.

    • HamBoi69 on 01/08/2022 - 10:37

      Probably not going to go to France. But will definitely look at all the stunning country side.

  • jjjaar on 31/07/2022 - 15:48
    +2

    For trains, use The Train Line, however for a family of 6, it absolutely will add up. A car may be better.

    • HamBoi69 on 01/08/2022 - 10:35

      Going to work it all out.

    • Yola on 01/08/2022 - 11:12

      The countryside is so beautiful and requires a car to explore it. Maybe the relies have a spare you can borrow for a few days.

  • CecilTheChair on 31/07/2022 - 15:51
    +1

    Longer train trips are expensive unless you book in advance (you can book cheap tickets up to 12 weeks in advance).

    Hotukdeals is the UK ozbargain equivalent.

    • HamBoi69 on 01/08/2022 - 10:35

      Thanks!

  • SF3 on 31/07/2022 - 16:40

    Roaming (if cheap) or get a local SIM with data.

    Google maps your way around with your phone.

    Oyster card travelling in London.

    • HamBoi69 on 01/08/2022 - 10:35

      Thinking of going with GifGaf like other have recommended. Google maps will be hotly used!

      • jjjaar on 01/08/2022 - 10:54

        For public transport within the one city, use CityMapper.

        Provides comparison of a variety of options, shows prices (ie bus bus is cheaper than tube, bus) and compares to walking.

        • HamBoi69 on 01/08/2022 - 14:54

          Will look into it thanks!

          • jjjaar on 01/08/2022 - 15:31
            +1

            @HamBoi69: Also gives estimates of Uber fares too so good comparison if there are a bunch of you.

  • Lovemydeals on 31/07/2022 - 20:27
    +2

    Train travel in the uk is crazy expensive.

    Try to pre-book the train tickets if you have your dates pretty secure as you can get discounts the earlier you book. As mentioned before, 6 people traveling will add-up. Maybe cheaper some days to rent a car instead.

    • HamBoi69 on 01/08/2022 - 10:34

      Going to work that all out once we've booked flights and got dates set.

  • dtc on 31/07/2022 - 21:09
    +3

    Not sure why people are so upset with a travel agent being used. I've never used one in 25+ overseas trips; but given covid, airline cancellations, Qantas being Qantas - a travel agent can do all the crap for you when your flight is cancelled and you need a refund or need to re-route at the last minute. Maybe by January it wont be that much of an issue, and of course you can probably do a lot of it yourself if you have time, patience and the right knowledge

    Actually I did use a travel agent once - managed to book a flight to the US for $400 cheaper than anywhere else including direct with the airline or through google or Kayak. For 4 people that is pretty good. Was just a deal advertised on their website so grabbed it.

    for OP - remember sunrise in Jan is around 8am and sunset is ~4pm.

    • HamBoi69 on 01/08/2022 - 10:34

      Yeah, thanks it'll take some getting used to!

  • emjay2000 on 01/08/2022 - 08:10

    How old are the kids?

    • HamBoi69 on 01/08/2022 - 08:13
      +1

      16 and 14, adults are me and my wife, but the others are 20 and 18.

  • Maximalis on 01/08/2022 - 08:58
    +1

    Book in advance for all the things that you can, not just for cheaper options. - eg Harry Potter studio tour sells out months in advance.
    In my experience, booking in advance for rail journeys always works out cheaper.
    Have you considered an overnight stopover to break the journey up?

    • HamBoi69 on 01/08/2022 - 10:33

      Yes, I'm thinking of it. Will definitely be pre booking where possible.

  • JuliaH on 01/08/2022 - 09:24
    +1

    Savemore - agree about Giffgaff for sure. We have been visiting every few years for the last twenty-five (since emigrating from UK to Tas).
    General advice: If you need a hotel, try Premier Inn (loads all over the country). They have family rooms now and they are very consistent in their standards. You can eat a breakfast that will keep you going until dinner. Children eat for free. Outside cities there is usually free parking.
    We always treat ourselves to a long midweek break at Center Parcs (even in January the children and you will love it. Cost for accommodation and the dome swimming paradise is all inclusive, but the costs go up if you add on the activities (which are brilliant by the way:). Best value is for large groups. We used to book a villa for eight and it was so cheap that way:). There are family discounts and book early ones. I think Longleat would be closest to your family, but there are 5 around the UK. https://www.centerparcs.co.uk/discover-center-parcs/holiday-…
    We actually found that hiring a car for the whole time was cheaper than public transport, and meant we could be more spontaneous with our travel. We usually fly out from the same airport we arrive at, so picking up and dropping off the car was easy enough; (although outside the airport cars cost less).
    Supermarkets are gererally much better value than over here (except for Aldi of course). They have Aldi and it's counterpart "Lidl" (the founders were brothers); but Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Tesco ,,, so many choices that I still miss so much (pathetic, I know..).
    Sites are numerous. Cotswold villages, Yorkshire/Derbyshire countryside (all the shires really). Tower of London was good. Welsh border has as many castles as you could possibly wish for. Depends how much time and what interests you have.
    Last piece of advice is don't try and cram too much in. You won't remember most of it later and you will come home tired (and no doubt broke:). We are going in March/April 223" for the Spring flowers and cheaper flights. Good luck!
    Sorry, just seen how old your children are; so "kids eat free" probably isn't valid. I think they would prefer to be known as "young adults" now:).

    • HamBoi69 on 01/08/2022 - 10:32

      Thanks for the advice, would be cheaper to say, hire a car at Bristol?

      • JuliaH on 02/08/2022 - 08:16

        Because we fly in and fly out from the same airport it was easier (and not too much more expensive to pick it up from the airport, as it is then easy to drop it off again when you leave (tank full of course:). If you collect from Bristol it will usually mean dropping it off there too; so I guess it depends on your itinerary.

  • Bob Svargis on 01/08/2022 - 09:39
    +1

    I was in the UK June/early July. Main tips I have are:

    1. Book and pay for rail travel in advance, online. It's cheaper.

    2. Be prepared for delays on regional rail. Just accept it. My trip from Harpenden to Harrogate took about 8 hours all up because of signal issues. Had to make my way north via other services. However, I just received my refund of GBP62 for my ticket! So I'm not whinging.

  • Yola on 01/08/2022 - 10:12
    +1

    Join the National Trust which has reciprocal membership with National Trust UK. The entry fees are steep and you will get free entry, although there are exclusions. Membership is $110 for 2 adults and 4 children. Uk has many more sites than Australia, over 500. The historical properties are amazing but of course, it will depend on your interests.

    https://www.nationaltrust.org.au/international-places/
    https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/days-out

    • HamBoi69 on 01/08/2022 - 10:32

      Thanks a great idea, will definitely do!

  • Geoff01 on 01/08/2022 - 10:35
    +1

    Probably picking the worst time to travel. Bang in the middle of winter. Lots of touristy things are closed with the bigger items only open. Hire a car is cheaper than the train.the south west is nice and also Wales. Scotland is stunning in winter with snow but a bit of a drive. Everything will be leafless so the greenery won't be at it's best. London is like any other European city with opportunist pickpockets everywhere. But most of its common sense. Don't wear backpacks or have your phone hanging out your pocket. A concealed bum bag is better. As for stabbing… bit over the top. Loads of sites to see. Poms don't travel much seemingly. We lived there for 13 years and ended up advising our neighbours on what to see. Plenty of web sites on things to do. As said above Weatherspoons is your cheapest option for food and drinks for nights out. Warm clothes as it's way colder in winter than Oz

    • Yola on 01/08/2022 - 11:09
      -1

      I agree. I spend a week there about 5 years ago walking around by myself every day while my husband was working. Stayed right in the middle of all tourist haunts - at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge and never had any problems.

    • HamBoi69 on 01/08/2022 - 14:54

      Yeah but is it colder than winter in Ballarat (that's where I am)?

      • lainey13 on 01/08/2022 - 14:57

        Does it snow for a few weeks in Ballarat….
        It's also seriously wetter than Australia! Very damp! The cold is bad! But at least the inside will be heated better than Australia. You'll have to strip off, unless they've turned the heater off due to the cost… the lack of gas from Russia is going to make heating extremely expensive this coming European winter.

        • HamBoi69 on 01/08/2022 - 15:00

          Yeah no it doesn't snow for weeks in Ballarat ha ha.

          • Geoff01 on 02/08/2022 - 09:47
            +1

            @HamBoi69: Doesn't snow much in the UK especially where your going but can sit in the minuses for quite a while. Every year is different, some milder some have Arctic blasts like previous years.

    • JuliaH on 02/08/2022 - 19:01

      Have to agree with Geoff01 regarding off peak tourist offerings. We last went over for Christmas 2018. Apart from Center Parcs (yeah we really do love that place:..), the only other sure thing that we booked that time was Warner Brothers Harry Potter, which was pretty good.

  • lainey13 on 01/08/2022 - 14:46
    +2

    Are you seriously thinking of taking the train from Winscombe to London to do day trips? That's almost 6 hours of train per day! That would be a hard no for me. You're pretty far away from London, if you're near Bristol I would be spending my time in the SW of London and using a car to explore areas outside of Bristol. Bristol has PT which is manageable for a short time (I once spent a whole Saturday looking at flats in Bristol just taking the bus.. that was an effort..)
    If you really want to take the train, check out the different rail cards you can use (I had a Youth railcard back in the day..) to save a lot on the tickets. Also split tickets can make them cheaper too (I used thetrainline.com a lot back in the day when they didn't have an app!). There are also rover train tickets, where you can get unlimited rail for certain areas for a certain number of days (eg train pass) such as the ones on this link: https://www.southwesternrailway.com/train-tickets/cheap-trai…
    Often a rail ticket can get you special offers into attractions, just google what offers there are out there for holding a rail ticket.
    Do not EVER buy a ticket on the day, you're just asking to be gouged to the max then. Definitely research the ticket prices for advance tickets, the price can be eye wateringly expensive for short distances.
    Honestly though, the train isn't so magical that you should take the train everywhere.. they're often crowded and affected by rail strikes and track damage, the seats and experience is nothing special unless you're a real rail nut. Special trains being the exception of course but they won't be going to Winscombe!
    I lived near London for a year and still didn't see everything I wanted to, so I would suggest staying in London as long as possible. January is a pretty miserable time to go, so better to do indoor things rather than outdoor activities.. you might get snow then and it's not fun trying to get around in the crappy snow that's just enough to make things difficult but not enough to make things magically enchanting!

    • HamBoi69 on 01/08/2022 - 14:53

      Thanks for the advice, I'll take it all into consideration.

  • robbyjones on 02/08/2022 - 19:28
    +1

    Just general overseas travel tips: Look into credit cards (like 28degrees) and bank atm cards (like ING) that offer fee free charges. Many credit cards charge a up to 3% fee to change the currency into aud. I don't carry cash anymore just withdraw cash when I arrive as ING refund the fees (there are conditions attached but if you follow them all good).

    Travel insurance is really costly atm and I have spent quite some time checking out different policies and comparing with that offered by credit card companies complimentary with your card and they compare quite well, lots of them include spouses and children traveling with you (up to 21 or even 25 years old).

    I find the app Tripit really useful for planning the trip, you can share with whoever you wish and it keeps all your travels in one place.

    Buy Apple AirTags or similar for your luggage if you plan to check any. The airlines are terrible at the moment with lost luggage and I have heard of many, many cases where the owners have led the airlines to where their luggage is and have retrieved it where they otherwise may not have.

    Not sure about the UK but check out the prices of hiring a car before you go. I know that in the US I can hire a car significantly cheaper than US citizens if I organise the hire from Australia first.

    • Yola on 03/08/2022 - 18:54

      ING is the best for travel with free use of ATMs - no fee from ING or the local ATM owner - but now limited to 5 per month. You could get one for each adult in the group. You must qualify in the month before you want to use it by making 5 settled transactions and depositing $1000 into the Orange account. Somewhat onerous but worth it IMO.

  • JuliaH on 03/08/2022 - 08:12

    We always book the hire car (not pay until later though), as soon as we have booked our flights. Way cheaper in advance.

  • JoSlow on 04/10/2022 - 01:02

    If you plan on going to a couple of sightseeing places that are under the national/heritage trust, it may be worth your while to check out if a National Trust of Victoria membership works out cheaper. They offer reciprocal benefits and a household membership is $110/year. It covers 2 adults and up to 4 children under the age of 18. (Grandparents can substitute grandchildren for children.) The adults can include any family or friendship grouping.

  • WoodYouLikeSomeCash on 04/10/2022 - 08:02
    +2

    Go while the UK pound is still copping a pounding.

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