Visiting England on a Budget, for Overseas Travellers

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Despite the historical connections, England is a long way from North America, India, Australia and its other former colonies, and so many aspiring overseas travellers may be put off by the expense of the trip. But perhaps you dream of retracing the footsteps of Prince William and Kate Middleton, and visiting historic sites like Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. Or perhaps you are a soccer fan dreaming of cheering on David Beckham's old team, Manchester United, or a theatre lover wishing to see the birthplace of Shakespeare. For many people this will remain only a dream. And if you're dreaming of traveling through space and time with Dr Who in the Tardis, then I'm sorry to say, that will probably remain a dream too.

But don't despair, a trip to England may not be out of your reach. There are many areas of the travel budget where you can save on expenses.

Firstly, weigh up the best times of year to visit against the cheapest times of year to visit. Obviously, summer provides the best weather for visiting England, and less obviously to those from a more southern latitude, the evenings in summer stay light for much longer. Unfortunately, summer is also worse from the point of view of prices and crowds.

But even if you are planning a family holiday in England, you may still be able to make some savings by comparing the English and American school summer breaks. Schools in England remain in session until late July, and it is during the school holidays between then and the beginning of September that prices are highest. So you may still be able to catch some early summer deals on package holidays, such as hotel breaks and caravan rental at holiday parks in Devon, Cornwall and other seaside areas.

If you are less of a sun worshipper, don't dismiss the off season as inferior. For example, if you went to England at the right time in early November, you could not only benefit from low priced flights, but take part in the British traditions of Guy Fawkes Night, see town centres decorated with Christmas lights, and in the right areas, you can see the Hindu festival of Diwali too.

So shop around online, compare flight dates to find out when airlines offer the cheaper deals, and look for travel agency sites that may offer bargains on either early bookings or last minute deals. With train travel in particular, you can save a lot of money by booking in advance.

When dining out, in many areas you will find that restaurants all seem to be either fast food, cheap basic cafes or high end expensive restaurants. However there are some great options for good food that are not fast food or pricey.

The most traditionally British options are the fish and chip shop and the carvery. Fish and chip shops are usually takeaways, that sell chunky French fries, fried fish and other traditional favourites like pies. The food may not be healthy, but on a cold rainy night it is just what you need!

The carvery is another traditional British favourite, especially on Sunday lunchtimes. Carveries are restaurant areas in pubs, that roast huge joints of meat like roast beef, gammon, lamb and whole turkeys. Everyone who buys a carvery ticket chooses the meat, which the chefs slice for them, and then they help themselves to roast potatoes, vegetables, Yorkshire puddings and gravy.

Ethnic restaurants, such as Indian, Chinese and Italian restaurants among others are also very popular in England.

When looking for somewhere to stay, go for budget hotels unless you're seeing the hotel as a destination in itself, for example health spas, country clubs, or chic city centre luxury accomodation. In England, bed and breakfasts are often cheaper than hotels, but bear in mind that in some cases you may not have an ensuite bathroom. Hostels and youth hostels are a cheaper option still. They are mostly aimed at young singles staying in dormitory style shared accommodation, but some may also have private rooms available. Finally, the cheapest option is camping in basic campgrounds, and the most basic may literally be just a field. For those who prefer camping with all the facilities and entertainment, a holiday park would be a better option. Holiday parks offer static caravan rental and tent and caravan camping. Most campsites offer caravan and tent camping sites, and he facilities are somewhere in between the basic campsite and the holiday park.

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But having traveled all the way to England, you may not want to spend much time in your room, or even in a holiday resort.

Will you want to see the famous sights of central London: Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey? Or perhaps you'll venture further afield to see mysterious prehistoric sites like Stonehenge and Avebury. The Cotswolds, the Westcountry (including Devon) and the Lake District are also beautiful areas to visit. By wandering off the beaten path, you can steer clear of the pricier tourist attractions and see a more authentic England.