Midlands & Cotswolds with visitors from the USA

[AnonymouseCat]

I have relatives coming to stay from the USA in a few months time; a couple in their mid-30s who have never visited the UK before. I am starting to think about where I can take them. They live in a very beautiful part of the USA (Oregon) so not much is going to impress them in the way of scenery round here (Leicestershire)! However, they are very excited about soaking in some history and culture. Somewhere on their "must-see" list is the Cotswolds, which we'll do as a day trip. I'd love a few ideas of where in particular I could take them. The obvious things are afternoon tea in Bourton-on-the-Water or Broadway, a couple of National Trust properties and probably Kenilworth Castle. [EDIT - not all of those in one day, obviously!!]
Where else can I take them?

Blenheim Palace, Bicester Shopping Village if they enjoy shopping, Bletchley Park… ummm…Oxford, anywhere Harry Potter ish, Bath, Bibury (has a trout farm), Warwick Castle… any good?

Most of Wales has stunning scenery that should impress them and lots of castles.

Old English towns along the border like Ludlow, Shrewsbury, Chester are lovely too.

I would avoid shopping!

Stratford Upon Avon - maybe see if you can get tickets for the RST. It’d be a big thing to see a Shakespeare play in Stratford Upon Avon.

Stratford upon Avon!

Ludlow is nice. Oxford college tour. Stratford. Warwick and Kenilworth castles. Blenheim Palace, ragley Hall.

Chatsworth House
Warwick Castle
York
Stratford upon Avon

Blenheim Palace definitely and Stratford upon Avon is brilliant.

I prefer the northern parts of the Cotswolds. Broadway is lovely as is nearby Snowshill NT. Chipping Camden and Burford both lovely. Bourton is nice but infuriatingly busy.

It would be helpful to know approximately where in Leics and how far you are willing to drive in a day. Black Country Living Museum would cover a lot of history in one day.

Yes to Stratford.

Either one of Cambridge or Oxford depending on which is closer.

Depending on how close you are to the Derbyshire border, Chatsworth for the Pride and Prejudice connections?

Belton House near Grantham could be an option. Chatsworth House in Derbyshire is very popular with worldwide tourists.

Do they like walking? In Leics you are not a million miles from the Derbyshire Dales - lovely scenery in about an hour or 90 mins - which is nothing for an American in driving terms.

While you are up in Derbys you could take in Chatsworth, Hardwick Hall or Bolsover Castle - Hardwick is the best of those IMHO and has great Mary Queen of Scots links.

Also agree Stratford - Shakespeare's birthplace is amazing if you are a fan and the RSC is really very reasonable - £50 a ticket will get you a decent stalls seat. We saw the Dream there last week and it was excellent. So a day there looking at the history and then a play in the evening would be good. Again, really not far - Leicester to Stratford is less than an hour.

Rutland water and then into Stamford? As pretty as Cotswold towns but without the crowds!

Lower Slaughter, close to Bourton is well worth stopping off at for an hour - it's full of Cotswold character.

Bath area and around Lacock is like catnip for Americans. Particularly those into Harry Potter / Bridgerton fans (a bit of a stereotype for the age group though)

anything older than 1776 will impress. Particularly if it’s something ordinary like the pub down the road. Pre-1601 is even better 😂

I recall a chest that went on the crusades that is now literally just a piece of furniture in our local church was a little mind bending for my American wedding guests…

Eyam would be great!

Not Warwick Castle if they want culture. It is unapologetically a Merlin theme park which is great fun if that is your thing but it doesn’t sound like theirs. Kenilworth will be much better.

I have a lot of family in America and have hosted most of them on trips to the UK. They have pretty much all wanted to go for a good curry so see if that appeals to them!

Oxford

Bath

Lechlade for the Cotswolds. Nice places to eat, boating, ice cream. The Cotswold towns you’ve mentioned are a bit blugh.

Snowshill Manor if you’re in the North Cotswolds. Hidcote, if they like gardens.

Both get pretty busy though.

If you're Leicestershire then you've got to 'do' Richard III if you can- walk round the battlefield and/or into Leicester? You could do the Jewry wall as well for some proper old history if it's back open.

Peak District, Buxton, Ironbridge, Ross on Wye, Llangollen canal , Chester, Stratford, Cambridge

Definitely Leicester: all the above plus Belgrave Road and maybe a curry?

Burford is lovely and not as over-touristy as some of the other Cotswold towns. The garden centre is an ultimate retail destination.

And Oxford is lovely, of course. Take a wander round the colleges and Bodleian. Some interesting museums if you have time, too.

One more thought - the biggest hit with my American relatives which has been requested on every subsequent visit was a traditional weeknight pub quiz.

Sezincote in Bourton on the Hill is spectacular, and the village and Moreton are lovely. Depending on exactly when they are visiting, the lavender fields at Snowshill are very popular. Def do afternoon tea in Broadway, then you could take the steam train from there (if they get the viaduct fixed by then, otherwise you go to a station slightly further along) to Cheltenham

Definitely Blenheim Palace, and book the 'upstairs' and 'downstairs' tours. If they are here beginning of May the jousting tournament is superb.

Snowshill Manor and Hidcote are ok but don't have the wow factor.

Avoid Warwick castle as pp said.

Oxford is fabulous on a sunny day, so much to do. The botanic gardens are lovely and it's a compact city that's very walkable.

For something a bit different, you could take them to watch polo at Cirencester - as quintessentially English as you can get, and a gorgeous walk around the park afterwards. Plus, it’s free!