If you’re thinking of exploring the UK beyond just London, a self-drive trip is one of the best ways to do it. Here’s how my 9-day road trip around England went — filled with charming villages, castles, universities, and lots of scenic countryside drives.
UK Self-Drive Road Trip: My 9-Day Itinerary
Day 1–3: London
Arrived at Heathrow and spent three nights in the capital.
From the airport, I took the subway (Piccadilly Line) directly to central London — it took about 30 minutes, and the walk to President Hotel was just 5 minutes from the station.
Where to stay: President Hotel
Pros: Super convenient location — walking distance to the subway station and car rental company, both less than 5 minutes away.
Cons: Our room faced the main busy street and it was extremely noisy, especially being on the second floor. Since it was summer with no air conditioning, we had to leave the windows open, which made things worse — people were walking and yelling till midnight. I asked to change rooms, but the manager said that all triple rooms face the road, so there was no alternative.
Also, no bottled water is provided in the room, so make sure to bring your own bottle to fill up.
Since this was my second time visiting London, I decided not to get the London Pass. It felt a bit too expensive and rushed, especially trying to squeeze in so many attractions in a limited time. Instead, I preferred to take my time and enjoy fewer places without feeling pressured to tick everything off a long list.
Day1 Dinner Master Wei Xian Cuisine
Once we arrived, we went for our dinner near our hotel, it is a Xian noodles restaurant, total spent for 3 orders is 41.30 Pound
Master Wei
- Address: 13 Cosmo Place, Bloomsbury, London, WC1N 3AP, United Kingdom.
This location is nestled between Russell Square and Holborn stations, just a short walk from the British Museum.
Places to visit in London
- British Museum
A treasure trove of world history and culture. Entry is free of charge, but you need to prebook your visit online to manage visitor numbers. I could not get it without any booking. But luckily I’ve been there before a few year back.
- The Tower of London
Historic fortress and home to the Crown Jewels. We went in the second time and this time we were able to see the crown jewels. You may want to get your ticket online with Klook. - Tower Bridge
Iconic London landmark with stunning views from its glass walkway. - The Houses of Parliament & Big Ben
Famous political and architectural symbols located by the River Thames. - The London Eye
Giant observation wheel offering panoramic city views. Booking tickets in advance can help skip long queues. - Westminster Abbey
Historic church, site of royal weddings and coronations. - The Shard
London’s tallest skyscraper with a breathtaking viewing platform. - St. Paul’s Cathedral
Magnificent dome and rich history. Entry to the cathedral is free, and don’t miss climbing to the top for city views.
- Borough Market
Vibrant food market offering gourmet street food, fresh produce, and artisanal products. It’s quite popular with tourists, so it can get busy and feel a bit touristy. Best to visit early, especially on weekends, to avoid crowds. I bought some berries in the market.
Day 2
Lunch near Borough Market, a hamburger restaurant
We ordered 2 items, total is 33.99 Pound
Honest Burgers – Borough Market (London)
Address: 5–7 Southwark Street, London SE1 1RQ, United Kingdom
Honest Burgers is conveniently located right next to London Bridge station, it’s just steps away from Borough Market.
- London Chinatown for good Asian food and this is what we eat.
We ordered a set meal for 2 pax, it comes with 2 main, 2 side dish and 2 dessert. We also add in 2 more side dish pork rib and char siew. The total is 54.60 pound
Lotus Garden (Chinatown, London)
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Address: 15A Gerrard Street, London, W1D 6JD, United Kingdom
This Chinese restaurant, nestled in the heart of London’s Chinatown, has been serving dim sum and authentic dishes for over 20 years.
Day3
Lunch at a small takeaway shop near our hotel, it serve Chinese spicy noodles. We ordered 2 noodles and 1 wrap. Total spending is 34.60 Pound
Liangji Wraps – British Museum Branch
- Address: 234 Shaftesbury Avenue, London WC2H 8EG, United Kingdom.
Day 3 Dinner at Vietnamese restaurant, we ordered 3 items, total spending is 52.26
Café East Pho – Holborn (Next to the British Museum)
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Address: 31–33 Bloomsbury Way, London, WC1A 2SA, United Kingdom
Day 4: London → Bourton-on-the-Water → Stratford-upon-Avon → Warwick
Picked up the rental car (Alamo, just 5-min walk from hotel).
Lunch at a petrol station, simple food
Stopped at Bourton-on-the-Water
We park at:
Rissington Road Car Park (GL54 2BN)
- The second major pay-and-display car park, also open year-round.
- Payment: card or PayByPhone app
- Amenities: Blue Badge concessions, free motorcycle parking, cycle rack, and 14 EV charging bays (with metered charging).
- Just a short walk to the village centre.
then Stratford-upon-Avon
We parked at Windsor Street Multi-Storey Car Park
- Address: Windsor Street, Stratford-upon-Avon
- Payment: Card only (Pay and Display), or via RingGo app ID
Dinner at Thai Restaurant at the Shakespeare Town
The food is quite expensive as compared to Chinese food, portion is small. The sticky rice itself is 4.50 pound and the white rice is 3.50 so I ordered sticky rice. The dish don’t come with rice. Total spending for 2 item and 1 sticky rice is 35.73 Pound
Giggling Squid – Stratford-upon-Avon (The Shakespeare Town)
- Address: 23 High Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 6AU, United Kingdom
Where to stay: Chesford Grange Hotel (Warwick)
This hotel is located in a quiet and secluded area, which is perfect if you’re looking for a peaceful stay away from the busy city centre. Free parking available, which was very convenient for us as we were driving.
The facilities are new and well-maintained, giving a fresh and clean feel to the place. They even provided complimentary bottled water in the room, which was a nice touch.
Breakfast was included, and for UK standards, we were quite impressed — a decent variety of hot and cold options, enough to start the day right.
Overall, we had a comfortable stay and would recommend this hotel if you prefer somewhere quieter, with modern amenities and easy parking.
Day 5: Warwick & Birmingham
I visited Warwick Castle and then drove to Birmingham for some sightseeing before heading back to Warwick.
Tips:
- Book your Warwick Castle tickets online — it’s much cheaper than buying at the gate.
- Parking is available near the castle, and you can pay easily with a credit card at the car park.
Lunch at QR Cook
If you are looking for cheap and affordable asian cuisine, try this restaurant that is tucked away in a small alley.
Address: 37F Warwick Street, Leamington Spa, CV32 5JX, United Kingdom
Total spent for 3 orders is 28pound
Heading to Birmingham
We park at NCP Birmingham Newhall Street
Newhall Street, Birmingham B3 1SW, United Kingdom
- This multi-storey car park is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and offers approximately 500 parking spaces. It’s conveniently situated near St Paul’s Church in the city’s Jewellery Quarter, within walking distance of University College Birmingham and The Jam House .
Dinner takeaway to eat in hotel, RUBY WARWICK a Chinese takeaway.
Ruby Warwick Chinese takeaway
- Unit 3, Chase Meadow Square, Narrow Hall Meadow, Warwick CV34 6BT, United Kingdom
01926 409787
Where to stay: Chesford Grange Hotel (Warwick)
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Day 6: Warwick → Leicester → Nottingham → Manchester
We made our way from Warwick to Manchester, stopping in Leicester and Nottingham along the route.
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Leicester City Centre – Parked at the Highcross Shopping Mall multi-storey car park and explored the shops.
Lunch we have Japanese ramen in Leicester. Total spending for 3 ramen is 42.90 Pound
Maki & Ramen – Highcross Leicester
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Address: St Peter’s Square, Highcross Leicester, Leicester LE1 4SD, United Kingdom
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Nottingham – Parked at the Victoria Centre multi-storey car park, which gave us easy access to the city centre.
After a bit of sightseeing and shopping in both cities, we continued our journey and arrived in Manchester.
Where to stay:
Copthorne Hotel Manchester Salford Quays (Manchester)
Dinner take away Domino pizza, just right opposite the hotel, 5 mins walk. Total spending for 2 pizza and 6 wings is 24.86 Pound
Day 7: Chester & Manchester
Day trip to Chester, then explored Manchester.
Lunch at Chester, Thai restaurant, total spending for 4 items is 47.78 Pound
Thai Baan Chester
- Address: 41 Bridge St, Chester CH1 1NG, United Kingdom
Dinner at Manchester China town
We ordered 2 items total spending is 34.76 Pound
- Aplus Oriental Restaurant（老地方大酒楼）
Amadeus House, 52–56 George Street, Manchester M1 4HF, United Kingdom
Where to stay: Copthorne Hotel Manchester Salford Quays (Manchester)
We chose this hotel because we prefer staying outside the busy city centre, and the Salford Quays area is quiet and scenic. It’s also close to the tram, so getting into Manchester was still very convenient.
Pros:
- Great view facing the waterfront.
- Peaceful location outside the city.
- Tram station is nearby — very convenient for city access.
- 10 mins walk to Manchester United F.C and nearby there is Aldi supermarket
Cons:
- Hotel is old and outdated.
- No air conditioning — can feel warm and stuffy.
- Shower head was very old and needs an upgrade.
- No bottle water, use your refill water bottle at the front desk
- Carpark was full when we arrived. Staff asked us to park in the staff car park, and we double-checked twice with them to confirm it was okay. Despite that, we still received a fine letter from the car rental company after returning home.
Day 8: Manchester → Cambridge
Long drive (~4 hours) to Cambridge.
Lunch at McDonald in rest area.
Evening riverside walk.
Dinner at Korean Restaurant in Cambridge town
YORI Cambridge (St. Andrew’s Street)
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Address: 35 St. Andrew’s Street, Cambridge, CB2 3AR, United Kingdom
Where to stay: Arundel House Hotel (Near River Cam)
This hotel has a charming old-house vibe, as it’s essentially a converted residential building — so don’t expect modern design or facilities. It’s located very close to the River Cam and within walking distance to Cambridge University, which is the main reason we chose it. It was nice being able to stroll around the area even at night.
There’s on-site parking, but it’s £15 until check-out time at 11 am. If you leave later than that, even slightly, you’ll need to pay extra at the machine before exiting. We were late by just 10 minutes and still had to pay the additional fee, so do take note.
The car park is behind the hotel, and you can also access the hotel from the back entrance, which is convenient.
We had three people in our group, and the room setup included a smaller side room, almost like staying in the attic of an old house — definitely adds to the character, though not the most comfortable. The facilities are quite dated, with no air-conditioning, no complimentary bottled water, and no refill options during the stay.
Breakfast was included, but it was very basic — just dried food like toast, tea, and coffee. There were no hot items like bacon or eggs, so don’t expect a full English breakfast.
If your priority is location and being close to the city centre, this place works. But if you’re looking for comfort or modern amenities, this might not be the best fit.
Day 9: Cambridge → Oxford → Heathrow Airport
Quick stop in Oxford.
Lunch at Oxford Banana tree, we ordered 3 items and total spending is 53.02 Pound
- Address: 63 George Street, Oxford, OX1 2BQ, United Kingdom
You may want to park near Worcester Street, Oxford, OX1 2BX
Returned rental car at Heathrow by 6pm, catch the feeder bus to airport free of charge
Flight home.
Dinner at Airport Chinese restaurant, we ordered 2 items and 1 bubble tea, 43.71 Pound
Shan Shui in Terminal 2
- Unit 15, Heathrow Airport, Terminal 2, Hounslow, Surrey, TW6 1PA, United Kingdom
These are the things you may want to know before visiting UK
Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA).
What Is an ETA?
An ETA is a digital travel permit that allows you to visit the UK for tourism, visiting family or friends, business, short-term study, or transit. It is required for all visa-exempt travelers, including Singaporeans, and became mandatory from January 8, 2025.
Cost and Validity
Cost: £16 (approximately SGD 28)
Validity: 2 years or until your passport expires, whichever is sooner
Duration of Stay: Up to 6 months per visit
My UK ETA Scam Experience
Before traveling to the UK, I needed to apply for the new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), which costs about SGD 28. Since it can be done online immediately upon arrival or before your trip, I thought I’d get it done quickly.
Unfortunately, I ended up clicking on a sponsored link that looked official but wasn’t — and I was charged around SGD 200! It was a complete scam.
Here’s what I learned:
Always use the official UK government website: gov.uk/eta
Be very careful about sponsored ads or websites that pop up first on search engines — they often charge way more and offer nothing extra.
The official ETA application is straightforward, safe, and only costs about SGD 28.
If you’ve been scammed, contact your bank or card issuer immediately.
I hope sharing this saves others from the same mistake. Please always double-check URLs and official sources before making payments online!
Get an Oyster Card for public transport in London
The Oyster card is a smart travel card used for paying fares on most public transport in London, including:
- The Tube (subway)
- Buses
- Trams
- DLR (Docklands Light Railway)
- London Overground
- Some National Rail services within London
How Does It Work?
You top up money onto the Oyster card (pay-as-you-go).
When you enter and exit the Tube or other transport, you tap the card on the yellow card reader to pay your fare automatically.
The system calculates the correct fare based on your journey and deducts it from your balance.
There’s a daily fare cap, so once you reach a certain amount in one day, no extra charges apply for further travel.
Parking in the UK – it can get annoying!
Parking in the UK isn’t always straightforward. I usually choose multi-storey car parks because they feel safer and you don’t have to parallel park on narrow streets. But here’s the annoying part: some car parks require you to pay upon arrival, not when you leave. If you don’t realise this and just leave thinking you’ll pay after — you might end up with a fine.
Some tips:
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Always read the signboards at the entrance. Look out for “Pay and Display” or “Pay on Entry” notices.
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Many places use ANPR (camera systems) that track when you enter and leave — if your time runs over, even by a few minutes, you can get charged extra or fined.
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Some towns have machines that only take coins or card, and some machines don’t work — so have a backup plan or app ready (like RingGo or PayByPhone). You need a local number for Ringo app.
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And if you’re staying at a hotel with parking, always double check whether it’s free, included, or charged separately — and whether there’s a cut-off time for checkout!
In short: always double check the rules, pay immediately, and don’t assume it works the same everywhere. UK parking rules can be strict — and unforgiving.
Last time we went to the UK, we got fined TWICE.
First, for accidentally driving into a bus lane in Wales, those are everywhere in cities, and sometimes the sign is tiny or the lane isn’t even clearly marked.
Second fine? Even more annoying. We drove into our hotel car park just to drop off our luggage and return the rental car, stayed for less than 30 minutes… and boom — a £100 fine. Why? Because we didn’t register the car at reception even though we were staying there. We literally checked in and drove out shortly after
Driving in London and Oxford: What to Know About the Congestion Charge
If you’re planning to drive in London or Oxford, it’s important to know about the Congestion Charge. In Central London, the Congestion Charge zone covers areas like Westminster, Soho, and the City of London. It applies Monday to Friday, 7am–6pm, and costs £15 per day. You can pay online, through the TfL app, or set up Auto Pay. If you don’t pay by midnight the next day, you risk a fine of up to £160.
In addition to the Congestion Charge, some vehicles may also be subject to the ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone), which applies 24/7 to older cars that don’t meet emission standards.
Oxford has a similar scheme called the Zero Emission Zone (ZEZ), launched in the city centre. Unlike London’s flat daily fee, Oxford charges drivers per entry, with costs depending on your vehicle type. Electric cars pay nothing, while petrol and diesel cars can be charged up to £10 per day.
If you’re renting a car, check whether it meets ULEZ or ZEZ standards to avoid unexpected charges.
For many visitors, using public transport can be easier and cheaper when exploring city centres. But if you do drive, make sure you know the rules and pay the charges to avoid penalties.
Things to pack for the UK (even in summer)
UK weather is super unpredictable — we went during summer, and it still rained half the time! So here’s what I’d recommend bringing:
- Umbrella – a must, no matter what season
- Raincoat or waterproof jacket – easier than carrying an umbrella
- Water-resistant shoes – or bring rain covers for your shoes, can get it online from Shoppee or Taobao.
- Extra pair of shoes – in case one gets soaked
- Extra socks – wet socks = instant regret
- Light layers – weather changes fast, especially in the evenings
- Some summer clothes – for the occasional warm day
- Reusable water bottle – many hotels don’t provide bottled water, but do have water dispenser
- Slippers for the room – most UK hotels don’t provide slippers (unlike China or Japan)
UK summer can feel like four seasons in one day, so it’s better to be over-prepared than sorry!
Craving for Asian food?
If you crave Asian food like me, no worries — there are plenty of Asian restaurants all over the UK, with meals typically ranging from £9 to £18 per person.