When taking a vacation in the UK, everyone posts or raves about their visit to Big Ben and Buckingham Palace. Admittedly, they should, as it would be a big mistake to go to England and miss these iconic places.
However, if you really want to take full advantage of your time and your hard-earned money spent to get to the UK, trying some uncommon things is not a bad idea. If you are up to the challenge and want a different kind of adventure, here are some unusual things that you can do on your trip to the UK.
8 Visit a Secret Neon Haven
Located in an inconspicuous place in London inside an industrial building, you will find God’s Own Junkyard that showcases the largest assortment of antique neon signs in the UK. This mind-altering haven of neon lights is full of retro signs, disco balls, religious statues, and film props.
Chris Bracey, the late owner of the business, was a notable person in Hollywood – creating props for popular directors like Christopher Nolan, Tim Burton, and Stanley Kubrick.
7 Go for Some Puffin Spotting
Experiencing wildlife in the UK is not an uncommon activity. However, during the summer, visiting the Northumberland coast will treat you to a rare chance to see breeding Puffins. Every year in the Farne Islands, approximately 150,000 pairs of Puffins migrate and mate.
As an added bonus, you will also get the chance to see the UK’s biggest collection of grey seals that are often spotted lethargically bathing on top of the rocks. To get an up-close and personal experience with these interesting creatures, you can book a boat trip along the coast.
6 Order a Drink at The Wonky Pub
Take a drive just outside Birmingham and you will find Dudley, which is home to The Crooked House – a mind-boggling old house that feels like it’s going to get swallowed up by the Earth. When you go inside, you will be greeted with optical illusions created by the crooked walls, like glasses sliding on a leveled table and marbles that seem to defy gravity and roll in an upward direction.
During the 1940s the Crooked House was subject to demolition. Thanks to Dudley Breweries and Wolverhampton, their preservation efforts of the Wonky Pub are being enjoyed by generations of locals and travelers.
5 Get Some Hair-Raising Adventure by Visiting the Gallery of Heads
What other way to spark your unique UK trip than including the unnatural by visiting the country’s biggest collection of well-preserved human bones. The Crypt is one of the exhibits you can enjoy in Hythe’s St. Leonard’s Church, housing over a thousand skulls in its chambers.
It may sound spooky but it promises to be a very interesting and uncommon adventure for adults and kids alike. And, to sweeten the deal, ticket prices are sliced to half for kids.
4 Be Amazed By Northern Lights
When you drive to Northumberland to see the puffins, stay the night and step outside and marvel at the Aurora Borealis above. Fun fact – Northumberland skies are darker and clearer compared to those in Norway and Iceland, which makes it a perfect place to stargaze and experience the Northern Lights.
To add to the experience, by driving near the beach, you can also treat yourself to a night breeze and enjoy a picnic or a drink on the sands
3 Explore the Former Battlegrounds of Magicians and Vampire Hunters
Yes, you read that right – UK’s creepiest cemetery was the former arena of magicians and vampire hunters. Upon entering, you will be greeted by Egyptian and Victorian-influenced tombs. The Highgate Cemetery is also the resting place of some popular people in England like Karl Marx, the “Blind Traveler” James Holman, and the criminal mastermind Adam Worth, on whom Sherlock Holmes’ Moriarty is based.
For hundreds of years, the cemetery was left unattended and was deemed beyond repair, adding to the spook factor. Plus, stories of a vampire stealing bodies in tombs circulated, making it a haven for vampire enthusiasts.
2 Hop Aboard the Hogwarts Express
Discussions about British icons will not be complete if we exclude Harry Potter in the conversation. J.K. Rowling's creation has impacted the world through its high success in both films and novels. Moreover, because the movies were mostly filmed in the United Kingdom, you have the chance to visit a lot of its filming spots.
But the place where you can go to see the widest collections of film sets is Warner Brother Studios in London. Getting a Harry Potter Studio Tour will give you a chance to see props like Hagrid’s Hut and immerse yourself in that unique Harry Potter experience.
1 Enter in an Uncommon Museum
In the UK, there are about 250 galleries and museums that you can visit. As you would have thought, this assortment has something to offer that stands out from the rest.
One of the more popular would be the Museum of Brands. Here, you can find more than 12,000 pantry staple items in their early packaging. Seeing this wide assortment of products on display will leave you nostalgic. Brands like Kellogg’s, Fairy, and Oxo are some of the popular names featured in the museum that people have grown to love and patronize over the years.
Making memories while traveling is the goal of any vacationer, and the best way to do it is to add some adventure and unique activities to make your trip to the UK worthwhile.