Summer weather in the UK can change daily. Some days are hot and sunny and others can be cold and rainy. Because of this and the fact that you’ll probably be going in and out of museums and castles which are usually cool, you’ll want to dress in layers. You’ll also want a sturdy pair of walking shoes if you’re planning to sight-see because you’ll be on your feet all day. Keep reading for more tips on how to pack for summer in England.

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Packing Check List

Clothes:

• Packable Raincoat
• Wind-proof fleece jacket
• 2 Cardigans
• Hats: 1 beanie, 1 sun hat or baseball cap
• Scarf
• Sweater skirt
• Leggings: 1 full-length, 1 Capri (my personal favorite come from Popflex Active)
• 1-2 dresses
• 3-4 T-shirts
• Jeans
• Pajamas
• Underwear & Socks – I always take one more pair than I should need.
• Walking shoes
• ballet flats

Toiletries

• TSA approved clear travel toiletry bag
• 3oz bottles for your favorite shampoo/conditioner
• Face wipes (I’ve been trying to go liquid-free by trying out wipes instead of liquids. Let me know if you have any travel liquid-free tips!)
• Want to go green? Have you heard of bamboo toothbrushes?

Electronics:

• Camera (I favor the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II)
• UK Travel Adapter Type G Plug
• All your electronics chargers!
• Travel Power Strip
• 2 iPhone battery packs
• 1 earbuds, 1 noise cancelling headphones
• Unlocked iPhone – get a SIM card from a vendor when you get there. Find a vendor once you’ve left the airport though, or else it will be more expensive!

Don’t Forget:

• Passport
• Sunglasses
• Stuff Day Pack for carrying your umbrella, rain jacket, and water bottle during the day & Travel Stuff Duffel for returning with all the shopping you’ve done during the trip.
• Shoulder bag or purse
• Travel umbrella
• Hand sanitizer
• moleskin & band aids
• reusable water bottle
• reusable shopping bag (England stores charge 5p for plastic bags)
• Laundry bag – you can buy detergent when you get there.

Outfit Examples

• Wear your bulkiest clothes and shoes on the plane.
• When choosing clothes, pick a color scheme so all the pieces can be mixed and matched.
• Never take new shoes. You don’t want to get blisters at the beginning of your trip!
• Put your shoes in bags in your suitcase to keep everything else clean.
• Dress nicer in London. As a general rule, people tend to dress nicer in big cities.
• Don’t be the tourist with a fanny pack, baseball cap, and camera around your neck, at least not in London.

Packing Tips

• Packing Cubes: After watching one of Hey Nadine’s packing YouTube videos, I decided to try out packing cubes and now I swear by them. They keep everything in your suitcase organized AND if TSA goes into your suitcase they won’t have to go through your underwear! I loved them so much I even organized everything in my backpack with pouches (like this one from Out of Print Clothes).
• Roll socks or tights into balls and shove them into the toes of your shoes in your suitcase.

iPhone Apps

• CityMapper – CityMapper is the best app for navigating London like a pro. It will show you the fastest way to get to your destination, it will show you delays in the various transportation routes, it will tell you which train platform to go to, and it will even tell you which section of the subway to sit in. This app also works in a few other large cities.
• TimeOut – TimeOut is a great place to look for fun evening events happening in London. I attended a Silent Disco in the London Shard and a playing of the film Casablanca on a boat on the Thames River.

The Things I Didn’t Need vs. Should Have Had

I did not use…

the knitting and or book I took to fill my free time. I ended up filling my free time on planes/trains/buses with sleeping, jotting down notes, and staring at my surroundings instead.

I should have had…

an umbrella. Britain can be too warm for a coat, but too rainy not to have cover. I spent two weeks wishing I had brought a travel size umbrella. I finally bought one half way through the trip.

The One Thing I Never Travel Without:

Bose Noice Cancelling Headphones – These block out extra airplane noise like a charm so you don’t have to turn the volume in your earbuds all the way up! They may be a little bulky to travel with, but for long airplane rides, they’re definitely worth it.

Let’s Talk!

Did I forget anything? Did you find this helpful? Do you have any packing tips? What’s the one thing you never leave home without? Let’s discuss in the comments below!