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.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. This means if you purchase something using any of these links, I’ll make a small commission at no extra cost to you. I have only linked to items I use and highly recommend for travel. Thank you for supporting the businesses that keep this blog going.
Packing Check List
If you’d like a printable copy of my Ultimate Packing List, you can purchase a printable PDF for $2 via my Ko-Fi page, or subscribe to the blog and I’ll send you a link to the Ultimate Packing List for free!
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:
- Cameras & Mics (I travel with a GoPro, DJI Osmo Pocket 3, and the DJI Mic 2)
- UK Travel Adapter Type G Plug
- All your electronics chargers!
- Travel Power Strip
- 2 iPhone battery packs
- Earbuds or noise cancelling headphones (I love my pink Bose headphones)
- Unlocked iPhone – Either 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!) or, Airalo makes it incredibly easy to buy a travel data plan and download an e-sim before you leave and then all you have to do is switch it on when you hit the ground and you’re good to go!
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.
for carrying your umbrella, rain jacket, and water bottle during the day & 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.
- Roll socks or tights into balls and shove them into the toes of your shoes in your suitcase.
: After watching one of 
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 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.
Peter Varadi says
I would like to congratulate you assembling ‘’How to Pack for summer in England’’. It is a perfect list to use to prepare for a summer trip to England.
I would only suggest one addition and one change. Both are in the list of “’’Don’t forget’’.
The addition is a few Cold-Eeze lozenges to take when one feels to get a cold. The change is to take various sizes of ‘’Nexcare waterproof bandages’’ instead of regular band aids. Nexcare can be left on the wound until it heals for a week or more and stays on in water and keeps water out.
A Suitcase Full of Books says
Those are good suggestions! Thank you!
Elda says
Love the tips! Thank you!
A Suitcase Full of Books says
You’re welcome!