Packing everything in ONLY a carry-on (no matter how long the trip is), is always one of my travel goals. The less baggage I have to carry, the faster and easier it is to get around. Below I share what to pack for England.
I went to England for one week at the end of March and early April. It was spring, and a little chilly in the mornings, warm during the day, and sometimes rainy. I fit all of my clothes and items in one backpack and a purse.
My Luggage
I brought along my trusty backpack from Walmart that I’ve been bringing with me on trips for years. I’m sure there are better ones out there, but it has LOTS of pockets and compartments to organize my things which is why I love it so much. I put everything in it that I don’t need during my flight, and put it in the overhead bin.
I brought a purse. I pack my travel essentials in it that I would need during the flight.
Clothes: what to pack for England
When packing clothes for a trip, you want to try and blend in so that you don’t stand out as a tourist. In England, they tend to dress up a bit more (think fitted, more business-casual type attire) than dress down (like in sweatpants and sweaters). It was early spring in England, so the weather ranged from 8-15 degrees Celsius.
- 3 dressy tank tops. I rotated these during my trip.
- 3 pairs of pants. I also rotated these during my trip.
- 1 cotton t-shirt. (Harry Potter themed for my day to the Harry Potter Studios…but this is entirely optional!)
- 2 cardigans. I wore these everyday over my tank tops.
- Cotton pajamas. I brought two pairs for 7 days.
- Black boots. They were the only shoes I wore the entire trip. These were SO comfortable, I walked everywhere in these and didn’t get one blister.
- Slippers. These were cozy to wear around my room at night, and also on the plane.
- Underwear, socks, bra. You know, the usual…
- Scarf. I used this as a blanket on the plane, and I also wore it everyday during my trip. If it got too warm during the day, it was small enough to roll it up and shove it my purse.
- Faux leather jacket. Any jacket that is water resistant will be fine. This one was water resistant, which was great when it rained. And it kept me warm during the day!
Toiletries
First aid kit. This includes any prescriptions, headache relief pills, band-aids, a blister stick, Tums (antacid) , and Imodium.
Tooth brush and toothpaste. Bring small, travel-sized ones to save on space.
Make up and make-up remover. Entirely up to you for how much, or little, you want to bring and can fit in your luggage.
Glasses, Contacts & Contact Lens Solution. I wear contacts, so one small travel bottle of contact lens solution was enough for my trip.
Sunscreen. I forgot mine at my hotel, instead of putting it in my purse for the day, so I had to find a local pharmacy and buy one while I was out exploring. Remember to pack it, AND put it in your day bag!
Technology to bring
External Charger. I won’t go on a trip without it. It will charge my phone during the day so that I can continue to take pictures (and not get lost!). The one that I brought with me says how much power is remaining, which is really handy to know!
Phone. Of course!
Chargers. Easy to forget, but so important to bring!
UK Sim Card. Use your phone like you would at home, and bring a Sim Card! I had one delivered to my home before I left on my trip, so that I was able to use it the minute I landed.
Plug Adapter. If the UK has a different type of plug than you have at home, bring one of these so that you can charge all of your devices while abroad.
Other essentials to pack for one week in England
Passport & ID. Make sure it is in a safe spot while you are travelling to and from the airport. While you are out exploring during the day, leave your passport in your accommodation hidden and locked away.
Copies of Documentation. I always bring copies of my itinerary, passport, travel insurance and hotel and tour reservations. I also leave copies of these at home just in case I lose them.
Umbrella. It rained off and on a couple of times during my stay, so this was definitely a necessity!
Sun Glasses. It gets sunny in England too!
Lock. When you are staying in a hostel, bring locks. One lock is fine, but I had TWO locks, which gave me extra piece of mind. I had a lock on my locker for the hostel, and I also had a smaller lock on my backpack so that no one could get in it IF by chance they were able to get in my locker.
Microfiber Towel. If you are staying in a hostel, check ahead to see if they provide towels or not, and if there is a fee to use them. I like to bring a microfiber towel that rolls up really small.
Travel Journal. It’s all up to personal preference, but I think it’s a fun to record my experiences AND a great way to avoid loneliness while travelling.
I hope that these tips helped you decide what to pack for England! Is there anything that you would recommend bringing for one week? Let me know in the comments below!
