Check out what's on at the Fleece (around the corner from Victoria Street) in Bristol; a cool musical bar. Tickets are reasonably priced for decent musical acts-we saw Francis Dunnery there the other night (a shit hot guitar player, singer/songwriter and all-round first-class musician, who originally fronted a prog band called It Bites and is now touring with another incarnation of the It Bites Band). There aren't that many places to sit down, so get there early in the night if you need a place to do so. The sound in the room was great too. A good night altogether. The only hiccup was bar staff throwing bottles into the bin behind the bar when they could've been a bit more respectful and quiet for the musical acts and patrons.

Always check at the tube stations which tube lines have engineering works on and when , especially at the weekends, to avoid disappointment and thwarted plans for travelling around London! The Jubilee line is expecting works on the weekends until 2010...

Thursdays and Fridays only the National Portrait Gallery Restaurant (on the roof of the NPG in Trafalgar Square) are open for dinner- try to book ahead (you have to- they are very busy and popular) for a meal with a beautiful view of London lit up at night. London becomes the artwork!

Experience the quintessentail English seaside in Brighton-but with an alternative vibe...hang in the gardens by the Royal Pavilion or leisurely stroll the Pier with its games arcades and rides, eat organic (and there are some great veggie restaurants too) and shop in the Lanes (thankfully different from all the chain stores)...A short trip on Brit Rail or by coach from London.

Visit the Llandoger Trow pub on King Street in Bristol for a bit of pirate history; there are supposed to be underground tunnels here smugglers used to use. Robert Louis Stevenson got his inspiration for parts of Treasure Island here, as well as Daniel Defoe for Robinson Crusoe.The pub stilll has a lot of original features. Worth a look and to soak up the atmosphere.

It's a beautiful park in Surrey with follies scattered around the site- I loved the Crystal Grotto set amongst the lakes, as well as the Ruined Abbey, Italianate gardens and the Gothic Temple...this fanciful landscaping is inspirational! Leaves you feeling wistful for bygone days...

Visit Bekonscot Model Village and Railway with young children; they'll love it! It's a short British Rail train ride into the country-side from Marylebone station, London, and it's easy to get to from the other side! It's great value for money!

Family day-trips children trains model-villages London value-for-money Beaconsfield buckinghamshire

Most routes in Central London require that you buy tickets before you board. Ticket machines selling single fares and daily bus passes are located next to the main bus stops on these routes. You'll need the exact money as the machines do not give change.

The difference between Tate Modern (south bank of the Thames) and Tate Britain (north side of the Thames), besides being on opposite sides of the Thames, is the type of art you'll find in each museum. Tate Modern covers 'Modern' art (art that attempts to work with 'universal truths.') from 1900's onwards, while Tate Britain has more 'conventional' art dating from the 1500's onwards. TM has the 'installations (large and small) ,' collages, some paintings, etc. while TB has mostly paintings from different periods. Which museum you like will depend on which type of art you're in the mood for!