Jaunted

British National Parks Travel: Royal Oak Saves You Some Acorns

7/14/2008 at 9:32 AM
Tags: National Parks, UK Travel, Gardens (all tags)

For the American traveling abroad, being confronted with unfavorable exchange rates can feel like death by a thousand paper cuts. Every ticket purchased is a chance to do still more unsavory math. So any way to save a little of your vacation bankroll without packing PB&Js or panhandling on a foreign subway looks like an attractive option.

If your trip to the UK this summer includes country houses or landscaped gardens, consider joining the Royal Oak Foundation, a National Trust-affiliated nonprofit supporting hundreds of properties in England, Northern Ireland and Wales.

Your $55 membership doesn't cover major tourist traps like the Tower of London or the Eye, but it can get you in free to Roman baths, wacky museums (like the Museum of Childhood) and manors like Cliveden (pictured). If you're just passing through Britain, it might not be worth it, but for extended trips it'll make you feel like an aristocrat visiting "your" private garden.

Related Stories:
· In and Around London [Royal Oak Foundation]
· The UK's Scariest Roller Coaster [Jaunted]
· Natioinal Parks coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: sheldonash]