I am finally going on a real vacation. My husband and I are going to London in March of 2005. What kind of weather should we expect? Is there anything to particularly look for or avoid in London at that time of year? We will be going out of the big city for a music festival thing ( Marillion). Does anyone have any advice? I am still airline ticket shopping, but have not really explored hotels yet. We plan to travel light, rent a car, and arrange some of our accomadations on the “this seems cool, lets stop here” plan. We do not appear to be the types that totally thrive on packaged tours. What is the best travel book for this kind of thing?
Blimey that’s a lot of questions: here are some answers from a native:
weather expect absolutely anything - the British weather is notoriously unpredictable. But do prepare for rain.
events Nothing springs to mind. Get yourselves a copy of Time Out when you get here - it will have all you need to know. It’s off season for tourists although the schools will be on their easter holidays so kiddie type attractions will be a bit busier
Planning London is very user friendly and there isn’t the language barrier (well there is but you’ll get round it - just keep using words like “fanny pack”). I can’t really help with hotels specifically although i could recommend a few areas if you want.
I was in London this last March and the weather was wonderful. Only the day we went down to Woolwich had “typical” English weather (too cool and drisly). But the locals seemed just as pleasantly surprised as my friends and I were. If you’re up for it, I can post a link to our trip website, showing photos of every place in which we were allowed to take pictures.
A wonderful website for weather information from all over the world. It gives you monthly averages, highest/lowest temps, rainfall, etc. Don’t leave home without it.
If you are just going to City of London you probably don’t want to rent a car.
I did a fun and helpful thing while planning a trip like this to Paris.
Go and buy a large map of London. (hagstrom’s ?)
Put it up on your wall and as you find places you want to visit put a flag or a pin on the map. This will help you a great deal in that you will see what attractions are close together so you can plan your days better. It may also help in you hotel selection. Then finally as you go through the next few months, finding places and marking them, you will get a sense of the city that will help you when you get there. “Oh there is the river and what we are looking for is north of it”.
Many people like Fromers guide books and Ric Steves has some very good books as well.
Have fun. I’m aiming to go to London sometime next year myself.
Yep, don’t even think of using a car in London.
And yes, bring an umbrella (don’t use waterproof jackets, they’re a huge hassle when you’re going in and out places and using the Underground). But April’s the real month for quintisentially British rain.
I presume the festival is the [/url=http://www.marillionweekend.com/]Marillion Weekend? If so, I’d suggest getting a train to Taunton (2hrs from London) and arranging a hire car from there. Driving from London would be an unnecessary frustration, and probably no cheaper than the train, unless you’ve other things you want to do en route.
Minehead is in the middle of this map. You’re wonderfully placed to explore the West Country (which is geographically the south-west area), which is worth doing (hence my recommending the car). There’s some of the best coastline in the country (shame it’s not July!), and you’re on the edge of the Exmoor National Park, perfect if you fancy some serious hiking.
(Actually, now I think about it, driving there from London would let you go via Stonehenge, and Salisbury Cathedral, which would conveniently be halfway through the journey. If you decide to do that, don’t get the hire car in London - travel out and get it from Gatwick or Heathrow, which will remove the hellish experience of trying to find your way out of the city 
)
The weather in the south of England is highly variable. Be prepared for snow and driving rain: knee-length coat (overcoat or macintosh) and umbrella for the rain and pullovers, gloves, hat, and overcoat for the cold.
You may find it more convenient to buy umbrellas over here.
Above all, you should be prepared to be flexible: if it’s going to be a glorius few days, by all means take a leisurely drive via Stonehenge et al.
Snow in March? Very unlikely.
And of course, if you’ve got the time and the inclination, a deputation of London-based Dopers will be happy for the excuse to meet with visiting dignitaries and drink and chat. We’re an entertaining bunch. Oh yes we are.
Check out either Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide. They are both written for the independant traveller.
Well, you’re entertaining in your own right.
…or just by their own definition? 
(of course, I’ll Londope along whenever it proves possible, just to confirm suspicions…)
Hey, don’t look at me, I’m boring. But Gyrate on the other hand, is practically a TV personality.
There’s one happening on the 27th November…
checks diary…hmmm, empty now, but that’s no help :smack: …
In which case, make your intentions known in this thread!
I don’t know if I’d say “very.” The average low temperature in London, over the past 18 years, is 36 degrees Fahrenheit (about 2 degrees Celsius) - the lowest ever, during that same period, was 19 degrees Fahrenheit (about -7 degrees Celsius). Couple that with about two-and-a-half inches of precipitation, on average, and snow becomes a distinct possibility.
2 celsius is the average low ie nighttime temperature. It takes much more than that to get anything more than a slight frost. (Sure, -7c is low, but doesn’t that stand as an exception as I described?) And the amount of precipitation isn’t relevant. We don’t care how much falls, just whether it falls overnight or when we’re waiting for the bus.
I’m quite taken with the idea of a yank at Butlins. Do you have lovely legs - you could win a prize
The area around minehead is lovely, you have Exmoor which is nice if a bit bleak. Porlock is lovely too (nice pubs).
Hypno, I’m surprised no one has taken you up on your gracious offer. I’d like to see it.
And if it rains, be sure to walk as slowly as possible with the biggest umbrella you can find down Oxford St on a Saturday afternoon, because people in London really love that.
It could snow in March, but it tends to be up in North London where its higher ground. Centre of town never really gets anything heavy IME - I’ve seen it do 2 inches in 2 hours up here and then theres been nothing in the centre 8-9 mile away.
Use a Zone 1-2 travelcard if you’re not planning on straying too far out of town - The Tubes easy to use, and maps for it are freely available in the stations as little pamphlets, or just ask when you buy the ticket.