TRAVELER @ nationalgeographic.com

Deciding When to Go
The best weather occurs April through June, when temperatures range from the upper-40s to the mid-60s (°F). July and August are often hot and crowded. September through early-October can be rainy. From mid-October through early-April, rain, snow, and fog are common, and days are shorter. Travel during the off-season (January-March), to find bargains on hotels, airline tickets, and car rentals.

Getting There
Fly into Newcastle Airport, Leeds Bradford International Airport, Teeside International Airport, Manchester Airport, or Glasgow Airport.

Clearing Customs
U.S. citizens need only a passport to stay for up to six months, and for longer visits, a visa. For more information, log on to the British Embassy’s site.

Determining Time Difference
Britain is five hours ahead of ET. For the current time and date, log on to TimeandDate.com.

Making Telephone Calls
When calling overseas, U.S. travelers need to dial 011 followed by the country and city codes and telephone number. For city and country codes, start with Global Telecom Solutions’s site.

Checking Weather Forecasts
The temperatures are mild and it’s rarely rainy from late-April through mid-June. For current weather conditions, log on to the British Broadcasting Corporations’s Weather Centre.