Let me start by saying the Cotswolds are absolutely beautiful. Our guide Steve, went the extra…read moremile to make sure that we had a good time and answered all of our questions. Steve was the most knowledgeable since he lives in the village. He was personable and helpful. I would highly recommend this tour. I would recommend this tour to family and friends, and ask for Steve.

Our family recently completed a 2.5-day private tour of the Cotswolds with Dave, and we highly…read morerecommend him and the entire Go Cotswolds team! From initial outreach to planning/booking to the trip itself, our 8-person group had a fantastic time, and loved our experience in various villages of the North Cotswolds plus Castle Combe and Bath. Lisa was incredibly helpful throughout the planning process, helping us to shape a multi-day tour for our family. She was highly responsive and communicated clearly in answering our questions and helping us consider the options. Once we arrived in the Cotswolds, Dave provided an amazing experience for our multi-day tour. He was knowledgeable, friendly, and funny throughout the tour, and provided excellent advice on when to rearrange the itinerary to get us to popular spots before they were overrun with people. We greatly appreciated his expertise and flexibility in adjusting the plan as we went to let us spend more or less time in spots based on our preferences -- which, given our family, was necessary more than once, and a huge bonus to a private tour vs. public tour. The Go Cotswolds vehicle was roomy, comfortable, and well-air conditioned, a plus given that we arrived mid-heat wave. Our tour was the perfect way to explore this beautiful region for the first time. We can't wait to come back!

So, as part of the Festival of Firsts I asked the Yelp Community what they hadn't done in…read moreBirmingham. Renfield C. suggested a Ghost Walk (http://www.yelp.co.uk/topic/birmingham-yelps-festival-of-firsts) and what a mighty fine idea it was. Midlands Discovery Tours run 3 different ghost walks (as well as numerous other history related walks in the Midlands). Two are run monthly and one is run exclusively around Halloween. The main monthly Ghost walks are split into the "Sinister" and "Graveyard" varieties. The Graveyard Ghost Walk takes you into Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter and covers the catacombs in the two famous cemeteries in this part of the City (Warstone Lane and Key Hill). I haven't done this walk, but both of these locations are fantastically spooky anyway; so well worth checking out. For our #YelpFOF Ghostwalk, we chose the "Sinister" side. Starting off at Council House, we trekked around to Town Hall, Paradise Forum, New Street Station, Temple Street and ended up at the Cathedral. Our tour guide Mike was decked out like a Victorian Undertaker and led us around the City imparting his knowledge about where the bodies were buried, moved to and then reburied (did you know John Baskerville was moved from his resting place at least 4 times?). Poor Mike is normally part of a duo and was missing his partner on this particular eve. It was still incredibly enjoyable, but there were certain stories he wasn't as use to telling; saying that, even his minor mistakes were fun (as he was a fab storyteller). The tour costs £8 per person, but we ran at just over 2 hours. If I was to do another one, I would probably wait until it warmed up a bit. By half way around, my hands were frozen and I couldn't feel my ears! It was still incredible value for money and well worth cold pinkies for. A big thank you to Gem, Renfield, Emma and Dan (our intrepid Yelp explorers) for joining me for this installment of the FOF. We'll have to do it again (when it's warmer!).

As well as the regular tours that Midlands Discovery Tours run each weekend, they also offer…read moreprivate tours for groups on pretty much any topic. I know they've done one for international visitors about Heavy Metal, outside of Birmingham for those wanting to know more about Liverpool and Harry Potter tours based on some of the locations in the films. The one I asked for was for some students who were learning about the hospitality industry so we picked the topic of 'Tourism in Birmingham.' The angle very much lent itself to jobs as all the participants are looking to work in the industry and we learnt which the biggest hotel in Birmingham is, what sport was invented in Birmingham, why the Hyatt Regency was built and how many visitors come to Birmingham each year. Of course no walk/talk would be complete without the phrase 'more canals than Venice.'

I did a lot of research when picking a private tour company and went with this one because of the…read moremix of well-known spots and off the beaten tiny villages you would never know about if you were on a big tour company. Prior to the trip, Lucy was so helpful navigating my train ride from London with the strikes and bridge closures. We did the Ultimate Cotswolds Tour (8 hrs) and loved it. The tour was seamless and every little detail was thought out including little maps at each village and even taking us to an extra spot because we had a little extra time. Richard is an excellent driver which is crucial navigating the backroads!

If you are looking for a great trip through the Cotswolds, look no further…read more We happened upon Cotswolds Guided Tours on Trip Advisor and are glad we did. Right from the get go Lucy was very helpful in getting our trip booked. She opened up a tour as they didn't have one scheduled. We were met by Richard in front of our hotel promptly at our meeting time. We had a total in our group of 7 people and fit perfectly in their comfortable van. Richard used a microphone in the van so that we all could hear his narrative. He was very insightful and knowledgeable of the area and was able to answer all of our questions. We had ample time at each stop and he even walked along a bit and offered to take pictures at all the key photo spots. We had a wonderful time and would highly recommend the tour if you happen to be in The Cotswolds on vacation or a day trip from London.

To review Big Brum Sightseeing, I have to talk about what I think is their best tour; the Christmas…read moreLights tour. This is an open top bus, driving through Birmingham city centre when the Christmas lights are on. So yes it's freezing but it's dazzling too. I've been on it twice and whilst it doesn't get any warmer and each year we vow to take more warming things with us; another pair of gloves, and extra thermal hat, thermal socks, flask of hot chocolate etc etc. The best part of is it the commentary because although this is a Christmas tour, the guide is full of dark humour and we hear all about Christmas murders, wrong doings and mis-behaviour in the bygone era. Unmissable every Christmas!

Birmingham also has its famous sightseeing bus tours and I have been experiencing some of them. The…read moreBig Brum Open Top sightseeing is one of those experiences. Every first Sunday of each month, including this one now) until October, it's possible to check 30 touristic places of Birmingham, in a sightseeing that has the starting point on the corner of Colmore Row and Waterloo street, at Victoria Square. Take note: There are three different hours to join this adventure, at 10:30, 12:30 and 2.30 pm. When this tour guided started running in Birmingham, the admission was free but now it costs £12 (adults), £8 (students), £5 (15-5 years children) and under 5 years are for free. It's a bit pricey for a sightseeing compared to other bigger cities but if you just have a weekend to explore the city and this weekend is exactly when the Big Brum is running, it's a good way of visiting most of the heritage museums and landmarks in just one go!

Caspin Journeys is comprised of Pino and Caroline Nobile, a husband and wife team that take people…read moreall over the United Kingdom and Italy on "unique active travel experiences". What does that mean? When signing up for one of Caspin Jourenys' tours, prepare to see parts of the UK or Italy that you never thought you'd see before. Caspin gives you a much more down to earth, local, countryside view of the cities and towns on their tours. Many days consist of 3-6 mile hikes between towns, stopping at many of the best local restaurants and visiting unique sights, all with the knowledge of Pino and Caroline. You'll stay at the finest hotels, drink great local wine, and not have to worry about your luggage! Pino and Caroline have meticulously researched all their tours. They know the right room for you to stay in at the hotel. They know the restaurants with the best food and service. They know the best activities to do in the towns. They know the best shops to go to. All so you can have the trip of a lifetime. My family and I went and did their Tuscany and Cinque Terre tour this September. The Cinque Terre is known for being able to hike between all the beautiful Mediterranean towns. However at this moment, the first two hikes are closed due to mud slides and safety. "Fear not!" Caroline shouts in her English accent. "We are still going to be able to hike most of it by taking some lesser known routes." Not only did we hike 11 miles that day and accomplished something most people only dream of (if they even know this place exists!), we saw some of the most amazing views God has put on this earth. If you are the type of person that doesn't want the cookie-cutter tour of Europe, then go to Caspin Journeys. My family has done 4 tours with them now, each one just as unique and fulfilling. I'm more than happy to share other stories...feel free to message me. Thank you Pino and Caroline!

From the owner: Caspin Journeys specialises in exclusive hiking tours, themed tours and cultural tours in Italy and…read moreEngland.

It was a very rainy day when we took this tour, but the food, scenery and wonderful tour guides…read moremade up for it in a big way! This was the perfect combination of activities and just the right size for a tour. We had an informative and very fun day. For anyone thinking about touring in the Cotswolds, this tour is a 'no brainer'!

If you like cottages, English villages, countryside and history, this is the "must" tour for you!…read moreOur guides Robin and Charlottes, were wonderful and charming, driving us around and providing so much insightful information regarding past and present intelligence on history of different villages and cottages. Our base location, the "Secret Cottage" property is darling and a dream setting! The food and beverages coordinator Chrissy, is the most gracious and kind host! We were served three meals: Late continental breakfast, huge lunch and afternoon sweets/tea. This is a great way to spend the afternoon in the countryside, a hour away from London! Book this tour! It is seriously worth it! If you see Robin the guide, tell him that Gary, the "American" sent you!

What: 3 hour private tour of Oxford University. We were interested in a campus tour of Oxford…read moreUniversity and since Oxford doesn't offer that and there is no actual "campus" since it's made up of multiple schools and buildings, we did the next best thing. Arron was our guide and he was extremely knowledgeable, funny and full of stories and interesting insights on college life and the application process as he is a current student. We highly recommend this company!

"It takes one to know one"…read more That playground taunt easily applies to my experience with Footprints Tours, an organization through which you can make advance reservations for free walking tours of Oxford. Why? Because I, too, lead a free walking tour albeit elsewhere on the planet. As someone who leads tours and cares greatly about tour quality I recognize a great tour when I come upon one. Chris, my Footprints Tour guide provided exactly that. He was animated, interesting, kept things moving, and told interesting stories. A couple of days later I saw another guide leading a tour - assumedly from a different company - and after hearing what he said at a particular stop all I could think was "I'm so glad we went with Footprints and so glad Chris was our guide". The tours are supposed to run 2 hours. Chris went a bit over which was my sole criticism of the tour. Attention spans are short and that two hour maximum is at the outer edge of how long people will engage for. Assuming you book with Footprints Tours you'll arrive at the stated location and find a ton of tour guides assembled. But walk into the Oxford Tourist Information Center to check in and they'll promptly tell you which guide you are assigned to. People who lead these free tours do conclude with an "ask". That is: a donation is sought and assuming Chris' tour is the standard, it is definitely earned. I understand the worth of someone talking - actually, "performing" - for two hours and I happily made what I felt was a generous cash donation. You'll likely be inspired as well. After I'd booked my free Footprints Tour I had begun to think perhaps a paid tour would be better and momentarily thought of canceling. I'm so pleased that I didn't. The Footprints Tour led by Chris (on June 22) would be quite difficult for anyone to top. Excellent.

Tudor Grange has been standing for years now, and what was a great centre maybe 30 years ago, is…read morebecoming a dilapidated wreck nowadays. There's an L shaped pool (similar to Boldmere) which means there is a diving pit (high boards), slides, and room for a seperate 25m pool. They hire out the pool to Solihull Swimming and waterpolo clubs on quite a few nights, so I'd advise you to ring up before turning up hoping to swim, because public swimming is only on certain nights. It is good for what it is, gym, small cafe/shop, vending machines etc etc, but it's one of Birmingham's sport centres that needs some attention!

I visited here to go on the slides with my children (we'd seen them on the outside and they really…read morewanted to try them) and had a huge shock. The building work I saw on my last visit to the park is now a huge new leisure centre and the old baths are fenced off ready for demolition. Well, our expectations were high as the automatic doors glided open for us and we approached a lovely bright, new reception area with comfy blue leather armchairs. My little girl was swiftly reduced to tears though when we were told there were no slides (or waves). This is a serious swimming facility. There only seemed to be mixed changing rooms too. There were loads of school lessons going on as well so we felt a bit marginalised. It's a lovely building and obviously a lot of money has been spent on it, I saw signs for a steam room and spa, cafe bar, creche and gym facility. No real fun for us though, we definitely have had much better times at Stourbridge's Crystal Leisure Centre, even though it's fairly old (I've yet to visit Kidderminster Forest Glades which comes highly recommended) I think it's been geared as an Olympic training centre- which is obviously great, just not what I was looking for on this occasion.