Best time to visit United Kingdom

May to September. Month by month below, with the weather, what's on and what it costs to fly there from your city.

May to September

Several guides favor late spring to early autumn for warmer, drier weather, with April to October also named.

“The best time to visit the United Kingdom is from April to October” scottdunn.com
“The best time to visit the United Kingdom is from April to October” scottdunn.com
“The best time to visit England is from May to September when the weather is warmer and drier” intrepidtravel.com

4 of the 8 travel guides we read name these months.

United Kingdom month by month

Average high and low in London, and days with rain

January47°F / 37°F · 12 rainy daysChecking fares…January and February are historically the quietest months in London, so deals are likelier.January has the most rainy days in London, about 11.5 on average.Some Christmas decorations, lights and shows are still on display in January.Up Helly Aa · Kew Orchid Festival
February48°F / 37°F · 10 rainy daysChecking fares…February is one of London's quietest months, but the February half term school holiday brings crowds.Winter days are short, with the sun setting around 4pm.Winter Words Festival
March53°F / 39°F · 9 rainy daysChecking fares…Spring starts in early March with longer days and milder temperatures.Early spring is cold, humid and windy, with temperatures swinging between 7 and 13 C.Cheltenham festival · Edinburgh Science Festival
April59°F / 43°F · 9 rainy daysChecking fares…One operator puts the best time for the UK as April to October, when it is drier and warmer.Spring weather is mixed, with sun one day and heavy rain the next, but the rain keeps the landscape lush.Grand National · London Marathon
Best timeMay65°F / 48°F · 8 rainy daysChecking fares…Spring blossoms and wisteria flower across London, and crowds and room rates are lower than in summer.May can still be cold: one forum poster saw snow during a May visit.The Chelsea Flower Show is a spring highlight in England.RHS Chelsea Flower Show · Cooper's Hill cheese rolling
Best timeJune71°F / 54°F · 8 rainy daysChecking fares…June is considered the best month for overall weather in the UK.Days are longest around the June solstice, good for outdoor exploring.Summer solstice at Stonehenge · Royal Ascot
Best timeJuly75°F / 58°F · 8 rainy daysChecking fares…July is London's warmest month, and schools break up, bringing local families into the capital.Wimbledon and Royal Ascot fill up London in peak season.Wilderness Festival · Wireless Festival
Best timeAugust74°F / 57°F · 8 rainy daysChecking fares…The Edinburgh Fringe in August is very crowded.Opinions on August weather split: one poster calls it often wet and cold, another says it has the least rain.Sea swimming season on the southern coasts runs from mid-July to late August.Edinburgh Festival Fringe · Notting Hill Carnival
Best timeSeptember68°F / 53°F · 8 rainy daysChecking fares…September is a good month: kids are back in school, though days are shorter.Autumn arrives in September, turning landscapes red, orange and gold.Red deer rut · Braemar Gathering
October60°F / 48°F · 11 rainy daysChecking fares…October is among London's wettest months, with about 65mm of rain.Autumn colour is strong in the Lake District, and crowds thin out at major sites.BFI London Film Festival · Hull Fair
November53°F / 42°F · 11 rainy daysChecking fares…November is London's wettest month on average.Another guide describes November as windy with near-constant drizzle and thick cloud.Lewes Bonfire · Donna Nook grey seal pupping
December48°F / 38°F · 11 rainy daysChecking fares…Christmas markets and lively pubs make winter worthwhile in England.Edinburgh's Hogmanay · Newark International Antiques & Collectors Fair