A Fourth of July Across the Pond | A Weekend in the Cotswolds
Hi, hello… PINCH ME NOW! 🤍
I had the absolute time of my life over the Fourth of July weekend.
If you’re wondering why, or you haven’t seen it over on Instagram yet, I got to live my best, most whimsical life in THE COTSWOLDS.
Yes, yes. You read that right.
I was in the beautiful English countryside on the very day America celebrates its independence…
…from England. 😂
Trust, the irony was not lost on me.
It actually turned out to be one of my favorite Fourth of Julys ever, though.
I’ve wanted to visit the Cotswolds for so long. It has been sitting at the top of my England bucket list for what feels like forever, so finally getting to experience it honestly felt surreal.
& just when I thought the weekend couldn’t get any better…
I found a little piece of home.
One of the places we visited during the weekend was Sudeley Castle.
I was already so excited to be there because, I mean, hello, it’s gorgeous a castle!
I got to tour the rooms & wander through the gardens, but I had no idea they were also celebrating the Fourth of July. It turns out the castle’s American chatelaine started the tradition years ago, & they’ve continued it ever since.
I just thought that was the cutest surprise.
Standing in the middle of the English countryside on Independence Day while learning about this unexpected connection between England & America felt so special. I was literally thinking, What are the chances?
The rest of the weekend was exactly why I keep going back to this country.
We wandered through the prettiest little villages, explored museums & churches that felt like stepping back in time, tried new restaurants, &, of course, stopped for afternoon tea.
I’d spent months looking at photos of the Cotswolds before this trip, & somehow they still didn’t do it justice.
Every little village felt different. Every winding street made me want to see what was around the next corner. I probably stopped every five minutes to take another picture, & I regret nothing.
Can we also have a moment for our apartment?
Because WOW.
I don’t know if it was the cozy vibe, the location, or the fact that it genuinely felt like home the second we walked through the door, but I was obsessed.
Every morning started with coffee in our little nook before heading out to explore, & every evening ended with us coming “home” after another day in the Cotswolds to hot chocolate or some other little treat. It was truly the sweetest experience.
Let me just tell you, if I could’ve packed the apartment up & brought it back to Texas with me, I probably would’ve.
The beautiful thing about trips like this is that I never come home talking about one specific moment.
I talk about the little things. The quiet streets before everyone else was awake. The fact that I learned such amazing history about the places I went to. The conversations, the laughs, & all the moments in between that become your favorites.
I’ve always loved traveling because I love seeing new places, but every now & then a trip becomes about more than checking somewhere off your list.
This was one of those weekends.
I came home with a deeper love for one of my favorite places in the world, & a weekend I’ll be talking about for a very long time.
I’d honestly celebrate the Fourth of July in the Cotswolds again in a heartbeat.
If you’ve been thinking about visiting the Cotswolds yourself, stay tuned. I’m putting together a complete destination guide with all of my favorite spots, travel tips, & everything you need to plan your own adventure.
But that’s for another day (real soon).
Today, I just wanted to let you in on one of my favorite weekends of the year. Thanks for spending time with me. 🤍
& trust me… this is only the beginning. Another passport stamp is coming this November, & I already have know it’s also going to be one we’ll be talking about for a long time.
Now I have to know… if you could spend the Fourth of July anywhere in the world, where would you choose? Let me know below!
– L
xx
