I recently had the opportunity to attend the Business Innovation Awards during Brit Week here in Los Angeles. The award ceremony, celebrating creativity and innovation between the United Kingdom and United States, honored, among others, Simon Fuller, creator of the Idol Franchise, Spice Girls and business manager to both David and Victoria Beckham, to name just a few of his accomplishments.

The evening, and my gift bag of English goodies, left me in a British mood of sorts. From things such as talking about the weather a lot to putting the kettle on every time the going gets tough, certain things are regularly joked about as being exclusive to the British culture.

But, some quintessentially English activities can be really fun to do, especially if you’re planning a trip within the British Isles. If you’re aiming to have a truly proper British holiday, here are just a few quintessentially English things to see and do in England.

Hire a Classic Car

There are few things more quintessentially British than the classic English cars. If you’re vacationing in the UK and need to rent a car, why not consider hiring a vintage classic or retro car so that you can drive around the roads and country lanes of England in style? There are a whole range of car rental companies in England, such as Great Escape Cars, offering classic and vintage cars, and it’s a great way to explore the English roads whether on your own or with friends and family. And, with sites such as Your Parking Space offering quick, easy and cheap parking spot reservations, you can be sure that there’ll always be somewhere safe to park your wheels.

Afternoon Tea

What would a holiday in almost any destination in England be without a visit to any one of the renowned tea rooms? Taking afternoon tea is definitely a quintessential English tradition, and a delicious one at that. Visiting a vintage tea room for afternoon tea consisting of sandwiches, scones, cakes and of course tea or coffee is a perfect way to spend an hour or so of your afternoon whether you’re at home, on a day out, or taking a holiday in the UK. Visit Buyagift.co.uk for a wide selection of afternoon tea packages.

Sample Local Ales

If you enjoy drinking beer, the UK is home to a range of breweries where you can sample locally brewed traditional and artisan ales. For a welcome break from drinking imported, shop-bought beers, taking a tour of the best known breweries in the UK can make for an excellent day out or trip. With many breweries offering guided tours, sampling sessions and even on-site restaurants and bars where you can enjoy a meal with your drink, sampling local ales is definitely a quintessential and fun English thing to do.

Traditional Thatched Villages

The country towns of England are home to a number of quintessential, traditional thatched villages that are both fun to explore and great to look at. Along with the rolling countryside, traditional thatched homes and tourist attraction sites make for the perfect cheap day out, with many offering cute souvenir shops and family-run cafes where you can sit and enjoy a home-cooked meal. The quaint thatched cottages are at the heart of traditional English architecture, and if you’re lucky you may even get to see a thatcher at work.

What are your favourite quintessential English things to do? Let me know in the comments below!