...all it took was a little imagination.

Picture this: You're spending Sunday in East London, in neighborhoods that have changed and diversified a lot in the last 10 years, with the arrival of craft coffee shops, hipster cafes, and designer fashion boutiques. There's a buzz in the air.

When you think of a vacation to the United Kingdom, you're probably envisioning Big Ben, castles, museums, and cathedrals. That side of the UK is well worth a visit, no doubt, but we've got some adventures for you to see the countryside of the United Kingdom like you never have.

When you think of London, "cheap" is a word that very rarely springs to mind. Beer can cost over £5 a pint, coffee is regularly £3 or more, and a night in a decent hotel will run upwards of £150. Basically, London is not on the top of the budget traveler's list.

Over the past 40 years or so, I've stayed in over 100 London hotels, from grotty bed-and-breakfasts near Paddington Station to the Savoy and Claridge's, and I've never seen a city with so much variety. New York City doesn't even come close.