Art House North

Journey

UK 2025

 ‘…going on an expedition, looking for lost time…’

Art - Faith - History - Pilgrimage - Meaning - Rest - Reflection - Inspiration - Community - Good Food & a lot of Fun!

—————The invitation—————

We would love for you to consider joining us for a meaningful, restful, thoughtfully curated trip to the UK with Art House North this Fall. 

In all our years of travel & exploration, some of our most formative experiences have been in Europe. As a family we have invested in understanding the world and it has been fruitful to our lives.

On our first ‘Art House North Journey’ we’ve chosen 4 favorite UK cities that have a legacy of art, faith & beauty: London, Oxford, Northern England Lake District & the magical Edinburgh, Scotland. 

Over the years these places have come to mean so much to us and we always learn something new about ourselves and this wonderful world we live in: from the writings of Dickens, Shakespeare & Burns, to iconic places like The Globe Theatre, Hadrian’s Wall & the Royal Mile; walk the streets & seek your own inspiration in the city that formed the spiritual lives of Lewis & Tolkien. 

This isn’t a 10 cities in 10 days kind of sightseeing trip. We’ve built time in each stop for your own exploration at a slower pace & wandering, or what we call ‘culture hikes’. Plus we’ll gather together for a few meals and times of reflection- including an ending concert with Sara Groves in a 12th century cathedral.

We have to give credit our travel guide crush Rick Steves :).  We highly recommend any and all of his guidebooks  videos, tips, articles, interviews, audio travel app and weekly livestreams. He has curated a conscientious way to explore Europe, find meaning, learn from the past & appreciate art and faith traditions. Grateful for his integrated way in the world and his mission to show that "travel is more than just a holiday.”

We would love to share it all with you on this journey together in October. 

Troy, Sara & The Art House Team

Your Curated Art House Tour Includes:

9 nights handpicked accommodations
9 breakfasts
4 dinners
8 tours
4 Exclusive Art House North gatherings
Expert Tour Director & local guides
Private deluxe motor coach

Cost (Airfare Not included)

Itinerary (10 DAYS):

Friday, October 17
London - Check in to The Tower Hotel, welcome reception and trip briefing

Saturday, October 18
London - Panoramic private coach overview of main London sights (view Buckingham Palace, Big Ben & the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Westminster Bridge, the Southbank- no internal visits). Guided tour of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, visit to Charles Dickens Museum, dinner on own, Les Mis performance at Sondheim Theatre.

Sunday October 19
London - Free day at leisure, Tube card (Oyster Card) provided for use on London Underground public transport. Dinner together at a local restaurant included.

Monday, October 20
Oxford - Coach transfer to Oxford, guided tour of main sites, check in to Mercure Eastgate Hotel. Tour of Christ Church College Hall & Cathedral, Dinner together included.

Tuesday, October 21
Oxford - Free day at leisure, afternoon AHN Lewis/Tolkien/Carroll walking tour.

Wednesday, October 22
Lake District - Coach transfer to Lake District with stops at  Stratford-upon-Avon and Stoke on Trent: Shakespeare's Birthplace museum, Wedgewood Factory Tour, and a scenic drive through LD National Park, check in to Lakeside Hotel and Spa, Windermere.  Dinner together included. 

Thursday, October 23
Lake District - Rest, reflect, walk, nap, read, write, eat, repeat… option for guided tour of Dove Cottage (Wordsworth).

Friday, October 24
Edinburgh - Coach transfer to Edinburgh with stop at Hadrian's Wall for AHN optional brief guided pilgrimage walk, stop for lunch in a cozy village, continue through Northumberland (Last Kingdom, anyone?) and Scottish Borders region.  Check in to Radisson Blu Royal Mile. Dinner together included. 

Saturday, October 25
Edinburgh - Sightseeing visits to Edinburgh Castle and Real Mary King’s Close, final evening concert with Sara Groves at St. Giles’ Cathedral.

Sunday, October 26
Edinburgh - Check out of hotel and utilize local transport or taxi/rideshare to travel to your departure city airport

*The AHN UK 2025 itinerary is subject to change: Travel can be full of surprises and we will work to deliver meaningful experiences on this trip. We also recognize the need to be flexible enough to take advantage of whatever comes along (positive or negative). Uncompleted portions of the tour itinerary are not cause for refunds.

*Continental breakfasts provided each morning at hotels.
*Tips for the tour manager and touring coach driver are included. 
*Private Transfers from London airports to The Tower Hotel and Edinburgh Radisson Blu to EDI can be arranged for an additional fee.  We recommend Uber or local taxis, but let us know how we can help.

FAQ’S

We will be adding more to this space as questions come in!

Is this trip for artists or Art House North community only?  No!  All are welcome and regardless of your creative or non-creative pursuits.  We have curated an enjoyable and meaningful journey for anyone interested in some or all of the following: Art - Faith - History - Pilgrimage - Meaning - Rest - Reflection - Inspiration - Community - Good Food & Fun!

When should I arrive and depart?  As noted, airfare is not included so you can arrive anytime and into any city.  Some may want to arrive early and stay late, some use points for travel, that is up to you.  We would suggest arriving a day or two early to adjust to the local time, explore the city at your own pace and avoid stress on the first day of your planned itinerary.  Most will arrive in London (Heathrow or Gatwick) and depart from Edinburgh or Glasgow.  

Do I have to attend all the planned stuff? No!  You’re invited to be a part of as much or little as you want.  It’s understandable if you’d rather lay low, explore more on your own, find yourself far from our planned meal together and just grab a bite on your own.  It’s completely at your discretion.

How should I pack?  Pack light if you can.  While we do have door to door transport between cities and hotels, there may be lengthy walks here and there, across cobblestone streets, walking tours, etc...

How active is this trip? This trip rates a 7 out of 10 on an activity level IF you join all the things, including a pilgrimage walk along Hadrian’s Wall between 2 towns.  But again, you can decide what to be a part of and what to sit out on, so it could rate a 1 if you so choose.

Will there be a line-by-line travel book?  We will be using the app Hoku for all locations, times, maps, travel details.  Download here! Once you’re registered with the deposit we will be emailing each tour member with an invite to the group itinerary in the app! 

Should I purchase additional travel insurance? Because of the unpredictability of international travel these days, insurance is suggested for trips costing more than $1,000. We recommend Travelex and you can link here.  For more information on travel insurance, take a peek here (from our mentor Rick)!  

IMPORTANT - Do I need a passport? Yes, definitely.  Every traveler needs a passport.  And because of long wait times, we’d suggest updating or starting the process for updating your current passport or getting your first one. It is wise to have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months after your date of departure from the country you will be visiting, but the UK only requires passports to be valid for the duration of your stay in the United Kingdom  (If you have onward travel to countries outside the UK, you should check the passport validity requirements for each additional country.) You can apply for a passport at a post office, library or local passport/government office.  Allow 4-6 weeks for processing, but expedited service is available for an additional fee.

IMPORTANT - Do I need any other travel documents? Yes.  There is a new Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) required for all US citizens to travel to the UK and between countries in Europe. Apply for at ETA here.  It’s easy and only costs £10 (about $12).  

I have more questions:  Let us know what you need and how we can help.  Email questions to contactarthousenorth@gmail.com

Payment details & Due Dates:

There are two ways to pay.

1.Pay by CREDIT CARD:

• Deposit/Reserve (for all travelers): $1,000 + 3.5% transaction fee - due by May 17 11:59pm CST

• Balance - Double Occupancy (per person): $2,875 + 3.5% transaction fee - June 17 11:59pm CST

• Balance - Single Occupancy: $3,875 + 3.5% transaction fee - June 17 11:59pm CST

2.Pay by CHECK:

To avoid the transaction fee, mail a check payable to “Art House North Journeys”

Troy Groves
785 Armstrong Ave W
St Paul, MN 55102

You will still need to click through on “UK 2025 Deposit” below, enter your information, and use the code “CHECK” at checkout so we can gather necessary info and reserve your spot. Due dates remain the same.

Cancellation policy:

Deposit:

• Deposit fully refundable within 30 days of purchase or until May 17 11:59pm CST

• 50% of deposit refundable up to June 17 11:59pm CST

• Deposit non-refundable after June 17 11:59pm CST

Balance:

• Balance fully refundable up through July 17 11:59pm CST

• 50% of balance refundable up through Aug 17 11:59pm CST

• Balance non-refundable after Aug 17 11:59pm CST

Waiver of Liability

Please sign and email to contactarthousenorth@gmail.com.  Each individual traveling will need to sign separate waivers.