14 Things I Miss Most About Living In The UK As An American (+5 I don’t)

A year after moving back to America, I’m finally ready to acknowledge the things I miss most about living in the UK. A big part of me has waited because I simply won’t let go of the feeling that I’m still there.  Between ongoing requests from my daughter to return to England, contacts with my favorite British peeps, and obviously this blog, I’ve kept my head in the sand on what I miss most.  While it’s nice being back in the USA where my family and closest friends live, I admittedly would move back to England given a second chance.

Don’t get me wrong.  I love America.  In fact, as a native Maine girl, I now recognize why it’s been so easy for me to relate and love living in the UK.  Actually, a weekend on the Maine coast with balmy weather and a basket of fish and chips in the local pub can make you question if you ever really left. But nevertheless, America is home again.  For now.

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14 Things I Miss Most About Living In England

From simple everyday British things to major differences between living in the US vs the UK, here are 14 things I miss most, and 5 things I don’t.

1 – Walking & Public Transportation vs. Driving

I’m certain I’ve gained 5 pounds (not quite half a stone yet 😜) because my life has returned to getting behind a steering wheel vs. lacing up my trainers.  Easy access to public transportation is a way of life in the UK but non-existent in the US unless you live in NYC.  I never thought I’d miss lugging groceries up and down Fishpool Street in St Albans but this easy way of living is quite frankly what I miss most.

2 – The Food

While the food was one of the top things I feared the most before moving to England, it ironically became one of my favorite things.  My family cherishes British gift baskets and care packages sent from abroad.  We manage to make a package of Tunnock’s, M&S Percy Pigs, and honeycomb chocolate last longer than any Cheez-Its ever shipped to England.

But beyond our British grocery, butcher, and fishmonger splurges, we miss our weekly fish & chips fix at our favorite St Albans pub, blondies from The Pudding Stop, and some of the best meals we’ve had anywhere in the world.  While blood pudding will never be on my British miss list, lobster Mac and cheese with truffles from 34 Mayfair will.

3 – Cards & All The Things From M&S

Since we’re on the topic of food, I need to mention M&S.  There really isn’t quite the equivalent shop in the US.  Maybe Target? 

Either way, I miss stocking up on more than just food.  From affordable fashion that Kate Middleton wears to underwear (which reportedly is where everyone buys their underwear/pants from) and the cutest gift cards for only £2 that would take you hours to ever find at Hallmark, there’s a lot to miss from Marks and Spencer. 

Don’t worry, I stocked up on all of these items before moving back to America.  Thankfully my daughter grew quite the collection of M&S Little Shop so we can at least pretend.

There is a USA M&S but it’s entirely online and is a limited collection.  You get the good stuff at a physical UK store.

4 – Wisteria Histeria. Flowers all around.

I can’t fully articulate how different purchasing flowers is like between living in the US vs the UK.  I heard on an American radio station that having fresh flowers every day was considered a sign that ‘you made it’.  I totally understand that from an American perspective.  And for the record, I have definitely not made it per American standards. 🤪

But then you move to England and suddenly access to gorgeous affordable fresh flowers is as easy as buying a bottle of milk.  I miss the flower carts, the flower bags, the wildflowers everywhere, and the different seasons that cover the country in amazing colors of the rainbow: snowdrops, wisteria, ivy, cherry blossoms, and bluebells to name a few.

The closest thing to finding affordable fresh flowers in America is at Trader Joe’s.  And even then you’re lucky if the blooms don’t die overnight.

Wisteria histeria is a thing living in England

5 – Dry Cleaning

Yes, you’re reading that correctly.  I miss dry cleaning in the UK!

You might not find this on anyone else’s British miss list, but if you or your partner wear clothes that require weekly dry cleaning, you’d miss the affordability of dry cleaning in the UK, too. 

It costs at least twice, maybe 3x, as much for dry cleaning in the US than the UK.  So although living in the UK is expensive, this is one England expense that doesn’t even come close to living in America.

6 – The British Telly

Admittedly I didn’t like British TV at first because I didn’t quite understand the British humor in most programs.  The irony is that the comedy shows are what ultimately won me over, Gogglebox and The Graham Norton Show, and completely opposite that the BBC.

But there’s a big difference between UK and US television that American programming should take a major lead from: eliminating all the pharmaceutical commercials that monopolize advertising to make you aware of all the horrific side effects you’ll receive if you start taking their drug. 

Honestly, it’s depressing. Just thinking about the 3rd arm I might grow someday makes me want to watch a drug-free episode of Gogglebox to lift me up!

7 – NHS

Just thinking about the 8 o’clock clapping in our streets for the NHS during the pandemic makes me get all teary-eyed.  The country loves its healthcare system and rightfully so.  Beyond the incredible work they’ve done historically with leading the way to cures and vaccines for worldwide pandemics, it’s beyond worth mentioning that healthcare in the UK is free.

Although the experience is different than what you’re familiar with in the US (read about my NHS & private healthcare experience), such as proactive pediatrician care vs. reactive (IMHO), it’s still incredible care when you need it.  And it’s FREE. 

I was quickly reminded of how fortunate we were to receive free healthcare living in the UK when I received my first medical bill upon our return to Texas.  This can be a major living differentiator for anyone requiring long-term healthcare.

The rainbow symbol for NHS at Cardiff Castle

8 – May

Probably a hidden secret the islanders like to keep to themselves: magical May.  While Christmas in London is unmatched to anywhere I’ve ever lived, May is by far the most amazing time of year in England.  It’s uncharacteristically warm, consistently sunny, sprinkled with bank holidays, and the flowers are explosive.  Chelsea Flower Market anyone?

Although some Mays in the UK don’t always deliver the pre-season summer temps, the lush scenery is hard to beat.

So, while May showers cover most of America this time of year, and Texas is definitely no exception, May in England is simply perfect.

9 – Pretty Cottages, Villages & Buildings In General

Going for a walk in St Albans and exploring new places in England is one of my favorite things to do.  Even though I walked the same path a million times over during lockdown, admiring the varying cottage names of what-might-have-been and the architecture of old vs new buildings side-by-side is not common living in America. 

With local zoning forcing cookie-cutter housing developments throughout the US, American housing lacks the character and story-telling that England so boldly presents.  American homes and most city centers are boring and uninteresting to look at.

While certainly a new home vs a century(ies)-old one might offer fewer headaches, maintenance, and more space, there’s something to be said for the non-commercialism of living in England.

Bibury England cottages are the cutest

10 – History & Tradition

The funny thing is, History was always my least favorite subject in school.  Funny how my perspective has completely changed after living in such a historically rich country.  It’s mind-blowing when:

• your local pub is older than your primary country of residence
• Roman coins are found in the yard next door to where you live
• you can stand at the site of War of the Roses, and realize it really wasn’t just a movie
• your nearby church dates back to 5th century AD

I mean, honestly, it’s pretty eye-opening.  Suddenly, the concept of including ‘old’ into conversations with your British friends becomes a tad embarrassing.  You won’t win that conversation as an American.

While land continues to be consumed for new developments in America, the UK works hard to build vertically vs horizontally to remain the same.  So although I cursed the overgrown hedges for nearly the first 6 months of driving in the UK, this allows the country to preserve its history-rich land so that when you return 20 years from now, it’ll feel like you never left.  And that is pretty cool, considering in 3-years time I barely recognized my own Texas neighborhood.

11 – The British School System

To be fair, my kids went to a private British school.  I was terrified about putting my kids in a British school system vs an American one,  but what I feared the most turned into being the most excellent experience for my children.  So much so in fact, that even a year later, they wish they could go back.

Perhaps we got lucky being a part of a school experience that reminded me a bit of my own childhood in Maine, where kids get to be kids, learn more than academics, ride the bus for after-school sports, and are encouraged to climb trees for reading enrichment…all without the fear of a school mass shooting.

There’s no doubt school safety is at the very top of what I miss most about living in the UK.

They miss it.  We miss their love for school.  Westbrook Hay is the best.

Union Jack bunting for moving back to USA party or a British street party – THE BEST!

12 – Our British friends, obviously

Like anywhere you live, you meet and make new friends.  They become your family – a seat at the Thanksgiving table, a family that joins you on holidays, the sitter when you have an emergency, the shoulder to cry on when you can’t be “back home” when you need to, the friend that teaches you all the local words when you’re clueless, and kindly corrects your English because clearly Americans have it all wrong. 🤣

Norfolk is Nor-fuck.  Leicester is Less-ter.  Need I say more? 😉

13 – The accent

I miss the accent, or should I say accents?  With almost 40 different dialects in the UK (nearly one per county), it’s hard to not miss one, if not all of them, even though I need a translator for many of them.

But there really is ONE British accent I miss the most: my daughter’s.

As quickly as she learned the accent, making it impossible for a stranger to know she’s actually American, she equally lost it once the immersion back into an American school system was complete.  Having a British accent made her feel different from other kids, so she switched it off.  Temporarily, I hope.

That final piece of audible evidence that my family was a tiny bit British is gone, and I miss it tremendously.

My daughter’s message to friends when moving back to America

14 – British Street Parties

America shines during the 4th of July holiday, but the Brits bring game to EVERY street party.  Their display of pomp and circumstance is at an all-time high during annual street parties for royal events and UK holidays. So the country doesn’t exude pride just once a year, but several times a year, and pretty much everyone is included.

I miss British street parties with red, white, and blue bunting draped from one side of the street to another, and dressing up in your wildest Union Jack clothes!

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Despite all these things I miss about living in the UK, moving back to America has its blessings, too.

1 – Friends and Family

It should go without saying but being in the same country as my family is such a blessing and in current times, a privilege. 

Having spent months experiencing lockdown life in the UK, I understand the emotional and physical stress it can cause.  Not that the stress doesn’t exist in the USA, but after comparing lockdown experiences, UK restrictions were far more strict and lengthier than most states in the USA. 

It can feel unbearable living in another country during extreme situations, such as a family member with a life-threatening health condition, personal crisis, or other major life event.

As a result, I have a deep appreciation for being able to see my family and friends in the USA that I know my dear friends abroad can not do so easily.

2 – Mexican Food

Finding good Mexican food in Texas is synonymous with finding a basket of fish and chips in the UK.  From taco trucks, Torchy’s Tacos, and even drive-thru Margarita huts, my weekly (or sometimes daily) hankering for good Mexican is an easy local fix.

3 – No Magic Roundabout

Although I daresay I’m a Magic Roundabout expert, more accurately named The Plough in Hemel Hempstead, I’m thankful to not have to dodge anti-clockwise and clockwise traffic through a 6-in-1 massive roundabout anywhere in the US.  No joke!

4 – Laundry

Although I’d forgotten how gigantic typical washer and dryer units are in the USA, it sure is nice getting a load of laundry done in 2 hours vs 2 days.  I have hours of my life back!

5 – Roadtripping Mecca

The USA has so much land that the possibilities are endless for road tripping.  With 1.9 billion acres of land in the continental USA, there’s enough contrast in sightseeing that you don’t need to leave the country to find something new to see.  Not that I ever felt that way about the UK, but just saying how much more opportunity there is to jump in a car and travel….for a very long time.

And with pet travel for large dogs practically nonexistent in America, driving instead of flying might just become your new bucket list hobby….it has mine.

Oh, and speaking of pets, moving back to America meant we could more easily have one again.  He’s pretty cute.

Meet Saint Windsor, our newest family member after moving back to America

Final Thoughts On What I Miss About Living In England

I miss a lot of things about living in the UK, but I’m pretty darn lucky to be in America, too.  It was a privilege to experience living on both sides of the big pond, for which my family will be forever grateful.

Although some events trigger nostalgia or homesickness on days when I least expect it, fun British care packages always seem to make their way to me at the most opportune time.

And because of this, I know that despite missing many things about England, the connection will remain forever.

What do you miss about living in Britain vs America? Post in the comments below.

Looking for more about living in England?

• 11 Good Things About Living In The UK (And Why I Want To Stay)
• 14 Social Tips For Living In The UK
• 8 Quirky British Foods To Try Different From America