Love Jane Austen and want to dig deeper into her life? Keep scrolling for my ultimate guide to planning Jane Austen tour of England!
This Jane Austen England planning guide was written by family travel expert Marcie Cheung and contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something from one of my affiliate links, I may earn a small commission that goes back into maintaining this blog.
Look, I love my kids. But sometimes a mom needs to escape to 1800s England, lace up a dress, and pretend her biggest problem is finding the perfect dance partner at a ball. Am I right?
That’s exactly what I did on a recent Jane Austen literary tour with The Book Club Tour, and let me tell you—this wasn’t your average girlfriend getaway. This was a full-on Jane Austen immersion experience that taught me more about Regency England (and myself) than I ever expected.
Ten of us ladies traveled together for about 10 days, with a special 4-day portion organized by Strictly Jane Austen Tours in celebration of Jane Austen’s 250th birthday.
We’re talking period costumes, embroidery workshops, Regency dance lessons, and walks through Bath England that made me feel like I’d stepped directly into the pages of Persuasion.
If you’re a book lover looking for unique travel experiences—or a mom who desperately needs a break from making school lunches—keep reading. This Jane Austen tour was equal parts magical, hilarious, and surprisingly educational.
Dressing the Part: When You Realize Regency Fashion Was No Joke
A few months before the trip, we sent our measurements to Bath Theatrical Costume Hire. I’ll be honest—I was nervous. What if the dress didn’t fit? What if I looked ridiculous? What if I couldn’t figure out how to go to the bathroom?
Spoiler alert: All valid concerns.
The moment I put on my Regency dress, everything changed. First, I needed help from my roommate Brandi to close the back and tighten it properly. (Note to self: Regency ladies didn’t get dressed alone, and now I understand why lady’s maids were a thing.)
The dress immediately changed my posture—I stood a little straighter, moved differently, and even found myself picking up my skirt when I walked up the stairs like a proper lady.
But here’s what surprised me most: it was actually comfortable. I’d expected to be miserable, but the dress was surprisingly wearable.
The gloves kept my hands warm during our chilly October walks around Bath, and the bonnet—which I thought would be annoying—actually kept heat in. The jacket was a lifesaver since we were promenading around historic sites in autumn weather.
Still, the practical realities of Regency attire became very apparent very quickly. Bathroom breaks required strategic planning. And when we received our reticules (those adorable little purses that completed our costumes), we all immediately shoved our phones inside.
That’s when someone asked the obvious question: “What did Regency ladies actually carry in these tiny things?”
Turns out, they’d have a coin for season entry to balls, a pencil for their dance card, maybe some makeup, and a few coins. Meanwhile, we had iPhones, portable chargers, and lip gloss.
The contrast between their world and ours hit differently when you’re standing in period dress with a smartphone in your reticule.
Wearing these clothes gave me a whole new appreciation for what women’s daily lives looked like in Jane Austen’s era. The layers, the assistance required, the restrictions on movement—it all shaped how they interacted with the world.
No wonder promenading was such a big social activity. It was probably the most comfortable thing you could do in that outfit.
The Art of Being a Lady: Regency Beauty & Cosmetics (AKA The Mouse Skin Eyebrow Incident)
One of the highlights of our Jane Austen immersion was a fascinating talk by Sarah Jane Downing, a historian and writer who specializes in women’s dress and fashion from the Tudor period through the Regency era. You can learn more about this session here.
Friends, we all GASPED when she revealed that women used to buy mouse skins as fake eyebrows.
MOUSE. SKINS.
As someone who complains about mascara application, I suddenly felt very grateful to be living in 2025.
But it gets worse. So many of the skincare and beauty products women used in the 1800s were actually dangerous—we’re talking lead-based makeup and toxic concoctions that promised perfect porcelain skin but delivered heavy metal poisoning instead.
The beauty standards were completely different from today, too. Pale skin was prized (hence all those dangerous whitening products), and the time and effort required to achieve a “proper” appearance was staggering.
Sarah mentioned how hair styling tools were supposed to “sizzle” the hair to get the right curls, which made my modern anxiety spike. I suddenly understood why women needed lady’s maids for their hair and clothing. This wasn’t just luxury—it was necessity.
The whole talk made me think about how much pressure women faced (and still face) around beauty. At least now our eyebrows aren’t made from deceased rodents. Small victories.
Needlework & Social Graces: The Embroidery Workshop That Humbled Me
Here’s where I learned an important life lesson about perfectionism, courtesy of the 1800s.
We had a three-hour embroidery workshop with Alison Larkin, who lectures and conducts workshops on historic embroidery techniques. The workshop details are here.
We were each embroidering handkerchiefs, which sounds delicate and feminine and like it should be relaxing, right?
WRONG.
Y’all, I found it extremely challenging. The stitches, the tension, the patterns—it was so much harder than I expected. I kept getting confused and was incredibly thankful to have people around me who could help when I got stuck.
About halfway through, I realized something: I had a choice. I could stress myself out trying to make my handkerchief perfect, or I could adopt a “done over perfect” attitude and actually finish within the three-hour timeframe.
I chose “done over perfect,” and honestly? It was liberating.
This workshop made me understand why needlework was so central to women’s education in Regency England.
It wasn’t just about creating pretty things—it was about patience, precision, and having something to occupy your time in an era before Netflix and Instagram. There was something meditative about getting into a rhythm, even when I was struggling.
But I’m not going to lie: I’m SO glad I have other ways to occupy my time. If embroidery was my only option for entertainment, I would have gone crazy. Major respect to Jane Austen and all the women of her era who created beautiful work with these techniques.
The experience taught me that “good enough” is actually good enough—a lesson this perfectionist mom needed to hear.
Dancing Through Time: The Regency Dance Workshop (Or: Two Dances Is a LONG Time)
If you’ve ever watched Pride and Prejudice and thought, “Those dances look so elegant and romantic,” let me give you the behind-the-scenes reality.
We participated in a Regency dance workshop with a caller, piped music, and helpers to guide us through the actual dances from Jane Austen’s novels and their movie adaptations.
First discovery: Dancing two dances with someone is a REALLY long time. In Regency society, if a gentleman asked you to dance, you were required to dance two dances with him.
That’s when I understood why conversation during dances was so important. The dances themselves are repetitive and move you around to talk to different people—which is actually kind of genius for courtship purposes.
Second discovery: Period dress changes everything about how you move. A couple of ladies actually tripped because their dresses were too long or they were wearing the wrong shoes.
I wore a cotton dress to the workshop, and honestly, I wished I’d worn something fancier that would swish differently. There’s something about the movement of fabric that changes the whole experience.
Understanding the social rules around dancing gave me a new appreciation for why balls were such monumental events in Jane Austen’s world.
This wasn’t just entertainment—it was one of the few acceptable ways for young people to interact, flirt, and potentially find a spouse. The stakes were HIGH.
Also, those dances are a workout. My modern, sedentary body was not prepared.
Promenading Through Bath: Walking in Jane Austen’s Footsteps
We did two guided walks around Bath that featured Jane Austen sites, and let me tell you—Bath England is STUNNING. Walking through the same streets Jane Austen walked, seeing the crescents and buildings she would have known, all while wearing Regency dress? Chef’s kiss.
We visited the No. 1 Royal Crescent Museum (I went back to their gift shop later when it was open, and it was fabulous), and each promenade gave us a deeper understanding of the social world Jane Austen was writing about.
But the absolute highlight was our day visit with an expert guide to the Jane Austen House Museum and Chawton House. Getting to visit her actual house—and then walk down the road to her brother’s estate—was incredible.
I’d been to the Jane Austen’s House before, but experiencing it as part of this immersive Jane Austen tour hit differently. You could almost feel her presence in the rooms where she wrote some of the most beloved novels in English literature.
The Regency Photo Shoot: When You Wake Up Before Sunrise for the Perfect Shot
On our last morning in Bath, our guide from The Book Club Tour (the amazing Vanessa) offered to do a Regency photo shoot for us. We woke up before sunrise, got dressed in our full costumes, and walked down to the Sunken Garden in Royal Victoria Park.
Friends, it was MAGICAL. Vanessa took tons of photos of us in this gorgeous location, and it genuinely felt like we’d stepped onto a movie set. The early morning light, the historic setting, the swish of our dresses—it was the perfect ending to our Jane Austen immersion experience.
(And yes, those photos are all over my Instagram. No regrets.)
What This Taught Me About Jane Austen’s World (And My Own)
Living like Jane Austen for three days taught me so much more than I expected. I gained a deeper understanding of the restrictions women faced—from their clothing to their limited social opportunities to their narrow paths for independence.
Additionally, I gained appreciation for the creativity, intelligence, and resilience required to thrive within those constraints.
But here’s what really struck me: Jane Austen’s observations about human nature still ring true today.
The social dynamics she wrote about (the awkwardness of forced conversations, the thrill of genuine connection, the pressure to perform femininity “correctly,” the gossip, the matchmaking, the family drama) they’re all still here.
We’ve just traded empire waists for yoga pants and balls for group chats.
This literary travel experience reminded me why I love Jane Austen’s novels so much. She wrote about universal human experiences with wit, warmth, and razor-sharp observation. Getting to step into her world, even briefly, made me love her work even more.
Why You Need a Jane Austen Tour (Or Any Niche Book Lover Travel Experience)
If you’re a mom who loves to read, if you’re craving a girlfriend getaway that’s more than just wine and shopping, if you want to meet interesting people who share your passions…do a niche literary tour.
This Jane Austen tour brought together ten women from different backgrounds, ages, and locations. We bonded over shared love of Austen’s novels, created memories in Regency dress, and supported each other through embroidery frustrations and dance steps. These are friendships that will last beyond the trip.
Niche travel—whether it’s Jane Austen tours, other literary pilgrimages, or any interest-based getaway—attracts cool, passionate people. You’re not just seeing sights; you’re diving deep into something you love with others who get it.
Plus, trying to figure out bathroom logistics in a Regency dress is an instant bonding experience. Trust me.
Your Turn to Channel Your Inner Elizabeth Bennet
If this post has you dreaming of corsets and country dances (in a good way), I have lots more photos and videos from the experience on my Instagram @marcieinmommyland. Come follow along for more mom getaway ideas and book lover travel inspiration!
And if you’re considering a Jane Austen tour or any literary travel experience, DO IT. Your inner book nerd will thank you, and you’ll come home with stories way more interesting than “I sat by a pool for a week.”
(Though honestly, sometimes that’s exactly what we need too.)
Looking for more England travel resources? Check out 25 Cheap and Free Things To Do in Bath, England, I Solved Murders on a Moving Train and Drank Tea Where Agatha Christie Set Her Books – My England Mystery Adventure, and Making the Most of London in a Day: A Whirlwind Adventure
