With popular movies and books as inspiration, American travelers can take a magical trip to Britain to be spellbound by a country full of myths and legends, stories of witches and wizards, and ghostly goings on. The next time that you and your would-be wizards and witches are heading to England, Scotland or Wales, consider these five magical things to do!

In the north of England, visitors will not want to miss Alnwick Castle, which has featured as Hogwarts in recent Harry Potter movies. It is the second largest inhabited castle in England, with magnificent interiors and art treasures, surrounded by grounds landscaped by designer Capability Brown. Adjacent to the castle is another popular attraction - The Alnwick Garden - renowned for it's powerful water cascade, the largest of its kind in Britain. A new Serpent Garden is the latest addition, home to a giant holly serpent that holds interactive water sculptures by leading sculptor William Pye. Would-be wizards and witches will also be impressed by the Poison Garden where they can see some of the most deadly plants in the world and learn about the dangers from experts.

In the Harry Potter series of books, young wizards and witches send messages using owls; so another 'not to be missed' attraction in the north of England is Muncaster Castle, Gardens and Owl Centre. The center is the headquarters of the World Owl Trust and houses more than 180 birds, working to preserve endangered species. The castle itself boasts an elegant Great Hall, Dining Room and Octagonal Library, but this 13th century stately home also has a wild history; those who have stayed in the castle say that it is haunted by ghosts including the legendary Tom Fool.

In Scotland, visitors will be enchanted by Fingal's Cave on Staffa Island. Reached by boat in a half-day visit from the nearby island of Mull, the spectacular sea cave is famous for its hexagonal basalt columns. Fingal's Cave is one of three great caverns on the island, and is easily accessible at low tide with a walkway leading deep inside. Legend has it that the impressive columns are the remains of a bridge connecting Scotland with Ireland, built by the giant, Finn McCool.

Visitors to Wales can ride on the Festiniog Railway, enjoying magical views across the Snowdonia National Park. The narrow gauge railway is home to the world's oldest steam locomotive still working on its original line. Nearby at the foot of Mount Snowdon is Dinas Emrys - the ruins of a fortress which, according to legend, was built by a Celtic king on the suggestion of magician Merlin. When the fortress was being constructed, two sleeping dragons awoke - one a red dragon representing Wales, and the other a white dragon representing the Saxons; the dragons fought, with the Welsh dragon winning and becoming the emblem of Wales to this day.

In London, visitors to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, can see a special exhibition of glass sculptures and installations by world-renowned American artist, Dale Chihuly. 'Gardens of Glass' is the first exhibition of its kind to be held in Europe, and features organically shaped and vibrantly colored glass sculptures set throughout the 300-acre garden landscape and within the great glasshouses, creating a magical journey.

Visitors can find more information about magical vacations in Britain by visiting the website www.visitbritain.com/usa, by e-mailing travelinfo@visitbritain.org and by calling 1-800-462-2748 to request free brochures including two guides 'Time to Explore Britain' and 'Inside Britain'.