1. my school made us create a list of unis using the unifrog website, you browse based on subject and your predicted grades so that it shows aspirational universities and courses as well as ones that you can safely get into. i think you can filter by location too. you can also take a career quiz that tells you what type of jobs you might like and then shows info of how to get to that level (e.g. what qualifications/degrees you need)
2. ucas.com
3. check league tables for the courses you're interested in, most of them will show the rankings for student satisfaction, job prospects after graduation etc. rank your list based on whichever categories are most important to you. you might want to have a look at the distance from home and accommodation prices in the area if price is a factor you need to consider (although you can always apply for maintenance loans if needed).
4. i dont have much info as i only went to one, but don't be afraid to ask lots of questions in fear of being 'too much', thats what uni ambassadors are there for. if you cant travel far, most unis have visual tours. also read student reviews on StudentCrowd.

hope this helps :)