London is a massive global city with a ton of history; with that being said there is tons to do and something for everyone. To fully explore London, you need a lot of time and energy. We spent 5 days there, packed our itinerary and still could have used another day or two. There are historic landmarks to see, great restaurants and markets, amazing pubs, tons of kid’s activities and cool neighborhoods to just walk around, grab a coffee or a pint and explore.
Here are a list of things to do in London:
Iconic Landmarks and History
The Tower of London and Tower Bridge
These are literally 5 minutes apart, so it makes sense to do see them together. Both are iconic, both pack a ton of history and both make for some great photos. Our time frame was tight, so we just walked around and looked at them both, but even walking around the Tower of London, there are lots of informative signs to read and look at. It is costly to enter, £35, so we just read, took in the view and got a coffee from one of the food trucks in front.
Tower Bridge was one of my favorite landmarks to see. We walked across it, walked beside it on the River Thames and took a lot of pictures. This is one thing I wish we paid to go in. It cost £16 to see the gear rooms, how the bridge functions, and walk across the upper section of the bridge. If we weren’t so exhausted and rushed, we would have done it.
Buckingham Palace and the Changing of the Guard
Everyone has heard of Buckingham Palace and the Foot Guards with their signature red coats and bearskin hats. Buckingham Palace and the guards are British icons, so if this is any interest to you, check out the changing of the guard ceremony at 10:45 on Mondays, Wednesdays or Fridays… just make sure you go early to get a good spot. You can even pay to tour the state rooms if that is something that interests you. After your visit to Buckingham Palace, stroll through St. James Park to the next group of iconic sites…
Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and the London Eye
Big Ben is actually the clock, the tower is called the Elizabeth Tower but it’s symbolic of London and British resilience and hope due to the tower’s survival and chiming of the bells during the Blitz in WWII. The tower is quite cool to look at and there are plenty of good spots for photos.
Also within a 5-minute radius is Westminster Abbey, the houses of parliament and the London Eye. To ride the London Eye it’s pricey and will cost you £30 per person with a long wait in line. I’d skip it and just walk around the area, take in the atmosphere and take some good photos.
Museums
Most museums are free in London so if that’s up your alley there are plenty to visit, and it’s nice that they’re free, especially with the prices of things in London. The British Museum is one of the most famous and it houses the Rosetta Stone, Mummies and much more. Tate Modern is also another popular one.
In Greenwich, we checked out the Queen’s House, which was mostly art and the National Maritime Museum which was a lot more interesting and a lot of fun for kids. There is also the Royal Observatory which is where you can walk across the Prime Meridian and the Cutty Sark, the world’s fastet Tea Clipper (ship). These two are a couple of the museums that cost money in London.
We also went to the National Gallery which was a gallery of paintings from different time periods. Art is kind of boring to me; but it was free and they had some children’s art activities. It is also in Trafalgar Square which we were already checking out.
Then there’s the famous Natural History Museum which is famous for the enormous blue whale skeleton suspended from the ceiling and a number of dinosaur skeletons. The Natural History Museum also houses thousands of natural specimens. This was a cool museum, and again it was free, the only problem was it was packed, especially being summer. We got lucky and got in, but it’s a good idea to book a free ticket in advance.
Neighborhoods
And, if you want to slow things down, stroll around and check out some cool neighborhoods with a a coffee and a snack there are many unique boroughs to checkout. Consider checking out:
- Greenwich for museums and a quaint charm.
- Notting Hill for colourful buildings, antiques, the Portobello Road market. And grab a scone and coffee from the Cheeky Scone.
- Chinatown for a bite to eat.
- Soho for a bite to eat or a drink in a pub. You can also check out Picadilly Circus at the same time which is like London’s time square, they are literally right beside each other.
- Camden for nightlife and drinks.
Pubs
Speaking of some drinks, you can’t go to London without visiting a few pubs. London’s pubs are iconic. The beer is good, the food is actually good (much better than Canadian and American pubs) and the classical themes, décor and vibes really makes visiting a few pubs a must do in London. We checked out several, unfortunately we didn’t check out as many “iconic” pubs as I’d have liked, but they were all good. Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese and Black Friars are iconic and if you are near the Black Friars tube station or going to St. Paul’s Cathedral, you need to visit these two.
Markets
In addition to pubs, markets are famous in London too. Whether it is for shopping or food, the markets in London are next level. We loved the food in Borough Market, but go early or prepare to navigate lines and eat standing up. There is also Leadenhall Market which looks cool and is apparently good for pubs, unfortunately it’s closed on weekends when we tried to go. There is also Covent Garden which is apparently worthwhile too, unfortunately we didn’t get enough time to visit. We also visited the Portobello Road Market in Notting Hill which was a cool market full of antiques and souvenirs.
Themed Activities/Kids Stuff
Paddington Experience
It was pricey, but the Paddington Experience was excellent for our daughter and even for us. If you haven’t watched Paddington Bear with your child the experience might not be worth it; but I’d suggest watching the movies before your trip, they will get you in the mood for your vacation, and in London you’ll see Paddington everywhere there.
The Paddington Experience is an immersive experience where you meet several characters from the movies, help solve problems and go through several sets you’ll recognize. It is about 45 minutes, followed by a Marmalade party, pictures with Paddington, Marmalade sandwiches and games. The experience is costly, and you even have to pay for the pictures, but for kids and Paddington Bear fans it’s worth it.
Skip the gift shop and head to the shop at Paddington Station, there is a bigger selection of items at a better price. And while you’re there, take a photo with the Paddington statue, where he was found by the Brown’s in the movie.
Warner Brothers Studio Tour
Another thing that London, and the UK in general is famous for is Harry Potter. In addition to checking out many sites from the films we had planned to check out the Warner Brothers Studio Tour. I have heard great things and read good reviews, but be careful, you need to book tickets well in advance. Unfortunately, we tried booking tickets 3 weeks in advance and that wasn’t enough time. If you like Harry Potter, plan early and book 1-2 months in advance, especially if you are going in peak season.
We could have gotten tickets if we decided to pay through a third-party site that included transportation, but the prices were ridiculous. With a bit of planning and research, travelling around London by train is easy. So take your own transportation and buy the tickets on your own, you’ll pay half the price.
But if you don’t manage to score any tickets, there are plenty of places to see in the UK for Harry Potter fans. Check out Leadenhall Market and Platform 9 ¾ at the Kings Cross Station in London, The Shambles in York, and several places if you’re heading to Scotland.
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