London Travel Tips

Jan 13, 2017

5 min read

Greetings and Happy New Year!

I hope all of you are having a great start to 2017! For my first post in the New Year, I thought I would start with one of my favorite cities, London! We visit London frequently, and recently I feel like we've finally figured out how to get in and around the city cheap and efficiently. Here are my travel tips on how to visit London!

First tip: Oyster Cards Get an Oyster Card before you go to London. (If you are going for more than one day.) This is something I wish we would have done the first time we went, instead of the fourth time. You can purchase them at any of the London tube stations, London train stations or you can also order one online and have it sent to you. Just load it with cash online, at any ticket booth inside the tube or train station and your ready to go! Keep in mind that the Oyster Card only works for transport within London. If you are commuting from too far out of the city you will not be able to use it. Check Transport For London's website for more information. Second tip: Research Do your research about where you want to go in the city. There are so many sites to see, it is impossible to see them all in just one or two days. Pick your absolute must sees and make a list to check them off as you go. Start in one area, do what is there, and then move to the next area to maximize your day!

There are a plethora of great resources out there to find great information on visiting the city. I love using Pinterest and guidebooks from Rick Steves and Eyewitness Travel. Pro tip: check out your local library for guidebooks. Checking them out not only saves you money, it saves you from having the store them and never use them again!

{Big Ben, Elizabeth Tower, Houses of Parliament, Westminster Bridge}

Third Tip: Public Transit Don't be afraid to use the tube (metro/subway) system! It is quick and efficient in getting you around the city. We put off going into London for a long time because we were really nervous about getting around. Once we got to the station it was really easy to navigate, you just have to pay attention to signs and make sure you are getting on the right train. The trains (just like the bus) have the station name on the front they are going to, so just make sure to pay attention if you need to go to last stop on the line. Some of the trains won't go all the way to the end. If you are only in London for one day, you can also grab a 24 hour or all day pass. You can hop on and off the tube as many times as you want, and it also includes the bus! If you will be utilizing the tube, make sure to download the tube map app from the app store on your phone. It's a lifesaver and is able to run without having internet service! Google maps also has a very handy tool that you can search in public transit how to get to your destination.

If you are commuting from outside London, the best way into the city is to take the train. We prefer going from Cambridge to Kings Cross on the train, and then switching over to the tube. There are plenty of train stations that are linked with a tube stop in the same station so it makes it very easy to navigate! Fourth Tip: When To Visit London Visit London during the week, and not during tourist high season. Students are in school until the middle to end of June, and go back in September. You do not want to visit London while they are out of school. It's really packed, and really difficult to enjoy the city because there are just SO many people. Our first trip was in August and it was really difficult to see the sites because of the crowds.

Fifth Tip: Where to stay Selecting a hotel in London can be really stressful. My best recommendation is stay near one of the main train stations. Recently, my friend and I stayed right down the street from Kings Cross and St. Pancras station. It was so nice being able to walk out of our hotel and hop on the tube to wherever we wanted to go. Kings Cross/St. Pancras tube stop is connected to both of the stations, and have many lines that go to a variety of places! If you plan to utilize the Euro Star speed trains to continue onto other countries outside of England, it is best to stay near St. Pancras station, as the trains leave from there. Utilize booking.com to find the best deals on hotels, or there is also airbnb.com as well that you can find fun little flats/rooms around the city to stay in.

{Neal's Yard}

Sixth Tip: Where to eat There are so many great restaurants in London. You may need a reservation for most places you go in the city, so make sure if there is a place you fancy eating, call or walk in ahead. Also, don't be afraid to ask the concierge/host at your hotel/flat for recommendations. We had never asked when we traveled before until recently, and have had some excellent food at a great price while abroad! Note that the British people tend to take longer to eat meals, so allow 1-2 hours to be at a restaurant eating. More time if your having afternoon tea! You can't go to England and not have afternoon tea. Do your research here and find the best reviews and the tea room that fits your budget. Some afternoon tea's can be very expensive, so I recommend searching on Trip Advisor to find a great one that fits your budget. If your looking for a different and fun experience for afternoon tea, there is a bus that drives around London while you sip on tea and eat scones. How fun right? Check the Brigit's Bakery Facebook page for specials and discounts! Harrod's does an absolutely lovely afternoon tea. Take a break from shopping and have a scone (or two!) in their adorably decorated tearoom. It's one of my personal favorites in England! Call ahead to book as they fill up quickly in the high travel season. Keep a lookout for markets around the city. They are a great place to grab all kinds of fun, different foods at a budget friendly price. My favorites are Borough and Camden markets! Seventh Tip: Plan ahead!! With London being such a large city, make sure you plan your trip ahead of time. Make a detailed itinerary of everything you want to do by day and cross off items as you go. If you are on a budget, make sure you plan just how much you will need for each place you plan on attending. If we have learned anything about visiting London, things add up quickly and you've realized you've spent way more than you thought you would in a short amount of time! The exchange rate is higher than the Euro, so be prepared for that when pulling money out of ATM's. Something you also may plan for is bringing a credit/debit card that is chip and sign/pin, and also that has little or no foreign transaction fees. They can add up quickly! There has been a few times that we have only had our traditional swipe card, and the place we went did not accept it. All places of course accept cash, but not all places accept cards so be prepared and have cash on you as well.