Destination Guide : London — little world adventure

London is a city that I keep finding myself back in. Between being a major flight hub and where my closest friend lives, I will soon be heading to London for the third time in 16 months!

The city is filled with so much to do that just one trip cannot hold it all. And it shouldn’t. Traveling for us is not about checking off every must-see item. As my mom would always say, “You need to leave something for next time”! We love to balance out sightseeing with time spent at markets, relaxing at a park or playground and enjoying neighborhoods.

GETTING IN & AROUND

Arriving : When arriving at Heathrow Airport, I always take the tube (London’s Underground metro) into the city. When arriving at Gatwick, I take an Uber.

Hotel vs. Airbnb : London accommodations are expensive no matter where you stay. The best advice is to choose where you want to spend the most time and make a home base there. Getting yourself further out of the city won’t change the nightly rate much. Most decent hotels or Airbnbs will cost you a minimum of $200/night.

Transportation : The tube is the way to go around the city. It’s easy to navigate and gets you almost anywhere. Since you will likely use the metro a lot, put a deposit down (5 pounds, I believe) to receive an Oyster card (a reloadable fare card), use it, reload it and then don’t forget to return it at the end of your trip to get the deposit back. (I always forget this.) Remember, children under 11 travel free! There’s also the iconic London taxis and double decker red buses that both probably need to be utilized once, if only for the memory!

EAT

All 8 of my favorite restaurants in London have received their own post. Destination Guide: London Restaurants can be found here.

DO

Museums : Many museums in Great Britain are free to visit. How awesome is that?! The Natural History Museum was a hit with the kids on our visit in July. When we return during the winter, I plan to take advantage of more free, indoor museum outings. The Victoria and Albert museum is at the top of my list.

London Eye : The kids were promised a ride on the London Eye during our early conversations about traveling the world for a year. It got them excited and into the idea of travel. You can’t miss seeing the Eye as you travel around the city and likely your kids will want to go too. It’s expensive, the lines are long and, honestly, it’s not all that memorable. Prices start at $35 for adults when you book online the day before.

Platform 9 3/4 : We are in a big Harry Potter phase in our house and a visit to Platform 9 3/4 was a must! There was a long line to take a photo with the cart, but just seeing it was enough for my kids. And us, parents too!

Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour : Our 5 year old daughter wanted nothing more than to ride the Big Red Bus (thank you Peppa Pig!). We chose to buy tickets (a little over $100 for our family) for the Big Bus Tour. We enjoyed the guides and the history lesson, but about 10 minutes into it our kids were ready to get off. Now that we’re 4 months into traveling, I don’t think we would make the same choice to purchase the tickets. I think a ride on the double decker public buses would have done the trick!

Tower of London : We didn’t make it to the Tower of London on our July trip, but it is at the top of our sightseeing list for January. A castle, the Crown Jewels, armor and an infamous prison. What more could you ask for?

SEE

Westminster Abbey, Big Ben and Buckingham Palace : Spend an early morning or late afternoon strolling down some of London’s most famous sites. All three are relatively close to each other. So begin at either Big Ben (Westminster tube station) or Buckingham Palace (Victoria station) and enjoy the walk to the other end. Westminster Abbey is my favorite place to visit in London. Since it is a top spot for most tourists, buy your tickets online (the day before visiting). Online tickets receive fast track entrance. For our next visit, I think the kids would love to see the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. It takes place at 11 AM everyday (10 AM on Sundays).

Brick Lane : Both Brick Lane Food Market and Vintage Market are on the top of my list to visit in London. The food market is filled with stands selling cuisines from all over the world. The Vintage Market is filled with curated stores with a great selection of clothing, decor and other items. I bought a felt coat and a few vintage records. It’s a great place to pick up some souvenirs that family members back at home will actually use!

Old Spitafields Market : Another great place to peruse and try food is Old Spitalfields Market. A market has been on the site for over 350 years. The market is walking distance from Brick Lane and many other great shopping areas.

PLAY

London has some wonderful parks. You could spend an entire day at Hyde Park. The kids loved the Princess Diana Memorial where they splashed around and played during a hot, July day. There are also boats for rent to paddle through the lake. A lido to enjoy a swim. And little cafes to grab a beer and food.

We also enjoyed a visit to Hampstead Heath. A wild, sprawling park with a great playground for the kids.

There are playgrounds scattered throughout the city. During our trip in July, we stayed in Islington and the kids had a three-park rotation that they asked to visit each day.

DRINK

Eating and drinking in London is full of so many opportunities. For a full rundown of our favorite London Restaurants, our blog post specifically dedicated to that topic will be out in a few days!

The Breakfast Club is a great place to grab a drink in the Spitalfields area. Don’t forget to check out that cute Smeg fridge and enjoy the Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town! Make sure you have your secret password ready.

Carnaby’s Kingly Court located in Soho is lined with places to grab a drink, but the 1940s themed bar, Cahoots, right next door is the best place to go! The bar is decorated with old train cars and memorabilia. Old fashioned drinks fill the menu and the whole atmosphere is so fun.

Discount Suit Company is another hidden bar (London is full of them) in the Spitalfields area. Located in a former tailor’s stockroom, the bar serves up great cocktails.

While London has countless themed bars in popular areas, I don’t think that it gets better than a small pub in a great neighborhood. Just find the closest one to enjoy a beer from Brixton Brewery, Beaverton Brewery or Brewdog and you will have a great time.

Alright, I’m officially ready for our trip back in January. Have you visited any of these sites? Where should we go on our next visit that didn’t make this list?