Sometimes it’s called the capital of the world. For a while the British pretty much ruled the world from it. Personally, I haven’t spent nearly enough time there. I’ve been there 3 times. The 1st 2 times were for just 1 night each. At least on the 3rd time I got to stay for 4 nights. I’ve done minimal sightseeing. (2 of my visits have been for work.) But I’ve got an idea where I’ll start when I finally do the grand tour of London.
How to enter the UK with a US passport
No visa required for normal tourist stays under 90 days. (Always have at least 6 months of remaining validity on your passport before traveling overseas.)
How to get into London from the airport
London has 6, SIX, airports. No wonder why it’s the world’s busiest airport system. Here are the best ways to get Central London at a reasonable price:
Heathrow 4 options:
- Heathrow Express (faster) or Heathrow Connect (cheaper) to Paddington Station.
- Underground Piccadilly line to Central London.
- Bus 285 or 490 to Feltham, switch to South West Trains for Waterloo Station.
- National Express coach to Victoria Coach Station.
Gatwick 4 options:
- Gatwick Express or Southern to Victoria Station.
- Thameslink to London Bridge and St Pancras International.
- National Express coach to Victoria Coach Station.
- easyBus to Earls Court/West Brompton.
Stansted 3 options:
- Stansted Express to Liverpool Street.
- Stansted Express to Tottenham Hale, switch to Underground Victoria line for Central London.
- National Express coach (A6) to Westminster via Paddington Station, (A7) to Victoria Rail and Coach Stations via Southwark and Waterloo Station, or (A8) to Tower Hamlets via Liverpool Street and Shoreditch High Street.
- Stansted Citylink coach to St Pancras International.
Luton 3 options:
- Shuttle bus to Luton Airport Parkway, switch to Thameslink for St Pancras International.
- National Express coach to Victoria Coach Station via Camden and Westminster.
- Green Line bus (757) to Victoria Coach Station via Camden and Westminster.
City (Closest to Central London) Docklands Light Railway to City of London via Tower Hamlets.
Southend (Farthest from Central London) Shenfield and Southend Line to Shenfield, switch to Great Eastern Main Line for Liverpool Street via Tower Hamlets.
Where to stay in London
London is expensive, even though Brexit may have temporarily made it slightly more affordable. The 2 most recent times I was in London, I was there for work and I got put up in very nice accommodations. So none of that will help me give you tips on a reasonable place to stay in London. Even when I was there on vacation for 1 night in ’97, the place I stayed wasn’t that cheap, and it was a bit out of the way and not too convenient for public transportation. So that’s not the type of place I’d readily recommend.
hub by Premier Inn London Covent Garden A friend highly recommended this one. Based on some quick research I did on it, I’ll concur! Centrally located, a hard-to-beat price, good online reviews.
Travelodge London Docklands Based on price, location, convenience, and online reviews, this is one I’d consider if I were looking for a room in London. If you ever check it out, let me know what you think.
Where to eat in London
London used to have a really bad reputation for food. My 1st meal in London was lunch at a place called Enigma in Chelsea. I was quite surprised that it was very, very good. I’ve never been able to find anything online about this place. So I guess it really is an enigma. That night I had dinner in Trafalgar Square. It was the awful food I had been expecting in London. Don’t ever eat in Trafalgar Square. The best place to eat in London? Anyplace that serves fish & chips. You just can’t beat fish & chips in London, especially in a charming pub setting or a place with outdoor seating on a lovely day.
I had a surprising amount of very good food on my last trip to London. So I guess things have gotten better. My last meal in London was particularly good. But I can’t recommended it. It seems it’s closed since I was there. Just goes to show, nothing good lasts forever. So, stick with the fish & chips!
Must-Sees in London
As I said, I’ve done minimal sightseeing in London. But I’ll swear by the 13 sites listed below.
There are 2 spots I know are on the top of my list to see in London:
The British Museum See priceless artifacts plundered from all over the world by the British Empire.
Tate Modern Repurposing done on a grand scale. It’s a modern art museum housed in a renovated former electrical plant.
You probably can’t go wrong with London’s 4 World Heritage Sites:
Greenwich See the National Observatory, the spot from which all time is measured.
Kew Gardens The world’s greatest botanical collection.
The Tower of London Check out the Crown Jewels!
Westminster (Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey and Saint Margaret’s Church) See where Diana’s funeral was held and where William & Kate were married.
Here are a couple sights I’ve actually seen in London:
Buckingham Palace With the overwhelming Victoria Memorial outside. Catch the changing of the guards. You might be able to get inside the Palace if the Queen is on vacation in Scotland during the summer.
London Eye It was the world’s tallest Ferris wheel when it opened in 1999. I went for a ride in 2006.
Some more things I haven’t done but you should:
Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens Perhaps the greatest of London’s many great green spaces.
The Shard This unusual ediface didn’t even exist the last time I was in London. Now it’s the tallest building in the UK. I saw it on a tv show, and I didn’t know what the hell it was.
St. Paul’s Cathedral The huge domed cathedral where Prince Charles married Lady Di, for better or for worse.
West End See a show in Europe’s counterpart to Broadway!
Okay, this one is because I’m a Beatles fanatic. So for me, that makes it a must-see:
Abbey Road Walk across the most famous crosswalk in the world, just like John, Paul, George, & Ringo did in 1969!
Day Trips from London
Stonehenge Some say it’s overrated, but I’ve got to get there. You can also explore the adjoining city of Salisbury, where you can admire the UK’s tallest church spire on Salisbury Cathedral.