London

Introduction

The capital of England has long been one of the most important cities in the world. As the home of royals, hub of finance, and influencer of art, fashion, music and culture, London boasts a multicultural population of 9 million and draws 30 million tourists each year.

My dad and I had bought tickets to see the Philadelphia Eagles football team play the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium the year after they had won the Super Bowl, so we were pumped. My mom tagged along because she didn’t want to stay at home while we gallivanted around in double-decker red buses and gorged ourselves on tea and scones. Half the city of Philadelphia had the same idea, because we spotted dozens of Eagles jerseys on our plane ride there and around the city all week. There was even the occasional chant of “E-A-G-L-E-S Eagles!” floating down the crowded streets when one fan spotted another.

While the English pub is a staple of the country’s culture and the British capacity for alcohol is well-documented, you can still find plenty of fun activities that don’t revolve around a pint. Whether it’s shopping on Oxford Street, touring the Tower of London, watching a theater performance or soccer game, or taking a Jack the Ripper tour, you’ll be too exhausted at the end of the day to anything except pass out in your hotel room!

Documenting your London travels on Instagram? Check out this guide for London-themed social media captions and quotes!

Getting Around

Public transportation in London is world-renowned for its ease and efficiency, with one of the largest networks in the world, using an integrated system of buses, subway, trams, and river lines. The famous black London taxis are available, but expensive. We took a taxi one-way to Wembley for $100. The driver was super friendly, however, and talked about the rigorous training they go through to become a taxi driver (they have to memorize every street in London), as well as his second home in Spain (!)

We were afraid of the Tube when we first arrived, but then got tired of walking and began using it out of necessity. You can get anywhere in the city using either the subway or the bus system, and it’s cheap–a few pounds per ride.

Day trips to nearby cities like Paris are possible. We took the Eurostar through the Chunnel for a power tour of the City of Lights, which I discuss in a separate post.

Where to Stay

The Grosvenor Hotel gets an A for location, as it sits straight above Victoria Station with easy access to most of the city and beyond. It is steps away from Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park, and within walking distance of Soho and Trafalgar Square. It is palatial in size and design, and offers a nice fitness room. There’s a restaurant and afternoon tea. The price varies depending on the time of year, but a standard room will run you less than $200/night.

For the best prices, reviews and maps, I always use Booking.com to find my accommodations. For a city as large as London, it’s helpful for me to check out a map to see where my potential hotel is in relation to the top sights and attractions. In addition, Booking.com also offers “Genius” discounts on flight and hotel bookings for loyal customers. I’ve been using them almost exclusively for my business and personal travel and have received 10-15% off my bookings.

Fun Activities

• Soho Theater

Our first night in London, we checked out a stand-up comedy show at the Soho Theater. It was a snug, intimate venue that was actually perfect for stand-up, and the comedian was hilarious while also giving us a window into British and London cultural touchstones.

• Highlights walking tour of London

We took a walking tour of London during our first full day in the city. The guide took us to all of the mandatory sites: Buckingham Palace, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Trafalgar Square, Knights of Templar Church, Tower Bridge. We were so impressed by the Tower of London that we returned later in the trip to take a more in-depth tour.

There are numerous high-quality tours listed on Viator, depending on your time frame, location and interests. You can choose half-day or full day, and browse for anything from a Harry Potter Tour to a Jack the Ripper tour to a food tour.

• Tower of London

The Tower of London is a must-see. It’s a microcosm of everything British: a castle that dates back to the 1300’s, stories of royal scandal including the many wives of Henry VIII, crown jewels, and a hearty dose of British humour courtesy of your Beefeater tour guide. When you get hungry, the New Armouries Cafe inside the facility makes a mean chive butter panini.

• British Museum

Two million years of history and culture is housed in the British Museum. Its 8 million objects include everything from Egyptian mummies to colossal Mesopotamian stelas to the Rosetta Stone–basically the Super Bowl for any history buff.

• Sports!

Being brutish Americans that we are, my dad and I flew across the Pond to watch American football on British soil. The NFL hosted quite the festival at the then-home of the Tottenham Hotspurs, which drew not only Americans but fans from across Europe. We rode up the elevator with an English Cleveland Browns fan, and sat next to a Scottish Giants fan and a German Steelers fan.

If you get a chance, it’s worth it to check out a soccer game during your trip. London is home to 13 professional clubs including Chelsea and Tottenham, and several dozen semi-professional clubs. Wembley is England’s national stadium, with a capacity of 90,000.

London is one of the most expensive cities in the world, but you can still find budget-friendly things to do. Check out this post by Creative Travel Guide for 20 Free Things to do in London.

Running

Hyde Park features miles of biking, running and walking trails that stretch from Mayfair to Kensington Palace. There are ponds, fountains, gardens, statues, and of course a castle. St. James Park is nearby, and offers more trails and gardens. If you plan to run through London streets, however, make sure you hit them early. Especially on a weekday, sidewalks are teeming with people. There are also random metal barriers sticking up around landmarks like Buckingham Palace. I learned this the hard way.

Food

London is comparable to New York City in regards to it’s food scene. Every meal we ate was on point.

Make sure you do a Sunday Roast. We ate at The Stoke House near Buckingham Palace, and they presented us with about 17 pounds of food each. The tender meat is cut from a Master Butcher in Cornwall, the veggies are copious and the Yorkshire pudding is fluffy and crispy.

Pret A Manger is on every corner in London (kind of like Wawa in Philly), and boasts the best fast-casual fare I’ve ever eaten. My parents and I went to the Pret down the block from our hotel every morning of our trip, devouring their parfaits, breakfast sandwiches and coffee.

Recovery Meetings

Here is the list for meetings in London. This list is also helpful because it provides a map. I went to a great meeting at St. Stephen’s Church in Westminster on a Wednesday night. I also hit a good Saturday morning meeting in the West End.