London is one of my favorite cities on Earth. If your idea of London is just Big Ben, red phone booths and rainy weather, you’re missing about 95% of what makes the city incredible. Of course we’ll talk about the big sights, because everyone is going there to see them. But I also want to show you where the locals eat, the viewpoints tourists miss, the neighborhoods you’ll wish you had stayed in and why London deserves more than a two-day stopover. So grab a cup of tea (or maybe something a little stronger), and let’s head to England.
London Is About the Neighborhoods
One of the biggest misconceptions about London is that people think they’ve “done” it. You see Buckingham Palace, ride the London Eye, take a selfie with Big Ben, open the door of a red phone booth and move on. But London isn’t really about the landmarks. It’s about the neighborhoods.
What I love most is that one minute you’re in a big city, and the next you’re in a neighborhood where moms are pushing buggies down the street and kids are running to the park, and you think, “Wait, I thought I was in London.” I’ve always said I could 1,000% live there, because each neighborhood feels like its own little city:
Covent Garden is energetic and full of street performers.
Soho buzzes late into the evening with theaters, cocktail bars and incredible restaurants.
Notting Hill feels like you’ve stepped into a romantic movie. (They did film the movie there.)
Shoreditch is London’s creative heartbeat, with murals, coffee shops and hidden bars. It’s also where the Virgin Hotel is, and as a huge fan of all things Virgin, staying there is on my list.
Most of my visits have been stopovers, and now that I’ve checked the touristy boxes, I just wander the streets. I can’t love that city more. Here’s my tip: instead of trying to cross 20 attractions off your list, choose one neighborhood each day and simply wander. Don’t overbook yourself.
The Famous Sights (They Don’t Disappoint)
The Tower of London and the Crown Jewels
It’s packed, I’ll tell you that. But it’s not just a castle; it’s more than 900 years of royal drama, executions, treasures and unbelievable stories. We did a private tour, and our guide’s stories made it feel like so much more than walking through dark stone hallways. The Crown Jewels alone are worth seeing. We waited in a very long line that stretched almost to the back of the Tower grounds, and once you’re inside, you have to keep moving. It’s dark, it’s very heavily guarded and you can’t take photos.
Westminster Abbey
Whether you’re interested in royalty or not, walking where kings and queens have been crowned (and buried) for centuries is pretty amazing. It took me a couple of trips to finally get inside. Book ahead: for many of these sights, you want a timed ticket so you’re not standing in a ticket line, and some sell out, which means you can’t always get in the same day.
Tower Bridge
Many visitors mistakenly call it London Bridge. It’s actually Tower Bridge, and yes, you can walk across a glass floor high above the traffic. I’ve walked across the bridge itself but haven’t done the glass floor yet.
The British Museum
It’s completely free, and you could spend several days inside: the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian mummies, Greek sculptures. It’s one of the world’s greatest museums, and a lot of people skip it. Don’t.
Buckingham Palace
We don’t have royalty in the US, so it’s kind of cool to remember that they actually exist, not just in the tabloids. But the palace is only open to visitors at certain times, so if seeing inside is your dream, your trip has to fall in that window, and tickets are limited. I still haven’t gotten in, so that’s happening on a future trip. Look it up months in advance, or better yet, call us and we’ll help you figure it out.
Good to know (checked October 2026): the State Rooms open to visitors each summer. The rest of the year, the palace opens only on selected dates for small exclusive guided tours, and summer tickets for the following year are usually released in November. Check the Royal Collection Trust website for current dates. Source: Royal Collection Trust.
Skip the Shard: Book the Sky Garden
Here’s an insider tip. Most visitors pay to go up the Shard. Instead, reserve a free ticket to the Sky Garden: the same spectacular skyline with no expensive admission. I’ve had dinner up there, and the food was phenomenal, with a DJ playing, bars and the whole skyline of London below. I highly, highly suggest it.
The Sky Garden: the same skyline as the Shard, with a free ticket booked ahead.
Shakespeare’s Globe
I avoided it on almost every trip because I didn’t think I’d love it. I was wrong. We did the tour, and the stories are unreal: how they did entertainment back then, how the shows came together, where people stood, how they threw food, how they went to the bathroom right there. The tour is more about the theater than about Shakespeare, so even if Shakespeare isn’t your thing, this probably will be. They still put on shows there, too. Book the tour online ahead of time.
Hidden London
Let’s get away from the crowds. Here are some of my favorite lesser-known spots:
Leadenhall Market, one of the prettiest corners of London, Harry Potter fan or not.
Leadenhall Market: if you’re a Harry Potter fan, this Victorian market will feel like Diagon Alley. (It was a filming location.) Even if you’re not, it’s one of the prettiest places in London.
Little Venice: yes, London has canals. Take a narrowboat through beautiful residential neighborhoods that feel nothing like central London.
Neal’s Yard: hidden behind ordinary streets in Covent Garden is a tiny courtyard exploding with colorful buildings and wonderful cafés. Most tourists walk right past it, so don’t.
St. Dunstan in the East: a medieval church destroyed during World War II, now filled with gardens and climbing vines. It’s peaceful, beautiful and quiet.
Harrods: I know, it’s a department store. I almost skipped it because I thought it would be like Macy’s. It’s jaw-dropping. Walk around, find the food halls downstairs, and if chocolate is your thing, follow your nose to the chocolate hall. (I bought a ton.) There’s even a bar for the non-shoppers.
Where to Eat in London
Forget everything you’ve heard about British food. London is one of the best food cities in the world, and it’s all over the map.
Borough Market
Start your morning with pastries at Borough Market. I’m speechless, because it’s so good. You can find anything you could possibly imagine: pastries, fresh fish, hummus, flowers and incredible dumplings. Look for Turnips, which went viral for whole strawberries with chocolate poured over them. If that’s your thing, don’t miss it. They have it down to a science, so the line moves fast.
Start your morning with pastries at Borough Market, then graze your way through the rest.
Fish and Chips at a Proper Pub
It would be a travesty not to have fish and chips at a proper neighborhood pub. Just know that chips are not potato chips. They’re fries, usually thicker cut and sometimes double or triple fried. (If you ask for French fries, you might get shoestring fries.)
Indian Food, Dumplings and a Sunday Roast
London is known for its Indian food, so try Brick Lane, and head to Chinatown for incredible dumplings. And if you really want to eat like a Londoner, find a Sunday roast: roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, roasted potatoes and rich gravy. It’s on my list. I am dying for a Sunday roast.
Afternoon Tea at The Dorchester
Do you want to know where I had the best afternoon tea? The Dorchester. If you want the traditional, pinkies-up, fine-china, white-glove experience, with the Chantilly cream made right at your table, go there. It was unreal. It was also not cheap, especially since we upgraded with a little bubbly. I still dream about The Dorchester tea, even if my pocketbook doesn’t. Some of London’s smaller boutique hotels serve wonderful afternoon tea at about half the price.
My Quick London Hacks
Walk more than you think. I’ve walked from Buckingham Palace to Harrods to Kensington. It’s not close, but it’s all walkable, and you see so much more above ground.
Use the Tube to cross town. It’s fast and easy. Get an Oyster card or simply tap your contactless credit card. (A couple of us got stuck at the gates; you’ll figure it out.)
Stand on the right on the escalators. It’s hard for Americans to remember, and Londoners take it very seriously.
Avoid taxis at rush hour, like any big city.
Book a West End show the same day. If you’re flexible, you can often find great discounts, like in New York. We saw Evita last year and they did an amazing job.
Go in shoulder season or winter. Summer is hot and crowded, and you’ll be walking a lot.
Get out of central London. Bath, the Cotswolds and Stonehenge are all easy add-ons.
Good to know (checked October 2026): US citizens now need a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before flying to the UK. It costs £20 and is valid for two years. Apply through the official UK government app or website. Source: GOV.UK.
Where to Stay in London
I’ve stayed in a few different areas and loved them all:
Kensington: one of my favorites. It feels like its own little neighborhood, Kensington Palace is right there (I walked to it), it’s easy to get around from, and in my experience, it’s been a little cheaper than staying right in the center.
Near St. James’s Park: I’ve stayed at St. Ermin’s, a phenomenal location within walking distance of Buckingham Palace and Big Ben.
By Waterloo station: the Park Plaza County Hall was a really nice hotel right next to the station, perfect when we needed to get out fast to catch our cruise ship.
London Is a City You Begin
London isn’t a city you finish. It’s a city you begin. Every visit uncovers another hidden street, another neighborhood, another incredible restaurant and another unforgettable view, which is why so many people, myself included, return again and again.
If London is on your list, or you’d like to combine it with Scotland, the Cotswolds, Paris or even a European river cruise, my team at Fabulous Adventures Travel would love to help you put together the perfect itinerary.
