It is hard to put into words just how excited I am to head back to Europe. We haven't been back since 2009 to visit relatives and explore more of what Europe has to offer. We are thrilled to take both kids with us this year and our first stop in London, England.
We're hoping to sleep on the plane and hit the city by foot once we get in using the Underground and Uber as our methods of longer transportation. With numerous sites to see and visit we knew that fitting them all in would be a challenge and get expensive as our list keeps growing so we pre-purchased two-day London Passes for our stay.
With the London Pass you have access to 60+ attractions and tours including fast track entry at popular attractions. Our favorite part is the hop-on-hop-off bus tour included with the pass, not only will we get to see the city but we can take in many attractions at the same time. A few of the places on our list include:
- Westminister Abbey
- London Bridge Experience
- Tower of London
- HMS Belfast
- Beefeater Gin Distillery Tour
One of the other big items on our list is the Harry Potter Studio Tours! I can remember when the first movie hit the theatres, the fun part is the whole family is going to love it. We can explore the studio at our own pace, try butterbeer and butterbeer ice cream, ride a broomstick and eat at the Backlot Cafe that is home to the exterior sets such as number four, Privet Drive and the Hogwarts bridge. We pre-booked our tour after we finalized our travel itinerary.
An attraction you might also want to book in advance is the Coca-Cola London Eye. Who doesn't love taking in the sites of London from 135m? Launched in 2000, the Coca-Cola London Eye is the world’s largest cantilevered observation wheel. Don't forget to enjoy the 4D Cinema Experience and grab a glass of bubbly before you get on board.
Another great tip for planning a visit to London is find the perfect place to adjust to the new time zone and call home for a couple days. To find the perfect spot in London here are a few great tips:
- Stay in Zone 1 or 2 (London is so big you don't way to stay too far from Zone 1) – Our favorite location: South West London (Chelsea – Fulham): Beautiful area, very British and close to all the must see places.
- Choose a flat close to a tube station – once again London is so big your flat could be located 15 walking distance from the nearest tube station.
- Money saving: book a flat we booked with FGProperties
When choosing a place to stay I wanted somewhere that was quiet and didn't feel rushed and in the center of everything. We booked a quiet flat a short five-minute walk from an underground station making it easy to get to and from anywhere we need to go.
A week from today we'll land in London for the beginning of an amazing Spring Break! Next stop will be Copenhagen, Denmark.
Have you ever been to London, what are your travel tips?
