First timer in London

[Cas112]

I'm going for a long weekend in London for the first time and I'm very excited!

I was just wondering if anyone can give me some suggestions on the best attractions etc, I have already googled but I want some suggestions with personal experiences. Maybe some do's and don'ts!

I have already booked Harry Potter world, hopefully meets my expectations :)

Is it just you or are you going with anyone? Kids?

Several threads on this topic recently - might be worth an advanced search for some common advice /questions

Isn't Harry Potter way out of London? Miles away??

@Palavah

Is it just you or are you going with anyone? Kids?

Several threads on this topic recently - might be worth an advanced search for some common advice /questions

Just me and my partner, thanks I will look

@UrgentHelpforFriend

Isn't Harry Potter way out of London? Miles away??

Its about a 40 minute train journey from city centre :)

20mins on direct trains

What sort of things do you like? Historical? Food? Art? Theatre?

Best attractions totally depends on what you're interested in. What kind of things do you like? Whereabouts are you staying?

Walk around rather than getting the tube so you actually see some of London!

The London Foundling Museum is good if you like history.

Don't wear new shoes, do use citimapper for transport info. Don't bother with Madame Tussauds. The London eye is fun and somehow going up the Shard is worth the eyewatering entry fee, but I would choose one or the other. Getting a boat down the Thames to Greenwich is a nice way to see the city and Greenwich is lovely. See a show. I think Oxford Street might be dead as a thing to do thanks to Covid but haven't been for a while, and I think convent garden is back on for Street artists and shopping.

Slightly puzzled that you'd have a weekend in London, but take a train out of it to visit something non-Londony!

We went to London a couple of weeks ago. The biggest hits were: one afternoon when we went to Westminster, looked at HOP, walked to W Abbey, Downing Street, through Horseguards and St James Park to Buckingham Palace. That was a couple of hours and all free.
Also: Camden Town, the museums, National Gallery/Trafalgar Square and Kew Gardens.

I love the Tower of London. The Yeoman Warders tell fascinating stories.

Just walk around and savour it.
There are a million free do it yourself walks to download these days. Have a look at GPS my city (I think the site is called) Walk along Westminster and the Embankment in the evening, just as dusk falls. Love it.

HP world will definitely live up to your expectations. It's fab!

What do you like? It's very subjective!

For stuff you pay for- the Tower, St. Paul's, Westminster abbey, all worth it. So is walking across Tower Bridge and going "euwwwwee" on the glass bit. Buckingham palace is great if it's open and I had the best ice-cream of my life in there. Blackberry.

If you can get tickets, I’d actually choose Skygarden over the Shard and save the entry fee.

skygarden.london/

Boat trip out to Greenwich from the pier by the London Eye is also good, but get the commuter boat (called Uber Boat now I think, but it doesn’t work like an Uber - it runs to a set timetable) rather than any special tourist boat.

Where are you staying?
I agree that walking means you see more and get more of a feel of the city.I'm also a big fan of buses as , again you can see what is going on.
I like walking/ bussing around the City of London at weekends, there are lots of books and crannies as well as the river, bridges, StPaul's, Smithfield area, TTe Modern, Tower of London.. I also like Bloomsbury and up to Kings Cross and the British Museum. You can combine this with Covent Garden and maybe a show.
I agree that walking along pastHoP, Whitehall, Downing Street, Westminster Abbey is interesting and you can go on to Tate Britain very easily. You could combine it with the South Bank and something at the National Theatre, or walk up through ST James Park towards Hyde Park Corner , passing Buck House as well if you wish.
South Bank, Eye, Globe fit with a river trip and the Imperial War Museum which is one of our favourites.
I'm not a shopper but if you like shopping Liberty on Regent Street is a lovely browse and you can then walk up to Carnaby Street and into Soho where there are zillions of bars and restaurants.
Your alternative is to do a Knightsbridge / Kensington day, visiting Harrods or Harvey Nichols and going to one of the Kensington museums.Look at bus routes to make the most of this eg catching one that goes alongside Hyde Park, passes the Albert Hall for example.
There is so much to do that I think you are right to make a plan and perhaps stick to particular areas. People often suggest a river bus to Greenwich which is an excellent idea as you get history and landmarks on the river, culture at the Greenwich museums, the park abd eating out in Greenwich.
Have a lovely time

Also look at whether a London Pass might save you money - it’s a bit complicated (to say the least!) but if you want to do a lot of the things included and can’t find deals elsewhere it might be worth it.

londonpass.com/en-us

We did the Orbit slide - great fun if you like that sort of thing!

This is brilliant

b-bakery.com/london/bus-tours/afternoon-tea-bus-london

Walking Tour!!

Harry Potter one if you are a fan (www.tourformuggles.com/index.html). I've done loads. This was the best.

or just a simple history one -
lookup.london
www.alexlacey.com

These would be my pics. You can also buy a book and self guide but if you don't know the city then a guide is easier.

Food!!
Borough or Spitalfields Market
Dishoom if you don't have one at home
Ace Gelato - I like udderlicious

@Lycanthropology

Slightly puzzled that you'd have a weekend in London, but take a train out of it to visit something non-Londony!

We went to London a couple of weeks ago. The biggest hits were: one afternoon when we went to Westminster, looked at HOP, walked to W Abbey, Downing Street, through Horseguards and St James Park to Buckingham Palace. That was a couple of hours and all free.
Also: Camden Town, the museums, National Gallery/Trafalgar Square and Kew Gardens.

No my initial plans were for Harry Potter world and decided if we are making a journey from up north to south then I may as well take some time in London as well because I’ve never been.

Thanks everyone for your help, very excited!

Also very much a foody, theatre girl but I also love doing things out of my comfort zone so all suggestions are great! I just love being adventurous with my trips ☺️ Great tips from you all as well! It’s appreciated

What are your interests?
There are plenty of free things, but some of the paid stuff is worth it IMO.

Where are you staying? If anywhere near Euston/King's X, pop into the British Library and have a look at the free Treasures of the BL exhibition.

The No. 11 bus is a good one for sightseeing. I second the suggestion that the Thames Clipper riverbus or whatever it's now called is better than the tourist boats.

You can walk along the river on either the north or south banks.

There are lots of little back streets to explore, such as between St Paul's and the river or between Eastcheap and the river.

Take a walk through the City, see the Guildhall, Bank of England, Mansion House etc. Pop into some of the Wren churches if they're open.

National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery

Museum of London and/or Museum of Docklands.

Stand on the right on escalators - standing on the left will instantly mark you out as a visitor

There is so much to do, even a lifetime is not long enough to explore London fully.

When on the tube escalators, make sure you stand on the right. Also avoid travelling during rush hour if you can though it's still a lot quieter than it was.

Walking and catching the bus are both more fun though - as a pp said you see so much more that way.