Exploring England: London
We were full-on tourists in London. Our goal was to see as much as we could, but we did also take some time to explore some lesser known areas and spots in the process (thankfully). Here are some things to know about London.
London is HUGE. We knew this in theory but in practice we were still taken aback. It has the urban sprawl Houston does, but the population density of a major metro area like NYC. That makes for a lot to see, do, and take in.
Embrace public transit. The most efficient and effective way to see London is via public transit. We almost always use public transit in a city when we can and London was no exception. We loved the system there and used it for everything.
Step away from the tourist spots. Even just a block or two can give you breathing room from the hustle and bustle. We recognize that as introverts we avoid crowds like the plague, but even if you are not like us, you should do this because it makes for a more enjoyable experience.
Here are some (but not all) of the things we did:
Skygarden: These are literally free tickets! And offer some of the best views of the city. All you have to do is a little pre-planning, and boom, one of the best outings you can experience. What’s not to love. Didn’t pre-plan enough? There is a walk up line that while long seemed to be moving pretty steadily.
Big Bus Tour: Yes, we know…hella touristy. But we stand by it. There is so much to do and see, we wanted to do it efficiently and effectively. This was it. It saved us so much walking (which we still did 5 miles a day of) and we got to see all the hits without being in the thick of the crowds on the street and trains. Worth it.
Food halls/markets/etc: We did two of the more famous ones, Borough Market and Camden Market. Both were great for different reasons and had some awesome options. Borough was way more crowded and less organized but seemed to have more options. Camden was more picturesque and a tad more spread out, also there’s a pretty sweet indoor mini golf with crazy themes.
Harry Potter Studio Tour: See below for Viv’s take but know that you should allot at least half a day for this. It is not within the city proper (it is different than some of the filming walking tours) and takes at least 2 but can be as many as 4 hours if you want to see EVERYTHING.
Catching a Tottenham match with the locals: After trying regularly to secure tickets to the Tottenham V Liverpool match and not being able to, on match day we decided to head to the Tottenham area. We found a local Hotspur loyal pub near the stadium and got great seats. It was a blast cheering on our team with the locals who live and breathe Hotspurs, not to mention it being a dramatic win!
Planning a trip? Feel free to ask us about specifics listed (or not listed) here and we can tell you whether we did them, didn’t do them, and what we know!
For the Harry Potter Fans
Even if you have been to the Wizarding World at Universal Studios and/or the traveling Harry Potter Museum exhibition (I have been to both multiple times) this is another world.
They take you through many of the sets they used to film the movie series in a very visual and interactive way. You could spend 5 days here and not learn everything there is to know about the making of the Harry Potter movies.. Being surrounded by the world of Harry Potter was magical and emotional and definitely had me tearing up at multiple points.
At the Wizarding World the focus is on immersing you in the experience with rides and characters that make you feel like you are living in the world. The experience is wonderful and somewhat commercial in feeling as you want to buy all that you can to enhance that feeling.
This experience is more for fan appreciation, where you can revel in the details and word building and as you catch a glimpse of all the behind the scenes and character details that bring the world to life. It is its own must do experience that is not to be missed.
