Ease into Traveling Abroad: London

For some, the thought of traveling abroad can be overwhelming. Issues of language, passports, ground transportation and just generally navigating a foreign country can be a lot. Despite the challenges, traveling overseas is very rewarding. I suggest you ease into traveling abroad by choosing a destination like London; where the language is English, the people are friendly and aside from vehicles driving on the opposite side of the road, this destination is a great introduction to traveling abroad.

• 

How to Spend Your Time

A couple of days in the largest city in the United Kingdom is all you’ll need. In that time, you can take a double-decker bus tour, float down the Thames, catch a glimpse inside Buckingham Palace, stroll through Westminster Abbey, sneak a peak of the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London plus get a bird’s eye view of the city via the London Eye. If you add on another full day, plan a side trip to Whiltshire to marvel at the mysterious Stonehenge and still be back in London to catch a show in the West End.

What to See

Ease into Traveling Abroad in London DAY 1: Open Air Double-Decker Bus Tour, Buckingham Palace, Changing of the Guard and Thames River Cruise

My husband and I traveled to London a few years ago. On our first full day there we spent the morning on a hop on-hop off double decker bus tour from Big Bus Tour Company. We purchased our classic, one day ticket in advance. Instead of hopping on and off the bus to see a few attractions in one day, we opted to ride the entire route without getting off at stops. By doing this, we would gain perspective of the city, catch a glimpse of places we wouldn’t have time to explore fully and hear the tour guides full narration of all the sites. Plus we wanted to be to Buckingham Palace in time for the Changing of the Guard.

Buckingham Palace

• 

• 

• 

We arrived at Buckingham Palace in enough time and on the correct day, but….we didn’t get to see the Changing of the Guard. It was ‘Bike to Work Day’ in London and the public guard change was cancelled. I guess we’ll have to use this as our excuse to go back.

Ease into Traveling Abroad: London tip- purchase tickets to popular attractions online before you leave home. Having a ticket in hand can help speed up the admission process.

Though we were disappointed we didn’t get to see the guard change, we were excited for our next site of the day; the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace. The State Room Tour is available only in the summer months and takes visitors to the rooms the Queen uses to entertain heads of state and other guests of the Commonwealth. The tour does not allow photography so I’ve added a couple of pictures of the State Rooms courtesy of the Royal Collection Trust.

State Rooms at Buckingham Palace

• 

• 

Following the State Room Tour, we walked to Westminster Pier to board a boat for a cruise on the River Thames (included in Big Bus Tour Ticket). The boat ride concluded on the opposite bank as the London Eye, our final stop of the day.

London Eye

• 

The London Eye is a 433 foot tall observation wheel that offers sweeping views of the city. Since it opened in 2000 it’s been a very popular attraction; accommodating nearly 4 million riders per year.

Ease into Traveling Abroad: London tip-Use a guide book or online tools to scope out places to eat in advance. It’s hard to decide where to dine when you’re hangery.

Our first day in London concluded at a wonderful pub called Brewmaster’s. We ordered bangers and mash as well as beef and ale pie. We washed it all down with a pint of house IPA. Our night cap was an evening stroll through Covent Garden and Picadilly Circus all while nursing an ice cream cone.

Ease into Traveling Abroad in London DAY 2: Tower Bridge, Tower of London, Big Ben, Parliament and Westminster Abbey

We started our second day in London with an audio guided tour of Westminster Abbey, the oldest Roman Catholic Church in London. Just think, we walked through the same chapel William and Kate we wed in and gazed at the coronation chair where kings and queens have taken their place at the throne since 1066. After about two hours at Westminster, we took a short tube ride to the Tower of London for the Beefeater Tour.

Westminster Abbey

• 

• 

• 

• 

Tower of London

The Tower of London is well known as the site of executions and beheadings as well as a prison for those who opposed the nation’s authority. But it’s also the home of the Crown Jewels, the Royal Mint and the residence of the Yeoman Warders who care for and live at the Tower. The Beefeater Tour is fabulous and one of my favorite experiences in London. It’s a must do. After the tour and a visit to see the Royal collection of 23,578 gemstones, we made our way to Tower Bridge.

Tower Bridge

• 

• 

Tower Bridge is often mistakenly called London Bridge. It’s not. Tower Bridge is a draw bridge that was constructed in 1894, but looks much older. Though the Tower Bridge Experience ticket provided access to a so-so exhibit of the bridge’s history, for me it was well worth it. Images of Tower Bridge come to front of mind when I think about London, so the chance to climb the tower and walk across the span was one of this trip’s highlight.

Parliament Square and Big Ben

• 

• 

• 

• 

After climbing the bridge, we were reminded to ‘Mind the Gap’ on the London Underground as we made our way to Parliament Square and Big Ben. We didn’t take any tours here (Big Ben is not open to overseas visitors), we just came to enjoy the architecture and find fun vantage points to take pictures of the iconic buildings and of London’s famous red telephone booths.

At this point in the day, we were tired. We had planned to tour the Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms. We did not have the energy for another tour.

Ease into Traveling Abroad: London tip-Don’t be afraid to change your plans middle of the day or in the middle of your trip.

Instead of our original plan of seeing another museum, we opted instead to walk to Trafalger Square via Whitehall Street. The walk took us passed #10 Downing, the residence of Britain’s Prime Minister (equivalent to the White House in the United States). Walking Whitehall Street will also take you passed the Horse Guards, the home of the Queen’s personal bodyguards. After a few short blocks, we reached Trafalger Square, kind of like Times Square in New York City. The square is the connecting point for all other areas of the city and is a bustling location to people watch. From here, we ventured a bit further north to Leicester Square where we purchased theater tickets for the following evening’s performance of Les Miserables.

While in this area of the city, we had dinner at Roundhouse Pub. Another traditional British meal of bangers and mash and steak and ale pie.

Ease into Traveling Abroad in London DAY 3: Stonehenge and London Theater

Stonehenge

• 

• 

• 

Our last day in London was spent on a side trip to Stonehenge. We survived the crush of commuters on the Underground and arrived at Waterloo Station. From here we were able to purchase a regional rail ticket to Salisbury, which is just outside of Stonehenge. In Salisbury, we took a tour bus to the Stonehenge site in Whiltshire.

Ease into Traveling Abroad: London tip: read/learn about a place BEFORE you arrive. This allows you to have a general understanding of the site/experience freeing up your visit for more in-depth exploration.

The audio guide provided at the site is excellent, offering several insights into why and how Stonehenge was created and by whom. In total, we spent about an hour at Stonehenge and this total side trip took about five hours. We arrived back in London, with time to relax in our hotel room before going to Belgo Centraal in the West End for a pre-theater meal. We ordered the spit fire roasted chicken in mushroom sauce and a wild mushroom stuffed pastry.

Our night at the theater was incredible. It was especially interesting to see a production set during the French revolution as we were set to take a train to Paris early in the morning.

Where we stayed, where we ate and what we paid

• Accommodations: Lynton Hotel-the hotel was in a great location near Victoria Station. Breakfast was included and served every morning by one of the brothers who own the hotel. Nightly rate:about £85 per night
• Food:
  • Brewmaster’s Pub-great atmosphere, food and local beer
  • Roundhouse Pub-another awesome choice for pub style food and great beer
  • Belg Centraal-Belgian style pub in West End
• Attractions:
  • Big Bus Tour: £35 per person
  • State Room Tour at Buckingham Palace: £27 per person
  • London Eye: £28 per person
  • Westminster Audio Tour: £15 per person
  • Tower of London: £29 per person; the Beefeater Tour is included in entrance fee
  • Tower Bridge Experience: £11 per person
  • Stonehenge: £21 per person
• Tips and Tricks
  • Make sure you obtain a passport several months prior to your trip
  • Let your bank and credit card company know you will be traveling abroad
  • Develop a travel itinerary with confirmation numbers and addresses. Map out what attractions you’ll see each day.
  • Purchase as many tickets in advance as possible. Often you can avoid a longer line if you already have a ticket in hand.
  • Purchase a travel guidebook and carry it with you. Everywhere.
  • Pack as light as possible and bring the appropriate luggage. See my tips on travel packs here.

I hope this travel plan complete with tips and tricks for first timers will help you ease into traveling abroad in London and make for a memorable trip.

Happy Traveling, Rochelle