Prashi had already been to London a few times and it was really important to him for me to visit and like it. Well, I did! Yeah it was a little cold, yeah we were stuck in London because I had passport problems, but we made the most of our situation and had a wonderful 9 days together.
See
You can easily fill your itinerary with things to do and places to see in London. We did the major touristy things like the London Eye, Big Ben, Tower Bridge, and Buckingham Palace. If you have a limited time in London, those are the must-see places! The rest of this list is nice to experience if you have time left.
Harrods: A huge upscale department store with an actual place called “shoe heaven.” It’s really crowded in the lower levels of the building, but crowds fizzle out and things get much pricier as you go up. We easily spent 3 hours walking around (and shopping!) at Harrods.
Natural History Museum: I love a free museum. There’s so little pressure in having to walk around reading or listening to everything because you didn’t have to pay for it. That being said, I did read a lot and thoroughly enjoyed the animal exhibit!
Carnaby Street: My favorite place to walk around at night, and we ended up on Carnaby at least 4 nights by mistake. It’s a pretty poppin’ area with an abundance of restaurants and shops.
Covent Garden: Just a market area with lots of small vendors and entertainment. The perfect place to people watch!
Picadilly Circus: Prashi called it the Times Square of London. Underwhelming, but I totally see it! Some street performances, so many bright lights, crowds of people, and souvenir shops.
Notting Hill: This one made my list only because of the 1999 film Notting Hill with Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant. Notting Hill seemed quaint and charming in the movie, and I didn’t see that in real life. I was a little disappointed. The highlight of this borough was the colorful row of homes on Lancaster Street (first photo).
Anfield Stadium: Prashi’s only ask throughout the trip was to see his favorite soccer team play. We took a train out to Liverpool and watched the Liverpool – Bayern Champions League match. It was a unique experience and one I recommend if you have time to spare.
Dine
I have never been a “foodie” and definitely never interested in trying new food due to my TTBS (Toddler Taste Bud Syndrome). It’s not a real thing, but I’m a very picky eater!
To make matters even more difficult for myself, I have a mostly vegan diet as of Fall 2018. All I’m saying is this: I didn’t expect to love the food as much as I did. If you’re a vegetarian or vegan visiting the UK your options are limitless. I’m truly saddened by my lack of options here in Dallas but that’s besides the point. We ate at many many more places than the ones listed, but I condensed the list to only a few. If you need even more condensing, I highly recommend the ones with asterisks.
Stay
Royal Garden Hotel London: This hotel came highly rated but I would say it was an average stay. It was clean, cozy, and housekeeping was prompt. I just know there were better options in London.
London Hilton on Park Lane: Prashi and I have stayed at Hilton’s on many trips because he has points there. For that reason Hilton hotels always feel like home. Our room here was huge, we had the best view of the city, and they had the best breakfast.
The Ampersand Hotel: Easily our favorite hotel of the three! It was the smallest room, but the most chic. It’s a boutique hotel and part of “Small Luxury Hotels of the World.” The entire building was stunning with beautiful details in every corner. The bathroom was stocked with L’ Occitane products and the bathroom floors were heated. Ultimate luxury! Incredible accommodations aside, the Ampersand was our favorite because of it’s proximity to the Underground (approx. 4 min).
Tip: Be sure your hotel is a very short walk to the closest Underground, as it’s the primary form of transportation in London.
Did I miss one of your favorite spots in London? Let me know in a comment below.
XO, Vivian