So I’ve been dying to do a London travel guide since I started this blog and I’m so excited to finally roll this one out! The UK was the first country I visited outside of the US and London was the first international city. Even though I’ve been to London a few times, my trips have always been pretty quick (we’re talking 1-3 days max as an adult). So even though I’ve seen the things, tried the food and even picked up some cool lingo (posh may just be my new favorite word), I still felt like I needed a little extra something-something before I could write a full blown London travel guide.
When thinking about how to structure this post, I realized I had a secret travel guru that I had yet to call on–my cousin, Shauna! She’s lived in the UK for years and has been my personal travel guide in London more times than I can count. Every time I’ve gone to visit, whether on my own or with friends, she’s been there with warm bed, a cold beer and an amazing tour of the city. I realized that she has a ton of great suggestions, unique local insight and would be such a fun person to write a blog piece with!
Now Shauna has perfected a London tour route over the years. I mean, she’s had guests from family, to friends, to friends of friends, to family of friends come and visit and I think it’s safe to say that they would all give her tour a whopping 5 stars on Google and a ‘recommend’ on Facebook. These tours involve a ton of walking, even more sightseeing and you get a great mix of tourist vs. local scenery. Everyone seems to come out the other side more knowledgeable of the city, a little buzzed 🙂 very full and definitely exceeding their 10,000 steps for the day!
So for this piece, I wanted to get some of that tour down on paper, but I also wanted her to spill the tea (little British nod for you there) on her story, how she got to the UK and then some London secrets that will help make your trip unforgettable.
So lace up those sneaks and let’s get this party started!
How long have you lived in London and what brought you over there?
I moved to London from New York City in 2005 – yes, 15 years ago! I was working for a company in NY that had an office in London and it never even crossed my mind that working in the UK office would be an option. However, as I entered the office armed and ready with my resignation letter – I was about to quit my job and go back to school for an MSLIS in Library and Information Science – they told me that they needed someone in the London office! I was definitely looking for a change, thus the rash decision to quit and start studying again! Spoiler alert – I chose to move to London.
I had studied in London for a semester abroad, so had no concerns about taking this leap of faith. It worked out really well in the end!
What has been your favorite part of living in a different county?
The best part has been learning about myself! It sounds like a cliche but you become extremely open minded about what activities / events / gigs to attend, making friends and just putting yourself out there. I think in the first year I was taking a creative writing course at a local bookshop, joining walking groups, theater groups, seeing any bands I liked on my own and building relationships with colleagues that were very different to me!
There are loads of ways to get sorted in a new city, especially now with so many apps and groups, but I met some of my best friends during my first year in London through the high tech MySpace or the low tech way through house shares, friends of friends and attending house parties. It is these sprawling, random, interconnected friendships that have been my favorite part of living abroad. Inevitably people moved away or went back home, but that has just given me a load of new holiday destinations where I can be shown around by my local friend!
What would you recommend to someone who wants to live abroad?
If you are thinking about it and have the opportunity to give it a go, just go for it!
If you only had 24-hours to spend in London, what would you do?
24 hours. Right. I hope you brought comfortable shoes! I start at the top of Primrose Hill to watch the sun come up over London with a flask of coffee and your favorite pastry, head down towards Camden, before the crowds arrive and walk along the canal to King’s Cross.
Then check out St. Pancras Gardens to see the Thomas Hardy Tree and see Sir John Soane’s grave, which was the inspiration for Giles Gilbert Scott’s telephone kiosk.
I would then head over to Little Venice for a walk on the canal and stop for lunch at Cafe Laville, a totally unassuming spot with an AMAZING view. The restaurant is directly over the canal.
From there I would head towards Maide Vale to have a drink at The Prince Alfred. This pub has loads of little areas and snugs with different ways in, so old fashioned.
After that I would walk over towards Marylebone to get to Alfies Antique Market to have a look around. This is a big building with lots of market stalls, so you can really get exploring. There is also an unassuming cafe on the roof if you want a break.
Then it’s town time. We would walk through Marylebone towards Oxford Street, check out Soho, China Town and head to Piccadilly Circus and then walk past The Ritz and into Green Park to see Buckingham Palace. If you’re looking to stop for a little break, you can pick up a drink at a local shop and spend some time lounging in Green Park.
Next we’ll head down towards the embankment, definitely getting in a stop at Gordon’s Wine Bar on the way. Imagine underground wine caves, that are only lit with candle light! If you can get a table, well done! (Lauren and I got a primo table one chilly March Friday afternoon…at 11am!) If not, there is also some seating and standing tables outside in the alleyway. In any case, the wine is great, the green olives are fantastic and everything is priced fairly. A real favorite for me.
From there we would cross the river using the Hungerford Bridge and, voila, you are on the Southbank. I’m relentless so I would probably hit up an exhibition and then head further south to Mercado Metropolitano in Elephant and Castle. Imagine an indoor and outdoor space with all the types of food you have ever dreamed of, and plenty of tables for everyone to sit down and enjoy themselves for an evening. That is where I would give us a break for the night. I think you’ve seen enough for one day! 😉
What are the top 2 tourist destinations that you would tell someone to check out and what are the top 2 that would tell them to skip?
Yes Way 1: The Sky Garden – GREAT view and free entry. You can see The Shard, Tower of London, St Paul’s, all the biggies from the top.
Yes Way 2: Walking along the Southbank – absolutely gorgeous to have a stroll. It does get crowded on the weekends.
No Way 1: The London Eye – definite no from me. The Sky Garden is way better and has a cafe / bar.
No Way 2: The Shard – there is nothing to do once you are up there and you just paid a lot to get in, so you just hang. The highlight are the toilets – they affectionately call them ‘the loo with a view’ – but it’s not worth the hype!
What do think is the best off the beaten path place or activity?
Wilton’s Music Hall – Such a lovely place. You can book to see a performance or just head in and have a drink and some awesome pizza. There are also little nooks and crannies to check out – the main bar is on the ground floor, but upstairs there is a speakeasy bar and hidden little tables. I recommend getting there around 6pm and just chilling out while everyone coming in for a show is all crazy and hectic – you can just chill and enjoy the atmosphere.
India Club – This is a super sweet place to go when you are in town and want to chill out. This place has not really changed in the 50 years that it has been open. There are good cocktails, a permanent exhibition that you can engage with about the history of the place and a really good curry house right upstairs if you decide you want to stay for dinner…and it’s BYOB. Super low frills, but so interesting!
Postman’s Park – A park that has a memorial dedicated to people that have died while saving the lives of others. Really melancholy but so beautiful.
What is your favorite restaurant for a romantic date night or just a cool splurge experience?
I would go to The Ritz for lunch! You dress up and men have to wear a tie to get in, which makes the environment super fun and classy. You stroll by the ‘tea’ people and head right into another universe with a live pianist and a ceiling full of frescoes.
The American Bar at The Savoy is another great spot. It has been voted the best bar in the world and I’m not surprised, the cocktails are amazing! The environment is art deco and it is just lovely. There is a lot of effort going into these drinks – mine was served in it’s own terrarium!
What about a fun spot to spend an afternoon–possibly with some good photo ops?!
Brick Lane in London’s East End! Think vintage clothing markets, loads of street art and some of the best restaurants in the city.
And last but not least, what are 3 things that only a local would know, but would be super helpful for someone visiting?
Definitely walk as much as you can. London changes SO much street to street and if you are underground you will completely miss it. The bus is a good compromise!
Don’t be intimidated by The Tube. it’s super easy to navigate. Note: If you have an Oyster card or a credit card then you ‘touch’ the reader at the station and if you have a paper ticket you feed it in the machine. I help a lot of tourists with this!
A great resource for tips is https://londonist.com/ I use this website a lot to figure out new places to see, restaurants to check out and just to know what is going on.
And that’s it! Hope this was helpful for anyone planning a trip to London once the world calms down a bit. If you hit up any of the spots above, definitely let me know 🙂
