For my friends and family or just anyone who is interested in traveling to London, England – I just wanted to write a quick list of everything you should try to see/visit if you get the chance to visit the beautiful city of London.
- St. Paul’s Cathedral
THIS is one of my absolute FAVORITE places I have ever visited. They give you a recorder which informs you all about the cathedral. There are many famous people buried in this cathedral – Princess Diana and Charles were wed here. And as if it is not beautiful enough on the inside you can climb 500+ steps to the top where you have my absolute favorite view of London. My friends (Sarah) and Jenna had to practically drag me to the top but it became my favorite attraction since, so it was worth it!
- London Zoo
I have conflicting views towards “zoos” because too often they treat the animals cruelly and do not provide an environment that is fit for the animal, however, the London Zoo does a very, very good job of providing sufficient space and an environment that is fit for the animal. ++ they let the little monkeys (and lemurs) run around their exhibit(s) freely which i love, they’re so adorable! But don’t touch! It is quite pricey however and the only negative I would say is I think some of the snake exhibits are a bit too small. 😦
- Tower of London
If you visit London you need to visit the Tower of London! The crown jewels, the architecture, the red poppies! Not to mention the tours and learning the history. There is something to be found here for people of all interests – I for one have always dreamt of being an architect so I would rather study that than the crown jewels – but to each their own 😉
- Kensington Palace
Forget Buckingham Palace if you want to actually get a chance to see the inside, and head over to Kensington Palace. Plus, it is the residence of Prince Harry so….*fans self* The Orangery which is right outside the palace does a magnificent high tea.
- London Aquarium
Within minutes of walking into this Aquarium you cross a glass floor where below about a dozen sharks swim by. I am a huge fan of aquatic animals, especially sharks, and this aquarium is so large and filled with so much information that you could spend all day here if you’d like. They also have days and times where you can attend talks about the animals or watch them be fed.
- Westminster Abbey
This is probably one of the sites that you have always heard to visit while in London – and while you’re outside of it you can take a quick selfie with Big Ben which is only a few steps away! Poets, Writers, Aristocrats, Monarchs and so many others are buried or memorialized in Westminster Abbey, including : Charles Dickens, Sir Isaac Newton, Shakespeare, and so many others.
- The London Eye
I find it hard to believe that I am included the London Eye in this list because I am not only terribly afraid of heights, but it is around thirty pounds, or fifty USD to buy a ticket for the eye it does provide one of the best views of London. You climb into each of the ferris wheel “pods” which fit roughly 10-20 people then ride around for a half hour. You can see all around the city, I would recommend going during the day because (although romantic) at night you do not see as much.
- Regent’s Park
London has many beautiful and popular parks, but out of them all Regent’s Park will always be my favorite. There is so much to do in this park – you could grab coffee and relax on a bench, or take a paddle boat out on the pond, you could walk over to London Zoo or Camden or Baker Street. I walked thru Regent’s Park every single day when I lived in London and I never grew tired of the tranquility it brought me.
- Camden
I used to work in Camden, and believe me it is quite unlike any other place I have visited in the world (well, the 18 countries that I have been to thus far!). You can buy some food from the market and eat it while sitting near the canal, haggle for souvenirs, or just watch the interesting street performers. *World’s End is also located in Camden and is a really awesome pub if you’re thirsty for a pint.
- The Tate Modern
I have been to almost every single museum in London and I have to say the Tate Modern is the coolest. I am bias, however, because i love modern art. You can grab a coffee or tea from one of the upper floors where you are also provided with a breath-taking view of the city.
** Runner Up: The Natural History Museum – because they have huge dinosaur replicas that move. Which makes it so cool but besides that I was not that impressed. It is very similar to other natural history museums minus the lifelike dinos.
Runaway Blond 