How to Plan a Trip to London, England

Southwark Bridge (1921) in the foreground. On the right is The Shard, the tallest building in London. Tower Bridge in the background.

Ah, let’s plan a trip to London!  One of the most beautiful and iconic cities in the world!  And, when traveling overseas, it’s one of the easiest places to get around.  This city with its notably modern and historical skyline has so much to offer.

But what if you would like to go there, but don’t know how to plan for your trip?  London is a mega-metropolis with so many things to see!  Where’s the best area of town?  Where do you stay?

The London Eye beside the Thames River in London

The London Tower is a beautiful historic site in England, home of the Royal Jewels.

It might seem like too much of a hassle to plan such an adventure.  Or, it might be overwhelming to pick out just a handful of must-sees attractions when the options are so varied.

The best way to start planning a visit is to remember that, in a city the size of London, it would be impossible to see everything!  And that’s OK, because just experiencing London is better than never having been there at all!

Hotel Russell in London

The first time that Ron and I went to London, it was our first trip overseas.  Our planning started by determining what area of the city had a few attractions we wanted to see.  At that time, we stayed at the Russell Hotel which was close to the Natural Museum of History, Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace, Churchill’s Bunker, and Piccadilly Circus, to name just a few places.

The location was perfect!  We saw the nearby attractions, but we also walked or used public transportation (think double-decker red buses and the subways) to see many more attractions all over the city than we could have imagined!

Some form of the double-decker bus has been roaming the streets of London since the AEC Routemaster appeared in 1954.

Because we also like to see the surrounding countryside of the countries we visit, we have also taken day trips to Stonehenge and Bath, England which are not far from London.  We scheduled these tours through the hotel, and both were well worth the time and money.

Historic Stonehenge located outside of London, England

Since that first visit, we’ve stayed at different hotels in downtown London because of their proximity to historic sites that we’ve wanted to explore.  For our visit next month, we’ll be close to the Tower of London, the Millennium Bridge, Tower Bridge, Tate’s Museum, the London Eye, the Shard, Canary Wharf, Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey.

Tower Bridge and the grassy mote along the wall of the Tower of London in London, England

But we always like to add a few new experiences, so this year we’ll be visiting the House of Parliament with our favorite tour company.  This tour will include a visit to Westminster Abbey which we’ve seen before but is a place that has so much to see.  We’ll also see the House of Lords, the House of Commons, Parliament Hall, a building has been a meeting place for political functions for nearly a thousand years, and the Queen’s private chambers where she dons her crown and cape before opening the new legislative sessions each year.

The Palace of Westminster with Elizabeth Tower, Westminster Abbey and Westminster Bridge, House of Parliament, viewed from across the River Thames

Yes, we love learning about history.  But we also love the touristy attractions – which is why we have tickets to the London Eye.  In past visits, the lines have been too long.  So, this year, we took our son’s advice and purchased tickets ahead of time.

But what if you’ve never been to London?  Where do you start to decide about where to stay or what to see? And how can you have a memorable stay if you only have a short amount of time?

Hung Drawn and Quartered is a historic English Pub three blocks from the Tower of London and one of our favorite hangouts.

My quick answer is to just do it!  If you ever get the chance to go to London, just go! Plan a trip to London!

The Millennium Bridge crosses River Thames in London – St. Paul’s Cathedral in the background.

Whatever you see, it will be memorable!  This world-class, amazing city won’t let you down and you won’t be disappointed.

Bagpiper on Tower Bridge

London Royal Guardsmen

Famous landmarks, royal gems, bobbies, Notting Hill bookstores, a Thames River cruise, Harrod’s Department Store . . . oh, yes, and don’t forget to take in an afternoon tea!

Have you been to London?  What was your favorite thing to see or do?

“Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.” — Abraham Lincoln