Making My Good Life

You know those places where you walk down the street and you just know that it immediately holds your heart? Well, London is one of those places for me–all of England really, which I’m sure you’ll end up seeing.

London though is the epicenter, the beating heart. It has just about everything but never feels too big to me. Maybe it’s the architecture, the history, the shared language, or the amazing tube system, but London has something and is for everyone.

I’ve talked to some travelers who find London “too easy.” While there is great power in getting out of your comfort zone and being somewhere truly exotic to you, I think that there is a wholly underrated side of traveling to places that are easier. Travel doesn’t have to be hard and completely life-changing. It can be about comfort and amazement. Luckily, London has just about everything so you can have both if you really want.

Since London has everything, it’s hard to know where to start. Here’s my list of London must do’s. Of course the caveat is that I by no means have seen or done everything (more reason to go back!) It also is of course things that I like doing. That being said, there are some things London does best, especially if you are an English speaker, things that you can’t do anywhere else that you have to take advantage of. These things are what make England, England to me. Enjoy and happy traveling!

1. Visit a *Free* Museum

My initial and deep rooted love for all things England began with English history. I grew up reading about Queen Elizabeth I and walking into the tv room to something from BBC on. I quickly devoured anything I could get my hands on from books to movies to tv. On my first trip to England, it was a true pleasure to be able to see things in person that I had been looking at in books for years. Of course things like Big Ben or Buckingham Palace, but also things like Queen Elizabeth’s armada portrait. The best part though, is that most museums are free and in English, of course!

There are also so many different museums to choose from. There’s the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery for those who want to see world class art from all sorts of eras and artists. On my trips there, favorites were Rembrandts and Stubbs.

In Kensington, there’s the Victoria and Albert Museum with all sorts of antiquities and oddities, and just across the street there’s the Natural History Museum. I found these to be a bit overwhelming, but the convenience of being able to go in for a bit then leave is so nice. Similarly, there’s the British Museum in Mayfair if you want to see the Rosetta Stone or the (controversial) Elgin Marbles. My person favorite there was some mummified remains, creepy but cool.

Those museums are kind of the requisite first-timer London museums. But the nice thing is, if you have no interest in those, or you’ve already been, there are still so many options. On my most recent trip, I went to the Design Museum and absolutely loved it. It’s modern and creative and nearly the opposite of the museums mentioned above.

There are so many museums in London. There’s one out there for everyone. Those mentioned here are a few of those I’ve personally been to and can speak to. Museums may not scream vacation, but where else are you going to see these things…and for free? I always say, there’s vacation and then there’s traveling. Museums fall into traveling for sure. It’s about taking in and learning, being active, not always about relaxing and decompressing.

There are also a ton of museums that are not free, and I recommend those as well, but I would say do some free ones first. They are pretty world-class.

2. Tour a Church

I know some people might think that this should fall under a museum category and while you may be somewhat right, they are distinctly different and I do think you need to do both. From my traveling, museums you intake information but in churches you are taking in emotion, architecture, and a sense of a holy or revered place. So really, they are totally different.

And with London churches, you really can’t go wrong. It’s got some real heavy hitters. I’m talking Westminster Abbey, I’m talking St. Paul’s Cathedral. Those are probably in the top 10 of most recognizable churches worldwide and they are both in the same place with easy access.

I’ve been inside both but I’ve only done the tour of Westminster Abbey. Let me tell you, it was a real highlight. It was a bit pricey and way longer than I thought it was going to take, but we absolutely loved it.

When visiting Westminster, there’s a couple ways to do it. There’s general admission, which includes an audio guide with a tour voiced by Jeremey Irons (love), you can do a tour done by a third party, or you can do the official verger tour which also includes some time with the audio guide if you wish. My group did the verger tour, which was an additional cost, but I highly highly recommend it. Because our guide was an official from the Abbey, she gave us so much more information than the guide and also would take questions. Additionally, the vergers can take you to areas that you otherwise would not get to see. Basically, it was amazing and worth every penny. My group did not do the additional upstairs portion of the Abbey that I think costs extra, but what we did was more than enough.

I have never toured St. Paul’s but I can imagine that it is just as amazing. I have been in it, though, which I loved. There’s a sneaky way to see these magnificent churches without spending an arm and a leg. Any church is free to enter when you are going to a service. They usually have maybe a morning service everyday or an evening service everyday. Be sure to check the church’s schedule. They also range in service length so check that out. From my experiences, they are not overly formal and all sorts of tourists attend. An added bonus is that you get to hear the organ and oftentimes choirs, which really adds to the beauty of the architecture. Some people may not be comfortable attending a service, but if you are, I highly recommend it.

3. Catch a Show

This is probably my absolute favorite part of London. While other cities have this as well, if you are an English speaker, the London theatre scene cannot be matched.

You may be thinking, “What about Broadway?” I think Broadway is great and all, but the West End in London is just better. Something about it just feels less commercial than New York, it has a sense of history and feels more integrated into the city than Broadway. Also I just like London better than New York; it can’t be helped.

When I talk about London, I always say that I want to see a show a day. And honestly, I’m not kidding. There is so much variety but also familiar favorites are always there. I’ve seen Les Miserables there several times and it never fails to make me cry. Recently I saw Caberet, and it was spectacular. It was sultry and gritty and so immersive. The same day I saw Caberet, I saw Moulin Rouge. It was bright and fun and a real party.

London is not a one-trick pony, though, there’s more than just Broadway shows and the West End. Shakespeare’s Globe is the premier place to see some Shakespeare. The theatre is a reproduction of the original theatre during Shakespeare’s time, thatched roof and all. It is open air so be prepared, also for a cheap time, you can buy standing room tickets for about 5 pounds.

The newest type of show that I caught in London was a comedy show. It wasn’t a special or anything, it was just a weeknight at a comedy club/pub called the Camden Head with a couple comics trying out material. I am a massive fan of British comedy already so it was right up my alley. It was pretty affordable and very fun. I’ll be adding it again to my itinerary for sure.

4. Eat at a Food Market

Because London is so big, it’s a real convergence of cultures. There is literally so much to offer and it can definitely be overwhelming. My biggest traveling tip is to figure out where you are eating before you are hungry. I like to book before I even leave for the trip. It takes the stress out of it. Another new way I’ve found to combat hanger is to eat at food market. A little caveat though is to make sure you check the operating times. Nothing is worse than walking around a market looking at closed stalls with great menus.

On my latest trip to London, we ate almost exclusively at food markets. They had so many options and we could all find something that we wanted. They also weren’t a million dollars. First we went to Seven Dials which is near the Soho area. We had pork boa buns and duck pot stickers as well as some cocktails and dessert. It was super clean, plenty of space, and nice bathrooms. Next we went to Spitialfields Market. This market is a little more open air and also had vendors selling crafts as well as clothing stores nearby. I for sure want to go back and check out Humble Crumble for desert. The last market we checked out was in Carnaby Street. It wasn’t really a traditional market but more like an area with lots of restaurant options readily available. You wouldn’t go up to a stall and order food and sit at central tables but instead you could walk through and read menus before stopping at the restaurant you wanted to eat at. This was also really nice because there were lots of options right in front of you instead of having to walk around to different places to check out what they have.

All the the markets we ate at were amazing. It was a real food tour and we ate our hearts out. Next time I go, I plan on checking out Bourough Market as well as Camden Market.

5. Get Out

Maybe the thing I recommend most when visiting London is to get out and visit somewhere else. Nothing bothers me more than when someone thinks they’ve really been to and understands the US when all they’ve been to is New York City, LA, or Disney World. For me, it’s the same when I’m visiting another country. The largest city is not indicative of the rest of the country. In the case of England, I always say that I will never order fish and chips in London, only outside the city. I have to get out there to see the rest of the place.

Luckily, England is a relatively small country and they have a pretty good train system so traveling throughout is extremely easy and fairly affordable. It also doesn’t have to mean you spend a ton of time outside London, but just spend half a day to see what else is out there. Some trips I’ve taken have been to Dover to see the white cliffs, Bath to take in the regency city, and Oxford and Cambridge to see the universities.

It’s nice to get out of the city to see the green fields and the sheep, to eat traditional English food, and also to have some more space. Also, I’ve found that people in the English countryside are extremely friendly. Next up on my list of places is Brighton for a seaside vibe, Canterbury to see the cathedral, and maybe Portsmouth for some naval history.

Bonus

The last thing that I recommend doing when visiting London is to shop. As a major city, there are so many stores that simply are not available in most other places. There’s the big department stores like Selfridges and Harrods that are fun to walk through, there’s Liberty which is a true masterpiece and a fun stop for afternoon tea, or there are stores that have so many more options and aren’t in most US cities. I always stop in H&M Home, Muji, Mango, and &Other Stories. Just make sure you leave some extra space in your suitcase!