Accommodations
There are many great neighborhoods in London. Our favorite area to stay is around Notting Hill and Kensington Gardens. Notting Hill Gate tube station is close as is the north-west corner of Hyde Park. Portobello Road is near and the area is tree-lined and classical London 4-story buildings with some good apartment options. Both Booking.com and AirBnB have nice flats at a reasonable price by London standards. If you are last-minute booking, Vincent House is a good option as it has more character than a normal hotel. Still recommend a flat to get a more local experience.
Transportation
From London Heathrow, take the Tube to the city. Cheaper and more crowded but gets you acclimated right away into using the Tube. Once in London, use Google Maps to get anywhere. Maps will recommend both Tube and bus transport. Sometimes buses are faster depending on where you are going. Most are double-decker so there is no need to try a tourist bus (unless your time is limited and you want to hit many sites). Tickets? Get Apple Wallet or Google Wallet setup with your credit card so you don’t have to worry about tickets or cards.
Money
Everywhere is touchless credit cards. Forget magnetic strips and chip cards are on the way out. Strongly recommend setting up Apple Pay Wallet with your credit card (this is more secure than using a card). Almost nobody uses cash but if you get have 100 pounds from an ATM it may give you some security.
See – Major Sites
So many lists out there but first timers at least should see the Tower of London, the National Gallery and the British museum. Most museums are free so you could hit more and see less at each one. Although we minimize pre-trip planning, watching a few Youtube videos about specific works and then seeing the works when you are there can make a huge impact on the site.
See – Minor Sites
There are a number lessor known sites in London that are appealing to specific audiences and may be even more memorable than the big sites depending on your perspective. Here are a few;
Novelty Automation – hand made mechanical arcade machines by famous “maker”. Watch Youtube videos
Sir John Soane’s Museum – mansion filled with cool artifacts
A play at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre – book in advance and rent a cushion. Unique space and be sure to get in the main theatre.
Food & Shopping
See our shopping and food recommendations using these links 2022, 2019, 2018
Tools
You really need to have good cell data plan. Check with your carrier or below.
Google Maps – all transportation directions and nearby restaurants etc.
Kayak.com – finding good airfare options. Google Flights also.
Booking.com – convenient way to find and book hotels. Check AirBnB too.
TripAdvisor – attractions, reviews, tag places visited and want to visit.
Google Travel – automatically build itinerary based on gmail info
eSIMdb.com – find cheapest local internet for your phone. Or just use the AirALO app – $18 for 3GB, TMobile is $35 for 5GB if you have that carrier in the US.
Photos and Videos
Not all public but here are some we created