Twelve Days of Travel: Ten Days in London
I’ll say it: London is one of my most favorite cities on the planet. We have had the privilege to travel to so many beautiful cities around the world, but there is something absolutely magical and special about London. For me, it’s the Tube smells (IYKYK), walking across as much of the city by foot as possible, watching performers in Trafalgar Square, holing up in a pub for a pint and the best fish and chips you’ll ever have, and trying to pretend to be a local by a quick stop into a Waitroses or M&S for a picnic lunch you can enjoy in Hyde Park or somewhere along the Southbank. It has been my absolute joy to help clients plan trips to a city that has my heart, and one that I truly feel homesick for. So, what better opportunity to share with you my personalized and handcrafted itinerary for a ten day trip to London than to include it in my Twelve Days of Travel series? I think that London is extremely family-friendly, which is one of the reasons I love it— it’s a multi-generational city with something for everyone. So no matter what your traveling party or size looks like, I think that you’ll have an absolutely incredible time in this vibrant place.
First: How many days should you spend in London?
Under certain circumstances, you could probably get by with 7 days. But, you must understand that the first two days (arrival, which will be sometime in the late morning based on when US-based flights typically arrive to Europe and the day after) will be a little bit of a jetlag battle. I’ve been through many a European trip where I’ve made the mistake of planning too much on the first few days (definitely fell asleep on a park bench somewhere in Tuscany during a tour we planned the day after arrival), and I always encourage my clients to keep these first couple of days flexible and easy. If you have the ability to take ten days, you’ll be better for it and won’t feel so rushed. So, for the sake of this most ideal itinerary, that’s what we’re going with. There’s so much to see and do (including day-trip excursions) that you’ll really get the most benefit by at least ten days abroad.
Let’s dive into a realistic itinerary that I’ve both done myself and booked for others, including a recommended hotel and things to see and do during your ten day vacation to London! There are many gorgeous hotels in London, but I’m going to recommend one that I personally thing is a great option for families in a great location. Traditional London boutique hotel rooms can be on the smaller side, and sometimes they do not accommodate groups of three or more. So, I like this property because of its variable room types, proximity to the tube, location in the Southbank (super up and coming) and close to the Thames River!
Hotel: Bankside Hotel, Autograph Collection by Marriott
Day one: Arrive to London Heathrow (likely sometime mid-morning); you can opt to take the Heathrow Express to Victoria Station, but the easiest and most efficient option is to take a taxi from the airport to your hotel— the taxies are plentiful and waiting right out front of baggage claim. While they’ll be more expensive than the Heathrow Express, you’ll have a direct option after a long day of travel. Private transfers can also be arranged, depending on your preference. Check into your hotel, try to rally, grab lunch, explore your nearby surroundings and go to bed early (do as I say and not as I do— resist that nap when you get to the hotel or you’ll sleep schedule will be thrown off for days!).
Day two: You’ll probably be up early. That’s the honest truth. ;-) Try to find a coffee shop nearby, or use the time to see London in its early morning hours as it’s just waking up. You probably won’t experience this again during your trip as you get more acclimated to your new time zone, and it’s a fun way to see the city— especially if you can walk along the Thames River while you wake up! On this day I always recommend a Big Bus Tour to my clients as the only thing they do. It’s a GREAT way to get your bearings with the city and “see” the sights in a high level overview and decide what you want to go back and visit on future days for a longer amount of time. You can hop on and hop off as much or as little as you want, purchase a supplement to take a river cruise along the Thames, and spend as much time with each sight as you’d like. You’re in control of your schedule, so when and if you want to break for lunch, head back for a nap, etc., you can do that! It can be hard to be locked into plans when you’re feeling the effects of jet lag. Go easy on yourself this day, find a great pub to each dinner in, and tuck in early!
Day three: London is home to so many amazing museums and galleries, all of which are free! You could spend a day at each, but I will recommend my top three for this itinerary, not to be missed. I love to spend at least two or three hours at the British Museum, which is home to all kinds of exhibits. We also like the Tate Modern and the National Gallery (which are not to be missed), so you could easily swap out a different museum visit on this day. I don’t recommend tacking on two museum visits early on in your itinerary, as you might still be feeling a little bit tired, but definitely spend as long as you can here. Another option to add to this day is a London Walks walking tour. For a nominal fee, you’ll have a two hour walking tour with a fantastic guide and one of many different locations across the city. We’ve done several London Walks tours and had a great time at each one! Indulge in a delicious dinner and keep pinching yourself that you are in one of the most incredible cities on the planet.
Day four: This is a great day for an organized tour. I recommend the “London in One Day Tour with Changing of the Guard and and London Eye option” from Viator, because you’ll get an inside look and experience in a way that you would not normally be able to do on your own. Since it will be an all-day tour, you’ll likely have lunch with your group but I recommend asking your guide for tips on where to go for dinner. They always have the best advice and you’ll end up with a local’s take on where to eat— these are often the very best spots that you may not have found on your own.
Day five: A day of wandering and pretending to be a local. Visit Notting Hill. Walk along the Thames. Explore the Southbank. Play in a park. Don’t plan anything for today except just relishing in city life.
Day six: This is a personalized recommendation to anyone in your group who might be a Harry Potter fan (like we have in our family), so if that’s you, I highly recommend a visit to the Harry Potter Tour of Warner Bros. Studio with Transport from London, offered by Viator. As the website says, “Immerse yourself in the spellbinding world of Harry Potter™ on this trip to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London. Travel to the fabled Harry Potter studios by air-conditioned coach from central London, and on arrival, trace the footsteps of Hogwarts’ student wizards at leisure. Behold original sets such as Platform 9 ¾ and Diagon Alley; see the Hogwarts Express steam train; ride a broomstick like the cast; and uncover the behind-the-scenes secrets of the movies’ on-screen wizardry. This Harry Potter studio London tour includes round-trip coach transport and entrance tickets.” This experience is not to be missed.
Afterwards, grab some dinner and catch a show in the West End. Like New York City, London also sells discounted tickets day-of, so long as you’re flexible with which show you’d like to see. If you have your heart set on watching Wicked in London (like I did), then it’s best to purchase tickets in advance. Otherwise, there can be fun in the flexibility!
Day seven: I definitely recommend getting out of London for at least one day of your vacation, and there are so many fantastic day trips available. You could take a tour of Stonehenge, Windsor, and Bath from London, you could go to Oxford, Stratford-Upon-Avon and Warwick Castle from London, or you could visit the Downton Abbey Village, Blenheim Palace, and Cotswolds from London as well. There are so many different tour opportunities but this is a great opportunity to venture outside of the city for a day and experience even more that England has to offer.
Day eight: Explore London by foot and Tube— visit Covent Garden, shop along Oxford street, wander around Kensington, pop into another museum or gallery, making time for high tea, and keep this day flexible for going back and visiting any other spots or sights that you have wanted to experience during your trip.
Day nine: As you start to pack and prepare to leave, don’t do so without joining one of my favorite bike tours on the planet— Fat Tire Bike Tours. Our favorite is the Royal London Bike Tour, but we’ve also done the Small Group River Thames bike tour, which I highly recommend. Fat Tire Bike Tours also offers food tours, pub crawls, and more, so regardless of how you want to spend your last day in London, there will likely be a great option for you to do so.
Day ten: Fly home (or don’t— extend your stay!) and plan your next trip to London, ASAP.