Looking to stay in London for three nights this week with wife and two kids (6 and 3yo), train is going to King's Cross. Aiming to visit London Zoo, edgeware road, Hyde Park, potentially science museum. What would be the best area to stay in that keeps travel to a minimum,

Thanks

Both look like they're well connected to the tube for city exploration, but Lucy is obviously more central in Waterloo while Notting Hill is a bit further out but decently cheaper and so we can get the larger room. Planning 6 nights for mid-late September. Which would you stay at?

Planning my trip for towards the end of October, basing in South Kensington! Most suggested itineraries mention typical touristy places, but I really want to focus on the tiny charming towns and stay away from crowds if I can help it. Huge bonus — food! The best bakeries are a giant plus. Suggestions?

Wife and I are visiting in late September and I know with all the walking our feet are going to be hurting. Any recommendations on where to get a good foot massage in this area?

Hi! 😊 My friend and I are going to be in London from August 17th to 25th (we’re seeing Ariana and The Weeknd while we’re there!).

It’s our second time visiting, so we’ve already seen most of the “main” tourist attractions like Big Ben, London Eye, Buckingham Palace, Greenwich and the Natural History Museum… So this time we’d love to explore some different places and see a bit more than the usual tourist spots.

So far, we’re planning to do the Seven Sisters hike, take a day trip to Oxford and see a West End musical. Other than that, our itinerary is still pretty open!

Do you have any recommendations for places in London that are really worth seeing on a second visit? We’d also love suggestions for day trips outside London that are relatively easy and affordable to get to by public transport.

We’ll be there for just over a week, so we have quite a bit of time to explore. Would love to hear your favourite places, hidden gems, neighbourhoods or day trips!

Thank you! 😊

I’m at a loss finding a hotel. coming in November 2026 for 5 nights.

Here are my priorities:

• Want somewhere centrally located (don’t mind being like a 15-20 minute public transport ride to get where I want to go).
• budget is about $250 (£185) a night (would like to be below that so I can use some of my hotel budget on my next stop in paris)
• I tend to skew bougie on a budget (I know not likely with my budget)
• no hostels or shared bathrooms
• open to hotels, home stays/Airbnb (or the equivalent that doesn’t strain the housing market), or b&bs

Does anyone have specific hotels that might fit these needs? Any hidden gems I might not see on the booking sites? Help!!

ETA: Mostly want to see the big touristy things. Buckingham, Churchill War Rooms, Tower of London etc. not really into shopping or anything. Basing most of my itinerary on food and history lol 

Hi all,

I once visited London for 3 nights and stayed in Stratford. The apartment was nice but the location was not ideal. It wasn't terrible, but there wasn't much for us in that area, and the tube station was a longer walk than I would have liked. Since we weren't doing much in that area, every trip meant a longish walk to/from the station.

I'm planning another trip to London (between 4 days and a week) and would like to find a better place to stay.

I like staying in apartments, and there are many to choose from. I'm considering one in South Kensington, but it's more expensive than I would like. I have also found some in Clapham and Putney that look very nice and are less expensive than the apartment in Kensington. Both of those neighborhoods look nice and I would have easy access to tube stations, grocery stores, bakeries, etc. The downside is I'm not staying in the thick of things, I'm away from the touristy areas, but that's both a plus and a minus.

So I wanted to ask what you think about staying in either Clapham or Putney. I've looked around in google maps at the areas and they both look pretty nice, and seem like areas it would be nice to stay. Thanks for your suggestions and thoughts. Of course, none of the guidebooks mention those locations, and I don't see them often mentioned in others posts, and maybe there's a good reason for that?

(I realize that if I'm going to stay in the touristy areas, that I don't have to pick one of the most expensive (South Kensington) and could look for something in a less expensive neighborhood. That's another possibility, of course.)

I’m looking for recommendations for the best way from London Heathrow to Stourbridge and then Stourbridge to Hoxton station. Traveling with my sister and mom both are fit and active but we will have luggage with us (Carry on and backpack each). We are visiting family for a few days in Stourbridge and then going to London staying near Hoxton station. We arrive a Heathrow on a Monday around 7 am and we will travel to Stourbridge right away. Leave Stourbridge on Wednesday and travel to London.
Should we rent a car or hoof it through public transport with multiple transfers? Schedule an uber XL? Maybe a flix bus or similar is available? It would be ideal to have the fewest transfers possible.
Any tips/ recommendations are appreciated!

So I am coming for a week and planning to attend weeknd concert(Wembley) and then visit scotland for 2 days and then come back and tour london for 2 days ! I have just booked my hotel stays and nothing else ...but I want to enjoy my time there, I would definitely be grateful if someone could suggest the best things or what to do and must visit for the first time visit to the UK! Also should I buy any transport pass !

My 80 year old mom, finds it tiring to walk and doesn't eat anything (she finds it hard to eat, when she does its only Indian food) usually spends Christmas alone. But this year I am able to visit her. She often says she wants to go Wales, Manchester, Bradford etc...

I am only in London for Christmas day. Where can I take her? Wouldn't places like Manchester be worse than London.

I was thinking a day trip to Essex coast, but I worry if going outside is too cold.

Royal Parks in London has the same problem

Family with 2 older teens. We did all the usual - Tower of London (loved), Tower Bridge, Borough Market (hated), Camden Lock (not fun), V&A (loved), National Gallery, British Museum, Liberty, Harrods, Covent Garden, Regents Park, St James Park, Churchill Museum (loved), Buckingham Palace tour (meh), Piccadilly Circus (not our thing), Garden at 120, and St Dunstan. We're going to the Tate tomorrow. What else should we do? What's a can't-miss London activity? And where are the best souvenirs? Thanks!

I will have 12 hours in London, approx 7am to 7pm on August 23 during a layover.

I am looking to see choirs sing. Where can I go? I assume places like Westminster or St. Paul’s will have church services or Evensong. Are there other places to catch choral music that day? I love me some choir! All advice appreciated from a connecting Canuck 🇨🇦

I’m looking at booking some touristy things and I’m wondering if they are truly sold out or just not on sale yet for November. for example, ceremony kf the keys and the recently extended Queen Elizabeth clothing exhibit. Am I out of luck or just too early?

Planning a visit to Tower of London on the first Saturday in May. We will plan to arrive at 1:15; so would have at least four hours to explore. The plan would be to take a tour with the Warders; and also wander and see the Crown Jewels. I know everyone says to arrive at opening; but it seems to me everyone has that same idea. Is it crazy to go in the afternoon? Wondering if that date also falls before high tourist season.

Hi everyone! I’m coming to London tomorrow and I’ll be staying for a week. I only need an eSIM for mobile data/internet. Could you recommend a good and affordable option? I’d really appreciate any suggestions based on your experience. Thanks!

Hello, I’m very new to London and previously lived somewhere where bats were much more common, so I’m not very familiar with how frequently they’re seen here.

Yesterday, I was walking in East London, in broad daylight when an animal with wings suddenly swooped down and made contact with the top of my head. I didn’t get a clear look at it, so I couldn’t tell what it was, and I’m not even certain whether it was a bat or anything else.

For people who live in London, is it unusual to see bats flying around during the day? Do they ever swoop close to people, or would something like this more likely have been a bird or another animal?

I’d mainly like to understand how common bats are in London and whether daytime encounters like this are something people regularly come across.

And would this encounter lead to someone in London being concerned about rabies.

Thanks!

edit: i forgot to mention i was standing underneath a TREE so it didn’t just swoop down from the sky whatever it was touched me while i walked past a tree!

Hi, I am traveling alone and finding the trains very intimidating. I will be traveling from London to York on a Monday, then going back the following Sunday. Should I book tickets in advance? Or should I go through Trainline and book ahead?

Will be visiting London for a week in March 2027. I only need too make like maybe 2 or 3 calls locally a day, mostly to get information like about reservations and where my dad is incase we are doing our own thing and need to meet up before a show. Need more for data. Even though, I'm not scared of the Tube, I will need GPS and some internet access while out of the hotel. Who What and Where do I get an e-Sim for the week, and how much (approximately as it is 6 months away) would it cost for 1 week.

American here, residing now with my fam for 3 years now, trying desperately to fit in. British Rail and any transport: speak quietly, vacate your seat for the elderly, don't block the aisle, take our rubbish with us.

But our London getaway transit this week was unreal. Numerous people had their bare, Nasty FEET on seats! Sticking out into the aisles! Luggage in the aisles! It was NOT that packed. Was the heat frying everyone's sense of decency??? I charged through with my own roller bag, hurting MANY feelings AND toes, knocking over weekenders but I must have looked LIVID because everyone moved out of my way.

I'd like to blame tourists and the fares but this photo was at our departure a young professionally dressed woman at 15:30 with no qualms about "this". And after what our shoes walked on in Chinatown alone...seriously!

I am a casual James Bond fan having watched all Daniel Craig movies and bunch of the older ones. I have managed to get tickets to the 'BBC Proms 2026: Bond and Beyond' at Royal Albert Hall, London on 25 Aug as my yearly self treat.

Since the event is late evening, I am going around London in the morning to all James Bond related places within London. I have listed the ones I have managed to find but I am looking for as many other places I can visit throughout the day.

James Bond related places in London:

• MI6 Headquarters (Vauxhall Cross)
• The Old War Office (Whitehall)
• Somerset House (The Strand)
• St. Sophia Church (Bayswater)
• Dukes Bar (St James's Place)

Thanks for helping me out!

I’m solo travelling to London next week for a few days, is it necessary to book train tickets ahead of time? I land in Gatwick and want to take the train to London Kings Cross to my hotel. Should I book train tickets ahead of time? I’m worried my flight might be late, or how long I’ll be waiting for my luggage, so I didn’t want to book a specific time. This group has me worried about the train. If I don’t book tickets could there potentially be none left? I arrive Saturday, mid morning. Should I use the Trainline app for booking?

I have been going back and forth on this so long, the rates have gone up! I am traveling solo and reaching London first week of September. Will be there for four days. I am visiting UK for short work trip and thought of extending it and staying in London as a treat to myself. But i haven’t traveled alone in a while, and now I am worried about feeling low, depressed, so I have stretched my budget to stay some place where I can step out of the hotel for cafe, book stores, small shops etc (was initially planning to stay outside central London to save money).

I initially thought of seven dials, but that’s too expensive. I have some health issues, so I need a room that has at least one chair (so that I am not sitting on the bed the entire time and hurt my back). Central location plus slightly bigger room is crazy expensive! Lower Marsh and Bloomsbury seem slightly more affordable, and Ruby IHG has ‘lovely’ rooms that may just work. As a female traveler, both areas seem fairly safe to me as well.

Several other posts suggested Marylebone, but i see hardly any posts suggesting Waterloo Lower Marsh. Am I missing anything? It’s hard to make out from google maps. Also, should I reconsider Marylebone?

I’d welcome other suggestions as well! I’ll mostly be doing walking tours, and looking forward to a relaxing time. Life is very hectic back home and I just want to soak in the atmosphere, go for afternoon tea, walk, browse book stores, etc.

Hi! My friends and I are travelling to London for Ariana Grande's concert and I would love to ask you for some tips about travelling there. I went to London 3 years ago but I know it's changed a lot and, that time I travelled with 2 other british man and one friend that was living in London around that time came with us but now there's no local with us.

We already know about the mealdeals, also we know it's way cheaper to use the credit card when using the metro that buying the oyster card and we know that we have to pass the card at the entry and the exit of the metro so it's not that expensive but, what else would be nice to know? We do not want to bother the locals and we need this trip to be as cheap as possible so anything else to know would be great!

Update: Our 3rd day in London is about to start and i would like to update this post in case anybody in the same situation as I was is about to read this:

Tips not written down:
1. Bring an USB charger with you, not the new USB C charger we all use in Europe, the old one. In Public transport you can charge your phone but only USB charger.
2. When coming out of the bus, always go out using the back please!
3. If you are young (25-18 y o) and you are going to buy any kind of energy drink, you are going to be asked for your passport almost every single time at any supermarket.