Going to London. Tips appreciated!

[blackdogdeek]

pub -> fish and chips

don't forget to pour malt vinegar on the chips and then add salt.

 

[Drekce]

I'm over there next week and staying at the same hotel. You don't happen to be Chris, Bob or Tom, do you??? If not that's a weird coincidence.

 

[GrumpyMan]

Knock on the door at Buckingham Palace and ask for Kate. Please tell her to stop calling me all the time. She's married now and I don't do that stuff anymore.

 

[tokie]

trafalgar square
tower bridge
big ben/parliament
buckingham palace
tower of london
british museum

Leicester Square
London Eye
Put some bangers in your mouth
Thames River cruise (can use the Thames Clipper, a cheap commuter boat)
Jubilee Market area/Covent Garden
Theatre area (The Strand)

That's basically the typical tourist hitlist. Please don't annoy locals or get in my way like most tourists do when I am going to work.

 

[Drekce]

St. Paul's Cathedral is the best tourist trap spot in the city. Walking up all of those steps for the beautiful view at the top is something I love doing. Also, seeing all of the out of shape people having to stop and catch their breath cracks me up.

 

[McLovin]

So I am going to London for a week, and I would love some tips and advice. What are some must-see attractions? Good food/restaurants? Places to avoid? Also, I will be staying at The Tower Hotel; anyone ever stayed there?

Thanks!

When I went in June, I was a bit worried about going just for the fact that it's a very big city in an obviously different country. Once I got there, it was CAKE to get around. London has one of the best transit systems I've been on! The tube is super cheap and I recommend getting a pass on Big Bus Tours. They have a few different routes that cover the whole city and it's only like 25 Pounds for the day and if you buy the ticket as you get on the bus, you can buy a second day for only like 3 Pounds. Best part about Big Bus Tours is that your bus ticket also includes a boat ride up the River Thames from the Tower of London/London Bridge up to House of Parliament/Big Ben/London Eye for free! You can also buy tickets on the bus for those locations and it puts you in q priority queue so when you get there, you just show them the pre-paid ticket and you don't have to stand in line! Pretty effin sweet if you ask me!

I also recommend this Jack the Ripper walking tour. It is done by an off duty beefeater from the Tower of London, it's only 7 pounds, and they don't make you pay until the tour is over and you are satisfied!

My tour guide also recommended an AWESOME BBQ place right across the street from the Tower of London that was cheap and some of the best BBQ I've had!

Also, when you stop at the Tower of London, make you take the free walking tour given by an on duty beefeater. It is completely free and the guides are absolutely hilarious! In fact, you can watch this video I took of the beefeater we had as our guide.

Westminster Abby is NOT free to get into, it's about 25-30 pound if I recall correctly so may not be worth the cost for you.

London Eye is AWESOME and takes about 30 mins to go all the way around. The cool thing is, it never stops so the have to get people on and off teh damn thing while it's turning!

If you can, take the DLR from Tower Hill (or any other station in london really) to Greenwich. Greenwich is the home to the Prime Meridian, The Royal Observatory, and British Naval College (Which is where part of Pirates of the Caribbean 4 was filmed).

That's pretty much what I can think of off the top of my head, if I can come up with anything else, I'll let you know lol.

 

[DaWhim]

lived in london for a year here!

yea...belgo is awesome, i miss nando too. must try the india food. if you can't handle spicy food, get chicken korma, it is actually sweet curry.

get a box or two innocent smoothie from the supermarket, usually on sale for 2 pounds each.

you didn't say when you are going. it is cold in the winter over there

 

[HAL9000]

Get an Oyster Card, it's the easiest way of using the tube. No need to tip anyone, my favourite bar: zigfrid von underbelly in Hoxton. My favourite club: 333. Both awesome, both expensive, both insane and fun.

http://zigfrid.com/

http://333mother.com/home.htm

Brick Lane for a curry, have a Madras it's not too hot.

 

[WelshBloke]

Dont under any circumstances try the jellied eels.

 

[WelshBloke]

lived in london for a year here!

yea...belgo is awesome, i miss nando too. must try the india food. if you can't handle spicy food, get chicken phal, it is actually sweet curry.

get a box or two innocent smoothie from the supermarket, usually on sale for 2 pounds each.

you didn't say when you are going. it is cold in the winter over there

I agree :whiste:

 

[Don Karnage]

Make sure to hit up the "Fiesty Goat"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxR-bdoP57c

 

[WelshBloke]

don't forget to pour malt vinegar on the chips and then add salt.

Its salt first, then vinegar, then more salt... and possibly a bit more vinegar.

 

[HAL9000]

We have a nando's here as well. Theyre not that awesome or anything.

This, Nandos is fine, it's not great food though.

If you run into a guy named Hal9000 or neckbeard, run the other way.

Luckily thats not my real name.

Make sure you eat some bangers and mash and have the famous English "fry up" for early morning breakfast.

Oh and watch out for dodgy looking doner kebabs at some street venders in London.

Dodgy is the only way to eat a doner kebab

 

[HAL9000]

Have a propper Guinness, also Chips and Gravy. Find out what a biscuit is.

 

[WelshBloke]

Dodgy is the only way to eat a doner kebab

You missed out drunk, and with a crap ton of chilli sauce.

 

[blackdogdeek]

Its salt first, then vinegar, then more salt... and possibly a bit more vinegar.

i always forget the order so i just repeat with the order reversed to cover all combinations.

 

[WelshBloke]

i always forget the order so i just repeat with the order reversed to cover all combinations.

Fair enough, that works.

 

[Fingolfin269]

trafalgar square
tower bridge
big ben/parliament
buckingham palace
tower of london
british museum

That's pretty much what I did but was over a course of only two days. If I had a week is definitely try to catch at least one football game and maybe even take a train out of town. Head north man, one day in York is enough to be amazed.

 

[WelshBloke]

Fair enough, that works.

Oh and a pickled egg!!

 

[HAL9000]

You missed out drunk, and with a crap ton of chilli sauce.

True, but when else are you going to order a kebab?

 

[Jaepheth]

When standing on an escalator be sure to stand firmly in the center with a hand on the rails to either side.

 

[WelshBloke]

True, but when else are you going to order a kebab?

This is true. The only time I've eaten a kebab sober is when I've woken up with my face in one. :$

 

[HAL9000]

This is true. The only time I've eaten a kebab sober is when I've woken up with my face in one. :$

That happened to me about a month ago

 

[WelshBloke]

When standing on an escalator be sure to stand firmly in the center with a hand on the rails to either side.

Also carefully consider all the options when purchasing a tube ticket at the automatic machines.


Seriously though. Get an oyster card.

 

[HAL9000]

When standing on an escalator be sure to stand firmly in the center with a hand on the rails to either side.

Actually, don't. You put your hands on the rail to your right, assuming you are facing the direction of movement so that people can walk past you on your right.