Hey everyone! I hope you enjoy this week's video all about London. As usual, feel free to comment if you have more tips to add and check out the written version for more tips: happytowander.com/london-travel-tips/
Top tip from a Londoner - use the river on an Uber boat, they are huge and open at the back or have an airline like interior with a bar - look at routes and they go touch close to Big Ben and the Eye - you can do a long route to say Battersea Power Station from Embankment - excellent sights and lots to do around Battersea including a vast park - Battersea Park - just tap in and out and it is cheap
Even though you call this essentially an episode for 'first time' travelers, there is a lot here for even seasoned visitors to London like myself, to enjoy and learn from. Exceptional video once again. Keep up the fantastic job. I really enjoyed it.
My tip for a first timer - the hop on hop off bus is great for getting in what I call 'the calendar tour'. If you buy a calendar from London, there will be the standard 12 things ... and you will see all of them on the HoHo Bus tour and then you can say they're done. Often the two day ticket comes with the river cruise/one way trip to Greenwich, take advantage of that. Mostly though, don't go on someone else's holiday. I found London Eye to be a waste because, like she says, there are tons of free lookout points ... but if the Eye is something on your bucket list - then you MUST do it! It's not that it's "not good", there are just others. My best 'secret' for a day-out of London is Hampton Court Palace. From the minute you get out of the train station - it's just BEAUTIFUL looking across and seeing it! Also - while it's very expensive and a bit more crowded, London is so beautiful at Christmas time!!
@@ruizn1986Yeeaa,,, make sure you don't get mugged or runned over by a van on the sidewalk,,,, should I say more ? Use CASH ONLY, NO kard or phone payment.
I just arrived back to the USA from London! The city seems safer than what we have in New York here, although both are very populated. But I’d still take London 😅
please upload a video on tips for first time visitors to the UK countrysides (best method of transportation if traveling alone, best places to go, what to avoid, best places to check out in the countrysides of england)
The London Eye is totally worth it, I did it for the sake of doing it because its a London staple, and I felt an appreciation for the experience that I did not expect to feel :)
Not sure if anyone has already mentioned it in the comments. You forgot to mention the best way to get into London from Heathrow is to use the new Elizabeth line. It also has Air con
The Elizabeth Line is a good and less expensive alternative to the Heathrow Express. It's comfortable, clean, less congested than the Tube, and it takes you into central London to your hotel.
Just came back from Europe. Stayed in London for 3 days at the Hammersmith area. Love the foods. The best Indian food in the world. There are many Michelin restaurants in town and prices are good. We also visited Chelsea and Harrod. FYI Harrod no longer process the tax refund for passport visitors. We took the Eurostar train to go back to Paris that was a pleasant fast trip 2 hours direct. You are correct, train tickets bought ahead of time save hundreds of euros We stayed at st Paul hotel that was amazing with a generous daily supply for snacks, coffee and unlimited bottles water.
I have used the Hop On and Off in MULTIPLE cites , multiple times, across the States and Europe - including London. Not meant to take the place of transportation but they are a good way to get around if you are not on a time crunch. They generally do pickups/drop offs about every 20 to 30 minutes. This is a GREAT way to get a panoramic view of the city - just to get oriented and to mark places on your map (phone or hard copy). My favorite thing to do is take one last full circle close to dusk - generally their last trip for the evening. It's a great way to see the lights coming on etc (just make sure you know where THE last stop is, in case it's no where near your hotel or general vicinity of same).
Your tips in this video were AMAZING. I have been to London multiple times and am planning another trip next year. I couldn't agree more with your tips and I thought your layout and the logical order of things was really helpful! I never comment on TH-cam videos, but I just had to say how great this was. I plan to check out your other videos! Thank you.
11:00 - This is a great message overall. One of the big reasons people overplan and overspend is they have the idea that this is their one and only chance to see London (or wherever they’re going) so they need to see _everything_ . It may take a few years, but you can come back.
Haha so true! I'm in a Facebook group for NYC travel tips to help visitors and when they ask if their itinerary is doable, I'm like holy cow that's a tight fit. I'm going to London/Edinburgh for 10 days in March next year. The only things I have as musts: cursed child, hp studio tour, Chinatown/borough market eats, and finding the statues in Leicester square. Maybe Buckingham Palace tour. There will be lots of walking and wandering and exploring.
@@yaowsers77 Yep, I see the same on the Rick Steves forums: “I’m going to Britain for 10 days and I want to see London, Bath, Liverpool, York, and Edinburgh.” You could do that, but you’ll spend a *lot* of your time in transit. Even a short train ride becomes a half-day project when you factor in packing, check-out, getting to the train station, and so forth. Two cities is a great idea (and Glasgow’s just a short train ride from Edinburgh if you want). For an easy first trip my default recommendation is to “home base” near London and day trip around the south: Dover, Canterbury, Oxbridge, Windsor, Stonehenge, even Cardiff & Birmingham are within a two-hour train ride. [Southeast England is the most expensive part of the UK though, except maybe for really remote areas. So there is a tradeoff to that simplicity.]
Not everyone outside Europe wants to go back after the ETIAS is in place, so they're doing all they can now. It's pretty invasive asking for everything personal! "Papers, please!" Welcome back to Nazi Germany.
@@yaowsers77 It seems like you need to read this - I tell people to take off the muzzles all the time This is for who always say - what they can do : Pay CASH Buy hoodies online with the wording - Use CASH Only or Pay By CASH Only (you can put any wording, if you don't have money to buy it just write on it with permanent marker) Buy magnetic stickers online with the wording you want and put it on your car (it will be seen by 100000 people every day) "smart" it means - Self Monitoring Analysis Reporting Technology Cover the cameras of laptop, phone, (turn it off and wrap it in aluminium foil) Ask yourself WHY. NO phone or card payments Boycot so called supermarkets DO your shopping from small private shops and from farms where possible DON'T use eye scan in Airports or anywhere else Don't watch "news" , no newspapers, no radio (lots of alternative out there from indepenent) Remember, the goverment Was, Is and Always will be AGAINST you. Don't buy online Don't use loyalty cards in the shops Avoid toothpastes with fluorid Avoid all processed foods or mince meat, burgers,,,, etc Meat, Fish in "supermarkets" are not good, eggs are fake made by hand in "other" countries Cover your face (with hoodies) before entering the shops and when you are in the shops At the ATM's don't let them see your face and use the knuckles to enter your pin, don't use your fingers, they keep your fingerprint GET OFF FACEBOOK and all other apps(you know which ones, there are de-googled phones available from Rob Braxman on TH-cam ) Avoid your phone as much as possible, turn it off, wrap it in aluminium foil and leave it at home Don't buy anything "smart" devices and that includes electric or gas meter too, if you already have these devices get rid of it Get rid of the microwave, it's poisonous DO your own research Question EVERYTHING Use common sense (if you have it) Triple A - Be Awake, Awear, Alert Talk to people, engage in conversations, spread the word as much as you can NEVER use self scan, GO TO THE CASHIER Don't use "Scan as you shop" device in the stores Don't be a sheep, of course Don't be lazy If you can, make flyers and give it to the small businesses, give it to the sales assistants Use private auto mechanics for your car repairings instead "Garages) Don't keep your photos, videos on your phones If you buy anything from some shops which they ask your phone number, name,, etc, DONT GIVE it to them Stand your ground Cancel your "tv" licence , you can still watch your preferate channels Avoid big petrol stations Avoid Amazon and all other Tell your "doctor mengele" to f@ck himself if he mentions the "poke" (jibby jabby) No "mcdonalds" (where they serve you human,,,,) , no other shops/restaurants like that (research it, you'll be stunned) Don't keep your money in the bank, don't get a loan (I won't get into details) There are plenty other things you can do if you want to, and as Chris said - UNITED NON COMPLIANCE . .
I just arrived back to the USA from London! The city seems safer than what we have in New York here, although both are very populated. But I’d still take London 😅 yea
My wife and I visited London from Australia last November. Neither of us had been in the UK before. We stayed a week in West Kensington. As you said, it was a small apartment in an older style building. It had no elevator and we had to walk up and down 3 flights of very steep stairs. Considering we are both in our 50's, we found this a bit much, especially since we went out every day and sometimes multiple times per day. The place we stayed in, while a bit old and shabby, at least had a small kitchen so we saved a lot on take out and restaurant meals, and it was only about a hundred or so yards to the Tube station, which was handy. We found the Tube set up a little daunting at first, but we talked to a lovely young lady working at the Earl's Court station, and she pointed us in the right direction and suggested we get a weekly ticket that covered the first 3 zones. That cost us £40 each, which we thought was pretty good. We both loved our time in London and will definitely be going back.
This is one of the best travel videos I've ever seen. I feel like I got so much information in such a short amount of time. You didn't belabor any points, and now, I know exactly how to start planning my London journey. Thanks!
I'd recommend two less obvious things to see in London, first the Sir John Soane's Museum at 13 Lincoln's Inn Fields - walking distance from The Strand (you will never see anything like it. It's also free, but check which days it's open) and Dennis Severs' House at 18 Folgate Street (open Friday to Sunday)
Thanks for the tip on the Wise card! I always rack up foreign transaction fees. Travelling to Britain and Paris in the next 2 months, so the card will be a lifesaver!
Im from England and currently travelling the US. Ive watched other videos from other content creators about tips for the US and some of them have been terrible with bad advice. This video got recommended to me (TH-cam algorithm doing its thing) so i thought i would give it a go to see if all travel creators put out bad advice. I must say i was Completely wrong!! Absolutely great video with fantastic tips and advice for anyone going to London from abroad. Massive props! Im glad there are travel creators out there with great stuff. Only thing I would add is while using the London buses arent that great from getting from A to B there are three rotues which are great for sight seeing, them being Routes24, 11 and 9 check them out!
Was in London in September 2018 to meet up with friends. They took us to the BEST restaurant we went to in our 2 weeks there, Giuseppe’s Restaurante. It was amazing and owner was great
14:48 If there isn’t a service charge already added, I’d say tipping 10% is nice, 15% if they were really good, but it’s not nearly as necessary or expected as it is in the US. If you’re just getting beers at the bar, meh, maybe leave a pound if they did you a favor. That’s kind of the general rule for other things too. If there’s a legit service component (cabbies, hairdressers) 10-15%, if not (takeout) don’t worry about it.
Just went to london and got hotel in central london … every thing is plain straight forward.. all Visa card accepted, some hotel negotiats and can reduce price … small shop with water, milk, fruit even medicine all close by … if more than 1 ppl use Uber cheaper . Excellent small restaurant with delicious food … so much tourist friendly place, phone sims, tour pass purchase ftom little shops …
I'm the type when I visit other countries, I'd rather book hotels near airports and walk around close enough to walk back to the hotel. I'm just glad to be in that country for vacation. It's simple but fun!
It is a good idea. And for tourist and person who live here, the travel fee is really insane.I found an app that has discount on every journey within uk and I really like to share the discount code with u if u need it!! I hope this is helpful for other people traveled on budget~
I LOVE your videos! I would love to see a more in-depth video on travel credit cards. I have a wise & a Revolut card for my upcoming euro trip, but am still unsure on the best way to utilise them. Thanks again for the top tier content :)
Hey Emma! I can’t say I’m an expert on travel credit cards but I’ve used both Wise & Revolut before and feel they’re more or less the same. These days I’m not able to use Revolut anymore as I moved countries but I still use Wise on a daily basis with no issues :) I’ve heard Revolut can be slightly cheaper but I can’t say I’ve noticed that personally. What questions might you have for a video like this?
The video titled "London Travel Tips: 10 Things to Know Before You Go" by Happy to Wander provides a comprehensive guide for first-time visitors to London. Here are the key points covered in the video: 1. Best Time to Visit: Avoid peak season (July and August) due to crowds and uncomfortable heat, especially in the Tube system. 2. Length of Stay: A minimum of four days is recommended to experience London without feeling rushed. 3. Arriving in London: London has six airports. For those arriving at Heathrow, using the Tube is more cost-effective than the Heathrow Express, especially if your hotel isn’t near Paddington Station. 4. Choosing Hotels: Comfort and proximity to a Tube station are more important than being close to specific attractions. Focus on hotels in Zone 1 and Zone 2 for convenience. 5. Hotel Amenities: Many hotels in London are in older buildings, so check for amenities like elevators and air conditioning. 6. SIM Cards and Data Plans: Essential for navigation and internet access, as many places use QR codes for menus. Affordable SIM cards are available at airport vending machines. 7. Travel-Friendly Credit Card: London is increasingly cashless, so ensure you have a card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees. 8. Getting Around: Public transport is efficient; avoid renting a car. Use contactless payment or an Oyster card for the Tube. Buses are a cheaper option and offer scenic views, but can be less punctual. 9. Tube Tips: Avoid rush hour, keep your ticket or card handy, and download your journey beforehand due to lack of cell service in stations. Stand on the right side of escalators. 10. London Attractions: Don’t overload your itinerary. Plan by neighborhood to save time. Many attractions are free, and for paid attractions, consider a London Pass if it’s cost-effective. Book in advance, especially for popular sites. 11. Food and Drink: Try a variety of British foods beyond fish and chips, like meat pies and sticky toffee pudding. Explore London's international cuisine at food markets. Understand pub etiquette, including ordering at the bar and tipping practices. 12. Safety Tips: Be cautious when crossing streets and keep your phone secure to avoid snatch thefts. 13. Pronunciation of Place Names: Learn the correct pronunciation of commonly mispronounced names like Thames, Leicester Square, and Greenwich. 14. Respect Local Culture: Be mindful and respectful of residents, avoiding loud and disruptive behavior in residential areas.
Great tips, but be VERY careful.woth the London pass as that did not help me at all and total rip off! We went to London Dungeon and Churchill war museum and they refused the London pass at both these places when they were clearly publicized on their website and ALL the people in lines were also furious in including a family of 5 from America who were refused at many places through the "London Pass". So MAJOR WARNING on this as we even contacted them and they refused to refund the whole pass and only offered a super minimal refund - and I do mean minimal somethibg like 10% off. It was ridiculous!
I’m addicted to American TH-camrs commenting on London - having been born and bred here and honestly yours is one of the very best…. BUT… I was exhausted by your galloping commentary. Slow down girl! This is not a criticism because I really thought you covered so much and in an otherwise clear way. I’m fed up with so many mistakes or wrong headed opinions being given… do they not do basic research!? But yours was error free so far as I’m concerned. My travel tip for visitors coming from Heathrow on the District Line and going on to other areas of London: if it fits in with your final destination change lines at Barons Court. You simply walk from one side of the platform to the other (for Piccadilly Line) so no lugging heavy bags about. Keep ‘em coming!
Thanks for the reminders, I'm going back to London next month. I'm so glad you mentioned Sky Garden. It is such an amazing place! And I planned it perfectly. I looked to see when their sunsets were and booked the hour the sun would be setting so we saw the day and night time view. London is 5 hours ahead of me so yes I had to get up wildly early to book it 2 weeks in advance but it was so worth it :) I learned the hard way to plan our days in the same area. That is one large city lol.
I loved this vlog, you were great! I'm planning a trip to London for the first time and this video was beyond informative 😊 thank you for your guidance!
So yeah, basically we're doing everything wrong with our short visit to London. We're only there for 1.5 days before we get on a cruise in Southampton. We're there July 10 & 11. Apparently it's the end of Wimbledon and we had no idea 🤷♀️. No wonder the flights were so expensive!
Hello! so happy you enjoyed the video :) And you’re so kind for asking about a tip button. To be honest I didn’t even realize this was an option haha. I’ve just turned on “Super Thanks” which I believe is what you meant. Let me know if I got that wrong though. Safe and happy travels :)
I was supposed to visit London this June but had financial setbacks and London is expensive especially their hotels so maybe next year I've heard Londons public transportation is really good that helps with cost I wanna visit the Costwalds, Bath, York, Cliffs, and other countryside area's so a car will probably be necessary 😊
Felicia, York is fantastic and only 2 hours by train from London. It’s a great base for seeing things like Castle Howard, the Moors and Whitby, etc. Many towns outside of London are much cheaper, less stressful and loaded with history. Trains are great all over the country and taxis can be a good alternative to the stress of renting a car. Good luck with your trip!
The transport system in London is great and just got better with the new Elizabeth Line. I suggest renting the smallest car you can, some of the roads are very narrow (the further you get outside of cities). Bath and York are all cities you can reach by train from London. A car is a must for the Cotswolds, I'd recommend arriving at each town or village as early as possible as they can get VERY busy and there is limited car parking.
Cotswolds. I used to live there. Not sure what Cliffs means. Maybe the White Cliffs of Dover? All the places you’re talking about might be better by train. The Cotswolds is a rather amorphous area, cover part of Oxfordshire, part of Gloucestershire and parts of Wiltshire. Maybe a Cotswold tour with a driver. Those exist. Oxford would be a good place to base yourself. The White Cliffs of Dover will take you five minutes to see. Dover does have a massive castle, well restored and with a Roman lighthouse. But, and I say this since I lived in Kent as a girl, not worth the detour if all you see are cliffs for a few minutes. My best advice would not to try to do too much. Car hire I would advise against. It’s not so much the driving, but the difficulty parking when you get anywhere. York is easily walkable as is Bath.
I really do think 4 days minimum. When I went, I was there for 5.5 and that was perfect. Of course you can always come up with more to do but I wouldn’t have wanted less time.
I live in London and new done such a brilliant job your presentation your narration but very good. Sadly, a lot of people that live in London don’t even know half of what you’ve just said. And there’s people that not even been to London and they live in England.
I have been to london twice. Once in April in 2013 and in October 2023. In 2023 it was way too crowded, maybe it was school holidays and found it hard to find peace and quiet. The highlight was taking a cruise down the Thames. I think it is not a walkable city because it is very spread out and i prefer to walk ~10km a day to get to know a city. The airport is also very far away from cbd, train is not an option if you have many luggages. The tea culture is also very nice. I probably would not visit again.
This is really great and informative, well done! Would be better if you do a little pause from time to time ( I got anxiety from you not seeing you breathe for 14 min straight)
When you are trying to determine how long to stay, you loose 2days just based on traveling in and traveling out..London is a beautiful city but England is more beautiful. To see England (day trips)You have to rent a car. If you do, try to rent at least 2mths in advance with a good cancelation policy. I am renting a car for 10days (next month)for 400$. Last trip it took me 24hrs to adjust and I prefer a manual . You can find great hotel rates outside of London in cities such as Bromley or Bexleyheath which offer free parking. If you have to see Big Ben (again)park on the street in a town like west dulwich, walk to the train station and go anywhere within 30min (no buses). This trip I will be hanging out in Brighton, StoneHenge, Hastings and Cardiff. I will still visit London, but I won’t be seeing Big Ben (again).
Thank you!! great tips. I’m going first week in September Great 👍🏾 tip for the pub service I would’ve definitely been lost and also to have my tap card out and ready at the tube!!😊😊
This is a really useful video. I also found another saving tips! For tourist and person who live here, the travel fee is really insane.I found an app that has discount on every journey within uk and I really like to share the discount code with u if u need it!! I hope this is helpful for other people traveled on budget~
Love this travel guide, very informative and beautiful at the same time 😊✨🤍 just found your channel through this video and definitely gonna go see your other videos! Greetings from South India, Kerala 🦋✨🤍😊
Hey everyone! I hope you enjoy this week's video all about London. As usual, feel free to comment if you have more tips to add and check out the written version for more tips: happytowander.com/london-travel-tips/
Hi
Yes, because you talk a mile a minute
@@gloriabowie5629 hahahahaha,,,, that's EXACTLY what I thought.
is there some food halls like in nyc?
Planning my first trip to London and absolutely loved this! Thank you so much for sharing!
Top tip from a Londoner - use the river on an Uber boat, they are huge and open at the back or have an airline like interior with a bar - look at routes and they go touch close to Big Ben and the Eye - you can do a long route to say Battersea Power Station from Embankment - excellent sights and lots to do around Battersea including a vast park - Battersea Park - just tap in and out and it is cheap
Thanks for sharing! It is helpful for tourists ~ ❤By the way, I found that I can get a discount on tickets with code on trainpal ~
I know London quite well, but you did an EXCELLENT job of advising new tourists all the how to’s and what not to do during their stay. BRAVO 🎉…………🤗🇨🇦
I don't know why I watched this entire video. Because I live in central London. But it was great. And please don't stand on the left. Ever.
Yes, Washington, DC is the same.
It will be a challenge for me coz from where I’m from we don’t stand on the right to allow people to walk up. 🤣
DC and ATL are the same.
Ever...
San Francisco is the same
Even though you call this essentially an episode for 'first time' travelers, there is a lot here for even seasoned visitors to London like myself, to enjoy and learn from. Exceptional video once again. Keep up the fantastic job. I really enjoyed it.
I can't agree more! It is helpful for tourists ~ By the way, I found that I can get a discount on tickets with code on trainpal ~❤😊
My tip for a first timer - the hop on hop off bus is great for getting in what I call 'the calendar tour'. If you buy a calendar from London, there will be the standard 12 things ... and you will see all of them on the HoHo Bus tour and then you can say they're done. Often the two day ticket comes with the river cruise/one way trip to Greenwich, take advantage of that. Mostly though, don't go on someone else's holiday. I found London Eye to be a waste because, like she says, there are tons of free lookout points ... but if the Eye is something on your bucket list - then you MUST do it! It's not that it's "not good", there are just others. My best 'secret' for a day-out of London is Hampton Court Palace. From the minute you get out of the train station - it's just BEAUTIFUL looking across and seeing it! Also - while it's very expensive and a bit more crowded, London is so beautiful at Christmas time!!
I'm going this Christmas! Any recommendations?
@@ruizn1986Yeeaa,,, make sure you don't get mugged or runned over by a van on the sidewalk,,,, should I say more ?
Use CASH ONLY, NO kard or phone payment.
@ruizn1986 me too! I’m still trying to figure out how to get from Heathrow to Central London with our luggage and it not being pricey.
Im going before Christmas and looking for a place to stay. Any recommendations
@@lovegospel3191 Im going on the 23/12. Any recommendations of to where to stay?
I just arrived back to the USA from London! The city seems safer than what we have in New York here, although both are very populated. But I’d still take London 😅
please upload a video on tips for first time visitors to the UK countrysides (best method of transportation if traveling alone, best places to go, what to avoid, best places to check out in the countrysides of england)
Another awesome informative video, but I always listen at .75 speed on TH-cam to be able to fully digest all your great tips!
I’ll have to do that too. 😅 she speaks like she’s sprinting. She has great info to share though.
Yes, I watched in .75 and it was perfect to take in without pausing
Meanwhile I’m listening at 1.5x speed 😅😭
(probably will be listening again)
How do you adjust the listening speed?
@@sandrac6026 right hand corner, click the gear ⚙️ icon. You will see the playback speed button.
The London Eye is totally worth it, I did it for the sake of doing it because its a London staple, and I felt an appreciation for the experience that I did not expect to feel :)
Not sure if anyone has already mentioned it in the comments. You forgot to mention the best way to get into London from Heathrow is to use the new Elizabeth line. It also has Air con
Thanks for the info
The Elizabeth Line is a good and less expensive alternative to the Heathrow Express. It's comfortable, clean, less congested than the Tube, and it takes you into central London to your hotel.
Super informative. One of the best London travel videos. Thank you
Just came back from Europe. Stayed in London for 3 days at the Hammersmith area. Love the foods. The best Indian food in the world. There are many Michelin restaurants in town and prices are good. We also visited Chelsea and Harrod. FYI Harrod no longer process the tax refund for passport visitors. We took the Eurostar train to go back to Paris that was a pleasant fast trip 2 hours direct. You are correct, train tickets bought ahead of time save hundreds of euros We stayed at st Paul hotel that was amazing with a generous daily supply for snacks, coffee and unlimited bottles water.
I have used the Hop On and Off in MULTIPLE cites , multiple times, across the States and Europe - including London. Not meant to take the place of transportation but they are a good way to get around if you are not on a time crunch. They generally do pickups/drop offs about every 20 to 30 minutes. This is a GREAT way to get a panoramic view of the city - just to get oriented and to mark places on your map (phone or hard copy). My favorite thing to do is take one last full circle close to dusk - generally their last trip for the evening. It's a great way to see the lights coming on etc (just make sure you know where THE last stop is, in case it's no where near your hotel or general vicinity of same).
Your tips in this video were AMAZING. I have been to London multiple times and am planning another trip next year. I couldn't agree more with your tips and I thought your layout and the logical order of things was really helpful! I never comment on TH-cam videos, but I just had to say how great this was. I plan to check out your other videos! Thank you.
Wow thanks so much for the kind words!!! They’re much appreciated and have absolutely made my day 🫶 safe travels :)
Be on your guard all the time, look around all the time. Pay CASH Everywhere you go, NO kard or phone payment people.
11:00 - This is a great message overall. One of the big reasons people overplan and overspend is they have the idea that this is their one and only chance to see London (or wherever they’re going) so they need to see _everything_ . It may take a few years, but you can come back.
Haha so true! I'm in a Facebook group for NYC travel tips to help visitors and when they ask if their itinerary is doable, I'm like holy cow that's a tight fit. I'm going to London/Edinburgh for 10 days in March next year. The only things I have as musts: cursed child, hp studio tour, Chinatown/borough market eats, and finding the statues in Leicester square. Maybe Buckingham Palace tour. There will be lots of walking and wandering and exploring.
@@yaowsers77 Yep, I see the same on the Rick Steves forums: “I’m going to Britain for 10 days and I want to see London, Bath, Liverpool, York, and Edinburgh.” You could do that, but you’ll spend a *lot* of your time in transit. Even a short train ride becomes a half-day project when you factor in packing, check-out, getting to the train station, and so forth. Two cities is a great idea (and Glasgow’s just a short train ride from Edinburgh if you want).
For an easy first trip my default recommendation is to “home base” near London and day trip around the south: Dover, Canterbury, Oxbridge, Windsor, Stonehenge, even Cardiff & Birmingham are within a two-hour train ride.
[Southeast England is the most expensive part of the UK though, except maybe for really remote areas. So there is a tradeoff to that simplicity.]
Not everyone outside Europe wants to go back after the ETIAS is in place, so they're doing all they can now. It's pretty invasive asking for everything personal! "Papers, please!" Welcome back to Nazi Germany.
@@yaowsers77 It seems like you need to read this - I tell
people to take off the muzzles all the time
This is for who always say - what they can do :
Pay CASH
Buy hoodies online with the wording - Use CASH Only or Pay By CASH Only (you can put any wording, if you don't have money to buy it just write on it with permanent marker)
Buy magnetic stickers online with the wording you want and put it on your car (it will be seen by 100000 people every day)
"smart" it means - Self Monitoring Analysis Reporting Technology
Cover the cameras of laptop, phone, (turn it off and wrap it in aluminium foil)
Ask yourself WHY.
NO phone or card payments
Boycot so called supermarkets
DO your shopping from small private shops and from farms where possible
DON'T use eye scan in Airports or anywhere else
Don't watch "news" , no newspapers, no radio (lots of alternative out there from indepenent)
Remember, the goverment Was, Is and Always will be AGAINST you.
Don't buy online
Don't use loyalty cards in the shops
Avoid toothpastes with fluorid
Avoid all processed foods or mince meat, burgers,,,, etc
Meat, Fish in "supermarkets" are not good, eggs are fake made by hand in "other" countries
Cover your face (with hoodies) before entering the shops and when you are in the shops
At the ATM's don't let them see your face and use the knuckles to enter your pin, don't use your fingers, they keep your fingerprint
GET OFF FACEBOOK and all other apps(you know which ones, there are de-googled phones available from
Rob Braxman on TH-cam )
Avoid your phone as much as possible, turn it off, wrap it in aluminium foil and leave it at home
Don't buy anything "smart" devices and that includes electric or gas meter too, if you already have these devices get rid of it
Get rid of the microwave, it's poisonous
DO your own research
Question EVERYTHING
Use common sense (if you have it)
Triple A - Be Awake, Awear, Alert
Talk to people, engage in conversations, spread the word as much as you can
NEVER use self scan, GO TO THE CASHIER
Don't use "Scan as you shop" device in the stores
Don't be a sheep, of course
Don't be lazy
If you can, make flyers and give it to the small businesses, give it to the sales assistants
Use private auto mechanics for your car repairings instead "Garages)
Don't keep your photos, videos on your phones
If you buy anything from some shops which they ask your phone number, name,, etc, DONT GIVE it to them
Stand your ground
Cancel your "tv" licence , you can still watch your preferate channels
Avoid big petrol stations
Avoid Amazon and all other
Tell your "doctor mengele" to f@ck himself if he mentions the "poke" (jibby jabby)
No "mcdonalds" (where they serve you human,,,,) , no other shops/restaurants like that (research it, you'll be stunned)
Don't keep your money in the bank, don't get a loan (I won't get into details)
There are plenty other things you can do if you want to, and as Chris said -
UNITED NON COMPLIANCE .
.
This has to be the clearest and best travel tips vid I’ve seen in a long time. Nice job and thanks for the awesome tips!
Wow thanks so much!! Glad you enjoyed it 🫶
I just arrived back to the USA from London! The city seems safer than what we have in New York here, although both are very populated. But I’d still take London 😅 yea
My wife and I visited London from Australia last November. Neither of us had been in the UK before. We stayed a week in West Kensington. As you said, it was a small apartment in an older style building. It had no elevator and we had to walk up and down 3 flights of very steep stairs. Considering we are both in our 50's, we found this a bit much, especially since we went out every day and sometimes multiple times per day. The place we stayed in, while a bit old and shabby, at least had a small kitchen so we saved a lot on take out and restaurant meals, and it was only about a hundred or so yards to the Tube station, which was handy. We found the Tube set up a little daunting at first, but we talked to a lovely young lady working at the Earl's Court station, and she pointed us in the right direction and suggested we get a weekly ticket that covered the first 3 zones. That cost us £40 each, which we thought was pretty good. We both loved our time in London and will definitely be going back.
As a Londoner, I 100% agree with this list.
This is one of the best travel videos I've ever seen. I feel like I got so much information in such a short amount of time. You didn't belabor any points, and now, I know exactly how to start planning my London journey. Thanks!
I'd recommend two less obvious things to see in London, first the Sir John Soane's Museum at 13 Lincoln's Inn Fields - walking distance from The Strand (you will never see anything like it. It's also free, but check which days it's open) and Dennis Severs' House at 18 Folgate Street (open Friday to Sunday)
Thanks for the tip on the Wise card! I always rack up foreign transaction fees. Travelling to Britain and Paris in the next 2 months, so the card will be a lifesaver!
My wife and I visited London in 2010. We are returning in March 2024. We cannot wait! Thanks for all the tips!
That's funny we are going in March with our 8 year old for the first time. See you there!
It’s so good to see your videos before I travel to London.. so informative and practical tips. Thank you!
Awesome video. I fly out tomorrow 4 days in London & 4 days in Paris. I wrote down a bunch of tips 🙏🏾
Im from England and currently travelling the US. Ive watched other videos from other content creators about tips for the US and some of them have been terrible with bad advice.
This video got recommended to me (TH-cam algorithm doing its thing) so i thought i would give it a go to see if all travel creators put out bad advice.
I must say i was Completely wrong!! Absolutely great video with fantastic tips and advice for anyone going to London from abroad. Massive props! Im glad there are travel creators out there with great stuff.
Only thing I would add is while using the London buses arent that great from getting from A to B there are three rotues which are great for sight seeing, them being Routes24, 11 and 9 check them out!
Thank you for giving so much interesting information in such a short video. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Glad it was helpful! Thanks so much for watching 🫶
Was in London in September 2018 to meet up with friends. They took us to the BEST restaurant we went to in our 2 weeks there, Giuseppe’s Restaurante. It was amazing and owner was great
Ooh sounds great! Will definitely look into it the next time I’m in town!
Great video!
14:48 If there isn’t a service charge already added, I’d say tipping 10% is nice, 15% if they were really good, but it’s not nearly as necessary or expected as it is in the US. If you’re just getting beers at the bar, meh, maybe leave a pound if they did you a favor.
That’s kind of the general rule for other things too. If there’s a legit service component (cabbies, hairdressers) 10-15%, if not (takeout) don’t worry about it.
Just went to london and got hotel in central london … every thing is plain straight forward.. all Visa card accepted, some hotel negotiats and can reduce price … small shop with water, milk, fruit even medicine all close by … if more than 1 ppl use Uber cheaper . Excellent small restaurant with delicious food … so much tourist friendly place, phone sims, tour pass purchase ftom little shops …
Hello which hotels do you recommend?
I'm the type when I visit other countries, I'd rather book hotels near airports and walk around close enough to walk back to the hotel. I'm just glad to be in that country for vacation.
It's simple but fun!
It is a good idea. And for tourist and person who live here, the travel fee is really insane.I found an app that has discount on every journey within uk and I really like to share the discount code with u if u need it!! I hope this is helpful for other people traveled on budget~
Super practical and actionable tips and hacks. Thanks @HappytoWonder!
I LOVE your videos! I would love to see a more in-depth video on travel credit cards. I have a wise & a Revolut card for my upcoming euro trip, but am still unsure on the best way to utilise them. Thanks again for the top tier content :)
Hey Emma! I can’t say I’m an expert on travel credit cards but I’ve used both Wise & Revolut before and feel they’re more or less the same. These days I’m not able to use Revolut anymore as I moved countries but I still use Wise on a daily basis with no issues :) I’ve heard Revolut can be slightly cheaper but I can’t say I’ve noticed that personally. What questions might you have for a video like this?
Love London! Beautiful Place! Beautiful People! 🌆✨💕🇬🇧
Wow! SO helpful and practical! We’ll be in London for 2 weeks in May, and these tips will really help us. Thank you!
The video titled "London Travel Tips: 10 Things to Know Before You Go" by Happy to Wander provides a comprehensive guide for first-time visitors to London. Here are the key points covered in the video:
1. Best Time to Visit: Avoid peak season (July and August) due to crowds and uncomfortable heat, especially in the Tube system.
2. Length of Stay: A minimum of four days is recommended to experience London without feeling rushed.
3. Arriving in London: London has six airports. For those arriving at Heathrow, using the Tube is more cost-effective than the Heathrow Express, especially if your hotel isn’t near Paddington Station.
4. Choosing Hotels: Comfort and proximity to a Tube station are more important than being close to specific attractions. Focus on hotels in Zone 1 and Zone 2 for convenience.
5. Hotel Amenities: Many hotels in London are in older buildings, so check for amenities like elevators and air conditioning.
6. SIM Cards and Data Plans: Essential for navigation and internet access, as many places use QR codes for menus. Affordable SIM cards are available at airport vending machines.
7. Travel-Friendly Credit Card: London is increasingly cashless, so ensure you have a card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees.
8. Getting Around: Public transport is efficient; avoid renting a car. Use contactless payment or an Oyster card for the Tube. Buses are a cheaper option and offer scenic views, but can be less punctual.
9. Tube Tips: Avoid rush hour, keep your ticket or card handy, and download your journey beforehand due to lack of cell service in stations. Stand on the right side of escalators.
10. London Attractions: Don’t overload your itinerary. Plan by neighborhood to save time. Many attractions are free, and for paid attractions, consider a London Pass if it’s cost-effective. Book in advance, especially for popular sites.
11. Food and Drink: Try a variety of British foods beyond fish and chips, like meat pies and sticky toffee pudding. Explore London's international cuisine at food markets. Understand pub etiquette, including ordering at the bar and tipping practices.
12. Safety Tips: Be cautious when crossing streets and keep your phone secure to avoid snatch thefts.
13. Pronunciation of Place Names: Learn the correct pronunciation of commonly mispronounced names like Thames, Leicester Square, and Greenwich.
14. Respect Local Culture: Be mindful and respectful of residents, avoiding loud and disruptive behavior in residential areas.
Wow! this is amazing information so grateful 🤩 THANK YOU.
Thank you for making this video. It's so informative. 🎉
London is great but i would recommend all tourists to get outside and see other parts England too
This is the best city guide video that I've ever seen.
You did an excellent job in this video. Well done!!
We’re planning to go on the last week of June for the first time and thankful for your video this will help us a lot 😊
Great tips, but be VERY careful.woth the London pass as that did not help me at all and total rip off! We went to London Dungeon and Churchill war museum and they refused the London pass at both these places when they were clearly publicized on their website and ALL the people in lines were also furious in including a family of 5 from America who were refused at many places through the "London Pass". So MAJOR WARNING on this as we even contacted them and they refused to refund the whole pass and only offered a super minimal refund - and I do mean minimal somethibg like 10% off.
It was ridiculous!
What do you expect, it's all about cheating.
Pay CASH everywhere you go, no kard or phone payment
I’m addicted to American TH-camrs commenting on London - having been born and bred here and honestly yours is one of the very best…. BUT… I was exhausted by your galloping commentary. Slow down girl! This is not a criticism because I really thought you covered so much and in an otherwise clear way. I’m fed up with so many mistakes or wrong headed opinions being given… do they not do basic research!? But yours was error free so far as I’m concerned. My travel tip for visitors coming from Heathrow on the District Line and going on to other areas of London: if it fits in with your final destination change lines at Barons Court. You simply walk from one side of the platform to the other (for Piccadilly Line) so no lugging heavy bags about. Keep ‘em coming!
She's Canadian
Slowing it down to .75 speed is helpful for me to keep up, and her voice doesn't sound bad at that speed.
Same
Hahahahahahah hahahahaha,,, "galloping commentary". F. "london". Pay CASH Everywhere you go, NO kard or phone payment people.
I actually finished this video when I have not finished so many because she spoke quickly. My brain can't listen any slower.
This video is just incredible!!!! Thank you❤
Omg! I'm so overwhelmed to travel by myself.
I feel the same way Im going in the December alone but just takin lots of notes and tip. Good luck and safe trip👍🏼
Thanks for the reminders, I'm going back to London next month. I'm so glad you mentioned Sky Garden. It is such an amazing place! And I planned it perfectly. I looked to see when their sunsets were and booked the hour the sun would be setting so we saw the day and night time view. London is 5 hours ahead of me so yes I had to get up wildly early to book it 2 weeks in advance but it was so worth it :) I learned the hard way to plan our days in the same area. That is one large city lol.
There is no bs sun in "england".
Pay CASH everywhere you go, no kard or phone payment people
I loved this vlog, you were great! I'm planning a trip to London for the first time and this video was beyond informative 😊 thank you for your guidance!
Being from Massachusetts, I’m used to the weird pronunciations of towns, hell we have a Leicester in the state.
Another excellent video! Could you create one on Edinburgh if you’ve visited?
Incredible information thank you friend, thank you
So yeah, basically we're doing everything wrong with our short visit to London. We're only there for 1.5 days before we get on a cruise in Southampton. We're there July 10 & 11. Apparently it's the end of Wimbledon and we had no idea 🤷♀️. No wonder the flights were so expensive!
This was so beneficial. Planning a 14-day itinerary for spring. Kindly add the tip button to your videos.
Hello! so happy you enjoyed the video :) And you’re so kind for asking about a tip button. To be honest I didn’t even realize this was an option haha. I’ve just turned on “Super Thanks” which I believe is what you meant. Let me know if I got that wrong though. Safe and happy travels :)
Just returned from London. Will go back next month. Huge thanks for all the tips 🌻
You’re welcome! Thanks for watching 🫶
Im Planning to go to London for my birthday. This video is so awesome and useful! Thank you so much!!
I will have to watch this 3 times bc you are going so fast!
I know. This lovely lady doesn't seem to take time to take a breath. The video is very good though.
With the rise of TH-cam shorts! This is definitely refreshing to watch!
Thank you so much for this video!❤ I 've been to London before, a long time ago, though, so this is gold!!! ✨️✨️✨️
I was supposed to visit London this June but had financial setbacks and London is expensive especially their hotels so maybe next year I've heard Londons public transportation is really good that helps with cost I wanna visit the Costwalds, Bath, York, Cliffs, and other countryside area's so a car will probably be necessary 😊
Felicia, York is fantastic and only 2 hours by train from London. It’s a great base for seeing things like Castle Howard, the Moors and Whitby, etc. Many towns outside of London are much cheaper, less stressful and loaded with history. Trains are great all over the country and taxis can be a good alternative to the stress of renting a car. Good luck with your trip!
The transport system in London is great and just got better with the new Elizabeth Line. I suggest renting the smallest car you can, some of the roads are very narrow (the further you get outside of cities). Bath and York are all cities you can reach by train from London. A car is a must for the Cotswolds, I'd recommend arriving at each town or village as early as possible as they can get VERY busy and there is limited car parking.
Cotswolds. I used to live there. Not sure what Cliffs means. Maybe the White Cliffs of Dover? All the places you’re talking about might be better by train. The Cotswolds is a rather amorphous area, cover part of Oxfordshire, part of Gloucestershire and parts of Wiltshire. Maybe a Cotswold tour with a driver. Those exist. Oxford would be a good place to base yourself. The White Cliffs of Dover will take you five minutes to see. Dover does have a massive castle, well restored and with a Roman lighthouse. But, and I say this since I lived in Kent as a girl, not worth the detour if all you see are cliffs for a few minutes. My best advice would not to try to do too much. Car hire I would advise against. It’s not so much the driving, but the difficulty parking when you get anywhere. York is easily walkable as is Bath.
Been to London many times, but I still prefer a town like Chillingbourne.
I would recommend day travel card and I think this is the cheapest option you can use buses and underground for whole. day
Great advice. This video is a Must-See, for any visitor to London.
Another tip is to see if there is a recent discount for train tickets or railcard before traveling.
I really do think 4 days minimum. When I went, I was there for 5.5 and that was perfect. Of course you can always come up with more to do but I wouldn’t have wanted less time.
This is the best London video I have seen!
Amazing!
I confirm that everything you mentioned is true.
I live in London and new done such a brilliant job your presentation your narration but very good. Sadly, a lot of people that live in London don’t even know half of what you’ve just said. And there’s people that not even been to London and they live in England.
this was really helpful thank you
Thanks for the heads up on phone snatching!
I have been to london twice. Once in April in 2013 and in October 2023. In 2023 it was way too crowded, maybe it was school holidays and found it hard to find peace and quiet. The highlight was taking a cruise down the Thames. I think it is not a walkable city because it is very spread out and i prefer to walk ~10km a day to get to know a city. The airport is also very far away from cbd, train is not an option if you have many luggages. The tea culture is also very nice. I probably would not visit again.
Wow, highly helpful tips! Hoping to go next year - for a few months 🤞🏼
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching and safe travels 🫶
Great content, to the point and well organized. Subscribed and thanks!
Love your videos ❤ but hopefully next videos try to speak slowly because your voice is really amazing❤❤
Slowing it down to .75 speed is helpful for me to keep up, and her voice doesn't sound bad at that speed.
SOOOOOO helpful, thank you! These are such helpful tips for my upcoming trip in September!
If you are using the Stansted Express, do not try to use Oyster or contactless. Buy a ticket to avoid a big fine.
Noted. Thank you for the info
Great video! Very informative 🤩
You are AWESOME!!!
Can you do a video going over BritRails and what the difference between each pass is?
Brief and concise...very hepful. Thanks a lot.
Really good tips, thank you, you have new subscriber
Great video. Thanks for sharing. I've been in London last month. It was a great experience ❤
amazing video with so much intressting and helpng details thank you so much
This is a great video. I have a question though, would you know if the orange SIM card from Amazon would work for London and Paris? Thank you
This is really great and informative, well done! Would be better if you do a little pause from time to time ( I got anxiety from you not seeing you breathe for 14 min straight)
When you are trying to determine how long to stay, you loose 2days just based on traveling in and traveling out..London is a beautiful city but England is more beautiful. To see England (day trips)You have to rent a car. If you do, try to rent at least 2mths in advance with a good cancelation policy. I am renting a car for 10days (next month)for 400$. Last trip it took me 24hrs to adjust and I prefer a manual . You can find great hotel rates outside of London in cities such as Bromley or Bexleyheath which offer free parking. If you have to see Big Ben (again)park on the street in a town like west dulwich, walk to the train station and go anywhere within 30min (no buses). This trip I will be hanging out in Brighton, StoneHenge, Hastings and Cardiff. I will still visit London, but I won’t be seeing Big Ben (again).
I Love London ❤️😍
Thank you!! great tips. I’m going first week in September Great 👍🏾 tip for the pub service I would’ve definitely been lost and also to have my tap card out and ready at the tube!!😊😊
Love this informative video.👌
Yay - thanks so much for watching!
Well done review. Very informative . Thank you. I do regret now i didn't watch before my visit London. 😂
Deffo come to london in the summer...tennis...picnics in the park...
Thank you for sharing detiled and informative video. Super helpful!
This is a really useful video. I also found another saving tips! For tourist and person who live here, the travel fee is really insane.I found an app that has discount on every journey within uk and I really like to share the discount code with u if u need it!! I hope this is helpful for other people traveled on budget~
Excellent video!!!
Wonderful! Great tips!
Brava! Very informative
Thank u for video
One thing I would say on the buses you don’t need to tap out in London. I drive to 47 bus
Though I have been to London couple of times... still very informative for me... 😊
This was great!! Thank you!!!
Love this travel guide, very informative and beautiful at the same time 😊✨🤍 just found your channel through this video and definitely gonna go see your other videos!
Greetings from South India, Kerala 🦋✨🤍😊