London Travel Tips: 11 Can't-miss Experiences

London Travel Tips: 11 Can't-miss Experiences | Chronically Climbing

I had the absolute pleasure of visiting London, England, and the surrounding area in 2023 with my boyfriend. Now, when it comes to trip planning, I've always been a hyper-organized preparer. However, during this trip, I valued not having every little detail figured out. It led to some unexpected delights!

Here are 11 can't-miss experiences for the next time you travel to London:

1. Visit Borough Market

Borough Market is London's premier food market, home to diverse people, cultures, and delicacies. We walked to Borough Market several times during our stay in London. It ended up being one of our favorite experiences. We got to sample foods from different cultures we wouldn't have encountered in the U.S., all for reasonable prices.

I can't think of anything I tried that I didn't like. Of course, we tried the viral Humble Crumble and chocolate-covered strawberries, but we also sampled incredible Ethiopian and African foods unlike anything we've ever tried!

Dare I say the vibes are immaculate at Borough Market? You'll find food from Greek, Middle Eastern, Taiwanese, English, Persian, French, Spanish, and Turkish cultures, and more!

2. Visit Camden Market

Support local sellers at Camden Market! Whether you're looking for jewelry, clothing, accessories, or vintage goods, you will surely find something that speaks to you.

I took home a couple of denim jackets with unique prints on them and some gemstone jewelry that aligned well with my personality. We had so much fun checking out all of the unique visions from the artists, plus there is an excellent selection of food if you get tired from shopping!

We tried Korean hot dogs from U K Dogs n Juicy. They have unique flavors, from hot Cheetos to fries and mozzarella. When visiting these two markets, you'll run into loads of famous shops and food stands, so if you're a foodie, you can't miss them!

3. Take A Day Trip to the City of Bath

If you're a Jane Austen, Bridgerton, or Harry Potter fan, you'll surely love a day trip to Bath from London. We'd highly recommend it! One of my only regrets from the trip is that we didn't stay a night there. It is full of rich history and home to some of the oldest Roman baths in the area. Just magical!

Lady Danberry's home is in Bath. On the way into Bath, you'll also spot a castle that I believe was utilized in the first Harry Potter film. Jane Austen's home is also there and available for touring. That's just the start of the interesting encounters you'll have in Bath.

Bath has to be one of the most beautiful sites I enjoyed while visiting London and the surrounding area. Don't miss it if you visit! I believe we booked our trip through Trip Advisor or Viator. Research the tours with the best ratings to get the most out of your booking!

4. Visit as Many Museums and Castles As Possible

When else will you have the opportunity to walk through and absorb history like this? Get to as many museums and castles as time allows while you're in the UK! I can't even begin to name all those we toured, but I remember them being affordable. It's best to book these tours before your trip, however, to ensure you get in. They book up fast!

5. Walk or Cycle through Hyde Park

Hyde Park is an incredibly gorgeous natural place to unwind and relax from city life. If you're looking for a quiet but connective experience, I'd recommend renting some city bicycles and meandering about the park. We loved it!

From my perspective, it appeared very well-kept, which is incredibly challenging and a massive compliment to any city park.

6. See a Show at Piccadilly Square

We were privileged to see Moulin Rouge at London's West End. I can barely describe the excitement and enjoyment we both gleaned from the experience, and my boyfriend is usually not a musical person. If you're familiar with the Nicole Kidman movie version, this was a surprise, as the musical has been updated to incorporate modern songs!

This musical fueled my soul and brought me to life; it was an experience! I got goosebumps from how high energy the cast was and how passionately they approached the material. I'm unsure who played Christian when we visited, but he did an incredible job. Of course, I have to admit, I was thinking of this performance from Aaron Tveit ahead of time:

Can you blame me? Go ahead and listen on repeat. I won't judge. (I'm right there with you.)

7. Drink a Taddy Lager at a Pub

If you're of age and your allergies or restrictions allow it, of course. We loved this local lager! This trip was before I found out I was gluten intolerant, so it was okay at the time. Who knew then it'd be my first and last? So sad!

8. Hop on the London Eye

It's a tourist staple for a reason! Were you even in London if you didn't hop on the Eye? Again, I recommend getting your tickets ahead of time for this if you're able to. Even if you're afraid of heights like me, I'd still recommend it. You can plop down in the middle and still enjoy the ride.

9. Take the Historic Rock 'n Roll Tour

We booked this through Trip Advisor! It was a super fun experience, thanks to our tour guide, who admitted he'd been pitted against Tom Holland before. Our guide recommended the best pubs and beers to try, shared fun stories like Jason Momoa visiting Emilia Clarke in the pubs we toured, and doubled down on some history, featuring some of the UK's most famous bands like The Beatles.

10. Visit Historic Sites

Don't be a jerk when you're visiting these. Take your photo and move on so you don't disrupt the locals' way of living, but take a brief moment to enjoy.

We couldn't resist getting our Abbey Road and Sherlock Holmes pics!

11. Take a Day Trip to See Stonehenge

This felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity we couldn't miss. While these day trips can be a little go-go-go, they are worth it, so you don't have to figure out the logistics in a foreign country.

Visiting Stonehenge was interesting. It was certainly cool to see the historic site, but I didn't picture there being as many people as there were. Enjoying the site with all the chaos around it was hard, but we still had ample appreciation for the experience. It is unreal how large the rocks are!

I don't know what I believe about the story behind them, but it reminded me of Outlander, Jamie, and Claire. Swoon. (I know it's different rocks, to be clear.)

This list is certainly not exhaustive of all London travel tips and can't-miss experiences in the surrounding area; think of it more as a starting guide. Enjoy your vacation if you visit!