stuff to do in london
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Well, a lot depends on what you like to do. London is a huge city with all kinds of attractions and activities, so help us narrow things down a bit.
Just a couple of things off the top of my head, though: For pure historical-site kind of stuff, it's well worth going to see the Tower of London. If you like museums, the British Museum is pretty much a must-see--they've got things like the Rosetta Stone, for instance.
Just a couple of things off the top of my head, though: For pure historical-site kind of stuff, it's well worth going to see the Tower of London. If you like museums, the British Museum is pretty much a must-see--they've got things like the Rosetta Stone, for instance.
Tower of London
London Eye
Madame Tussauds
Buckingham Palace
Or if that's not in taste you could always go shopping
London Eye
Madame Tussauds
Buckingham Palace
Or if that's not in taste you could always go shopping
Camden Market is always fun, tons of cheap stuff and some really awesome alternative shops if you're into that. Plus one of the only 2 Cyberdogs in existence.
Cyberdog is essentially a rave underground with cyber goth dancers, but it's actually a shop. You will know you've found it when you hit 15ft cyborgs outside.
Cyberdog is essentially a rave underground with cyber goth dancers, but it's actually a shop. You will know you've found it when you hit 15ft cyborgs outside.
The majority of thing in London involve one thing, bumping into people. I loathe that place.
Although Natural History Museum and the HMS Belfast were enjoyable.
Although Natural History Museum and the HMS Belfast were enjoyable.
I'm not such a fan of London's centre, but I think that the best way to see all of it is to get an Underground day ticket and visit everywhere on the monopoly board and see what there is to see.
Specifically, I have enjoyed going to High Gate Ceremony (book a tour of the West side of it, it's where all the older graves are and it's all overgrown - very gothic.) you can see the grave of that ex-KGB agent who was alpha-radiation poisoned by the FSB not too long back. Also, on the East side, you can see the grave of Douglas Adams, Karl Marx and the manager for the Sex Pistols.
If you plan to go to Camden, prepare to ring a lot of money, it's a pleasure to browse and explore the place but everything is so expensive and most shop owners practically force you to buy something.
Edit: Thousandth post and one year on the Escapist coincide.
Specifically, I have enjoyed going to High Gate Ceremony (book a tour of the West side of it, it's where all the older graves are and it's all overgrown - very gothic.) you can see the grave of that ex-KGB agent who was alpha-radiation poisoned by the FSB not too long back. Also, on the East side, you can see the grave of Douglas Adams, Karl Marx and the manager for the Sex Pistols.
If you plan to go to Camden, prepare to ring a lot of money, it's a pleasure to browse and explore the place but everything is so expensive and most shop owners practically force you to buy something.
Edit: Thousandth post and one year on the Escapist coincide.
Taking the piss out of a royal guard. Seriously, I've done this a few times and it's quite funny. I actually got one to move to push me away. I stood in front of him and bent over, pulled my sex-face.
Good times. Really funny how many people quickly get their cameras out just to take a pic of that.
But seriously? The first thing you need to do is get a free travel card (for the duration of your stay) so you can use all subways and busses within the city center. From there on, there's a lot to do.
Go to the towerbridge and tower, they're basically next-to each other and on the other side of the tower bridge is a small shopping center which has a starbucks (me and my family traditionally go there). If you want to go up to the highest point of the tower bridge you should visit the museum. It's a great view from up there and very well worth the 5-8 pounds they ask for it.
Then if you want to go shopping, you could step out on Piccadilly Circus and from there walk towards Oxford Circus. There's Oxford street which is pretty much the best spot for shopping in London. You can also visit Harrods, but don't expect to buy something there. You should go there for the toilets, though (that was ...an experience).
Then, if you want to go to the Big Ben, you could walk to Downingstreet 10 (where the MP resides).
Buckingham palace is also quite admirable. And if the weather is OK, you should go for a walk through Hyde park. Speaking about Hyde park, there's speaker's corner there every sunday, which basically is a place for the people to set up a box, stand on it, and speak up. It's on an edge of Hyde park, you should check on the exact location and time of the event. It's not the most exciting thing though.
Good times. Really funny how many people quickly get their cameras out just to take a pic of that.
But seriously? The first thing you need to do is get a free travel card (for the duration of your stay) so you can use all subways and busses within the city center. From there on, there's a lot to do.
Go to the towerbridge and tower, they're basically next-to each other and on the other side of the tower bridge is a small shopping center which has a starbucks (me and my family traditionally go there). If you want to go up to the highest point of the tower bridge you should visit the museum. It's a great view from up there and very well worth the 5-8 pounds they ask for it.
Then if you want to go shopping, you could step out on Piccadilly Circus and from there walk towards Oxford Circus. There's Oxford street which is pretty much the best spot for shopping in London. You can also visit Harrods, but don't expect to buy something there. You should go there for the toilets, though (that was ...an experience).
Then, if you want to go to the Big Ben, you could walk to Downingstreet 10 (where the MP resides).
Buckingham palace is also quite admirable. And if the weather is OK, you should go for a walk through Hyde park. Speaking about Hyde park, there's speaker's corner there every sunday, which basically is a place for the people to set up a box, stand on it, and speak up. It's on an edge of Hyde park, you should check on the exact location and time of the event. It's not the most exciting thing though.
I Live in the London area...
Loads of stuff to do, and other people on this board will probably give you better answers than me as I really just live like a normal guy there, but I'll give you some practical advice for when you're actually here with how to deal with the locals - Make sure you don't appear too touristy (Fanny packs, shorts, wearing caps backward, talking stupidly loud, we hate loud, etc.) and if you're American, pretend you're Canadian. Make sure you know what area you're in at all times, London isn't like some cities with clearly defined "good" and "bad" areas, you can walk down the road and not even know you've gone into a dodgy area. Ask the locals if you get lost, most of us are polite enough (And if we're sarastic, don't take offense, it's how we are) to give you directions and even advice on what to do.
Overall, have fun, branch out, talk to people. Don't -just- do the obvious tourist stuff, see the different communities of London, everything from Middle-Class white people to Jamaicans and Irish immigrants.
Hope I helped, enjoy yourself.
EDIT: Unless you live in a constantly hot area, you won't find London weather as bad as people make out, it's a lot worse in other areas of Britain, yes I'm looking at you Scotland.
Loads of stuff to do, and other people on this board will probably give you better answers than me as I really just live like a normal guy there, but I'll give you some practical advice for when you're actually here with how to deal with the locals - Make sure you don't appear too touristy (Fanny packs, shorts, wearing caps backward, talking stupidly loud, we hate loud, etc.) and if you're American, pretend you're Canadian. Make sure you know what area you're in at all times, London isn't like some cities with clearly defined "good" and "bad" areas, you can walk down the road and not even know you've gone into a dodgy area. Ask the locals if you get lost, most of us are polite enough (And if we're sarastic, don't take offense, it's how we are) to give you directions and even advice on what to do.
Overall, have fun, branch out, talk to people. Don't -just- do the obvious tourist stuff, see the different communities of London, everything from Middle-Class white people to Jamaicans and Irish immigrants.
Hope I helped, enjoy yourself.
EDIT: Unless you live in a constantly hot area, you won't find London weather as bad as people make out, it's a lot worse in other areas of Britain, yes I'm looking at you Scotland.
Locate your closest beach and take a sunbath. You know what they say, the sun shines the brightest in the UK.
Other than that, you can break a sweat and have a terrific workout at one of the many riots... Uh, public events breaking out annually on the streets.
When you have performed all mentioned activites, perhaps it would be adequate to buy food from one of the many stands. The food is nothing short of amazing and delicious.
Other than that, you can break a sweat and have a terrific workout at one of the many riots... Uh, public events breaking out annually on the streets.
When you have performed all mentioned activites, perhaps it would be adequate to buy food from one of the many stands. The food is nothing short of amazing and delicious.
RIOTS!
Hurr hurr i'm so clever for making that painfully obvious joke...
*looks at the comments above and shakes fist*
Anyway there's alwaysdogging(hypocrisy much?), no i found the science museum to be actually fun, also the ice-cream is nice and go for an authentic English indian curry while your at it ;P
London eye could be good... you could go laugh at how shit modern art is in the tate britain or tate modern (both of which to my dismay were filled with shitty modern art...)
But the food is good, because it's from all over the place!
You could go shopping, but i find that to be the dullest of activities...
Plus don't go where all the other tourists go, you just pay to gawp at a wall for half-an-hour...
Hurr hurr i'm so clever for making that painfully obvious joke...
*looks at the comments above and shakes fist*
Anyway there's always
London eye could be good... you could go laugh at how shit modern art is in the tate britain or tate modern (both of which to my dismay were filled with shitty modern art...)
But the food is good, because it's from all over the place!
You could go shopping, but i find that to be the dullest of activities...
Plus don't go where all the other tourists go, you just pay to gawp at a wall for half-an-hour...
Are you suggesting a course of urban renewal in Tottenham using paving stones, petrol bombs and pipes? *giggle*tomtom94 said:
I've never been, but I've been advised in the past by the Englishmen I work with to stay the hell off the M25, and to avoid trying to drive into the London core (to avoid paying congestion charges). Fortunately, there's got to be a ton of cool historical stuff you can access using the transit, or just by walking.
If you happen to get into any of the museums that house extant Elizabethan period garments, though, and they permit you to take pictures, could you try and get a bunch of photos for me? Close-ups, shots from as many angels as possible, etc? I'd love to be able to give my girlfriend photos of the stuff she loves to research.
If you can't, that's okay, too.