A First Timer's Guide to London

I'd dreamed of going to London since I was a kid. Maybe it was because of Mary-Kate and Ashley's grand adventure in "Winning London," Amanda Bynes finding herself (and her dad) in "What A Girl Wants" or perhaps it was Annie and Hallie switching places in the remake of "The Parent Trap."

Whatever the reason, I always had a feeling that something really noteworthy and special would happen if I went to London. I finally made it happen in July 2019...and I found exactly what I was looking for.

If you were to cut me open and see what my heart looks like, it would look a lot like the setup of London - parks, coffee shops, bookstores and beautiful architecture. It was homey and warm, even on the days it was chilly and rainy. I was in heaven - daydreaming and at peace, usually with my coffee in hand. I've never felt more inspired.

My friend, Mandy, and I spent five days seeing the sights and squeezing in as much as we possibly could. Luckily, she'd been before, so she had an idea of the things I'd like to see and knew how to navigate the Underground transportation system, The Tube.

Our Itinerary:

Hop On/Hop Off Bus

This is the best way to see most of the city. You can go for miles and see all of the hot spots, as well as stop at various famous landmark spots, such as Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, The London Eye, the Tower Bridge, London Bridge and more. Since everything is so spread out, it's hard to see it all, and especially by foot. There's also a tour guide to provide more information and point out facts that you wouldn't know just walking by. Plus, it's one of the best ways to ride the well-known double decker buses. It became a bit warm after riding on the top (and I do recommend sunscreen if you'll be riding for a few hours), but it's a great way to get the best photos.

Covent Gardens

We spent a lot of time in Covent Gardens. It's beautiful and ritzy, like a Beverly Hills of London, but with more charm and a lot of flowers. There's plenty of shopping from famous designers to boutique type shops or stationary stores with random odds and ends for the home and even a street market, with flowers, jewelry and more. There are cobblestone type streets, the famous red photo booths and even street performers around to entertain. Gorgeous flowers and gardens practically take up the sides of the shops and restaurants. Every two seconds, I was pulling out my phone to snap a photo or pose for one. It's the kind of place you can stroll along and take your time in. After I came home, I found out that a new Christmas movie coming out in November with Emilia Clarke was shot a lot around the area, too.

Buckingham Palace

You always imagine that when you are finally able to visit sights you've dreamed of forever, that you'll have endless amounts of time to snap whatever photos you'd like and that no one will be around. No? Just me? Well, Buckingham Palace was one of those places. There were SO many people in front, watching the changing of the guard in front of the palace. It was too hard to see, so we didn't stay for long - grabbed something to drink around the corner- and then went back once the crowd had died down. I just remember spending so much time obsessing over the royal wedding and seeing those famous shots of the Palace and the streets. It was pretty surreal. But, by the crowd we witnessed that day, you would've thought that the queen herself would be driving up any minute.

Kensington Palace/Gardens & Afternoon Tea

When in London, one must have afternoon tea. I'm a big tea drinker, and if you're going to do an afternoon tea, what better a place to do it than at Kensington Palace?

Mandy and I got there a little early, so we explored the garden, which is actually where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their engagement. The Sunken Garden, as it's called, was a favorite of Princess Diana's, and she would to stop to talk to the gardeners to find out about what was in the garden for each particular season. Now it's just one of the many ways that they honor and remember Princess Diana. It's absolutely stunning! Then, we met up with another friend, Charlie, for tea at The Orangery. It was the quintessential afternoon tea I'd imagined - they served finger foods, including sandwiches, scones and an assortment of desserts. They were VERY tasty. I've been researching the recipe for the scones since I had them. They were orange zest! And I'm not even an orange fan. The tea was delightful, especially with cream, like they drink it over there. You would've thought I'd never had tea before with how excited I was over it all. Next time, I think I'd like to take a tour of the palace and see what the royal family is up to.

Hyde Park

Much like Central Park, Hyde Park takes up a lot of land. You should have a game plan for the areas you want to see before embarking on it or you'll be walking forever. Or take a stroll and see what you find. Kensington Palace is located in the middle of it, there's a lake with boating and other activities, gardens, a memorial fountain dedicated to Princess Diana, and a lot more that we probably didn't scratch the surface of. Grab a cup of coffee and take your time walking through the pathways, seeing everything. You might even make some birdie friends that will let you feed them, like we did one afternoon. You can also grab an ice cream cone, cookie or coffee at one of the mini cafes or food trucks throughout the park. It's the perfect place to people watch or catch a break from the city, if you don't have any other plans. It's also known for its concerts. Celine Dion and Josh Groban were performing one of the nights we were there, but we didn't make it over to listen to them.

Notting Hill

I'd heard a lot about Notting Hill over the years, thanks to the romantic comedy with Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant. It seemed to be a character of its own, and I love those places. They don't even need a real storyline for a story to take place. Just the scenery is enough. Notting Hill was like something out of my dreams - quaint and chic coffee shops, boutiques, vintage shops, antiques, street markets, cafes and other cute restaurants. We strolled through the Portobello Market, which was full of purses, jewelry, vintage items and so much more - I wanted to buy everything, which was hard because i had room for nothing in my suitcase. We popped in a few stores, I got coffee (of course), and we admired all of the bright and colorful houses scattered through town, taking time for a mini photoshoot when the moment struck, too. I also got to see a the bookstore that inspired the movie. I could have spent hours just browsing books and titles. If it wasn't so expensive, I'd definitely want to live there. But, sometimes there are places that are meant to be those dreamy little escapes. Notting Hill was made for moments like that.

Theatre

Theatre is a big deal for London - many productions get their start over there, like Mamma Mia, and others make their way to London from the states. Mandy and I were lucky to squeeze in a showing of Matilda. Hard to believe, but I've never seen the movie, nor have I seen any production of it, so it was something new. We had to hurry from one of our other stops to make it in time and we were a few minutes late. They ushered us into the theatre after the first song was over. The children actors were fantastic! It was kind of exciting to see something new and not know where the story was going. We bought tickets to Mamma Mia, too, but unfortunately, didn't realize our schedule and had to sell them. We made a vow to see it when it comes to Los Angeles next time, though.

Tower of London

The Tower of London is an iconic castle in London with many aspects to see, like the ravens (who watch out for the tower), the torture chamber, suits of armor and other tools from kings, St. John's Chapel and of course, the crown jewels, which included very important items, like crowns and outfits, that belonged to the royal family. It's fascinating to see many historical artifacts from ages ago, and learn about the royals that we've heard about in history books since we were kids.

Harrod's

Harrod's is a department store. And one of the largest I've ever visited! But, really, it isn't just a department store. There are levels of just about everything you can imagine - home, beauty, food, women's, men's, children, stationary, books and so on. You can buy from some of the top designer brands or the Harrod's brand in the "souvenir" store. It truly is an experience and you could easily spend an entire day there. You can even grab food there at the food court or some candy and macaroons for a little sugar rush while you shop. And, of course, flowers. Consider it a one-stop shop for men on Valentine's Day!

Abbey Road

The Beatles changed the game for the music world and of course, for musicians in England. Abbey Road is such an iconic place and one of the most recognizable spots for pop culture junkies like myself, so it was one of my 'must see' places when we were planning our trip. It is a bit further out from the main tourist spots and where we were staying (with a few rides and many stops on the tube), but it was worth it to me. Everyone standing around the area was hoping for that perfect shot and trying not to get run over by cars in the process, since it is a busy street with traffic. Big shout-out to Mandy for pulling it off for me! It was kind of an adrenaline rush, getting across the street in just enough time and hoping I had a good photo. Abbey Road Studios isn't open to the public, but you can see it from the outside, of course. There are signatures all over the white wall surrounding it, so you can't miss it. There's even a coffee shop just next door that sells Beatles merch. Unfortunately, we made it too late and it was already closed. But, I hear it's cool and a quick stop if you need a pick-me-up or some Beatles souvenirs.

Tip: I suggest just filming the moment, if you go, and taking screenshots of it after the fact. That way you kill two birds with one stone.

Parent Trap House

Because The Parent Trap was so instrumental in my wanting to go to London as a young girl, I had to see the house where Annie and Elizabeth James live in the movie. It's an incredibly ritzy and expensive area to live, but easy to see why they'd pick such a neighborhood for a movie. We made it just in time for the sun to set and the street lights to turn on. We traveled there from Abbey Road, which was closer than going from our hotel, but it was also a bit further out and took a couple bus switcheroos and a bit of walking to get there. It was worth it. A definite full circle moment!

Boating on the Thames River

Another great way to see the sights is by a boat cruise on the Thames River. Since we'd bought The London Pass, we were able to choose this as one of our attractions. We sat on the top deck, which was the perfect viewing spot and a tad chilly. We saw the London Eye up close and personal, as well as the city skyline and a few other landmarks that are harder to see from afar. It was also a nice respite after a long day on our feet, walking from one place to the next. I just love boat rides..They're so relaxing.

Street Markets

I'm a sucker for street markets. I love perusing all of the items that artisans make and sell. It gives you the opportunity to meet more people and get a real feel for the city. Aside from Notting Hill, there are other spots in the city with jewelry, flowers, vintage tea sets, purses and more on a grand scale. This particular one was in Covent Gardens. Again, I could have spent hours just taking it all in and everything reminded me of someone I wanted to buy something for. I'm obsessed with rings and found a couple that I really liked for pretty cheap. If I lived there, I would absolutely be hitting the markets every weekend to find some great deals (and constantly reinventing my wardrobe).

The Sky Garden

There are a few options when it comes to great lookout spots of the city, but The Sky Garden is easily one of the best options. It's free - all you need is a reservation! It's a lively environment with music, drinks, food and a fabulous view of London at the forefront. We spent about an hour or so up there, watching the sunset and walking around to every possible angle of London from the windows, while listening to some easy listening tunes, as the band covered Michael Bublé, The Temptations and more that people were familiar with. Sunsets are one of my very favorite things in this world, and I have to say this will go down as one of my favorite locations.

Food

When on vacation, one must always try different options than what you're familiar with back at home. London has a lot of options, including the following that we tried:

Farm Girl (Australian food, like salads, bowls and coffees/teas)

Wahlburger's (One of the many locations that the Wahlburg brothers own. Burgers were INCREDIBLE).

Friend at Hand (?) (It was a pub down the street from our hotel. Fun atmosphere with a mix of foods. I had the bangers and mash).

Chez Antoinette (A cute Parisian Farmhouse cafe with French cuisine, like the Croque Madame, which is what my friend and I had. The chai tea latte was like a hug on a cold day, too. Probably my favorite meal that stands out most from the trip).

Wagamama (Asian Food with rice bowls, salads, curry, teppanyaki and more. I had a spicy shrimp noodle bowl and it was delicious, but definitely had my nose running).

English Breakfast (We had ours at the hotel, but it's a staple around there, so you can get it at other restaurants where breakfast is served).

All the cafes (Cafe Nero was almost like our Starbucks over there. There were quite a few on the same block or just up the street from one another. I stopped there several times).

I have to admit --- we did end up at McDonald's one night, because we were trying to make it to Abbey Road and the Parent Trap house, so we ran out of time for finding something new. But, hey, we saved money. And surprisingly, they do have different items to try! As you can see we ate a lot.

Wandering the Streets

One of my favorite things to do anywhere is just see the city. I don't have to find something in particular to do, just time to walk through the streets or look in shop windows and smell the bakeries as you walk by. It allows you to fully immerse yourself in the place you are and feel what it's like to live there. You can stumble into some of the best things by wandering and not having a plan. So leave a little room in your trip to just explore and see where the day takes you.

I would absolutely go back to London in a heartbeat. I feel like I've only just scratched the surface of all that it has to offer! I'd love to go back and spend more time just writing and visiting coffee shops. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be watching Hugh Grant and Colin Firth movies and listening to my London playlist to feel like I'm back in one of my newly-claimed favorite cities. It's just as charming and delightful as I'd imagined it would be.

That's all for now,

Shelby