LONDON

London is one of my most favorite cities in the world! There is so much to see and do, yet the city doesn't feel as overwhelming as many other European capitals tend to be. London is very family friendly (you can roll double strollers straight into the taxis!), clean, and easy to navigate. It‘s also a great destination for new travelers who may feel more comfortable visiting an English-speaking country. Check out my favs below and I think you'll fall in love with London, too! 

SEE

*important to purchase/reserve tickets in advance for the following attractions: 

The British Museum: Fantastic collection of mummies and egyptian artifacts, and home to the Rosetta Stone and a statue from Easter Island. Families traveling with young children in strollers are automatically moved to the front of the line! #ParentPerk  

Tower of London: Beautiful complex and home to the famous Crown Jewels!

The London Eye: This is the iconic giant ferris wheel. You will find mixed reviews online of people wondering if the experience is worth the cost, but honestly, you're in London! Why not experience the city from a birds eye view? Also, #YOLO!

Kensington Palace: Beautiful palace with a special exhibit and memorial honoring Princess Diana.  

Churchill War Rooms: The bunkers where Winston Churchill planned WW2. 

London Theater: Experience broadway quality shows for a fraction of the price (sometimes as low as $15!) with discounted tickets available at the TKTS booth located near the Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel. 

London Transport Museum: If you're traveling with kids, a visit to the Transport Museum located in Covent Garden is an absolute must! Kids love exploring the trains and double decker buses, and the gift shop is great, too. After the museum, grab lunch across the street at Chipotle or Shake Shack and enjoy the shops and atmosphere of Covent Garden. 

*Walk by, no tickets required:

Big Ben: This beautiful iconic clock tower is currently getting a makeover and is covered in scaffolding until 2021. A popular picture spot is down the street where you can pose with the red telephone booths and Big Ben in the background. 

Buckingham Palace: Beautiful and usually busy, but fun to see the Changing of the Guard. 

Westminster Abbey: Stroll by Westminster and relive Will and Kate's fairytale wedding! 

Tower Bridge: The best time to walk across the bridge is after visiting the Tower of London. When you get to the other side of the Bridge, take a right and walk along the water, stopping for great photo opportunities and the best views of the Bridge. Head towards Borough Market for a bite to eat, and then continue down towards the river, walking past Shakespeare's Theater, and ending at the Tate Modern art gallery. 

Shakespeare’s Theater: If you're interested in the arts, you can actually watch a play performed in the famous Globe Theater. This is also the only way to see inside the building, as they do not allow tourists to walk through without purchased theater tickets. 

SHOP

Regent Street: The main shopping district with shops such as JCrew, Anthropologie, Hunter, and the flagship location for Jo Malone. If you love Jo Malone, visit this shop for unique services offered at no other Jo Malone store; including bottle engraving, colorful perfume caps, and retired fragrances. 

Anthropologie on Regent is worth a visit, as there are several items offered here that are only available in the UK stores and not in America, like hair fascinators! 

Also located on Regent Street is the inspiring Liberty London! Here you will find quality and unique home items, stationary, fragrances, and apparel. Liberty is a classic London icon and a must-see! I always love to pick up an Emma Bridgewater mug when I visit. 

Fortnum & Mason: Located in Picadilly, a short walk from Regent Street shops. Stock up on unique teas and cookies packaged in beautiful, gift-ready tins. If it's good enough for the Monarchy, it's probably good for us, too. :) 

Covent Garden: Great spot for shopping and dining. Peloton's London Studio is located here...check the website to sign up for a live class. The London Transport Museum is also here and Dishoom is nearby, too. 

When visiting Buckingham, walk to the left of the Palace and around the corner to their fantastic gift shop. Actually, all the gift shops at the museums and attractions in London are quite good and full of unique treasures at reasonable prices. 

Harrods: High-end department store with great London souvenirs and a wide variety of their iconic vinyl tote bags. 

Hamley's: Incredible toy store with various live demonstrations throughout the store. A must-see if traveling with young children. 

Marks & Spencer (M&S): I love this grocery store! Many locations throughout London. Great spot to pick up packs of breakfast muffins, fruit, and drinks for your train ride to Paris. ;) Stock up on the best candy in the world, Fred Ferkle! They're like magical little gummy pigs that taste a bit like a laffy taffy, but not quite? Also, Colin the Caterpillar chocolate cakes are also a yummy treat. 

STAY

Hilton Tower Bridge: Great hotel located near the Tower Bridge and Borough Market. Very clean hotel and just a few feet away from quick takeaway food options (like my personal fav, Pret-A-Manger). 

Hampton by Hilton London Waterloo: Great location right next to the Waterloo Station, but a bit of a walk to the center of the city. I stayed here with my BFF to celebrate Harry and Meghan's wedding at Windsor Castle (!), which is accessible directly from the Waterloo Station.

SAVOR

Sketch London: A longtime Instagram darling, get cozy in Sketch's iconic pink velvet chairs and enjoy a cool, modern afternoon tea experience that you (and your Photo app) will never forget. Even the bathrooms here are cool (and yes, Instagram-able!). Reservations are required and can be made 90 days before your visit. Sketch is very family friendly and even offers a special tea platter for kids which also includes a cute sketch plush souvenir. 

Update 4/23: The gallery at Sketch is no longer pink, but still lovely. Bathroom pods are still a 10/10.

Claridge's: Another great option for afternoon tea, more of a classic vibe to balance out the cool, funky style at sketch. Reservations here can also be made 90 days in advance. 

*FYI: you may be concerned that an afternoon tea doesn't sound like very much food, but please note that most tea houses will bring you extra servings of whatever you'd like from the platter (for no additional charge)...sandwiches, pastries, scones, tea, etc. So when viewing the prices, consider it as more of an upscale, bougie buffet rather than "just tea". Nothing is more British than afternoon tea, and the food plus overall experience is definitely worth the price. 

Borough Market: So many great food options at this market. Try the sea salt caramel sourdough donut topped with crunchy honeycomb from the Bread Ahead stand and a bag of fudge from Whirld.

Dishoom: Fantastic Indian restaurant, several locations, and highest rated London restaurant on Yelp. I will forever dream about the Chicken Ruby and the Black Daal.