London: What to Do, Eat, See and Where to Stay

I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to see many of the world’s most iconic, cosmopolitan, and populated cities. (… However, still no NYC.  Which is kind of weird considering places like Athens, Barcelona and Sydney are checked off my list.)

I have to say, of them all, I am pretty sure London is my favorite.

I first went to London when I was nineteen and I instantly fell in love.  I even pursued internships in the city and considered moving there after graduation.  That was until a blind date to a fraternity’s dance happened…

When planning this trip, I knew that between the pubs, the sports, the architecture and the history, Adam would love it too, despite its urban flair.    

I was right.  He loved it… and then some!  My country boy even surprised me by saying he wants to go back for a long weekend sometime.

#winning

The thing is, there is so much to do and see in London that every trip back could be completely different than the one before.  Here are a few of the highlights from our two days in town.

Where to Stay:

Kristen, one of the girls we were traveling with, had friends in London and was able to use their connections to get us rooms at The Mandeville Hotel.  The staff was magnificent.  Everyone we encountered was friendly, helpful and professional.  

The Mandeville mimicked the vibe you get when in London. It’s a perfect combination of classics yet very modern.  The rooms were very clean and chic while the exterior of the hotel was very elegant.  It was located near Oxford Street which full of shopping and entertainment. 

The Lancaster Gate Hotel, near Hyde Park, was a close runner up for our accommodations.  Adam’s sister had stayed there a couple years ago and really enjoyed it.

Getting Around:

London does public transportation very well.  Bus stops and the tube are around every corner and their routes are easy to understand.  Prices are reasonable and you can purchase tickets as you go. A day pass, a week pass or even an Oyster card can be purchased for more regular travel.  

We used our one day pass the day we arrived and found the tube system simple to use… with the exception of our first ride.  We had all our luggage and the tube was incredibly crowded.  We should have splurged for a cab.

What to Do:

Kylie lined up a bus tour for the group, and even though it was one of the more “tourist-y” things we did, the trip was really nice.  The tour was set up so we could get on and off the bus at any of the designated bus stops that day.  As we boarded the bus, we were handed head phones which plugged into the chair in front of us. During the trip an automated tour was played as we passed the city’s landmarks.

I learned so much on the bus.  From fun facts about the filming of Harry Potter; to notes about the Royal family; to history about the plague and great fire. I could have stayed on the bus all day.

It might have been the heat or the traffic, but we all made the executive decision to hop off the bus at the Tower of London, home to the Crown Jewels, and explore by foot.

There,  we got on a boat (part of the bus tour package), which took us down the Thames River. On the boat, we had a hilarious guide that pointed out famous buildings like the replica of Globe Theater, the London Eye, St. Paul’s Cathedral and Parliament buildings with Big Ben.  

After a bit of time as a group, the girls and guys decided to break off to do our own things.  (A GREAT thing about traveling with friends.)

On one of the girls excursions we hit up Harrods, an iconic shopping center in London, chalk full of major brands.  We had fun eyeing shoes that cost as much as our plane tickets in Harrord’s famous “Shoe Heaven.”  

But, I had more fun in their food hall.  

The food hall is a complete, high end grocery store. However, the food hall is on the first floor, so it easily attracts tourists.  To escape the crowds, head down to the next floor for wine, an amazing truffle bar (Truffles: as in mushroom and chocolates…!) and the bathrooms… or loo.

And, while the guys visited the Churchill War Rooms, which Adam said is a “must see” for any history buff, the girls opted for High Tea.  Which I also believe is a “must do” in London.

But, the days we were in London the city was experiencing record temperatures… so it wasn’t hot tea that I was craving.  

Thank goodness the National Gallery’s Tea Room also offered afternoon champagne at Tea.  It paired great with the lemon drizzel cake, lemon meringue pie, and cheesecake pieces that Kristen, Kylie and I passed.

Where to Eat:

In London, you have to 1. Go to a pub and 2. Get fish and chips.

We learned very quickly that many pubs are chains and, though they have different names, many run the same menu.  However, chain pubs aren’t necessarily bad.  Many do serve great food and are typically pretty cheap. 

Fun Fact: Near the entrance to any pub you will see either “Tied” or “Free.”  This gives you a little insight on the beers available inside.  At a “Tied” pub you will see only a certain brand of beer, sometimes the pub’s own brews.  A “Free” pub offers many brands.

But, with our group, we were looking for the most authentic experience.  So one morning, Kendal began to ask around.  A security guard at Westminster Abbey told him that we had to check out Westminster Arms that was just right around the corner.  But, he told us to only get beers there, embrace the history and to not bother with the food.

Westminster Arms is where members of parliament would go drink before votes were turned in.  There is even the old bell that would ring when the men were called back to parliament.  

So, why not get fish and chips there?  Because the guard told us to get real, authentic fish and chips we had to go to The Laughing Halibut, just a short walk from Westminster Abbey.   

The Laughing Halibut was off the beaten path and was one of those places that you would walk right by if you weren’t looking for it.  Inside, it was quite small and had a takeout counter.  We managed to get a table and were blown away.  The fish was super fresh (never frozen), the batter was crispy, and the portions were huge!

We also had a great dinner with my Aunt’s brother, Oliver, at Jackson and Rye.  Jackson and Rye is actually an American restaurant complete with USDA steaks on the menu.  I think poor Olie felt pressure to “wow” us with something super fun and unique in SoHo, but after our day of traveling in from the country and getting acclimated to the city we were starving.  

And, turns out, it was a really great place!  It had a prohibition, speak easy vibe to it which is popular in the States, so that was fun to see.  I ordered chicken and Adam had a steak.  Olie had done brunch there before and said it was pretty good.

Our final dinner in London was fantastic.  Kristen made reservations at 28-50 which is where her friend used to be the manager.  28-50 felt cozy yet modern with it’s exposed brick walls and rustic wood. 

It was also home to great wines and really good food.  Our group split a charcuterie plate and fabulous duck spring rolls as appetizers.  I ordered prawns with a salad for my meal and learned that in Europe arugula is called “rocket.”  (Which is something I totally want to make a thing here.  “It’s like slang… from England.”)

Adam had a lamb dish that was seriously a work of art and the amazing night ended with champagne, by surprise, compliments of Kristen’s friend.  

A great way to complete our time in London and toast to the next leg of the adventure… Italia!