5 Things to Do in London Your First Time

I can’t believe its already been a few weeks since I visited this
beautiful city. Though Brandon and I were only in London for only a day and a
half, we definitely made that day count. We took a bus ride, a boat ride, and
walked 30,000+ steps in to experience this city.

Here are 5 things to do if you’re visiting London for the
first time:

1. Walk through the
major sights

Our first day in
London, Brandon and I decided to walk to Big Ben. We looked at the map and didn’t
realize how close everything was together. One minute we were in front of the
Westminster Abbey, the next minute we were looking at Big Ben. These major
sights are all within walking distance of each other.

The city of London is completely flat so I recommend wearing
comfortable shoes and trekking through the city!

2. See the Changing of
the Guards at Buckingham Palace

This was the top of Brandon’s bucket list. Unfortunately
they cancelled the changing of the guards the day we got to Buckingham Palace…
it was still an incredible place to see. We walked through the Queen’s gift
shop and got some awesome souvenirs for our family.

3. Rent a Bike and Ride
Through Hyde Park

Since we only had a day and a half, we didn’t get a chance
to do this. I would definitely recommend renting a bike from one of the bike
sharing locations and riding through Hyde Park. The park is over 300 acres and
they host concerts, carnivals, and other fun city events in the park. You can
check out what events are happening in Hyde Park here
during your next visit to London.

4. Ride a Hop on Hop Off
Bus Tour

Getting on the Big Bus Tour or the Original London Tour is a
great way to see the major sights and get to different neighborhoods all in one
day. I personally have a mixed
experience with the Big Bus Tour.

Our first half of the day on the Big Bus Tour was great. We
got to see and hop off at the Tower of London and see the London Tower Bridge. We also got to take the boat ride (boat
ride comes with the ticket!) on the river of Thames back to the House of
Parliament/Big Ben area.

But the trying to
get on the Big Bus Tour the second half of the day was a mess. The
three stops we tried to get to on the map were out of service… you would have
thought they would have told you when you purchased the ticket or at least
given you an updated map. Instead Brandon and I walked to these three different
stops and saws the signs posted saying the Big Bus didn’t come to the stops
anymore…

5. Walk through Borough
Market

Again, since Brandon and I were on a time crunch, we weren’t
able to walk through the Borough Market. If I were able to go back to London, I
would definitely stop by to see this market! The Borough Market has everything
from baked goods, to fresh produce, fish, and many places to eat. This is
London’s oldest food market –it’s literally been in London for a 1,000 years…
If you’re heading to London soon, you can learn more about the Borough market here.

In essence, our time in London went by way too quickly. I’d
recommend at least 3 days in this amazing city. Though I’m thankful for our
time here, Brandon and I barely scratched the surface of seeing everything that
London has to offer. I’m crossing my fingers that I get to visit someday soon!