Last update: April 24, 2008

Travel can be expensive, especially when you are visiting a major city such as London, England. However, after 20 years of traveling all over Europe, I have learned that doing my research at home before even packing my bags, has enabled me to pack the most fun into my trips for the least amount of money.

On my most recent trip to England, we were going to have just 2 days in London and a few friends asked why I wanted to even stop in London, having been there so many times before. The answer is that not only do I love London, but I still haven't seen it all. In fact, now that I have ticked off the "must sees" of the first time visitor, I have discovered a wealth of fun things to do and places to eat that I didn't even know about in my first few trips.

So below I have put together a collection of tips and links that will help anyone traveling to London to eat well, be entertained and learn something new while not spending a fortune.

Important notes about London Hotels

Hotels in London are very expensive and Americans will be disappointed at what you get for the money when trying to find inexpensive rooms. Part of this is because London is exensive, but with the current exchange rate ($1.99 per pound as I write this), prices are basically double.

Before you book your hotel, always read reviews that you can find online about the hotel (virtual tourist is a good source) and make sure what others complain about, you can live with.

For example, if you are prepared in advance to expect a room the size of your walk in closet back at home before you arrive, you won't be let down when you arrive. Who needs a big room anyway. Hopefully all you will be doing is crashing in the bed each night after fantastic day of sightseeing. Hopefully my links below will help you save money after you have spent it all on the hotel room.

• Many museums are now free in London such as:

  • The British Museum - See the Rosetta stone
  • Victoria Albert Museum - Art and Design
  • Imperial War Museum - has incredible hands on experiences
  • Natural History Museum - temporary exhibits charge a fee - rest is free
  • Science Museum - Check out the robots; ALso has IMAX films
  • National Maritime Museum - Located at Greenwich and lots of hands on
  • National Transport Museum - adults pay, but children 16 & under are free

• Free walking tours are on offer of Paddington Station and surroundings.
• Pack a picnic and take the tube to Hampstead Heath for great views over London. It is fun to go to Harrod's food halls to get the food for your picnic. They have everything you could possibly need in these massive halls as well as some things you have never heard of before.
• Take the Docklands Light Railway to Greenwich and explore the Indoor Market, wander through the Maritime Museum, visit the Royal Observatory (don't forget to be a tourist and straddle the zero longitude line), and cross under the Thames River on foot via the Victorian Tunnel.
• On Sunday, walk along the Bayswater road side of Hyde Park and enjoy art work and souveniers on display.
• Months before you leave home, write away to the Tower of London to get free tickets to the Key Ceremony. This nightly ceremony happens every night, rain or shine and thrilling for children and adults. You will be locked in the tower grounds when the guards lock up for the night and you will watch the official ceremony and be given a lesson about the reason for the ceremony. The tower itself is an amazing place just to look at. To visit at night is even more special and better yet, the Key Ceremony is free. You just have to be proactive enough to send away for the tickets far enough in advance.

• Do one or more of the low cost "London Walks" (www.walks.com). These walks are not long in distance or high in price but they are jam packed with history, folklore, humor and little-known facts. The guides are all great and with 10 or more walks a day, there is something for everyone's taste whether you prefer history, ghosts or gossip.
• Go to the theater. London literally has dozens of Theaters. You can visit Leister Square to get half-price tickets on the day of the show, or if you don't like waiting to the last mintute, visit www.londontown.com and click on the link for "Box Office" and then "Special Offers". Here you can often get a combination package for £25 that includes dinner at a very nice restaurant and ticket to a show. While not exactly, low cost, it is definitely a bargain.
• Explore the street markets of London. London has several markets you can visit and walking around and soaking up the atmosphere is free. Should you decide to be more than just a window shopper, you can haggle and bargain and hopefully not spend a whole lot of money. Some of the markets to check out are:
  • Camden Town - (7 days a week / 10am -6pm) Is actually a collection of markets.clothing, music, antiques, food and drink and more.
  • Covent Garden - (7 days a week / 10am - 6pm except Sunday when it opens at 11am) shops selling new items, street entertainment, cafes and restaurants.
  • Greenwich - ( Thurs & Fri 10am-5pm / Sat & Sun 10am-5:30pm / Wed 11am-7pm) Antiques, arts and crafts, food and more. Wednesday is special for fruit, veg and food-to-go.
  • Portobello - (Market open Saturdays only, Shops open everyday) World's largest antiques market
  • Spitalfields - (Every day different - see website) Housewares, clothing, shoes and food.

• Cross the Thames river in a tunnel from Greenwich
• Take a bicycle rickshaw ride from Covent Garden
• Visit Wimbledon and take a tour that includes a hologram tour of the locker rooms by John McEnroe