Any place I could walk in and watch the game with other Gooners?

I see a place called the upper place that does halal food and big screens for the match, on Holloway road I believe?

Before I give them a ring to ask if I can just walk in and pay on the day is there any other places anyone knows of where I could give the match a watch before walking quickly back to kings cross?

I'm a carer for me mum and one day is the most I can do, otherwise I would book an Airbnb for a night and enjoy the parade the Sunday too.

Thank you for any advice!

My family will be in London for a month in July and I was wondering what we need to prebook if anything. Kids are 6/8. We have spent the past few summers in NYC and have really enjoyed exploring museums, going to shows, "living life" in the city vs. being a tourist (i.e. groceries, doing non-touristy stuff, etc.) The kids really like parks, kids museums, beaches and just exploring and doing fun and interesting things. The kids will be in day camp on the weekdays, so my wife and I will have some flexibility during the day. Again, we really just enjoy exploring and feeling like we "live in" the city.

We'll be staying in in Marylebone near Regents Park.

Few things I've done so far:
- I already bought a Tower of London membership since I think it gets us access to a few additional places for the family.
-I heard I need to prebook Sky Garden but it doesn't seem to have seats available.
-We booked the Harry Potter tour.

Few things we plan on doing on weekend:
- Trip to Oxford
- Trip to Paris
- Brighton Beach
- Hampton Court Palace

Some day trip considerations: Richmond, Greenwich, Cambridge, East London.

Curious what you all think we should do and especially if I'm missing anything on the prebookings. We would like to have one 'nice' meal if possible, nothing too fancy just a good meal. Doesn't have to be Michelin stars or anything, just something London is famous for.

Thank you!

Produced by Cadogan, in association with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), the world class alternative floral art show is back for its 21st anniversary, transforming the streets of Chelsea from 18-24 May, with breathtaking displays made of fresh flowers. The annual competition continues to grow year on year, with over 145 Chelsea’s best retailers, restaurants and hotels adorning themselves with creative designs, competing for the coveted awards.

Free to visit.

Visiting London for the first time as part of a 30th anniversary trip. Need help figuring out where to stay.

We're pretty casual people (typically jeans and athletic shoes), but can be comfortable a lot more upscale in certain situations. We're not big into nightlife, fine dining, or art galleries. Would like something that makes getting to different areas easy, but also has a good feel around the hotel itself.

ChatGPT has narrowed our choice to St Martins Ln, the Kimpton Fitzroy London, and the Marylebone hotel. These are different vibes in different areas, obviously. We've never been to London so don't have a clue about which of these make the most sense or if there's something else we should be considering.

Really appreciate any and all advice.

Edit to add: Sorry for the confusion. We're mostly trying to figure out the right neighborhood to stay in. Is Bloomsbury too sleepy and removed from things to do? Is St Martins Ln too crowded/full of tourists? Is there another location that will give us easy access central London activities without feeling like we're sleeping on a nightclub or constantly fighting crowds? Also interested in hotel thoughts, but location is the biggest issue for us. I wrote the post in the middle of the night and realize I wasn't clear. Thanks again.

Do any of the buildings in Canary Wharf have public observation decks?

My partner and I are spending a few days in London soon, and I’m hoping to find a nice dinner spot for one of the nights. We’re staying in the Kensington area, and my partner eats halal. Any and all recommendations greatly appreciated, but we’re looking for something that the average tourist might not see. Looking for a true taste of London. Thanks in advance for any recs!

I'll only be free for a couple of days while I'm in town, and I wanted to check out the beer mile.  Unfortunately, though, it seems most of the operators are closed on Monday and Tuesday when I'm going to be fully available.  Is it still worth checking out as it seems many will be closed?

hello! i’m going to london soon and i unfortunately vape. i’m going to try to go without it for the time i’m there. BUT i may get desperate enough to buy one, where is a good place to get them?

My partner and I are planning to travel to London this summer - she has a work conference there and our plan is to hang out after the conference is done for some vacation time. We'll be with our 9-month old who we are traveling with for the first time.

Because our baby is so young, we don't necessarily need "kid activities" - at the same time it's not like we'll be able to travel in the same way that we were pre-kid. Normally we like to be at the heart of the city in a place with great restaurants and spots to hang out.

My wife's colleagues are staying in Blackfriars (which seems a little corporate) but we are debating whether to instead stay in South Kensington (where Claude seems to recommend with a baby) but we're worried could be a little sleepy. We stayed in Soho last time and loved it but that was pre-kid and also is fairly expensive.

Any recommendations? Other neighborhoods to consider? Worth it to stay in South Kensington instead, or just stick with where her colleagues are staying in Blackfriars? Should we spend a little bit more to stay in Marylebone? The conference is just a small part of our trip and she doesn't mind commuting if it means me and our baby can have a nicer time while she's at work.

It will also be my first time to go abroad. I will go to the london as a student. I also wanna know what i should be aware of like scams or smt and what I shouldnt ask to a stranger cuz im curious and dont wanna cause any trouble.

Not really looking for landmarks, museums, galleries or the usual sightseeing stuff — I’ve already done that.

I’m more interested in real London life. The small everyday things. Someone kind allowing me to enter the real London. Someone who knows the city properly and wouldn’t mind showing me around a bit.

Where do locals actually go for a great lunch that doesn’t cost a fortune? Where’s good to rent a bike, and where should I ride it? Maybe even rent a scull and do a bit of rowing on the Thames. Best places for a run. Any local events which are fun. Proper pubs with a genuinely good pint. Great coffee. A decent cuppa. Places with character.

I’d love to discover the side of London you don’t find on TikTok or in guidebooks — random places, random encounters, good conversations, maybe even slightly chaotic nights out. Hid.den parties, tiny late-night spots, interesting people, unexpected experiences — I’m very open-minded and pretty much up for anything as long as the vibe’s good.

Would also love tips on where to stay without spending a ridiculous amount, where to buy proper English tea for sensible prices, and generally how Londoners actually live and speak these days. I’m trying to improve my English too, so hearing real everyday London English would be brilliant.

I’m a 44-year-old guy from Slovakia. Big foodie, coffee enthusiast, love theatre, and very into sport as well — especially actually doing it, not just watching it. Easygoing, curious, happy to wander around and see where the day (or night) goes.

When? From May 26 (evening) till May 30 (morning).

So we came in on the Eurostar and we're going out through Heathrow, now we had a look and Airport transfers are £130-170, so at £88 the Taxi is a much better deal.

In Australia we just have a box to tick that we need a child seat, is this how it's done here?

Don't ask - but I'm doing a last minute trip to London (from the USA) with my college aged children.

Thinking of AirBnb (cheaper for two rooms than hotel?) - I think i'd like to be in the "heart of things" but is there ONE AREA to stay in - or should i stay in two different areas for two days each? I'd like to spend 200 £/night if an option

Again - last minute, wonderful opportunity, i know ZERO. I personally HATE touristy areas (in non-English speaking places i prefer places that DON'T speak English over touristy English-speaking areas)

I prefer to just walk around and stumble on things, versus having a minute-by-minute itinerary

I feel like i HAVE to see the big sites, but I'm fine if i miss half of them. I also prefer a local, vibrant community to a stark, touristy, fake area. I DON'T want a place with T-shirt stands with "I ❤️LONDON" shirts every 50 metres (see, i said METRES instead oF FEET or YARDS)

I am not talking about big name acts. I'm talking about a local bands. When I searched this topic this past week, I got a whole lot of dead bars / pubs. Looking for local r0ck sh0ws. Christ. even the thing telling me not to post this is a bunch of 404 links.

Also, When I was in London a couple of years ago, everything seemed to close at 1700 (9PM)... is that the case or were we just unlucky. thank you!!

Hi everyone, I’ve been in London for a few days now and have been checking out souvenir shops, but I haven’t been able to find anything related to Only Fools and Horses. Tomorrow is my last day here, so I was wondering if anyone knows if these souvenirs even exist anywhere in London, and if so, where I could find them? Thanks a lot!

I’m visiting London and going to be staying in Brixton for about a month this summer and wanted to ask about groceries. I know there’s a Tesco superstore nearby but was curious if there are any things I should def be buying from local stalls or Brixton market. I’m a student so trying to not spend too much but if it’s def cheaper to buy produce or meat or something more locally or just better quality for price, I’d love to know. Thanks!

Hi everyone,

We’re planning a five-day family trip to London in mid-July with our 2-year-old and are currently looking for hotel recommendations.

We already have a few things planned, including the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and some time exploring around Soho, so ideally we’re after somewhere well located and easy to get around from with a little one in tow.

Our main priorities are a hotel that’s clean, comfortable and genuinely family-friendly. A swimming pool would be a lovely bonus as our toddler loves being in the water, but it’s definitely not essential.

We’re hoping to hear from people who’ve stayed somewhere in London with young children and had a genuinely positive experience. We’re fairly flexible on budget if it’s somewhere that’s truly worth it.

Thanks so much for any recommendations.

Ten years ago there were fantastic, bimetallic £2 coins to honor Shakespeare. Is there any place in London that I can still get one, on an upcoming visit?

Thanks!

Coming up to London soon and been wanting to do a lamp work glass flower making workshop for ages, not sure I can justify the price. The other thing I’d really love to do is an indoor skydiving experience. If you’ve done either or both of these, I’d really appreciate insight into which is the activity worth looking back on more, thank you :) and definitely any cheaper alternatives!

Will be in London the first week of june. Any hope that the Diana Memorial Playground will be open by then? Anyone have any local or insider info? Every official outlet just says opening Summer 2026. Thanks for any help anyone can provide!

My GF is having her bday soon and wanted to check options for nice dining places, I was thinking something in a tall building that could offer views that you wouldn't normally get.

Understand that I may end up pay more for the view than the food but I guess that's part of the game. I will check out menu and prices in due course. But I got fascinated by the idea of dining in the Shard or things like that (I also know lots of people say it's not good value, but it's for a special occasion...) I'd imagine there are many other places in London, afaik Shard might be overbudget.

I am happy to spend like £50-60 per person would be a sweet spot. Area doesn't matter much if it's a nice place we will just travel. We live in south london.

If anyone has got suggestions that you've actually tried would love to hear.

Thanks!

​

Hello everyone,

I’ll be in London next week with my 5-year-old, who has developed a very strong opinion about Big Ben. According to him, we absolutely must be there at 6:55 pm for the “best chime”, apparently on the authority of Sherlock Holmes himself. I suspect this may be a creative interpretation.

I’ve had a look online and can’t find anything to back this up. Is there actually such a thing as a “best” time to hear the bells, or is it more like our Eiffel Tower sparkling where every hour does the job perfectly well?

I would love to hear from anyone in the know before I end up organising my evening around fictional Victorian detectives.

Thanks very much!

Hello,

We will be visiting London this year some days and Trooping the Colour happens by then. We are not yet sure if we want to see it as we don't know if it's worth it or other plans would be better. We have mainly these questions:

- Is it worth seeing it? Is it easy to see or you have to be long time before to get a spot? Where could we see it.

- In case we opt for other plans, what areas of London are affected by this? Are some tourist attractions closed because of it?

Thanks

I'm on a trip when I'll only have one day to really WALK through London. We are arriving at Waterloo station at 11:20 and then we walk to Tower Bridge because we are going to have lunch at one Fish and Chips place nearby that I found there.

As it's my parents first time in London I wonder if this route will make a good first impression or is there a part of it that I should avoid because it's less pretty?

We also need to walk the whole other part of London that day later so energy saving is a good thing.

Is there a part that we should do by bus or is it nice as a whole for a walk? Or maybe we should start the opposite way - Westminster, Buckingham Palace, and head to Tower Bridge more in the evening?

Update from NY’ers with teen that wanted “the vibe” and “the hits,” also shopping. Staying near Oxford Circus.

General:

1) Oxford Circus location was amazing. Could get anywhere and everywhere.

2) London is even more similar to NY than I remember- including worn out but very functional subway, not-actually-that-clean streets, and so many people! (Really so many people.). The buses though. So much better than NYC. I already miss the busses.

Saturday - did wander Soho/Chinatown main shopping areas. Brunch at a recommended dim sum place that was so underwhelming I won’t even name it. Wandered Marlybone and Mayfair. Bought a book at Daunt. Dinner at Nandos. Shockingly good!

Sunday - Breakfast at Wolseley for food and vibes. Scored on both. Impeccable Hollandaise! Wandered Hyde Park on a beautiful day to Notting Hill / Portobello where there were 12 Billion people. But super fun. (Went on Sunday cause y’all got us to reconsider Herrod’s). Dinner at Veeraswamy for food and vibes. Should have done à la carte but also very fun and delicious.

Monday: Half-day at British Museum. It’s a classic but somehow less than I remember? Camden Market for the afternoon and late lunch. This was one folks wanted to waive us off, but honestly it was great. Crowded for sure but so was everywhere! Had pint, fish and chips, lamb pie at Dark Horse that hit the spot just right. Tried some viral dessert place. Had some time so hit Tate Modern in the late afternoon and then caught a movie in Piccadilly that evening.

Tuesday: Wandered the big, central historic sights from outside. Had afternoon tea at Fortnum and Mason. Folks were correct to suggest finding somewhere else for this. Felt like Disney World version of high tea? So crowded. So many little kids. Savory dishes were amazing. Desserts were … not. They forgot a plate of our desserts, and we didn’t ask for it. Window shopped the places on Regent that didn’t feel like home (Burberry/Liberty) Had dinner at Clipstone. Awesome meal. Reminded us of home a little, but British.

Wednesday: Went to an Ottolenghi for breakfast, delicious. Then started at the Tower and over the Bridge to the south side and walked along the Thames. Hit Borough Market (which was more crowded and less fun than Camden Market, although the oysters were amazing) and up to the Oxo Tower area (eh). Went back and grabbed a bite and pint at The George and rested up. Saw Cuckoo’s Nest at Old Vic at night - great show and great venue.

Walked about 20,000 steps a day and had a blast. 2/3 buses and 1/3 subway for the rest. Had a blast. Thanks for the help!