London - Top Sights

Filling up an itinerary for London is not a difficult thing. It's a city rich with history, entertainment, and nature. Following are some of the most popular sights you may wish to visit...of course I encourage you to find some of the unexpected in London as well!

Hours and Admission Costs are always subject to change. Costs are listed in British Pounds because the conversion rates change so often. To convert prices to USD, click here.

Also, introducing my very own rating system - for this blog, Crowns.
♚ - Don't Bother
♚♚ - Ok, but not my cup of tea
♚♚♚ - You should go if you have the time
♚♚♚♚ - Do your best to try this out
♚♚♚♚♚ - If you have to stay an extra day for this, do it

Tower Bridge:
Crowns: ♚♚♚ I mostly recommend for the amazing views of London from the walkways
Hours: Apr-Sep 10 am - 5:30 pm; Oct-Mar 9:30 am - 5:00 pm
Cost: Adult - £9; Child - £3.50 

This bridge, commonly mistaken for the London Bridge, spans the Thames just beside the Tower of London. It's also home of the Tower Bridge Exhibition. The Exhibition brings you through historic Victorian engine rooms used to raise and lower the bridge, exhibits explaining why the bridge was needed and how it came to be built, and finally brings you to the high-level walkways. The newest addition to the walkways are glass floor panels. See the Thames flowing 137 feet below and maybe even witness the bridge being raised from this unique perspective.

 Tower of London:
Crowns: ♚♚♚♚ Family fun with some of England's bloodier history, beautiful architecture, and the Crown Jewels
Hours: Mar-Oct Tues-Sat 9 am - 5:30 pm, Sun-Mon 10 am - 5:30 pm; Nov-Feb Tues-Sat 9 am - 4:30 pm, Sun-Mon 10 am- 4:30 pm
Cost: Adult - £24.50; Child - £11

A visit to the Tower of London could easily take most of the day. With a history dating back to 1066, the castle has served as a royal residence, a prison, an armory, and even a zoo. In a state of expansion for over 200 years the castle saw a succession of rulers including Henry III who kept lions, an elephant, and a polar bear in residence and Henry VIII, who had his own wife, Anne Boleyn beheaded on Tower grounds.

A good way to see the castle and not miss anything is to start with the Wall Walk. Starting at the South Wall as soon as you enter you'll walk along the outer wall and through several of the outer wall towers including Medieval Tower, Wakefield Tower, and the Salt Tower, each one containing original artifacts and beautiful recreations. Learn more about the prisoners kept at the Tower and the mysterious circumstances behind the disappearance of the Little Princes from the Bloody Tower. Continue along the East Wall and onto the North Wall, which includes an exhibit on the royal animals kept by Henry III.

After taking in the Walls check out the White Tower in the center of the grounds to learn about torture at the Tower and the royal armories. Take a peek around the grounds for one of the seven ravens who call the Tower home whose residence, according to legend, keep the Kingdom from falling. And of course, you can't miss the Crown Jewels, long kept at the Tower for safe keeping.

Also, if you'd prefer to take a tour of the Tower instead of wandering around yourself, check out the Yeoman Warder tours, they start every 30 minutes near the main entrance and are included in admission price.

Buckingham Palace/Changing of the Guard:
Crowns: ♚♚♚ This rating is purely based on the Changing of the Guard as I didn't tour any part of Buckingham Palace
Hours: Changing of the Guard is around 11:15 am every day, weather permitting; The Palace Tours are Aug-Sep 11 am or 3 pm
Cost: Adult - £21.5; Child £12.30

So going to see Buckingham Palace is a no brainer. Although I found the gates around the Palace to be more impressive than the Palace, it's still a beautiful place and the heart of England. Tours of the State Rooms, 19 rooms used for business and affairs of the state, only occur during the two months that the Queen is away in Scotland.

Changing of the Guard is a big production, and around 45 minutes long. It starts with a marching band and eventually ends with the switching of the two Queen's Guards posted outside the Palace. Get there early, at least 30 minutes, if you want a good place to stand. Earlier if you want to stand against the fence for the best view. Another good view is from the fountain in the middle of the roundabout. The Changing is fun to watch, but little kids will probably get bored before the entire thing is finished.


Westminster Abbey:
Crowns: ♚♚ Although I enjoyed the Abbey, the low rating is because it's lower on my list of favorites, and carries a bit of a high admission price
Hours: Check the website here, as times seem to vary
Cost: Adult - £20; Child - £9

Home to Royal coronations and the highly watched, televised wedding of Prince William and Kate, Westminster is certainly rich in history...and monuments to the deceased. There are many tombs inside the Abbey, beautiful architecture, amazing bronze and marble work...my only problem was how very long it takes to go through, especially if you listen to the audio guide; it's worth mentioning that without the audio guide you'll have no idea what you're looking at. The Abbey can also get very crowded and with the need for quiet it might not be a great place for the children.

If you want to attend a service at the Abbey you do not have to pay, I believe there is a separate entrance. But if you're going to forgo paying admission, you should honestly be there to enjoy the service and worship. And you won't be able to just wander around anyway. So don't use the service to skip the admission cost, use it for what it's meant to be.

While you're at the Abbey, turn around and take a gander at Elizabeth Tower, home of Big Ben. That's right, the tower is not Big Ben, the bell is Big Ben. All housed next to the beautiful architecture of the Houses of Parliament.

Kensington Palace:
Crowns: ♚♚♚♚  Great exhibits about the history of the Royal family, and beautiful gardens.
Hours: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm (Closes an hour earlier Nov-Feb)
Cost: Adult - £16.50 Child - Under 16 Free

Kensington is home to Prince Harry and William and Kate. At least sometimes. They're busy, you know? The other part of the beautiful palace is home to exhibits of the monarch's history. Current exhibits include the fashion of Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret, and Princess Diana, showcasing several outfits from each. Also visit the Queen and King's State Apartments, used when William III and Mary II were crowned, as well as the King's painting gallery. Learn more about Queen Victoria with her personal items and passages from her own journals, giving great insight into the ruler's interesting life.

Once through the exhibits make sure to save time to visit the beautiful Palace Gardens and stroll through nearby Hyde Park.

Camden Town

Crowns: ♚♚♚This isn't technically what I'd call a "top sight." I'm throwing in an extra for y'all!

Hours: Hours will vary, but most of the market will be closed by six or seven

An eclectic, and funky shopping town where you can find anything you can think of...plus food! In the Camden Market you'll find fashion for everyone at the most ridiculously good price. Tons of stalls! The Stables Market is housed in large, old horse stables is full of small, unique shops that have something for everyone. You're not going to find much in the way of chain shops in Camden, and once you can stop gawking at the crazy store fronts, you'll have a blast eating and shopping.

Be sure to check out my other blogs about my time in England!