London Things to Do

You could spend weeks exploring London’s myriad of tourist attractions, but with so many sights just a short bus or train ride away, there’s no excuse to only stay in the city. Whether you want to hit the beach or explore England’s historic towns, here are some of the best day trips to take from London.

In a country where you’re never more than 113 km (70 miles) from the coast, it’s little surprise that London is a popular cruise destination, with the southern England ports of Southampton, Dover, Tilbury and Harwich frequently used as launch points for domestic and international cruises. First stop on the itinerary has to be the capital, but with limited time to explore London’s myriad of sights, book a shore excursion and dodge the crowds.

The mania of 2012′s Olympic games may have died down, but there’s still plenty of reasons to visit London in 2013. Here’s our top picks of the capital’s best attractions.

1. Best Museum

The Crawleys are back in prim and proper style this January, as Britain’s favorite period drama, Downton Abbey, finally hits US screens for its third season, and it seems America just can’t get enough of Edwardian-era England. So get your top hats and teacups at the ready, because visitors to London can now add Downton Abbey tours to their itineraries.

Celebrate Christmas this year with Viator and see the top London attractions sparkle away from the crowds!

London’s spectacular Christmas lights cast a spell over the city’s landmarks throughout the holiday season, setting the scene for a festive shopping frenzy right up until the tail end of Christmas Eve. A Private Traditional Black Cab Tour of London’s Christmas Lights is the perfect way to see the famous lights along Oxford Street and Bond Street or you could take a Christmas Eve Lights Tour in London Led by Santa!

The dramatic site of the 2012 London Olympics, Olympic Park has been taking a break since the close of the games but plans are well under way to transform the space into the ‘Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park’. Set to become East London’s biggest public park, equipped with event stages, children’s playgrounds and 35km of walkways and cycle routes, the idyllic parklands will be back on the tourist itinerary in July 2013, as the North Park reopens its gates. The remainder of the 560-acre (230-hectare) park, including hockey and tennis facilities, The South Plaza and stadium, the aquatic center and the Orbit, will be open by Easter of 2014.

Winning over a legion of new fans as the host of the London 2012 Olympics sailing events, Weymouth and Portland are among England‘s most attractive seaside resorts, drawing thousands to their shores each year.

Weymouth, with its sandy beaches and rugged coastal cliffs is the perfect antidote to London’s urban sprawl, earning itself a stellar reputation among outdoor adventurers. Rock-climbing, paragliding, hiking and cycling are all popular ways to soak up the scenic surroundings, and the resort has fast made a name for itself as a water sports hot-spot, with kite surfing, water skiing and wind surfing all on offer.

Greenwich Park, located in south-east London, beside the River Thames, is the oldest royal park in London, established in 1433 and now forming part of the Greenwich UNESCO World Heritage Site. Encompassing 183 acres (74 ha) the park is made up of beautiful sloping grasslands including a deer sanctuary home to a herd of Fallow and Red deer; a traditional early 20th-century style Tea Pavilion; and forested hillsides offering sweeping views across the River Thames to St Paul’s Cathedral and beyond.

It’s the oldest royal park in London and was established in 1433. It’s 183 acres (74 ha) of beautiful sloping parkland leading up to the Royal Observatory (home of the Prime Meridian) and Planetarium, including the historic Queen’s House, the Royal Naval College and the National Maritime Museum. Due to the park’s use for the Olympic Games, it will be closed to the public until August 4th.

30km South of London nestled in the vibrant student hub of Surrey, Box Hill is one of South England‘s most popular lookout points, famed for its sweeping panoramas. A popular picnic spot since Victorian times, Box Hill cemented its tourist itinerary status when it hosted the cycling portion of the 2012 London Olympics.

If you’re looking to get away from the mass of people coming to London for the Olympics, here are a few options.

Beaches:

1) Southend-on-Sea, Essex

This is a lovely seven-mile stretch of beaches not far from London, with the pick being Shoeburyness East Beach because of its windsurfing area, grassy headland and long sand beach. Southend has the world’s longest leisure pier, The Southend Pier. The train from Liverpool Street Station to Southend takes about an hour.