If, like me, you try to make the most of every minute you have to spend in London, then having a planned itinerary can be really helpful. If you find yourself with only a few hours in London then it is still an opportunity to visit some iconic attractions.  No matter what brings you to London or how long you have to visit, I want this site to help you. For that reason, I’ve started work on a series of posts about how to spend a few hours in London, and this post focuses specifically on how to spend a few hours in West London. This is the heart of modern London, home to its most ..read more

After a long, fun day of adventure exploring London, most visitors do one of three things: they head back to their hotel, they tuck into dinner at one of London’s many fabulous restaurants, or they pop into a pub for a few pints before dinner and then their hotel. But some savvy travelers know to keep their eyes peeled on the sky as the day winds down – depending on the time of year, of course; sunset in London is stunning and shouldn’t be missed if you see a good one starting. Of course, I love sunrises too, but I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying many breathtaking sunsets in London duri ..read more

As you plan your London itinerary, you’ve probably realized: there’s a lack of adrenaline-inducing experiences in the city. This is partly because of how London is: it’s a historic, culturally rich, urban destination – you’re not out hiking on ridgetops or bungee jumping from tall bridges or buildings in London! There is, however, one great (and family-friendly) option if you want to step outside your comfort zone and bond on your London trip: Go Ape Alexandra Palace. If you’ve heard of this attraction and are wondering whether it’s worth the time and money to add to your family’s London tra ..read more

If you want to see cherry blossoms, where in the world comes to mind? Japan, surely… and maybe Washington D.C. in America. Does London come to mind, too? If not, it should! There are cherry blossoms in London, and they add a lovely hue (and aroma) to the springtime patchwork that blooms across the city each March and April. You might be surprised at how many places you can find cherry blossoms in London, too. While primarily in West London where blooming trees abound (magnolias are also quite common), you can spot cherry trees in many of the city’s most popular parks, and even at my favorite s ..read more

Named after Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert, and founded in 1852, London’s Victoria & Albert Museum has over 2.27 million objects in its permanent collection of applied arts, decorative arts, and design. This unique collection is housed in over seven miles of galleries, making it the world’s largest museum in this field… but is it worth visiting the V&A during your own London trip? Having called London – and more specifically South Kensington, where the V&A is located – home, I’ve been to many of the city’s museums; the V&A is a special one, particularly if y ..read more

Is pink your favorite color? Do you love flowering trees? Does the sight of blossoms at the beginning of Spring make your heart sing? London is the city for you! Every spring between mid-March and early May, parts of London erupt in a riot of colors – mostly pink, but also white, purple, and almost red. This is when you can see magnolias in London. Spring is my favorite season in London because, after a long grey and oft-rainy winter, the city transforms into a rainbow; in addition to magnolias in London, you can also see daffodils, tulips, cherry blossoms, wisteria, and many more flowers ..read more

Did you know you can visit Edinburgh in a day – from London? Let me be clear: it’s not easy – it’s a long day with lots of travel to take a day trip to Edinburgh from London. But if you time it right, you can absolutely visit the Scottish capital on a day trip from the English capital. I had the joy of visiting Edinburgh once while living in London; friends and I went up for a weekend trip (city break). While I plan to write up a guide for how to spend three days in Edinburgh at some point in the future, I wanted to share my advice for planning an Edinburgh day trip in case you have your heart ..read more

When you think about flowers in spring, which ones come to mind? For me, it’s all about daffodils – but for many people, tulips are the stars of the season. These colorful bulbs pop up in gardens and beds around the world; maybe you’ve always dreamed of seeing them in the Netherlands or have heard of the unique tulip festival in Washington State. But did you know there are also loads of tulips in London? While you won’t find huge fields like other tulip destinations, tulips are an essential part of the colorful spring patchwork across the city… you can find them without even trying just b ..read more

Like most destinations in the northern hemisphere, June is one of the best times to visit London. Long hours of daylight and warm weather make even the stodgiest-feeling Londoners crack a smile and soak up the sun – in fact, it kind of kills some pub conversations when the weather is so nice that there’s nothing to complain about! If you’re planning a trip to London in June, you’re in for a real treat. In addition to nice weather and plenty of daylight hours to see the sights, some of London’s best events happening in the month of June. While living in London, I had the pleasure of spending ..read more

Spring has sprung… or it nearly has! If you’re reading this, you’re probably in the earliest days of spring, and wondering about all the wonderful blossoms and blooms you can see around London. Because whether you’re aware or not, London is actually considered a forest, according to the U.N. definition (fact!). That means there are tons of green spaces all over town – or they’re at least green in the spring and summer anyway. In many of these places, you’ll find daffodils in London – one of the first bulbs to bloom every March. Daffodils are one of London’s best spring flowers, and you can fin ..read more