The Tower of London was so much more extensive than I expected it to be. Seeing the castle was incredible and the crown jewels are breathtaking. We only spent a morning at the Tower of London but you could easily spend an entire day seeing all it has to offer and learning about the history.
Having afternoon tea is deeply rooted in the culture in the UK, which is why I’m counting it as an experience and something to do rather than just a place to eat. The afternoon tea at Fortnum and Mason’s Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon was phenomenal not just because the food was good but it was such a relaxing experience. I recommend branching out and trying a tea you’ve never tried before to go along with the traditional afternoon tea.
Sightseeing
One of the best (and free) things to do in London is just walking around and soaking in all the historic sights. Some must sees include Buckingham Palace, Elizabeth Tower/Big Ben, Tower Bridge, and Westminster Abbey. Of course there is a lot more to see than just those places, but those are an absolute must. You could see all the sites listed above in a day but I suggest checking them out when you are in the area for something else. For example, my husband and I had tickets for the London Eye which is right next to Elizabeth Tower/ Big Ben so we went to see that while we were in that area.
Warner Bros Studio Tour London- The Making of Harry Potter
I’m cheating on this one a little because it’s technically outside London but it’s only a short train ride away. I’d say my husband and I both like Harry Potter but you can’t really classify us as huge fans. Regardless of whether you are a huge fan, or even if you’ve never seen the movies or read the books, I think everyone would enjoy the Harry Potter studio tour. I loved seeing the full sized sets like the Great Hall and Diagon Alley. It was also fascinating to see some of the props and and how special effects were done. I recommend setting aside and entire day for this. I plan on eventually dedicating an entire blog post to planning a trip to the Harry Potter studios so stay tuned for that.
Jericha Good 