It can be something as simple as a good meal, but there’s always an event or activity during one’s holiday that will stay with you as a reminder of your trip forever. Whether old or young, there’s always an experience that will stick in your mind, and London has plenty of them. Guests of hotels near Earls Court London are well placed to reach many of the city’s top attractions and create memories that last forever.
This blog will explore some of the best attractions in London for creating those unforgettable experiences. It might be as simple as a comfy bed at hotels near Gloucester Road Tube Station, or it might be an exciting tour of a specific London area. Whatever it is, these experiences will stay with you forever.
The London Eye
The London Eye was built to celebrate the Millennium but has long been a staple of the South Bank. The London Eye takes half an hour to complete a revolution and has 32 carriages, symbolising the 32 boroughs of London. With beautiful views over the River Thames and tens of miles of sightline on a clear day, the London Eye is one of the best ways to orient yourself in the city.
Thames Rocket Experience
Keeping it Thames based, the Thames Rockets are a collection of motor boats, also known as RIBS, that are sometimes deployed as lifeboats and emergency response vehicles but are also used for tourists too. The Thames Rockets offer trips ranging from half an hour sprints down the Thames to more leisurely journeys, all overseen by professional boaters and tour guides. During a Thames Rocket tour, guests of Kensington London hotels can see many of the riverside landmarks in London and enjoy seeing the city from a unique and exciting angle.
The Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is probably best known for its dinosaur and whale skeletons that have been gloriously reconstructed in its aquatic and prehistoric life exhibitions. Indeed, these are the attractions that will probably be best remembered by children, but the Natural History Museum holds a great many more marvels, including an escalator through the centre of the earth, an earthquake simulator and animatronic dinosaurs that roar and screech. Situated on Exhibition Road in South Kensington, this free-to-visit museum, housed within a gothic spired complex, is a must-visit British icon and easy to reach from Park Grand Kensington accommodation.
The London Dungeons
Situated on the South Bank, the London Dungeons are a bloodcurdling way to learn about the darker parts of London’s history, including the tyrannical Henry VIII, the Black Plague and Jack the Ripper. Presented as a tour through various set pieces, the London Dungeon is manned by live actors, sets and special effects to drag you back into the depths of the city’s grislier histories.
Hyde Park Sunrise Walk
For those staying in the West London and Kensington areas, Hyde Park is just a short walk away. Thanks to its many attractions including a free-to-visit contemporary art gallery, a rowing boat-laden lake and dozens of historic monuments, the park can get rather busy during daylight hours. There’s something truly special about visiting Hyde Park in the early morning, and if you can, you should take a stroll and drink in the glorious sunrise before the summer masses descend.
Sunset At The Greenwich Observatory
From sunrise to sunset, the views of London’s Docklands area and the River Thames are magnificent to behold from this southeasterly landmark. The Greenwich Observatory is perched atop a hill in Greenwich Park and has a long history of its own aside from the great views. Step over the Greenwich Meridian Line, a key navigational and coordinate plotting point for international mapping and take in a dazzling sunset from the hill as the lights of One Canada Square turn on one by one.
A West End Night Out In Soho
London’s West End includes the labyrinthine Soho, adjacent Shaftesbury Avenue and Covent Garden. These areas all make up the West End of London where many of the city’s most popular theatre shows are staged. Whilst tickets can be expensive for the likes of The Lion King at the Lyceum and To Kill A Mockingbird at the Gielgud, you can find cheap tickets on the day at box office returns and many deals online. Indeed, the London theatre scene is a key tourist attraction and thousands of international visitors come to the city to enjoy the thriving arts scene. If it’s something a little more intimate you’re after, then check out the comedy clubs and off-West End venues like the Soho Theatre where you can see cheaper yet equally impressive performances from some of the most exciting rising stars in London.
Columbia Road Flower Market
Columbia Road Flower Market is a weekly market that takes place every Sunday in the Homerton and Haggerston areas. This beautiful street is already a colourful addition to East London, but every Sunday morning visitors flock here to buy fresh flowers and plants from traditional market salesmen and family-run plantlife stalls.
Portobello Market
Keeping to the theme of markets, Portobello Road takes tourists to West London and runs daily, albeit with different market focuses. Through the week you’ll find food, accessories and homeware whilst the weekend sees Notting Hill flooding with antique furniture and vintage clothes stalls. This pretty market is close to the Regent’s Canal and Little Venice so you can expect a lot of tourists on the weekend. Make sure to get down early on Saturdays and Sundays to fully explore this stunning and historic market.
A Ramble Through Hackney Marshes
A little lower key than the popular markets of London, Hackney Marshes is a local favourite and easy to reach from Tottenham Hale station and Blackhorse Road on the Victoria Line. Though it’s named Hackney Marshes, the huge belt of green land that signifies the ending point for the Lea Valley actually encompasses parts of Walthamstow, Tottenham and Stratford too. You can walk through beautiful fields and canal paths past horse tables and cow fields all the way to Stratford and the Hackney Wick area of London, ideal for a summer’s day out.