London is definitely full of great tourist attractions. From the London Eye to Bridge, there’s plenty to explore in the city centre. As most Brits will tell you, the country has a curious penchant for queues, and when you hit the big names on the London tourist bucket list, you’ll realise that it is just the same. Whether it be during rush hour on the tube or the summer holidays in Notting HIll Carnival, the crowds can become rather overwhelming. If you’re visiting the Park Grand Heathrow and feeling especially agoraphobic, then take a few tidbits from our tourist trap tip offs.
Avoid travel at rush hour when necessary
London is especially busy between the hours of 7.30 and 9.30am and 4.30 and 7pm. The reason for this is that it is the public transport rush hour, triggering a massive influx of commuters and central city workers into the many commerce districts of the city. With so many people working 9 to 5’s in London, a considerable amount of income for the city is generated by the peak time price hikes on the tube, bus and train services.
Not only do the peak times up your travel costs, but they cause busier tube and bus services, sometimes even causing queues out of the stations at city choke points. Tube stations such as Oxford Circus, Kings Cross and Euston can become incredibly crammed, and lead to longer waiting periods. What’s more, the bus services running through the city centre will undoubtedly fall victim to traffic congestion.
If you want to save your money for the things that really matter, then try to avoid these peak times, or find a tube station away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre.
Another great tip is to make use of the Santander Cycle services when possible. With the introduction of the London cycling superhighway in May 2016, many more routes have been opened up which provide safe and simple cycling lanes for the mass of tourists and commuters in the city. This will save you money and at peak times, make your journeys quicker, especially with the cheap to use Santander Cycles docks across the city centre.
London Parks are surprisingly spacious
If you want to truly appreciate the city and the space it provides, then take a few trips to its many parks. From the idyllic East London canal systems of Victoria Park to the vast green swathes of the historic Hyde Park, there are plenty of spots to picnic, jog and saunter through in central and greater London.
Epping Forest
Based at the end of the Central Line, the magnificent Epping Forest is one of the best spots to truly enjoy nature in all its glory. If the Heathrow Restaurants and inner city hustle and bustle are grinding you down, then take a trip to the outskirts of Essex to enjoy over 300 kilometres of Epping based greeness.
Richmond Park
A little closer to the Heathrow Hotel meeting rooms, West London’s Richmond Park was once a royal hunting ground and now acts as a nature reserve for deers and wild trees, flora and fauna.
Greenwich Park
For some of the best views of the London cityscape, Greenwich Park in South East London offers not only stunning vistas, but the Greenwich Observatory and the sparkling Cutty Sark ship.
Hit the museums and attractions late or early in the day
Due to peak times being in the mid-afternoon. If you want a quick saunter around London’s many free museums, try visiting around 9am or 5pm, ensuring that you start or end the day on a cultural high note. Highlights include the British Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum.
