This summer, for the first time, my family – along with the rest of the world, it seems – went to London. We spent the entire week there, taking in all the sites. Usually, we like to get in as many places as possible, but this year, we felt there was enough to do in one place that we stayed put. Plus, we didn’t want to be rushed and instead wanted to really soak in what it means to live in London.  

When I plan a trip – even to the market or away for the weekend – I agonize over it. If I’m going to spend what equates to a small fortune for us, it has to be well-planned. I don’t want to miss any opportunity to experience anything. For this vacation, I planned activities by neighborhood and made sure there was plenty of time for meals in between and all the downtime we could get. As with everything, there were a few missteps, but overall, I was very pleased with the plan and thought I’d share some of our favorite things we did and stumbled upon. This post is broken into two parts so as not to overwhelm you.

Attractions

British Museum: My daughter is headed off to college (or we may have dropped her off by the time you read this) to study history. She is a big fan of ancient history, so our first stop was the British Museum. It was crazily crowded but just incredible. It was so big that we had to do it in two trips. This was the one place everyone had at the top of their list, so it was our first stop. It did not disappoint. If you’re planning to go for an entire day like we did, then skip the museum cafes and head outside to the little hot dog truck, which was surprisingly good. We were leaving the museum to find food and saw this within the gates and without lines, so we jumped right in. Eating outside on a cool afternoon was delightful. It allowed us to avoid another queue to get back in, which was a bonus!

Churchill War Rooms: Several people told us not to miss the Churchill War Rooms. They were right. You got to see the rooms where it all happened and get an in-depth look at Winston Churchill’s life. One thing I really enjoyed about London’s museums was that the audio tour was often included in the ticket price, giving you a deeper experience with the artifacts. The evening after the War Rooms, we watched The Darkest Hour, which is a wonderful movie about Churchill and his leadership during WWII. Gary Oldman won an Oscar for his portrayal of Churchill, and it’s worth watching whenever it’s on.

Stonehenge, Bath, and Windsor: This is the one tour we took and the one time we left London. Boy, were we glad we did? Even though it rained the entire time, we wound up being the first people at Stonehenge that morning, making it all worth it. The bath was delightful, and my daughter enjoyed our quick spin through the ancient Roman Baths. It was decided that if we go back to England, we must spend more time in Bath. Windsor Castle was amazing as well, but Stonehenge was my favorite.

Entertainment

The Mousetrap: So, remember I said I’m a big fan of Agatha Christie? Well, what is more, quintessential London than seeing the longest-running play on the West End, Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap? Running for more than 70 years, The Mousetrap is a classic Christie whodunnit. A group of strangers find themselves stranded by a snowstorm in a remote countryside guesthouse. Soon after arriving, they discover a murderer is in their midst. Naturally, when the show is over, you are asked not to reveal the killer. Officially, we are now in the know, and that couldn’t make me happier.

The Globe Theatre: Ok, so Shakespeare and I are not on speaking terms. Truth be told, I’m not a fan. I just don’t understand him. Kate and my husband were really excited to see a play at this reconstruction of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, so Will and I went along. It wasn’t something I was looking forward to, but I wanted us all to try something new. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed the entire experience. If you’re in London, get tickets, it’s worth it.

Sandbox VR: After-hours events with a 20-year-old and a 17-year-old are hard to find. We spent all day looking at old stuff, so we were thrilled to stumble upon something decidedly futuristic. The Sandbox is a VR experience for the whole group. Donning VR goggles and other accouterments, we headed off on a virtual Star Trek adventure. It’s like video games, but you use your entire being, not just your thumbs. This was silly and fun and totally up our nerd alley.

Check out Part 2 here!