Valerie
Valerie fell in love with London on her first trip to the city way back in 2011. Since then, she spent a year living in London and visits as often as she can. Join her to explore my favorite city on earth and learn everything you need to discover the best London has to offer!
Visiting London in August: What to Pack, Weather, Events & Things to Do (2022)
You might have heard: August is the heart of summer in the UK and Europe. Thanks to their generous PTO policies across the pond, many people take time off to enjoy the amazing weather, long days, and fun activities offered all month long. Whether you also have a generous PTO policy or not, August is a great time to visit London and locals will be there to enjoy it with you...
How to Plan the Perfect Bath Day Trip from London
As you visit London, you'll quickly get the sense that history is all around you. Roman history under your feet dates back two millennia, never mind the imprint of all the centuries since. Other parts of England show the land's long history too back to the origins of Stonehenge 5,000 years ago and other relics of the Romans like the city of Bath...
20 Actually Interesting Things to Do in London with Teens
Teens are such a joy, aren't they? Maybe you're lucky and have raised teenage humans who are social, interested, and fun to travel with... or maybe you're the other 99.99% of parents who – despite their best efforts – have now encountered the phase of raising children where it's like pulling teeth to get them to look up from their phones and engage with the world around them. Either way, no judgment: just think back on your own time as a teen and it's easy to see why it's tough to be that age in today's world...
13 Things to Know Before Your First Trip to London
I still remember my first trip to London and the moment when it became one of my favorite cities in the world. I arrived, jet-lagged after not sleeping on my first Transatlantic flight and hoofed it to a bicycle tour. We stopped to admire the view of Parliament at the exact spot pictured above, and I realized: wow! I’m in London! This place is so old! I was hooked, and...
13 Creepy & Curious Cemeteries in London
I'll be the first to admit that I have a morbid fascination. I'm the one in my group of friends who's 'in the know' about the latest true crime podcasts and have long been a fan of shows and books like Sherlock (and, of course, Conan Doyle's original Sherlock Holmes books), Broadchurch, J.K. Rowling's Cormoran Strike series...
How to Use London Black Cabs: A First-Timer’s Guide
When it comes to exploring London, you've got a lot of options – the Underground (Tube), by bus, by bike, or on foot –, but that also might make you feel completely overwhelmed figuring out how to get from one part of the city to another. While I've got a list of helpful London apps that include some which are very handy for getting oriented and planning routes between London's top sights, there is one form of travel in London that often gets overlooked: London black cabs...
9 Delightful Canal Walks in London
(& Best London Canal Walking Route)London is a city that can be explored in many ways; one of the most popular options is on foot. Though London's public transit – the Underground and red double-decker buses – are great for covering longer distances, they often fly past the smaller details and secret gems that you can only discover when walking around. That's why I love setting out on long walks in London – I always discover something new. One such thing is the extensive canal system that crisscrosses the city...
25 Must-Visit London Pubs for a Pint on Your First Trip
When it comes to London pubs, everyone has one they love. Or two. Or a whole list of places they visit whenever they're in that part of the city. For your first trip to London however, you might want to pop into a pub but not be sure which ones are good (or bad). The reality is that the "landscape" of London pubs is always changing, and recent trends have aggregated many pubs into the same corporate ownership. For the most part, this has stripped the pubs of what made each one unique and enjoyable – but there are still gems to be found...
9 Perfect London Hotels with Birthday Packages
Well, here we are: I've just taken another lap around the sun. Are you approaching a birthday too – or is someone you love? If so, you might consider celebrating in London. It's one of my favorite cities and a great place to mark the milestone of reaching a new year of age. I've been fortunate to celebrate several of my birthdays in London so far – and have plans for future ones too...
20 Awesome Things to Do with Kids in London
Traveling with kids is always an adventure – even more so when you go to a big, bustling city like London. Bright red busses rushing by, people walking in every direction, and so many sights to see with little eyes and inquisitive young minds. London is a great city to visit with kids – especially as a first international trip – and there are some delightful things to do with kids in London, too...
