Home

Cheap

Romantic

Family

Theme

Cool Places

Unique

Cruise Ship

Beach

Seasonal

Adventure

Golf

Worldwide

Canada

Europe

West Coast

California

Hawaii

Midwest

New England

East Coast

Florida

London Vacation Ideas

1001 Vacation Ideas Home

London Vacation Idea #1:At The National Gallery you can explore one of the most extensive collections of European art anywhere. There are over 2,300 pictures dating from 1250 to 1900. On display are masterpieces by many great artists such as Van Gogh, Monet and Rembrandt. There are many activities aimed at families and young people. If you travel to London, this national treasure is free to the public.

London Vacation Idea #2:The Tower of London is a great place to get a taste of British royalty. This famous fortification is full of historical significance and is the home of the incredible Crown Jewels. The Martin Tower has a collection of over 12,000 diamonds. See how former royals lived in the reconstructed Medieval Palace. The White Tower displays the armor of Henry VIII along with displays of torture instruments used on unfortunates in the past.

London Vacation Idea #3:The National Maritime Museum is the largest of its kind in the world. There are over 2 million seafaring objects on display. Here you can get a real sense of the Britain’s global naval power. Royal Observatory has a state-of-the-art planetarium and galleries to help you learn and enjoy the wonders of space and time.

Vacation Ideas in London #4:The Victoria & Albert Museum is home to art and design artifacts covering the last 3,000 years. This massive collection includes sculpture, paintings, drawings, jewelry, ceramics, metalwork, photography books and more. There are hands on exhibits, family trails, holiday events, special programs and many activities for the kids.

London Vacation Idea #5:The WaterWorks Nature Reserve and Golf Centre in East London provides a unique combination of Mother Nature, birds and golf. This nature preserve is home to many rare animals as well as a popular spot for bird watching.

It’s the perfect locale for an 18-hole golf course along with five driving bays. The visitors center operates hands-on exhibits and bird watching facilities.

Vacation Ideas in London #6:Every August since 1964, two million people have flocked to The Knotting Hill Carnival. They travel from all over to see Europe’s largest street festival. It features the National Steel Band competition, costumes, masquerade, Soul and Calypso. This eclectic party celebrates London’s rich cultural diversity.

Vacation Ideas in London #7:The Globe Theater, in London, is where resident playwright William Shakespeare premiered all his famous masterpieces. Originally built in 1599, The Globe was torn down in 1644. It was rebuilt in the 1990's and now produces plays May through September. Besides taking in a play you can tour the theater when plays are not underway. Underneath the theater, this London vacation spot also has live sword fighting performances. Exhibits show off period musical instruments and the tricks of the special effects during the Shakespearean period. The exhibitions are all devoted to Shakespeare and the London times that he lived in.

Getaway Ideas in London #8:The London Eye is one of the biggest Ferris wheels anywhere and it gives you a panoramic bird's-eye view of the great city of London. It takes you 443 feet high in a stationary air-conditioned "pod", rather than the typical open air swinging chair that most other ferris wheels have. A full rotation takes a half hour so this is really more of an observation ride than a thrill ride. On a clear day you can see up to 25 miles in all directions allowing you to spot such famous landmarks as Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, St. Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London. It's the best observation spot in the city.

London Getaways #9:You could spend your whole vacation trying to take in just a small portion of the 13 million objects on display at The British Museum. There's stuff here from all over the globe. One of the more popular items is the Rosetta Stone which dates from 196 BC. It contains important writing that is the key to deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs.

And speaking of Egypt, you will find displays of Egyptian mummies. You can watch a 3D 'virtual unwrapping' of a mummy. Another 'don't miss' exhibit is the Elgin Marbles. This is a priceless collection of sculptures from the Parthenon and other buildings on the Acropolis of ancient Greece.

London Vacation Idea #10:Buckingham Palace is the official residence of the Queen of England. If your London vacation is planned for August or September, you can take a tour of parts of the palace including the throne room, the Picture Gallery and the state apartments. There are 600 rooms in the palace, one of the world's most familiar buildings . You can also view the popular Changing of the Guard in front of the palace every other afternoon.

England Vacations

London Vacations

Ireland Vacations

Ireland Vacation Spots

Scotland Vacations

Wales Vacations

Return to Best Places to Visit in Europe

Return from London Vacation to 1001 Vacation Ideas