London Traveling Recommendations

[rowan]

So, I'm from America and I'm traveling to London for two weeks in December alone. It's my first time going. I just decided to kind of go there out of the blue. I know a lot of cubers live in the UK and lots travel, anything I should definitely go see/do? I'm not too set on anything in particular. I'm interested in museums of course, I'll probably stop by any UK comps I can get my hands on, but I'm open to anything you've got, cheaper is better!

I'm also vegan, so if you have restaurant recommendations, they might not be super relevant! Thanks in advance!

 

[mark49152]

Maybe not as specific as you're looking for, but my general advice would be to walk central London as much as possible, and take the bus. Lots of visitors rely too much on the underground and just pop out of the ground at various stations to see particular sights. There's so much more to see and discover if you travel overground. Just my 2 cents.

Then there's stuff outside London of course.

 

[Randomno]

Well, general good ideas...

Completely abandon any ideas of a systematic road system...

Laugh at funny shaped taxis.

 

[Tony Fisher]

Laugh at funny shaped taxis.

They look pretty normal to me.

 

[ryanj92]

Come visit! Joking, of course. (I'm from the Midlands)

AFAIK we've never had a December comp in the UK. UK championships are only a couple of weeks before... The London cubers meet once a month or so (I'm pretty sure there's a thread for them somewhere, definitely a fb group), maybe your visit will coincide with one of their meet ups?

 

[RicardoRix]

Not really a londonite, but here is my tuppenceworth:
Get a map.
Science Museum, Natural History Museum. Each could take a day. Both free.
I think this goes for any city visit, take a hop-on hop-off bus tour.
Do the tourist thing one day (all on foot): Start at London Eye (go on it), walk over bridge passed Big Ben, walk down Whitehall, see #10 downing street, Horse Guards Parade and then Trafalgar Square (and possibly detour for Buckingham Palace).

It maybe best to travel over ground to see the sights when possible, but for ease of use the tube wins hands down, so if you know where you need to go and want to get there without any fuss then the tube is the answer.

 

[~Adam~]

We can easily arrange a meet at Royal Festival Hall (right by The Eye) during your stay. We typically meet on Sundays but I know people will be happy to meet on a Saturday instead.

 

[rowan]

Great! I'd love to meet up with some of you guys! :3 I don't really mind what day... considering I'll be there for two weeks and don't particularly have anything planned other than a tattoo appointment. TBD

Edit: I'm also reading about the weather and making myself probably more nervous than I need to be. I know it doesn't normally snow (I've only seen snow once or twice and I can't remember it much) and reading that the warmest it's ever gotten is 55 degrees fahrenheit is making me extremely nervous! I'm from Florida where temperatures are usually between 90 degrees and maybe low 60s?

 

[Randomno]

They look pretty normal to me.

It looks like an inflatable...

Edit: I'm also reading about the weather and making myself probably more nervous than I need to be. I know it doesn't normally snow (I've only seen snow once or twice and I can't remember it much) and reading that the warmest it's ever gotten is 55 degrees fahrenheit is making me extremely nervous! I'm from Florida where temperatures are usually between 90 degrees and maybe low 60s?

Maybe... warmest in winter? London doesn't get 12 degrees C max.

 

[rowan]

Maybe... warmest in winter? London doesn't get 12 degrees C max.

Yes, I'm traveling in December, sorry I didn't specify exactly what I meant!

 

[Randomno]

Yes, I'm traveling in December, sorry I didn't specify exactly what I meant!

Oh yeah that...

Surely Florida can't be that warm in winter?

 

[Methuselah96]

Oh yeah that...

Surely Florida can't be that warm in winter?

On average, wintertime is mild to warm throughout Florida. Lows range from 65 °F (18 °C) in Key West to near 41 °F (5 °C) degrees Fahrenheit at Tallahassee...while daytime highs range from 64 °F (18 °C) at Tallahassee to 77 °F (25 °C) at Miami.

Source: Wikipedia.

 

[rowan]

Yep, I have lived really far south in Florida my whole life and its been 80s in winter! It varies a lot, in my experience.

 

[Rocky0701]

Yep, I have lived really far south in Florida my whole life and its been 80s in winter! It varies a lot, in my experience.

I understand your worries, because with living in Kansas my entire life, I can't imagine having it warm everyday. You should be fine I think, but definitely go buy a nice coat, wear jeans and get some gloves and a warm hat.

 

[Johnny]

Try Minnesota in winter. Average high in January: 23 F.

In Arkansas (where I live now), the average is January high is 48, which is considered subtropical.

 

[rowan]

Try Minnesota in winter. Average high in January: 23 F.

In Arkansas (where I live now), the average is January high is 48, which is considered subtropical.

People get gloves and scarves out at low 60s in south Florida! I'm probably worrying about nothing, the weather doesn't seem that cold. I'm mostly trying to figure out how little shopping I can get away with. I own some long pants, one long sleeve shirt, and a pair of boots. I have one jacket but it's really thin and I just bought it because it's nice looking, opps. I just don't really want to spend money on something I won't use every day... sooooo we'll see.

I'd much rather spend money on this place in Camden I heard of that sells vegan milkshakes :3

 

[~Adam~]

You're gona want a warm jacket (the thin one won't do).