Chances are, if you come to London, you’re going to love it, especially if you’ve read a bunch of our articles and prepared ahead of your trip. It’s one of the most exciting cities in the world with so much exciting stuff to see and do. But, there are also a handful of tourists who visit and end up hating it – these people are the ones who have probably arrived with super high expectations or made assumptions that simply aren’t true. In this article, we’ve broken down some of the reasons you might visit and end up not liking your trip so that you can prepare properly, avoid any surprises, and come away thinking it’s one of the best cities in the world, just like we do.
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You visited during peak season
The first reason we’ve got why people might not enjoy their trip to London as much as they hoped is because they chose to visit during peak season. The peak season equals chaos, and generally, you can expect lots of crowds, attractions getting booked up way further in advance than usual, and higher prices for travel and accommodation. London’s peak seasons include the summer months when children are on their summer holidays, usually June, July and August, as well as the two weeks around Christmas and New Year. So, if you want to avoid overpaying and hoards of tourists, try to plan your visit outside these times.
This can be tricky for some people, so if you have to visit in peak season, there are a few things you can do to make your trip a little easier. Firstly, try to stay away from the most popular spots, such as around Westminster, Covent Garden and the South Bank. Instead, head for less-busy areas such as Shoreditch, Hampstead, Brixton and King’s Cross. These are a handful of our favourite places that will be less packed with tourists but are also brimming with cool, local things to see and do.
Pictured above is St. James’ Park
You only stuck to the tourist routes
One of the most common reasons people might not have enjoyed their trip to London as much as they’d hoped is because they followed the crowds and stuck to the same old tourist routes and attractions, like the South Bank, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, etc. It would be such a shame to come to London and just explore these areas when the city has so many incredible, non-touristy things you can fill your itinerary with, and if you ask any Londoner, they’ll agree.
We guarantee you’ll have a much better trip if you spend a bit more time planning a route that the locals like to explore rather than the one every tourist seems to do. We have so many leafy green parks, traditional British pubs, quaint cafés and independent shops all over the city. Who wants to stare at a huge clock for too long anyway? If you need some help planning where to go and what to do on your trip, we have a bunch of itineraries we’ve already put together, which you can purchase on our website.
You didn’t plan for London’s unpredictable weather
It’s no secret that the UK has a reputation for its unpredictable and rainy weather (although it doesn’t actually rain as much as people think). So, if you’re coming to the city and hoping for 20+ degrees and sunshine, or maybe you’re coming in winter and expecting carpets of fluffy white snow, you’ll probably be disappointed. Now, we’re not saying that it’s never sunny or it never snows in London; we have plenty of warm days and our fair share of snowy days, but we are saying that the weather is temperamental and the forecast changes day to day, even hour to hour, so it’s best to lower your expectations. If it’s hot and sunny, great. If it’s raining and a bit grey, at least you won’t be surprised, and you can have some backup plans in place in case you need to be indoors. There are still loads of cool things to do if it rains here – we list some of our favourites in this article.
Pictured above is the interior of The Natural History Museum
You expected everywhere to be quintessentially British
Maybe you’ve seen the Notting Hill movie, and you’re expecting everywhere to look as quintessentially British as it does in the film, but plot twist: that’s simply not the case. Of course, we have loads of very British places, like traditional English pubs, afternoon tea cafés and lush royal parks, but you have to scout them out; they’re not around every single corner you turn.
One of the best things about this city is that it’s a melting pot of cultures, and people from all over the world live here. It’s what makes it so interesting and varied and why the architecture and history are so exciting. It’s also why we have so many fantastic restaurants covering all kinds of cuisines – just head to Green Lanes for some of the best Turkish food you’ll probably ever eat. London simply wouldn’t be London without the people from all over the world who live here, so get chatting with the locals, find out their stories, and embrace these different cultures.
You didn’t have a budget and ended up spending loads
The next reason we’ve got why people might not enjoy their trip to London as much as they hope is because they haven’t anticipated how expensive this city is and haven’t given themselves a big enough budget. Everything here is costly, especially accommodation – we have an article recommending some of our favourite budget-friendly hotels in London if you need some help with that. This shouldn’t put you off coming here, though; you just need to plan ahead and make sure you’ve checked the price of things before you get here, like a pint at a pub, a meal at a restaurant, and tickets for attractions.
Expect things to be on the pricier side, and make sure you have budgeted enough money so you can do everything you want to do without feeling like you’ve missed out. Maybe that means visiting for one less day than initially planned, skipping an attraction or eating at street food markets instead of expensive restaurants. There are ways to keep your costs down; you just have to be savvy and prepared. Our London Spending Guide provides plenty of advice about prices in London, with info on how much you should expect to pay for certain parts of your trip, as well as loads of recommendations for hotels, food, drink and activities for every budget.
Your itinerary was way too packed
The last reason we’ve got why people might not enjoy their trip to London as much as they hope is because they are cramming too much into their itinerary. Of course, you want to see everything, and we know your time is limited, but it’s better to be enjoying that time rather than going home feeling burnt out and exhausted. Also, don’t be tempted to take several day trips out of the city. Focus on enjoying your holiday in London, take the time to soak up everything you see, and be at peace with not doing everything you want to do on your ideal trip here. There’s so much to do here it’s literally impossible to do everything, so pick a few favourites and go with them. If you need a hand with this, our pre-made London itineraries can help you make the most of your time, whether you have three days or as many as six.
Planning is essential if you’re visiting London, so coming prepared is important. Read these articles next to ensure you’re maximising your time here, or purchase one of our London itineraries to let us plan it for you.
- Mistakes Americans ALWAYS Make When Visiting London (And How To Avoid Them)
- Important Things To Know When Booking A London Hotel
- How To Maximise Your Time When Visiting London
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