Though super-dark mornings are a bit of a bummer, I am definitely loving the extended hours of sunlight thanks to the time change!
Last night we had time to go for a two-mile walk and eat dinner all before the sun went down which was fantastic.
During our walk, Ryan and I had a lot to talk about! Ryan learned that he will be traveling to the UK again next week for work and we’ve been saving money for a last-minute European vacation with the intent to quickly plan a vacation around his next work trip. We wanted to piggyback on Ryan’s work travel since his airfare will be covered by his company and that will save us a pretty penny. (Plus, we’d like to do some travel before we start seriously thinking about babies!)
As we walked, we discussed planning a trip to Europe in a week (!!!) and got more and more excited about the possibility. When we previously discussed our ideal European vacation, Ireland always topped our list, so we knew that would have to be part of our trip.
When we arrived home, we immediately sat down at the computer and did a ton of research. We searched for flights to and from a bunch of different airports and tried to loosely outline a schedule. In the end, we decided that I will fly out at the end of the week and meet up with Ryan. We plan to spend a week in Ireland and three days in London and fly home together from London, but we don’t have the timeline finalized by any means. We still have a ton of research and planning to do but I could hardly sleep last night because I am so excited.
For those of you who have traveled to Ireland and London in the past – or live(d) there – I would love to hear any recommendations you may have!
Dinner
As we played around on the computer and researched away, we ate a delicious dinner of pork, roasted broccoli, lentils and rice.
The lentils and rice were absolutely delicious, but I don’t deserve any of the credit.
My father-in-law sent us a Creamy Coconut Lentils and Rice kit from the Jaali Bean to try and I simply followed the package directions. It was fantastic and so flavorful! One package makes a ton, so I’m excited for leftovers!
Question of the Morning
- I’d love any and all recommendations you may have surrounding a trip to Ireland and London! What should we see? Where should we stay? What food do we have to try?
I’ve followed your travel recommendations in the past and you guys always have the best tips!
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Unfortunately I don’t have any recommendations for you, but I’m SO excited for you guys! What an awesome trip! And I adore that photo of you, Ryan’s, and Sadie’s little feet (err paws?) – too cute! We’ve been loving the longer days too. It’s so nice to be able to fit in a walk after dinner before the sun goes down!
Thats so exciting!
I live in Copenhagen and last September when I was in London I stayed at Tune Hotels near Liverpool street st. I think Tune hotels have a great concept, where you can get add ons or just get a basic room. The rooms are small but they are neat and all look the same. I stayed in a room without window which was a little claustrophobic and kind of weird and you have to walk up stairs to check the weather. But I thought it was a great choice if you’re looking to save money on hotels.
The location near Westminster is closer to the centre of London and you could probably walk to Piccadilly circus in 45 min. But the location near Liverpool street is probably cheaper. I thought it was a great location, I had never seen that area of London before.
I hope you have a great trip and hopefully it won’t rain all the time 🙂
I love Ireland. I would live there in a heartbeat.
My favorite spots were on the west coast of Ireland: Galway, Aran Islands and Clonmacnoise. I loved the old castles and churches.
That’s so awesome! Free airfare? How can you turn that down!?!
Hi Julie,
Firstly I want to say that I really love your blog! I never comment but as I live in London I thought I should tell you some of my favourite places to go on your trip…!
Foodwise… There is a ridiculous amount of nice food to have here. If you want cheap and cheerful you should go to Brixton Village in Brixton (http://www.timeout.com/london/things-to-do/brixton-village-market-restaurants-and-cafas ) It’s like a big restaurant food market. They have every kind of food you could want and it’s generally about £10-15 a head. My favourites are Franca Manca which is pizza and Honest Burger (there is one of these is Soho too) (we are talking melt in your mouth burgers…)
If you want more up market then I’d recommend two of my favourites… Firstly Relais De Venise (http://www.relaisdevenise.com/ ) This is hands down the best steak I’ve ever had ever!! Secondly I would really recommend Duck and Waffle which is in the Herring Tower just by Liverpool Street station in the city. It has the most incredible views of London in the bar of Sushi Samba (for free) and Duck and Waffle is pricey but delicious.
For shopping and little food markets you have to go East (Brick Lane, Shoreditch and Spitalfields) or west (Portobello market in Notting Hill), or central (Borough Market). Borough Market is best for food and its right by London Bridge so easy to get to!
Bars- My favourites are low key ones in Brixton and Shoreditch but for a nicer bar checkout Ceviche in Soho (really good cocktails). The breakfast club by Liverpool Street is also really cool (you have to go through a fridge door to the secret bar downstairs which has nice cocktails and bar food).
I think I have probably over done the recommendations seeing as I have never commented before ha! But I think it is really important you get to see some of the best bits of London which might not be in the tourist guides 🙂
Have a great trip! Feel free to ask anything! Lauren 🙂
thanks so much for commenting and sharing your tips, lauren-kate!
Hi Lauren-Kate,
I would message you privately, but I don’t see a link to your name. I will be moving to London in the next few weeks (from Aberdeen, Scotland although originally from Houston). I would love to hear some more insider tips as I am very overwhelmed by this extremely large city. Would you mind emailing me your thought?
Thank you!
Of course I don’t mind! I don’t know if I’m being an idiot but I can’t seem to see how I email you? I have clicked on your name and it has gone to your blog?
I may have taken my profile link off the site without knowing. Oooops! I will need to fix that. Sorry 🙁 My email is debbiebuisson at gmail dot com. Thanks!
There is so much to do in London! Three days will be short so don’t try to do everything. 🙂
As far as the touristy stuff goes, I loved the Tower of London tour. I thought it was well worth it. Also if you use a British accent you may be able to sneak into Westminster Abbey through the side door and avoid the line. (not saying I did that or anything)
Have fun!
I wish I could offer you some tips, but Ireland and London are still on my list of places that I have to visit someday. Both look amazing, and I’m sure that you’re going to have a great time!
How spontaneous and exciting! I’m dying to go to Europe. I’m going to Italy this summer for a little over a week and I’m hoping to spend about a month traveling through different parts of Europe next summer.
Highly recommend you visit the Aran Islands when in Ireland. The “largest” of the islands, Inishmore, to me captures what Ireland truly is. Lush, green, stone farms. Quiet and peaceful. Not touristy (or at least it wasn’t when I was there a few years back). There is a beautiful, old lighthouse on the Island that you can hike (or bike) to as well. You can rent bikes to ride around the island. The culture and history on the islands is so rich it’s breathtaking. It’s absolutely beautiful and hands down one of my most favorite places on earth!
Also recommend visiting the Wicklow Mountains. Another great place to hike and venture outside without all the touristy stuff surrounding you.
There are so many amazing places in Ireland that you really can’t go wrong.
That sounds like so much fun!! My husband and I went to London in the 2008 and you must try there “fish n’ chips,” try to find somewhere off the tourist trail its so much better! And I would recommend taking the big red tour buses, yes its touristy, but thats the only way to see everything you want without walking 100 miles all over and tiring out to quick. The tickets were around $40 US in ’08, but it really was great because they stop at all the hot spots that everyone wants to see you can get off spend as much time as you want say at the Tower of London (So cool!) and get back on the bus when your ready to see something else, they run about every 15minutes or so as well. Happy planning!!
That sounds like an great trip, but OMG, babies??? Are you guys thinking of explanding the family soon? I think you and Ryan would be amazing parents, seeing how you are exceptional with Sadie :):):)
ha!! not in the immediate future, but we’re looking forward to it eventually. 🙂
If you are going to Ireland, I’m assuming you will pop in to Dublin. If so, buy a bus ticket to Howth. Hands down our FAVORITE place of all the time we spent in Ireland. It’s a tiny fishing village along the coast, and the views from the easy hike/walk along the cliffs are fantastic. We never would have found it if the owner of the inn we stayed at had not recommended we go. There is a fish and chips place there that always has a line out the door called Beshoff Brothers….you can’t miss it because Howth is super tiny.
Hi!
I actually live in Dublin, so have lots of tips for you.
Definitely agree with Casey above, pop out to Howth. However instead of a bus ticket, get a DART ticket, it’s the Dublin train service, one line only that goes all the way along the coastline. Takes 20 minutes from the city centre to get out to Howth and then about 35-40 mins in the opposite direction to go out to Greystones. You can also stop off at the Dalkey train station, where all the celebs like U2 live! Dalkey, Greystones and Howth are all absolutely gorgeous, on the sea, really picturesque and with tons of great restaurants, shops and walks to do.
Most tourists centre themselves around the city centre/Temple Bar area, DO NOT STAY HERE. Not nice at all, full of tourists and lots of rowdy bachelor/bachelorette parties at the weekend. I always feel sorry for tourists who end up here, because it is not representative of how great Dublin is! I would recommend staying around Grafton street like The Westbury or The Shelbourne. They are a bit of a splurge, but definitely worth it to be in the best location in Dublin.If you want to go about 10 mins outside city centre maybe look at a boutique hotel like the Dylan hotel.
Places in Ireland I think you should see. You like hiking, so lots of great hikes around the Wicklow mountains about an hour from Dublin city. Kerry is also beautiful, Killarney especially, lots of outdoorsy stuff to do there. I think the West Cork region is fabulous, recommend somewhere like Kinsale. Probably the gastronomic capital of Ireland, with some of the best seafood you’ll ever taste. Donegal is also absolutely spectacular. It’s about a 4-6 hour drive from Dublin, and the roads aren’t great, but worth it when you get there.
The weather is also FREEZING at the moment. Bring lots of warm clothes with you, much cooler than Florida!
Hope that helps, feel free to email me if you have any questions or want any restaurant/hotel recommendations.
Forgot to mention Galway city, another must visit if you have time!
I know you’ve said Ryan is a huge soccer fan… You should think about checking out a Fulham game at Craven Cottage. The seats are cheap but it’s a great atmosphere even for people who don’t love soccer games. It’s right in London on the river. My dad and I went two years ago and can’t wait to go back!
ryan really wants to go to a soccer game while we’re there! thanks for the recommendation!
I can fit in your suitcase, right?
I also forgot to mention to you to go to Doolin – it’s a really cute little town near the Cliffs of Moher.
Yay! That’s so much fun! We also want to take a few more trips and settle somewhere before starting a family. I was thinking about how you are one of the only blogs I read who isn’t pregnant and that you were probably going to announce it any day. I know it’s ridiculous, but seeing everyone preggo is making me feel left out! Anyway, I have been to London but I did all of the typical things there; The London Eye, etc. I only went for a few days. The Cliffs of Moher are worth a stop in Ireland!
London and Ireland! You lucky girl!! I’ve been to London, but it was a long time ago, and I’ve always wanted to go to Ireland. Can’t wait to hear about more details 😀
For Ireland I recommend Cliffs of Moher even though I didn’t visit it when I was there, but a bunch of friends have and it’s beautiful! In Dublin definitely visit Guinness! It has the coolest bar at the top that gives you a 360 view of the city! Also to see an Irish dancing show for a lot cheaper, find a pub that has a free show and just get there enough time in advance to get a good seat with a stage view. From Dublin there’s a cute little coastal town a 20 minute train ride away called Malahide and there’s a castle there and you can check out the awesome beach!
London! My favorite place ever- all the museums are free, but I loved the Museum of London and the British Museum. The London Eye is awesome (and big places like that usually have deals on tickets so part of mine paid for Madame Tussad’s), Piccadilly Circus,
If you’re a fan of Harry Potter visit platform 9 3/4 in King’s Cross. Places to eat like Cafe Rouge, Nando’s and Cafe Nero for coffee.
Ahhh I am dying to go to London! I almost studied abroad there this summer (too expensive right now). London and Ireland are both top priorities on my travel list. I obviously don’t have any recommendations, but I am excited to read about your experience planning and then actually traveling!
The Hoxton hotel is such a cool place to stay in London if you get by there. It’s a little hipster, but the food there is amazing and they give you free water. Always a plus when traveling.
I don’t know if you’re into drinking but I just did a post about The Nightjar a cool small bar that’s walking distance from the Hoxton. They make drinks that were really popular in the past and the atmosphere was really great.
I might know a guy who knows a thing about England. SOOO JEALOUS!!!!!!!
I’ve been reading your blog daily for about 3 months now, but never had the guts to comment. We’re going to Ireland for the first time next week too (and with friends who live in Palatine, IL. Crazy)! We have an itinerary planned so we can get the most out of this trip, but I hope you don’t mind if I steal some of the suggestions for you. 🙂
Here are some of the things we have planned:
– Christ Church Cathedral or St. Patrick’s Cathedral
– Trinity College
– Temple Bar
– Guinness Tour
– Hiking in Killarney National Park
– Rock of Cashel
– Cliffs of Moher
– The Burren
– Tullamore Dew Whiskey Distillery
– Charleville Castle
Hi Julie! I travelled to Ireland with a stopover in Manchester a couple years ago. I did lots and went to some pretty cool places. Here’s a link to my travel page and you can read about all the places we went and what I liked. My favorite part were the small towns, the pubs and Cliffs of Moher. Amazing. http://www.thebexfactor.com/travel/. So excited for you!
That trip sounds amazing! A few years ago, my boyfriend and I went to Dublin and Edinburgh and had the best time. We loved everything – the people, the architecture, the food (and beer!). If you have time, I would definitely recommend having the traditional Irish breakfast at the B & B called No. 31 in Dublin (http://www.number31.ie/). We heard of them from a friend who’s a chef and caterer here in NYC and it was such a great tip. (I made a reservation ahead of our trip, so I would recommend doing that if you’re interested.) The house is so neat, the food is amazing, and the couple that run it are super accommodating and friendly. Hope you have a great trip!
That is so exciting!!! Its a dream of mine to visit Ireland and the UK, I hope you have a wonderful trip!!!
I have yet to visit either city… hoping to visit Ireland at the end of May and will be moving to London in the next 2-3 weeks.
Ireland: I have heard that the Guinness Tour is a MUST in Dublin. I have also heard that part of spending time in Ireland is just sitting in pubs hanging out and listening to the local musicians that pop in and out with their guitars and other musical instruments.
London: Given that you will only be there for 3 days, I highly suggest doing a hop-on-hop-off sightseeing bus. The city is massive, so it will cut down on your walking time between sights. My husband is currently working in London, and it has been pretty chilly this week (snowed all day just two days ago). Be sure to take a hooded rain jacket with you, and I wouldn’t even bother with an umbrella. (I currently live in Aberdeen, Scotland so the weather is similar) In both locations, make sure to make a booking for dinner as most of the good restaurants require one.
Jet-Lag Suggestions: When you arrive to your initial destination, don’t take a nap although you will so badly want to (unless it is before lunch then no more than an hour is okay). Keep your body going as long as possible to wear yourself out. Then, around 8pm, go ahead and go to sleep 🙂 You will wake up the next day at a normal time with your body refreshed and ready for a whole day of excitement. And because you kept going all day the day before, you will actually be able to fall asleep fairly on night two 🙂
One last thing, the UK has not had daylight savings yet (happens March 31st), so it is one hour less ahead than usual.
Enjoy your trip!!!!!!!!!!
That sounds like so much fun. Unfortunately, I have no experience in the UK, so I have no advice to give. I hope you have a great trip! I am also definitely trying that lentils and rice recipe.
How exciting!!! I’ve never been to Europe, but when my brother and sister in law backpacked across most of Western Europe they said Ireland was their favorite!
How exciting! I am living outside London right now and so from one foodie to another, I HIGHLY recommend checking out both the Portobello Market as well as Camden Market – so much delicious, fresh food vendors (with decent prices!) plus great spots to pick up some pretty things and gifts!
I just recently spent some time in London and loved it!!! If you are there on a Saturday make a point to stop at Borough Market, it’s incredible.
I’m pretty sure its ireland that i went to edinburgh castle and kissed the blarney stone (if not it was scotland). Those are both pretty fun experiences and London is obviously great for the London eye and the city!
You should def hit up Shakespeare’s Globe in London. You can buy 5 pound tix online. You have to stand “peasant style” during the whole play, but if you get close like we did, you can stand literally leaning on the stage and be right next to the actors. It’s open air, so bring a poncho. We saw “Much Ado About Nothing” and the father was played by the Butler from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air!
I have never commented before but I just had to when you said Ireland! I spent three months in Ireland studying abroad. I stayed in student housing so no hotel recommendations. Most of my time was in Dublin, my favorite pub was Mahaffey’s, I think it was on Pearse; total hole in the wall with the friendliest Irish people; Temple Bar is fun but more touristy, the locals don’t really hang out there. Stephens Green is a great place to hang out during the day. For a fun day trip I would recommend Howth. If you’re going to venture into the country, I took several weekend trips and would have to say my favorite was Achill Island. It is unbelievably beautiful and remote. The crazy thing about Ireland is that out in the western villages it is just as beautiful and quaint as you would imagine…if not more so!
I forgot to mention the Guinness tour and Kilmainham Jail! Yes the Guinness tour is a little touristy but you get an incredible view of the bay from the top. I have always been interested in irish history and so made it a priority to visit Kilmainham…pretty sobering stuff. If you’re interested in history, the General Post Office on I think O’Connell is a must-see, the main site of the Easter Uprising.
I have been to both- Dublin was very pretty and cute shops! The Tower of London was pretty cool, too! So much history you can finally put a ‘face’ to!
That is so exciting! I’d love to do a bit of traveling before babies too 🙂 On my list are Italy, France, Thailand and Australia!
Omg that is so exciting!! I know you two are going to have a blast!
That’s so exciting!!! Ireland is at the top of my list. I’m off to Cali next month for a work trip and I think my husband is going to tag along. For just the price of airfare, it’s a great excuse to get a mini vaca. It’s also really nice that my company is totally on board with spouses traveling as well if you want.
Can’t wait to hear about your impromptu trip 🙂
SO jealous! If you’re open to other suggestions, I’d like to put a plug in for visiting Scotland, since you’re pretty much in the area anyway. I spent three weeks there a couple of years ago, and it’s an absolutely beautiful, wonderful country. I highly recommend visiting!
Oh how fun!! I traveled to Ireland a few years ago and absoutely loved it. Our favorite place in our week long drive of the southern coast was a small town called Dingle. The Irish language is still spoken there, its right on the coast and beautiful. There are easy long walks from there and boat rides. It was just very authentic we found and not tourist driven. There were pubs right downtown with live music and it seemed like the whole neighborhood would show up and join in singing the old songs. We in fact changed our schedule to stay another day. I loved everything about Ireland, all of the small towns we stopped in had something to offer and there are castles just sitting on the outside of towns!
I would of course recommend seafood while in Ireland and, this is kind of funny but we were on a budget and one of our favorite things (cheap and ubiquitous) was a curry! I know that curry is very popular in England too.
In Dublin the Temple bar area was pretty cool, people playing music in the streets, cobblestone streets with only foot traffic and lots and lots of pubs.
My husband I have agreed that we’ll go to Europe before having children. A co-worker at work travels with her baby all the time. While on mat leave she went to Peru a few times (Vancouver to Toronto then Toronto to Lima) and to Europe. She claims traveling with babies isn’t a big deal. I want to at least do Europe just me and the husband.
My family and I went on a pub tour through Ireland about 5 years ago. If you have a chance to go to Kinsale, do it! Easily the most picturesque city we went to. Just gorgeous!
So exciting! I just came back from spending 4 days in belfast and 3 days in london just last month. I spent a year in england in 07 and have been to ireland 7 times now. Sooooo here are my recommendations: in dublin go to the guinness factory. Its fun and almost feels like a theme park. Plus you get a free guinness at the very top of the factory looking out over dublin. Giants causeway is breathtaking (it will probably be cold and windy) but well worth at least 1 visit. When you go to london I highly recommend taking a bus tour. There are three or four different kinds but they are well worth the money. You learn so much about the different spots and you can get off and on at any site. You should definitely go to the national gallery. (The tate modern is the most visited museum in the world but I prefer the national gallery over the tate modern anyday.)
I went to Ireland when I was 14 with my family to do some genealogy research and loved it. You have to go to Blarney Castle. It’s definitely touristy, but the grounds at the castle are amazing and it’s a fun experience. Also, if you like horses and gardens, check out the National Stud Farm http://irishnationalstud.ie/ it’s only about 45 minutes from Dublin City and definitely worth the trip.
Ireland is my favorite place! LOVE Galway…Taffes is a fantastic pub for live music! The Aran Islands are beautiful if you don’t mind a rocky ferry ride, but it’s pretty much a day long commitment so you may want to skip if you’re only there for a few days. The Salthill prom is a nice place to go for a run in Galway. The Guinness Factory is fun if you’re in Dublin, but overall I prefer the west coast of Ireland….the countryside is just beautiful and the people are SO NICE. The Park House Hotel in Galway is my favorite place I’ve stayed there — the restaurant there is pretty good as well. You’re making me want to go back! You’re going to love it!
We stayed at the Arosfa Hotel in Bloomsbury, London last summer (http://www.arosfalondon.com/). I would highly recommend it! The nightly rate was affordable and the staff were all exceedingly helpful and friendly. The hotel is more of a boutique-y hotel and they offer free traditional English breakfast in the morning. We ate a big breakfast there and then often only had to stop for a snack in the afternoon before eating dinner at night. The only guidebook I ever find truly helpful is Rick Steves, so definitely pick up his London book (I’ve never used his Ireland book, but his France, Italy and Spain books have all been wonderful!). His books always have tours of the major museums and sites too, so we don’t usually feel the need to pay for a guided tour, since we have the book!
Yay, London! I’m originally from the East Coast, but I moved to London about a year and a half ago. I like reading the recommendations that your readers give you for various cities, so I’m really excited to get to share with you some of my favorite things to do in my city:
– Borough Market is my favorite place to take friends who visit. It’s a lot of your usual fancy olive oil/cheese/bread, but they have a LOT of food vendors, so it’s a great place for lunch. I personally love the guys who do chicken, lamb, and halloumi sandwiches right by the Borough High Street entrance (near the guys with the massive things of paella). There’s also a stand that sells raclette (that strong smelling cheese that they grill until it gets all melty and gooey and delicious), which was my first time seeing it and worth trying if you’ve never had it before! On a nice day, you can just grab your lunch and sit out near the Southwark Cathedral, which is right next door. Also, from Borough Market, you can walk from London Bridge to Tower Bridge (it’s about a mile and a half).
– Brixton Market/Village – this is where I live! It’s definitely worth making a trip down to South London if you can. Get there around late afternoon to catch the end of the market (before the fruit/veg vendors go home) and then slip into Brixton Village, which is located in an old, run-down arcade area. It’s full of pop-up restaurants, and I’ve had some really good food there. My favorites are Honest Burger, Elephant, Seven at Brixton (more of a cocktails place), and this taco place called El Panzon. Be sure to check out the Brixton Village FB page before you go, because they sometimes have strange evening hours and it can be a little hard to find the entrance: http://www.facebook.com/brixvill Also in the area is the Craft Brewery Company, which is outside of Brixton Village and boasts a really awesome selection of beers.
– Bike through a park! Rent a bike from those Barclays bike shares everywhere. I think renting bikes for less than 30 mins is free, and it’s pretty cheap to just rent them for an hour too. I’ve only biked through Hyde Park, which was great, especially by the water. You can even play it cheap like we did and bike for 30 minutes, return your bike, and then rent a bike again for another 30 minutes! (Can you tell we were broke college kids when we first got here?)
– If the weather is nice, I’d recommend walking from the Westminster area (Big Ben, Parliament, Westminster Abbey) and up Whitehall to Trafalgar Square. It’s a nice walk, and you pretty much see all the big sights that you want to see. You can go see the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery from there (which is right in Trafalgar Square), or you can stop by a pub that I like in Trafalgar Square for a quick pint (it’s called the Chandos…nothing super special, but it’s a nice spot for a cheap beer with a view over Trafalgar Square).
– And, since I know you love musicals, you should try to see if you can catch a West End show some night. You can usually find tickets for any show, even on the day of the show, at the ticket booths near Leicester Square. Although if you want to see Les Mis, I remember getting better tickets at the actual theater. I’d recommend going around a few of the booths to get the best seats/price. Aside from the usual shows that play on Broadway and the West End, I’d recommend “One Man, Two Guvnors” and “The Mousetrap,” which is the longest-running play in history (it is a play, not a musical, though).
– If you’re short on time, skip the London Eye. I don’t think it’s worth it to stand in line (even if you already have tickets!). There’s plenty more of London to see on foot!
Enjoy!!! 🙂
YESSSS X 1,000
Julie, you MUST go to Borough Market and get this cheese sandwich. I know we share a mutual affection for melted cheese. It is life changing. Seriously, I live 10 minutes away from London Bridge and my boyfriend has to stop me from binge eating them every Saturday.
Oh!!!! And if you are a huge harry potter fan, you MUST go to the warner brothers studio “the making of harry potter.” You get to see all of the sets and props of the movies and learn sooo much about the films. IT IS AWESOME. You have to book your tickets in advance….just google harry potter london and you’ll find the website. Its a quick 20 min train ride from london and there’s a 5 mins bus shuttle to the studios. If you are a harry potter fan, you have to go. I went and am already planning on going back 🙂
I don’t have any tips for you, but we’ve always wanted to go! We already had the babies though, so I guess we’ll have to wait until they are older. In the meantime, I’ll live vicariously through you!
I spent a little over a week in Ireland and LOVED it. I come from a very Irish family so it was really cool to see all the history. One thing that really suprised me was how much I disliked Dublin. That was one of the towns I was most excited to visit and honestly most of it is commercialized and Americanized. If you do go I recommend the Guinness tour (great views), the prison (super cool history), and going to Trinity College to see the oldest book, the book of Kells.
I would stay no more than 2 days in Dublin and spend the rest of your time on the BEAUTIFUL coast. We drove from Dublin to Limerick stopping overnight in Cork and Dingle. Dingle is the CUTEST small town and has awesome seafood. On that drive you will get to see miles and miles of coast lines as well as vast countryside (seriously some gorgeous stuff) and then you can also stop at a bunch of castles including the Blarney Castle, wool factories, if you wanted to go out of your way you could go to Waterford headquarters.
Sorry, that was longwinded, I guess my biggest takeaway was spend time outside of Dublin, you get to see more history with less crowds and mingles with the locals!
I’m really wishing I had already done my posts on London and it’s surrounding areas, but I’ll just have to tell you about it. You know I am a travel blogger, so it goes without saying that I LOVE to talk about this stuff. I did TONS of research for our London trip and would be happy to talk to you about it via email (with pics) or even on the phone. Just let me know.
Starting with the obvious:
1. Buckingham Palace ( I have a secret for not waiting in the huge crowds to see the changing of the guards)
2. Westminster Abbey
3. St. Pauls Cathedral (walk up to the top for amazing views)
4. London Eye
5. Hyde Park (great for running)
6. Tower of London (see the Queens jewels)
My favorite museums:
1. Museum of London (awesome)
2. Natural History Museum (fun)
3. Victoria and Albert (great area in the middle for relaxing with drinks)
4. British Museum (huge)
5. National Gallery (original Van Gogh & others)
Outside of London:
1. Kew Gardens (not sure about this time of year)
2. Windsor Castle (awesome)
3. Blenheim Palace in Woodstock
4. Stratford upon Avon (Shakespeare’s home)
That’s all! 😉
Hi Julie,
I have never commented on your blog before, but I am incredibly addicted to it. lol. My brother and I backpacked around Europe for a month 2 summers ago, and we had a blast. During our time in London we did a bike tour around the city (which was an awesome way to see a bunch of different sites in one day relatively inexpensively).
In case you are interested I’ll post the link of the tour group that we used: http://fattirebiketours.com/
We actually used this company in all 4 cities and we loved each group.
Enjoy your European vacation!