When is tourist season in london

In winter, Northern Ireland is a little colder than England and has about hours of daylight. In December, they offer twilight days for evening shopping.

There will also be crafts from local artisans, delightful food and family entertainment. Like with the other UK regions, you get the best of everything by visiting in the spring or autumn. Also, for those festival fans, check out the two-day Bushmills Salmon and Whiskey festiva l held in early June. Expect family-friendly stories to have a touch of Halloween magic. January in the UK falls within the low tourist season, which creates some distinct advantages for travelers. Students return to school and the cold weather, gloomy skies and waning daylight translate into fewer people, cheaper hotel rooms and inexpensive airfare.

Also, the after-Christmas sales are in full swing, so bargain hunters will have a field day shopping. Theatre tickets and restaurant reservations will also be easier to get.

A January trip is sounding better and better. Here are some fun things to do in January:. Keep in mind that UK schools have a half-term break in February, which may cause unexpected crowds at tourist sites. Here are some fun things to do in February:. There will be over species of orchids to admire.

Flowers will be just beginning to bloom throughout the UK, a promise that spring is just around the corner. So you can throw on a coat and start taking advantage of some of the outdoor fun that the UK has to offer. Here are some fun things to do in March:.

When there are , screaming rowing fans cheering on the edge of the Thames. Sometimes this event happens in April, so check online to see. Ah, April. The flowers are blooming and the days are getting longer. Students in the UK have a school break around Easter, which usually falls in this month, so that may alter the tourist scene slightly. Regardless, there are also a lot of fun, local activities to choose from. Here are some examples:. Thousands of locals and tourists alike explore the island and take in its stark, scenic beauty.

There are countless exhibits and demonstrations to inspire and fascinate those with or without a green thumb. The weather is getting ever warmer and the days are getting longer in the UK, yet May is still a shoulder season, which means its an excellent time to visit. Still, bring a few layers to wrap up in, just in case. Here are some fun things to do in May:.

It takes place on the grounds of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea and makes for a fun and historical activity whilst in the UK. There will be live stages with local bands as well as a food market.

You have an excellent chance of pleasant weather and agreeable temperatures, so live it up! Here are some fun things to do in June:. It features big-name contemporary musical acts as well as dance, cabaret and theater. Thousands of visitors come from all over the globe to see over exhibitors and scores of livestock. July is peak travel season with very long days and probably the best weather offered by the UK. Restaurants will be jam-packed and tourist sites will be overflowing with visitors.

Add in the students who have just been released from school on summer break and you will have a lot of people to contend with. No wonder there is a lot going on the UK during the summer! See reenactments and battles, along with entertainment, food, period dance and a whole lot of fun.

The weather is warm, so that distracts you from the peak season crowds traveling throughout the UK. All schools are enjoying summer break, so expect to be shoulder to shoulder with locals and tourists alike at all the tourist sites.

It goes on for days and hosts so much talent, it takes hundreds of venues just to fit everything in. Check their website to see the list of performers. The beginning of September is part of the summer peak season but with the end of summer and beginning of autumn, the rest of the month is a shoulder season. Most students head back to school early in September, so vacationers return home and tourist sites will be less crowded. Here are some fun things to do in September:.

Darcy or Elizabeth Bennet? Travel to Bath and spend 10 days choosing from over 80 Jane Austen-related events. There is something to do for all ages. The beginning of October is a shoulder season, and by the end, it slows down into low season. Still, there are lots of interesting things to tackle in the UK during October. In , this festival was born and has grown larger every year. This is the low season for travel in the UK.

Here are some fun things to do in November:. He did not succeed, and the anniversary has traditionally been remembered with a bonfire. Given that could easily get out of hand, most celebrations have switched to fireworks. This one is the biggest in the UK and features amazing dancers in stunningly beautiful and colorful dress.

There is some excellent street food at Borough Market nearby. You could also catch the tube to Russell Square and visit the British Museum with its incredible collection of treasures from around the world. A visit will take up a good part of your day. They are next door to each other in South Kensington near the tube station.

The Natural History Museum has an excellent dinosaur room and lots of things to explore, and the Science Museum has lots of interactive displays for kids and adults alike; you can easily spend the whole day visiting the two. Try to go on a weekday to avoid crowds. There are restaurants nearby. You can combine that with a visit to Legoland Windsor.

Day 9: Particularly if the weather is good, you can do a day trip to Kew Gardens www. You can combine that with a visit to Hampton Court Palace www. You can climb on board and there are some hands-on exhibits for kids. The Royal Naval College by the river is a good place to wander around, too. Any truth to that? Thanks for your wonderful posts on this blog! Cross Westminster Bridge and walk along the embankment to the London Eye. Or you can catch a boat east along the river from the pier next to the London Eye, hop off at Bankside pier for the Tate Modern — the best contemporary art gallery in the UK.

You can grab lunch at the Sea Containers Restaurant at Mondrian Hotel nearby — they do really nice farm-to-table food; and the Dandelyan bar at the hotel does possibly the most interesting cocktails in London. Wheatsheaf is a nice pub nearby, serving market food and real ales, while Brindisa is a quality Spanish tapas bar. Well, if you like good food, good cocktails and great views, you should eat at one of the excellent restaurants at The Shard skyscraper. You can also catch a show or a musical back at the West End.

Camden Market is actually several different markets, selling everything from vintage clothes to alternative gifts. Up the street is Harvey Nichols — more designer gear, excellent food and wine.

Not far is Thomas Cubitt a gastropub serving excellent fish and chips. You can also cut across Green Park to The Ritz for classic British afternoon tea — finger sandwiches, cakes, tea and even champagne in fancy surroundings.

Those are just a few ideas. This is the first time that me and my daughter have traveled internationally together. I was thinking of a trip in April 9th through the 15th during her spring break, on a budget. What suggestions do you have as to what to do on a budget for 5 days to get the most bang for the buck? There is quite a lot you can do in London on a budget.

For starters, all the major museums and art galleries in London are free the only thing you pay for are the special exhibitions. Day 1: Take a boat from Westminster pier to Greenwich. The boats dock at all the major attractions, so you can hop on and off as you choose. Book your tickets for the Tower of London and the London Eye online beforehand to save money. Tate Modern contemporary art gallery is free. Everything is close together and easily walkable, and there are plenty of inexpensive restaurants serving any kind of food you can think of.

If your daughter is into shopping, there are some quirky stores along Carnaby Street in Soho, and high street fashions along Oxford Street and Regent Street. In April, the Changing of the Guard ceremony in front of the palace happens every other day at The ceremony — music and marching — takes around 45 minutes and is free; get there early to find yourself a good spot.

You can also visit the palace itself, with a number of state rooms open to the public. Day 5: You can spend the day in South Kensington. Those are just some suggestions. Hi, We are a family of five kids, ages 6, 8, 10 at the time of travel are planning to take a vacation to London in June. Is this a good time to travel there in terms of the crowd? If the timing is not so great, we also have the end of September as an option.

We are thinking of maybe about 10 days in London unless we run out of things to do, and perhaps a couple of days in Cambridge to visit family. How long does it take to get from London to Cambridge? What is the easiest transportation to get there? Considering the ages of our kids, what are your recommendations on must do or see while we are there? Do you have any recommendations on hotels that would accommdate our family and perhaps close to kids friendly restaurants? If there is a kitchen and laundry would be ideal.

Should we consider visiting nearby cities or countries, or taking any tours? My oldest daughter is reading Harry Potter and would like to visit the site. How do we go about planning that? Can you give me a suggested itinerary for our visit? End of September is also a good time, because the weather is still likely to be warm, and London is not quite as crowded as in the summer.

It takes less than an hour to get from London to Cambridge by train from London Kings Cross station; trains are very frequent. There are also frequent trains from London Liverpool Street station, but they take longer.

It largely depends what your kids are into, but most kids enjoy the Natural History Museum www. The British Museum is an amazing place with treasures from around the world. For a bit more excitement, you can consider a speedboat trip up the Thames with Thames Rockets.

The Tower of London more of a fortress, really , home to British kings and queens for over years, is well worth a visit — you can walk the castle walls, see the priceless Royal Jewels, suits of armour and more. There are just some suggestions. You can also visit the movie studios in Leavesden, 20 miles north of London, where most of the movies were shot. Leavesden is a day trip, really; you take a train from London Euston to Watford Junction and a shuttle bus from there.

Check Booking. Specify your requirements ie a family room, or your budget, etc. The Soho Hotel is family-friendly and fun. Kid-friendly restaurants in the neighbourhood include Homeslice and Rainforest Cafe ; most restaurants are happy to accommodate families. Have a look through my guide to Best Things to Do in London for descriptions of top attractions. Since you have a week, you may consider a couple of day trips.

If you want to see quaint English villages with thatched cottages, walk around narrow lanes and have tea in a traditional teahouse, you could do a day trip to the Cotswolds by bus tour with Premium Tours , which takes in picturesque villages such as Burford, Bibury, Stow-on-the-Wold and Bourton-on-the-Water.

Oxford is another good alternative just over an hour by train from London Paddington , with a walkable city centre and gorgeous historic college buildings. Christ Church college in Oxford was used as part of the Hogwarts set in the Harry Potter movies in case your boys are fans.

We are considering a trip in mid-late March with our three kids We are thinking of staying in an apartment for a week in London, with possible day trips. What area of town would you recommend? Is there anything notable about this time of year we should consider? Mid-late March is a good time to visit. Rather than suggest specific apartments, I recommend the following websites which list holiday apartments for parts of London, and you can pick something that suits you best: Owners Direct , Home Away , London Serviced Apartments , and City Base Apartments — and of course, the big websites like Airbnb and VRBO.

In general hotels are best for stays under a week, apartment and flat rentals better for stays of more than a week. If your kids are Harry Potter fans, then they might wish to visit Christ Church college, which was used as part of the Hogwarts set. My partner and I will be in London for a weekend in January. This is also the first time either of us have been to London, so any suggestions are very much appreciated! Gorgeous interior.

Get there before the 9am opening time to beat the crowds. If WWII history is your bag, then just a couple of blocks away are the Churchill War Rooms — the underground bunker where Winston Churchill and the wartime cabinet was based during the war.

Plus the RB1 commuter boat that runs from Westminster pier to Greenwich stops at various attractions along the way. Entry is free, with the exception of special exhibitions. You can go up the towers to the exhibition in between the two.

Some of my favourite restaurants include Palomar — great, creative Middle Eastern food, small portions though. Every other day at Get there early to secure a good spot. If you want to treat yourself to proper afternoon tea, you can combine a visit to Buckingham Palace with a visit to The Ritz. And the cafe is a work of art in itself. In short, spring offers the countryside at its greenest, autumn brings the bright colors of the northern moorlands, and summer's warmer weather gives rise to the many outdoor music and theater festivals.

But winter offers savings across the board and a chance to see Britons going about their everyday lives largely unhindered by tourist invasions. The cheapest time to travel to Britain is during the off-season: from November 1 to December 12 and from December 25 to March In the last few years, the airlines have offered irresistible fares during these periods. Rates generally increase between March 14 and June 5, and then hit their peak in high travel seasons between June 6 and September 30 and December 13 and July and August are also when most Britons take their holidays, so besides higher prices, you'll have to deal with crowds and limited availability of accommodations.