My mood now and forever is to maximize my time and stop talking myself out of living my life. I've been blessed with opportunities to go out and see the world around me and that's exactly what I set out to do. I promised myself that I would make traveling more of a priority because it truly has its benefits on an emotional, creative, and wellness level. One of my travel goals is to explore every country in Europe. Yes, that's right, every single one. I traveled to London when I was much younger and I thought revisiting the country as an adult would be a great way to kick-off my mission to explore Europe.
Last month, when I turned 27, I decided this was going to be the start of it all. I only had four days off from work and I was not going to let that interfere with celebrating my day like a Queen and knocking a few things off my bucket list. I made a list of a few things I knew I wanted to do and did some research on how to do it. I'm not going to lie, four days didn't initially sound like a lot of time but when I put together my itinerary, I was able to do much more than what I expected.
I think I have nailed down how to make the most of these mini-vacations, so it's only right that I share it with you. Here's how you can make the most out a four-day trip in London.
See What’s Going On In The City
I think one key is trying to see what's going on in the city. Search Eventbrite, local event pages for that city, Facebook, Meetup, anything that posts events. You'd be surprised at what you can find there. Prior to getting to London, I looked at what events were going on and that's how I stumbled across the Carribean Carnival, also known as the Notting Hill Carnival. It's filled with Carribean pride, and let's just say Londoners really know how to turn things up. There was music, costumes, food, activities, and floats. I knew London had a Carribean community but I was also impressed by how large it was and how they showed out. Of course, with the Carnival, you can expect nightlife events to continue the celebration. Learning what's happening in the city ahead of time is an easy and fun way to get the most out of a short stay.
Find Deals On Tours In The City
If it's your first time in a city or country, there is nothing wrong with being a tourist. I personally think you should visit a place more than once so you can fully enjoy everything a place has to offer. However, tours are a quick and easy way to knock out all of your tourism interests in one go.
When I went to London, I signed up for a tour with River Thames Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Cruise. When I booked my sightseeing tour, we visited important and historical monuments and places to see in London. I even stopped at the London Eye and enjoyed the entire view the city had to offer from the Ferris wheel-inspired setup to take in the view of the city. Plus, you can have a drink or two if that's your thing.
You can choose from a variety of tour options, depending on what you want to see. The tour prices range from as little as $10-$68. And you get to see the city without breaking your pockets, which sounds like a deal to me.
Visit Cities (Or Countries) Close By
If you are visiting a place like London that has a train system that takes you to nearby cities, please go! From London, I took the train to Paris and went on another tour through Golden Tours. We toured the Eiffel Tower, took another boat cruise in Paris, and visited the Louvre Museum. In my opinion, it's the most inexpensive way to get the most out of your trip and the most bang for your buck. Each activity would have been way more if I booked each event individually. All together, everything came up to $260 including our roundtrip train tickets. You can check out how to get the most of your trip to London and Paris through another article on our site here.
Go Out And Explore
Some of the cutest gems tend to be right in front of us and in places we overlook. Take the train and explore places in the city or around your hotel. Whether you're shopping, going for a bite, visiting bars and lounges, just go out and enjoy the local scene as well. London has a very diverse selection of food, for every type of diet. If you're vegan/vegetarian/pescatarian, you still have a lot of options. Most restaurants are very friendly with dietary restriction and they offer a little bit of everything.
While London isn't known for a particular food, you can definitely find great places to eat. One of my favorite restaurants was an Indian cuisine name Mogul. This one isn't super vegan-friendly, but if you like Indian food, it's a great choice. If you're stuck on where to go, ask the employees at the hotel you're staying or ask any locals you may run into. You can also check pages like Airbnb that offer experiences and recommendations on things to do and see.
Get the most out of your mini-vacations, you can enjoy more than you think.
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