Covent Garden is an absolute must! Located in the heart of London with so much to see and do it is a springboard to everything London!
I have been twice. Once when my son came for a visit and once when a friend came for a visit. Both times we stayed at the Travel Lodge at Covent Garden.
https://www.travelodge.co.uk/hotels/318/London-Central-Covent-Garden-hotel?sb=1
Now as I’ve said in prior posts, I am no travel agent and I get no commission or perks from sharing my thoughts, but, for an absolute perfect strategic location, you can’t beat the Travel Lodge there. This is a clean and friendly hotel. There is a small dining room that serves breakfast and a small bar for a drink at the end of the day. But with so much to do, and so many different offerings in and around Covent Gardens, I never spent much time at the hotel! If you prefer a lodging with more to offer along the lines of dining and/or entertainment, there is plenty to choose from!
From our base of the Travel Lodge, we walked everywhere except the one time we took the tube to get us over to Buckingham Palace. We also took a boat tour along the River Thames which helped us orientate ourselves and we could see all the national treasures which we wanted to explore more!
But let’s start with what you can experience right outside your hotel door.
Covent Gardens has dozens and dozens of pubs, restaurants, and cafes. Check out our yummy desert and drinks!!
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And all kinds of street entertainers…jugglers, singers, magicians…
When my friend came over for a visit, we had a drink and watched a musician play his guitar, sing, and entertain. A lovely way to take some time out from a busy sight-seeing day!
There are dozens of small shops in and around the Covent Garden Market. Selling all the souvenirs you can expect, but also some lovely clothing stores, jewelry stores, perfume, chocolate and pastry shops…retail therapy for all!
One of the most renown restaurants in Covent Gardens is The Ivy Market Grill (but beware, there are two Ivy’s!) When my son came for a visit, we stopped and had a pint and a bite at the one located in the heart of Covent Gardens. The weather was lovely, so we were able to sit outside and enjoy!
Check out his Boston Red Sox hat!!!
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Now I made a mistake that turned out not to be so bad! When my girlfriend came for a visit, I thought The Ivy would be a fantastic place to bring her, for a taste at a real English icon. What I didn’t realize when I made the reservation, was that there is a second Ivy on West Street! So, when we arrived for our dinner at The Ivy Market Grill in Covent Garden, and they said we didn’t have a reservation, I was a bit dumbstruck! But the hostess said a lot of people make this mistake, and when I showed her my confirmation, she provided us with directions to The Ivy on West Street! It turned out to be only about a 15-minute walk…so we still had a fantastic experience along with a laugh!
I mentioned taking a boat tour along the River Thames and that helped us orientate ourselves and also helped us to decide where we wanted to explore more! There are numerous options available…have a look and see which one would suit you! There are also bus tours available for you “land lubbers” that offer some pretty nice tours as well.
https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/sightseeing/sightseeing-tours/river-tour
While on the boat tour, we saw so many iconic bridges and buildings. We saw the Tower Bridge, The London Eye, Big Ben, and even Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. The boat we were on provided small snack items and beer and wine for purchase. So of course, we imbibed!
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A few pics from the boat of the many London icons:
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When my some came to visit, we got off the boat at the stop for Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. My son went to school in New York and studied Musical Theater, so this was an absolute must see. We toured the Shakespeare Globe Theatre and even had a pint at the Anchor Pub where Shakespeare used to stay and write!
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Also, a must do when my son came was to check out London’s Theatre District. We walked around this district and even saw a play! The Theatre Royal Haymarket and Her Majesty’s Theatre were the two that stood out to us:
If you’re up for a bit of walking, you can walk to just about anywhere from the Travel Lodge in Covent Garden. When we had my son and friend over for visits, we also walked to Trafalgar Square! It was about a 6-minute walk and believe it or not would take the same amount of time to drive. Renting a car in London is a “non-necessity”! There are congestion charges for driving in London and parking is a strategic nightmare. If you prefer not to walk for the entire sight-seeing experience, the tube (London Underground) and buses are an alternative, as well as the world-famous London taxis!
Check out these amazing monuments and statues in and around Trafalgar Square ~
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One of the highlights of my friend’s visit was the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace. It was a must see for her. The schedule is posted online, so if this on your list, make sure to check out the times before you arrive:
https://changing-guard.com/dates-buckingham-palace.html
When we went the changing was scheduled for 11:00 AM. We arrived at Buckingham palace at about 10:00 AM and were positioned right at the gates, a prefect viewing spot! The day we went, the Regimental Band also took part in the ceremony. It was fantastic!
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Note that this is open to the public, there is no ticket or viewing charges, just arrive in plenty of time to get a good spot! And be prepared for crowds!
We also spotted this as we were preparing to head away from Buckingham Palace:
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One day in particular, my friend and I were truly just meandering. We happened upon the gorgeous Victoria Gardens! It was a beautiful spring day, warm and sunny so we took our time and enjoyed the sights sounds and scents….
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One other thing that my friend and I did simply for the experience, was to enjoy a lovely British Afternoon Tea at the Royal Horseguard Restaurant:
https://www.guoman.com/the-royal-horseguards/restaurants-and-bars/afternoon-tea-at-the-lounge
What a fun and luxurious typical English afternoon break!
Now I can assure you that with all I’ve shared and shown in this post, there are dozens more things to do and places to visit! We were only in London for three days for each visit. My tip is to plan the time you’ll need to see all you want to experience, and to not “cram in” too much, otherwise you’ll be exhausted and it will all become a blur! We didn’t have the time to reserve a visit to see the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London, or to have a visit to the Houses of Parliament, or to check out St. Paul’s Cathedral, or even have a go-round on the London Eye! Next time…and for another post…
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