First Time To London....
Nov 28th, 2004, 06:31 PM
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First Time To London....
So I am on may way to London in April,2005 to see my little sister going to college out there. I know she will be able to show me some sites but since she works and has class I will be on my own mostly. So is there any thing that I MUST see . Only I really know I want to see is the changing of the guard or a find some cool shopping places. Also whats the deal if I buy stuff and coming back into the states do I have to tell them everything I bought even if it was checked on the plane? I also heard that I have to apy taxes or something on my way back if bringing any thing back from the duty free. Sorry for such a long post
Nov 28th, 2004, 07:44 PM
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Without knowing what kind of things you like to see/do, it's hard to make specific recommendations. I would go to a bookstore and purchase a London guidebook and do some research on what sounds interesting to you. London has so many things to see and do. You won't be able to see everything, so just make a list of your own "must-sees."
Personally, I think the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey are the two absolute must-sees in London. And an evening walk along the Thames and over Westminster Bridge is nice - seeing Big Ben and Parliament all lit up. The Changing of the Guard is actually very low on my list of thing to do in London - just my opinion, but it's the only thing we've ever done in London that we considered a waste of time.
There is a limit to what you can bring back without paying duty. I think the limit is $400, but not positive. That would include any merchandise you are bringing back with you (including in your checked luggage.) They will give you a customs declaration form on the flight back where you fill in what you are declaring.
Personally, I think the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey are the two absolute must-sees in London. And an evening walk along the Thames and over Westminster Bridge is nice - seeing Big Ben and Parliament all lit up. The Changing of the Guard is actually very low on my list of thing to do in London - just my opinion, but it's the only thing we've ever done in London that we considered a waste of time.
There is a limit to what you can bring back without paying duty. I think the limit is $400, but not positive. That would include any merchandise you are bringing back with you (including in your checked luggage.) They will give you a customs declaration form on the flight back where you fill in what you are declaring.
Nov 28th, 2004, 07:49 PM
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Well, there are only about a zillion previous posts on here about what to see and do in London, and good shopping, etc., so try a search, or several, on this forum. Also look at what Fodor's recommends - London is one of the top destinations and it is easy to find info. There is a recommended itinerary for 5 days and for 7.
The hop on/hop off bus is a good place to start - it will give you a good overview of the sites. You can get off and visit ones that interest you or take the tube to them later.
I would skip the changing of the guard - not that interesting. There are tons more things that are more worthwhile, such as the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, Harrod's, British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, Covent Garden, Portobello Market, various shows and plays, etc.
You haven't indicated what your interests are.
Of course you have to declare everything that you've bought, and you should keep all receipts. Customs agents have the right to search your bags upon return so if there are things you have not declared, they will find them and you will suffer penalties. Otherwise it is smuggling! A criminal offence.
I do not know what the allowable value of purchased goods is for returning US citizens - someone else on here will know I'm sure - or check the gov't website. It will depend on how long you are out of the country. Duty free purchases are to be included in the total value of the goods you bring back; there is a maximum allowable amount of alcohol/tobacco, which again I do not know for the US. You will only have to pay duty and taxes on items that are over your allowable amount, so don't go over the limit and you will be fine.
The hop on/hop off bus is a good place to start - it will give you a good overview of the sites. You can get off and visit ones that interest you or take the tube to them later.
I would skip the changing of the guard - not that interesting. There are tons more things that are more worthwhile, such as the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, Harrod's, British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, Covent Garden, Portobello Market, various shows and plays, etc.
You haven't indicated what your interests are.
Of course you have to declare everything that you've bought, and you should keep all receipts. Customs agents have the right to search your bags upon return so if there are things you have not declared, they will find them and you will suffer penalties. Otherwise it is smuggling! A criminal offence.
I do not know what the allowable value of purchased goods is for returning US citizens - someone else on here will know I'm sure - or check the gov't website. It will depend on how long you are out of the country. Duty free purchases are to be included in the total value of the goods you bring back; there is a maximum allowable amount of alcohol/tobacco, which again I do not know for the US. You will only have to pay duty and taxes on items that are over your allowable amount, so don't go over the limit and you will be fine.
Nov 28th, 2004, 08:58 PM
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Thank you very much for all of that information. Its sad to say but my hobbies include reading and well some more reading. But I will for such be buying a guide now so that I can see what would be fun. Again thank you for all that helpful information.
Nov 28th, 2004, 11:16 PM
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imaukpanda; if you like reading, you will enjoy the bookshops on Charing Cross Road. There are some threads about specialist book shops on here; search for London and books.
Lots of cool places to shop.
Notting Hill; particularly Westbourne Grove and Ledbury Road
Brompton Cross and Walton Street
Covent Garden; there's an area there called Seven Dials with some nice shops
Oxford Street; don't know what kind of clothes you like, but the Topshop on Oxford Circus is pretty good.
There are some great markets too, like Portobello Road on Saturdays, and Camden Market.
I don't know how strict the US customs are, but I never declare clothes; just cut off the tags, wear your new shoes, and I don't think they could tell where you bought them. If you do this, it is wise to send your receipts home to yourself instead of keeping them in your wallet.
Lots of cool places to shop.
Notting Hill; particularly Westbourne Grove and Ledbury Road
Brompton Cross and Walton Street
Covent Garden; there's an area there called Seven Dials with some nice shops
Oxford Street; don't know what kind of clothes you like, but the Topshop on Oxford Circus is pretty good.
There are some great markets too, like Portobello Road on Saturdays, and Camden Market.
I don't know how strict the US customs are, but I never declare clothes; just cut off the tags, wear your new shoes, and I don't think they could tell where you bought them. If you do this, it is wise to send your receipts home to yourself instead of keeping them in your wallet.
Nov 29th, 2004, 08:02 AM
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imaukpanda,
Adding to the info on declaring your purchases from England when you return to the U.S., there are some items that are exempt from your $800 duty-free allowances - books, toys and CD's. So if you find lots of great books on your trip, you will only have to worry about the weight of carrying them home and not about paying duty. Same for CD's and toys should you purchase any. They don't tell you about those exemptions on the government website, I found out about them from customs agents when returning from trips I've made, and had to revise my declaration forms. However the limits for alcohol, tobacco and other special rules are available from the U.S. Customs Dept. website - http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/
I think the term "duty free shops" in airports gets confusing because as I understand it, that's referring to the duty paid by those shops to bring in the merchandise they sell - they are exempt from it and (hopefully) pass those savings on to the customer, but the "duty" the customer pays when they arrive home is another issue altogether. I recommend keeping all your purchase receipts together and taking them in your carry on bag on the way home (you may need to write on the receipts what the purchase was if it's not obvious), also bring a small calculator to add them up for the customs declaration form the flght attendants pass out before landing. When I returned from my most recent trip to England, they passed out the forms late in the flight and I was still filling mine out when we had to put everythig away to land, so ended up finishing it while in line at Customs. But when we went to Mexico in Oct. they passed them out as we boarded which I think was a much better way to do it.
Adding to the info on declaring your purchases from England when you return to the U.S., there are some items that are exempt from your $800 duty-free allowances - books, toys and CD's. So if you find lots of great books on your trip, you will only have to worry about the weight of carrying them home and not about paying duty. Same for CD's and toys should you purchase any. They don't tell you about those exemptions on the government website, I found out about them from customs agents when returning from trips I've made, and had to revise my declaration forms. However the limits for alcohol, tobacco and other special rules are available from the U.S. Customs Dept. website - http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/
I think the term "duty free shops" in airports gets confusing because as I understand it, that's referring to the duty paid by those shops to bring in the merchandise they sell - they are exempt from it and (hopefully) pass those savings on to the customer, but the "duty" the customer pays when they arrive home is another issue altogether. I recommend keeping all your purchase receipts together and taking them in your carry on bag on the way home (you may need to write on the receipts what the purchase was if it's not obvious), also bring a small calculator to add them up for the customs declaration form the flght attendants pass out before landing. When I returned from my most recent trip to England, they passed out the forms late in the flight and I was still filling mine out when we had to put everythig away to land, so ended up finishing it while in line at Customs. But when we went to Mexico in Oct. they passed them out as we boarded which I think was a much better way to do it.
Nov 29th, 2004, 08:20 AM
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Tulips - you're advising someone to smuggle! Really. Not declaring goods you bring back from your trip is illegal. Whether or not you decide to take the risk is up to you, but you really shouldn't counsel someone else to do it. What would you expect imaukpanda's defence to be should he/she be caught - "An anonymous person on a travel forum said it'd be OK for me to conceal what I bought from the government"??
Nov 29th, 2004, 08:36 AM
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hi ukpanda,
If you love to read then you are all set. Read some guide books and some history and some contemporary and historical fiction set in London and some of it will begin to fascinate you and that is what <i> you </i> must see.
How long will you be there? If you can do day trips then look up the surrounding area as well.
For me the walk along the bank of the Thames from Tower Bridge to Westminster bridge starting at the Tower of London (the crown jewels are boring IMO, but the fort itself is great) and stopping at art galleries on the south bank, the Globe, Tate Modern, St.Pauls and the London Eye and finishing with WestMinster Abbey was the highlight of my trip.
If you love to read then you are all set. Read some guide books and some history and some contemporary and historical fiction set in London and some of it will begin to fascinate you and that is what <i> you </i> must see.
How long will you be there? If you can do day trips then look up the surrounding area as well.
For me the walk along the bank of the Thames from Tower Bridge to Westminster bridge starting at the Tower of London (the crown jewels are boring IMO, but the fort itself is great) and stopping at art galleries on the south bank, the Globe, Tate Modern, St.Pauls and the London Eye and finishing with WestMinster Abbey was the highlight of my trip.
Nov 29th, 2004, 09:00 AM
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Come on Taggie; I know so many people who go shopping in NY, now that the dollar is so cheap, and no-one declares their Ralph Lauren shirts. And I've seen enough posts about buying fake LV and other bags to know that not all Americans are that law-abiding.
Nov 29th, 2004, 09:23 AM
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Well yeah, Tulips, agreed - people smuggle all the time... but I still don't think you should be advising someone to do it. It's still illegal, bottom line. I bet some folks here have advice on where to buy drugs and how to rob people too, but they aren't passing that along. Just because it's cheating the government doesn't make it any less wrong, does it?
And this poster seems a little naive about the way customs works, so I can see a potential disaster.
Also, if the label on a piece of clothing says TopShop, don't you think a customs agent "might" know it came from England? If you don't declare any clothing, and you're wearing new stuff with the labels of English stores, you look a bit suspicious.
You never know when you're gonna get a zealous customs agent. If you do, and you don't declare what you're bringing back, at the least it could result in some financial penalties. Nothing would ruin the nice memory of a trip faster than a 3-hour grilling and a big tax and duty bill. Or worse.
$800 US is a very generous limit. I'm sure the poster can manage to keep within that limit without lying about it. And if she can't then paying the duty up front is better than facing worse penalties.
And this poster seems a little naive about the way customs works, so I can see a potential disaster.
Also, if the label on a piece of clothing says TopShop, don't you think a customs agent "might" know it came from England? If you don't declare any clothing, and you're wearing new stuff with the labels of English stores, you look a bit suspicious.
You never know when you're gonna get a zealous customs agent. If you do, and you don't declare what you're bringing back, at the least it could result in some financial penalties. Nothing would ruin the nice memory of a trip faster than a 3-hour grilling and a big tax and duty bill. Or worse.
$800 US is a very generous limit. I'm sure the poster can manage to keep within that limit without lying about it. And if she can't then paying the duty up front is better than facing worse penalties.
Nov 29th, 2004, 10:53 AM
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Thank you for all the great information...the shopping sounds amazing. To Kevin the reason I say its sad is because reading seems to be a thing that no one does any more and it's not a very glamorous hobby (lol) but I do enjoy it and now have a list of books a mile long that I am going to go get from my book store today. I figure in the 6 days I will be there (leaving the first day open for horrible jet lag) I think that I will do some tours and stuff. As for duty and declaring I was unsure about the amount and stuff, thanks for that info as well. I am serious souvenir junkie but think that I can keep it under 800 (crossing fingers). Is it ok if I buy stuff and ship it home? I mean my little sister in London ships me stuff all the time (awesome tea).
Nov 29th, 2004, 11:21 AM
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I just returned to Newark from London and did a lot of shopping. You may now bring back $800 of duty free items. I usually write a list of everything I buy with the price in foreign currency then US dollar concersions. On the back of the declarations slip I write "Items for personal use" and the dollar amount. I never actually list every item.
They are not as strict with your silly shopping purchases as they are with meat and food products. This is what they say on their websight...
"Many prepared foods are admissible. However, almost anything containing meat products, such as bouillon, soup mixes, etc., is not admissible. As a general rule, condiments, vinegars, oils, packaged spices, honey, coffee and tea are admissible."
They are serious and strict about this. They have sniffing dogs and x-ray machines to look for these goods. Also, don't even try to bring in fresh fruit.
I always bring some food items back with me and list them seperately. You will have to declare if you have any food. If you have food, your luggage will be x-rayed for meat and fowl products. If you get caught the fine is very high and they do impose it.
There are also limits on alcohol.
Check the US Customs websight for more info.
http://www.customs.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/kbyg/
Check out my websight for shopping and restaurants in London!
http://richardab.typepad.com/iheartparis
They are not as strict with your silly shopping purchases as they are with meat and food products. This is what they say on their websight...
"Many prepared foods are admissible. However, almost anything containing meat products, such as bouillon, soup mixes, etc., is not admissible. As a general rule, condiments, vinegars, oils, packaged spices, honey, coffee and tea are admissible."
They are serious and strict about this. They have sniffing dogs and x-ray machines to look for these goods. Also, don't even try to bring in fresh fruit.
I always bring some food items back with me and list them seperately. You will have to declare if you have any food. If you have food, your luggage will be x-rayed for meat and fowl products. If you get caught the fine is very high and they do impose it.
There are also limits on alcohol.
Check the US Customs websight for more info.
http://www.customs.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/kbyg/
Check out my websight for shopping and restaurants in London!
http://richardab.typepad.com/iheartparis
Nov 29th, 2004, 04:29 PM
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Oh, that Dungeon thing is really tacky - very popular with adolescent boys.
Take the Yeoman Warder's tour at the Tower of London - much, much better.
Also, walks offered by The Original London Walks are just excellent. Cannot recommend them enough. Check out www.walks.com - there are many, many good ones.
Take the Yeoman Warder's tour at the Tower of London - much, much better.
Also, walks offered by The Original London Walks are just excellent. Cannot recommend them enough. Check out www.walks.com - there are many, many good ones.
Nov 29th, 2004, 06:07 PM
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One of the nice things about London Walks is their discount card. The walk costs 5.50 GBP. You pay 1 GBP extra for the card then every walk after that is 4.50 GBP. You break even after 2 walks and save one pound every walk. It is the equivalent of every 5th walk being free. They are great introductions to London. You hear some great stories -the guides are very knowledgeable. The pub walks are fun.
