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-   -   First time touring my hometown (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/first-time-touring-my-hometown-937112/)

happysunworshipper May 30th, 2012 01:59 PM

First time touring my hometown
 
Hey guys,

My girlfriend and I are planning a few days in the city. I live near the centre, but I've never really seen it through the eyes of a tourist.
I'd hoped you guys would know something fun to do beyond the standard Tower of London and sorts and still getting my girlfriend to know the city a bit?

Thanks and I hope to hearing from you,

Kyle

jamikins May 30th, 2012 02:04 PM

What does your girlfriend like to do? I like sitting somewhere having a drink people watiching, and I love good food and markets....or do you want site info?

uhoh_busted May 30th, 2012 02:35 PM

Check out London Walks tours -- They aren't expensive and usually are made up of groups of interesting couples or singles from other countries. It is almost as much fun to hear their opinions as it is learning about the topic of the tour from the tour guide.

We enjoy open-air markets. We also love music, and going to a candle-light concert at St Martin in the Fields was a high-point of our first London visit.

flanneruk May 30th, 2012 11:05 PM

However many millions of tourists London gets, that's how many different pairs of tourists' eyes it's seen through.

Anyway, do you really want her to spend months beforehand boring the bejayzus out of forums like this asking about the difference between an Oystercard and the London Pass, get the tube bleary eyed to a tourist ghetto dump in Bloomsbury, stand in queues for Mme Tussauds and the Eye, then her evenings watching packaged shows available everywhere from Shenzhen to Las Vegas and eating in Aberdeen Steak Houses?

There's a reason places like the British Museum and the National Gallery attract hordes, year round: they're stunning, whether you live here or in South Dakota. Google something like "London's most visited attractions", choose however many you've got time for that either you want to see or you think will really interest her. Decide on the eating places you and she will enjoy. Then choose the evening events that look enjoyable (to you: not the typical Dusseldorf dentist) from this week's Time Out.

If you really, really want an Old Time Cockney Bangers and Mash supper, I'm sure there's a flyer in one of those Bloomsbury accommodation machines (go to Russell Square and look where the crowds are coming from) telling you where to find one.

happysunworshipper Jun 7th, 2012 02:57 PM

Thanks for all the comments :D. I've been looking into a walking tour or cycling tour. Girlfriend's is more the active type, so a cycling tour should do. She's never been to London, so I'll definitely take some of the ideas above into consideration :D.

ChristianDowell Jun 7th, 2012 03:07 PM

Dear happysunworshipper,

See my post via this link on tips about bike tours.

Hope it's of any use ;).

Christian

ChristianDowell Jun 8th, 2012 08:12 AM

Nice to also include the link:

http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/p/m/2211da/

happysunworshipper Jun 21st, 2012 03:40 PM

Hey Flanneruk,

Thanks, your comments are helping out a lot. I guess it's not to bad taking on the more standard and obvious things then...


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