Getting there from LHR (Heathrow)
Heathrow LHR Express £22/$30 (15-20 minutes)
Tube - London’s subway system is divided into Zones starting with Zone 6 (Heathrow) on the outer perimeter, followed by Zones, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 (Central London)
Zone 6 to Zone 1 £3.10/$3.75 contactless Apple Pay (50-55 minutes)
Tube Map - London Underground Route Planner Tube Map App
If using Apple Pay and Chase Sapphire Reserve for your London journeys TfL does impose a daily/weekly cap keeping transit costs reasonable. Apple Pay is capped at £7.40/$10.10 Daily Anytime
The alternative is purchase a £5 refundable deposit for an Oyster Card and top up at any rail station for a daily/weekly Travelcard £37/$51
Car Hire/Driving - Pro Tip: DON’T DO IT. There’s no reason for Car Hire unless you’re like me and have had to move offices from say Central London to Chelmsford or Colchester. Driving into London invokes a £10 Congestion Charge and the cameras around the UK M1/M25 and in any town will catch you violating UK driving laws. And did I mention those violations are costly? Learn from my experience. AVOID. And London traffic is horrendous. For comparison, here in Downtown Chicago to ORD is 18 miles and can take a good hour in heavy traffic. LHR to Central London is roughly the same distance and is 2 hours at any time of the day!
Food
To me there’s no such thing as good British Food, sorry UK, Bangers & Mash, Fish & Chips dont count. When I first visited in 2005 it was straight out terrible and left me aghast. I once ordered Jumbo Prawns on a Goblet and wow, it was a goblet of teeny tiny baby shrimp around the rim. Ordering eggs for breakfast? Styles are vastly different from the United States. Omelet eggs are their version of our scrambled and their scrambled is runny half cooked. In the past 5 years the food scene is making a revival the more times I’ve visited. There is a wealth of good globally inspired ethnic excellent food options
Little Viet Kitchen - This small establishment blew me away. And I mean away like a Hurricane. It’s that good. Famed Chef Thuy Pham crafts her art downstairs. She even made time for a photo
Pret-a-Manger - Though this chain has made its way stateside I still like to pop in one while in London. Why? Because the food is regional, quick and satisfying if you’re on the run
Coffee - If you’ve stepped into a Starbucks outside of the US you’ll quickly realize the coffee simply tastes better and with less sugar. But you didn’t come to London for Starbucks. Venture out to local Coffee Houses like Prufrock
Things to see
Spitalfields Market - A market for things and foods, not a big place by any means but a nice walk through is warranted. Exit Liverpool Street Station towards A10 Bishopsgate
Brick Lane - After wandering Spitalfields Market head over to the eclectic Brick Lane/Shoreditch known for its Vintage Shops and incredible Street Art
Tower Bridge - Exit Tower Hill station next to Citizen M hotel. Take photos on the bridge, walk the bridge on the right side to the other end down by the river, or from the Girl with a Dolphin statue next to Starbucks on the river.
Big Ben, London Eye, Westminster Abbey - Exit Westminster station and turn right for Westminster Abbey. Turn left and walk Westminster Bridge for the famed Big Ben Clock and London Eye
Regent Street - Exit Picadilly Circus (South) or Oxford Circus (North) The Michigan Ave of Chicago with far more people and shops. You’ll see TK Maxx not TJ Maxx here in the UK. Sometimes worth a browse if you’re killing time. Found a nice top coat at TK Maxx up in Edinburgh, Scotland by happen chance.