What You MUST Book in Advance for a London Trip
What’s the next step after booking flights and a hotel for a London trip? You must make sure you know what to book in advance of your trip to London. This will guarantee you don’t find yourself disappointed and without fun things to do in London.
Here, I have categorised the best ones for you. (Updated September 2024)
As an American living in London since 2013, I’ve spent a lot of time immersed in learning about the city that’s now my home.
And, I have another advantage over others who share London trip planning advice because my husband was born in London. So, you truly are getting information here from London experts!
There are many ways we help with your London trip planning:
- The Sunny News, our weekly email which features current events, discount codes, information you’ll need and Mr Sunny’s Pub of the Week
- The FREE Insider’s Guide to London that can download as soon as you subscribe to the email
- Videos on social media that are guides showing you things to do in London
London Trip Book in Advance: Popular Events
Most people are shocked when they arrive in London and experience how busy it is. This means the popular events have limited availability, as peak times sell out quickly. While some activities are constant, many change seasonally and others are offered for a limited time.
Right now, these are my top recommendations:
- Moco Museum (uses SUNNYINLONDON10 as a discount code until Sept 30th for 10% off)
- Formula 1
- Tower of London Tour with a Beefeater Private Meet & Greet
- Taylor Swift Inspired London Afternoon Tea Bus
- The Ultimate London Speed Boat Tour
- Candlelight Concerts
I have attended several Candlelight Concerts. First, I went to the Coldplay tribute and then the Hans Zimmer Candlelight Concert at London Sea Aquarium. The John Williams and Hans Zimmer concerts sell out fast. So if that’s something you want to do- take my advice and book early!
London Pass
The easiest website to use for searching and buying tickets for London events is Feverup.
However, the London Pass provides access to many of the city’s top attractions at a discounted rate. It’s a great if you plan to visit several sites that are near each other. AND- it eliminates the need to book in advance for some attractions.
You’ll need to buy it before your trip to start saving from day one. It’s one I’ve used myself here in London and in Vienna.
The London Pass is the most popular combination ticket available. The most popular attractions on the list of 80+ things to do in London are:
- The View from the Shard
- Tower of London
- Westminster Abbey
- Windsor Castle (Free return train journey from London Paddington via Slough)
- Kensington Palace and The Orangery
- Hampton Court Palace
- ZSL London Zoo
- Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre Tour & Exhibition
- Churchill War Rooms
- London Bridge Experience and London Tombs
- St Paul’s Cathedral
The italics indicate which attractions you can skip the line if you have a London Pass.
Sample Two Day Attraction Itinerary in London
An itinerary example for a Two Day Itinerary on the London Pass is:
- The Tower of London (£34.80)
- Tower Bridge Exhibition (£13.40)
- The Monument to the Great Fire of London (£6)
- St Paul’s Cathedral (£25)
- View from the Shard (£37)
- The London Eye (£45)
- Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre (£27)
- Golden Hinde (£6)
- London Bridge Experience (£33)
- The View from the Shard (if you weren’t too tired on Day 1)
If you paid for each individual attraction, the total for one adult would be £227.20. However, a 2 Day London Pass is £144. And that’s if they aren’t having a sale!
So, I suggest you buy a London Pass in advance of your trip if you are keen to see many attractions. Note that if you purchase more than one day, they have to be used consecutively and it starts as soon as you go to your first attraction.
London Trip Book in Advance: Attractions
Iconic attractions like the Tower of London and the View from the Shard often require pre-booked tickets if you aren’t using a London Pass. To avoid long queues or sold-out days, secure your spot early, especially during peak tourist seasons.
If you plan on visiting London in the summer or just want the easiest experience possible at London’s busiest attraction- book a private tour! I recommend the Tower of London Tour with a Beefeater Private Meet & Greet.
You can read about my experience and full review too.
Even some of the free things to do in London, require you to book in advance. The two most popular are Sky Garden and Horizon 22.
Horizon 22 requires a few months ahead and Sky Garden many weeks. I’ve made several videos about each and one that compares the two. Note, that it seems Sky Garden releases new batches of tickets on Mondays.
Museums and Exhibitions
While many of London’s major museums are free, special exhibitions often require tickets that can sell out. If there’s a particular show or exhibit you want to see at places like the British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) or the Tate Modern, make sure to book your tickets ahead of time.
Even general admission is faster if you book ahead in London. There are separate queues for those who have.
London Trip Book in Advance: Theatre Tickets
Rivalling New York City, London has an impressive Theatre district. Rather than going to all the theatre websites individually, I have found TodayTix to be the most useful for finding the best deals. You’ll also want to use a seat finder review website too such as Seatplan.
I had the misfortune of spending a LOT of money on Harry Potter The Cursed Child tickets for two performances and having seats with an obstructed view. I bought them from the show’s official website and they were not indicated as obstructed.
A list of current popular shows to see in London is in my FREE guide you get when you subscribe to my weekly emails.
London Trip Book in Advance: Day Trips
If you’re in town for enough days, you will want to consider day trips from London. The most popular ones include visiting Stonehenge, Bath, the Cotswolds, Windsor, Oxford and Cambridge.
Some suggestions are:
- Shakespeare Stratford-upon-Avon Cotswolds Tour from London
- Oxford and Cambridge Tour
- Stonehenge and Bath Tour
- Stonehenge Inner Circle, Walking Tour of Bath and 2-course Meal
Whether you’re booking a guided tour or train tickets, it’s wise to arrange these excursions before you arrive in London. If you’re going to go on your own, know that train tickets get increasingly more expensive the closer you get to your travel date.
These are some tips about visiting Stonehenge and Bath that most people don’t know.
London Trip Book in Advance: Christmas Activities
While weather can always be the biggest gamble during the holiday season, there are some activities for which you’ll need to role the dice. That’s because they are outdoors and sell out fast.
Specifically, I mean Winter Wonderland and Christmas at Kew. Tickets are released late summer and are quickly booked by smart Londoners and repeat visitors for peak times.
If you didn’t know that Winter Wonderland is now a ticketed event since you haven’t attended after the pandemic, you want to watch this video to see how it’s changed. And after it is a summary of what you’ll need to know about the season of Christmas in London too.
London Trip Book in Advance: Harry Potter
The Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio Tour is a must for fans, but tickets often sell out weeks or even months ahead. Plan well in advance to guarantee your spot at this magical experience.
You might actually classify it as a day trip, if you’re staying in Central London. It’s probably as far away as Windsor, albeit an entirely different direction. You might want to consider a coach tour to the studio so you don’t have to worry about transportation.
It has themed events throughout the year, perhaps the most popular is Hogwarts in the Snow. For more on all things Harry Potter related, visit my Guide to Harry Potter.
If you have plans to do anything Harry Potter related while you are in London, then realise that you are not a minority. I think I have been to every Harry Potter attraction in London and Oxford, including spending the night in a Harry Potter themed hotel!
Tourist Attractions
There is also the London Eye combination ticket. It can give you access to:
- The London Eye
- Shrek’s Adventure
- The London Dungeon
- SEA Life London
- Madame Tussaud’s
The first four attractions are all literally next to each other in Southbank. This ticket is worth having in advance because lines there are extremely long. Be advised that some people (especially Londoners) would classify them as overrated.
London Trip Book in Advance- Food Activities
Unique food experiences such as cooking masterclasses, food tours or bottomless brunches with limited availability often require booking ahead. These experiences give you a true taste of London’s culinary scene but are in high demand.
Some of the most popular include:
- Masterclasses at Pied à Terre, London’s longest-standing independent Michelin starred restaurant. Classes are include plant-based, pasta-making and ceviche.
- Afternoon Teas. Places like Claridge’s, Fortnum and Mason and Corinthia and other iconic hotels will need to be booked several weeks ahead. This is especially true during the Christmas holiday season.
- Food Tours. There are tons of themed tours throughout London. Make sure you choose your tour and book your spot before you arrive!
- Bottomless Brunches
- Popular restaurants. If you’ve discovered a place to eat in London through social media that has a huge following, you’ll want to secure your table well in advance. As a side note, please read their comments and reviews to see if they’re just ‘Insta hype’ too!
London Trip Book in Advance: Final Thoughts
Hopefully, this long list has helped. I can’t possibly cover every activity for every type of person. However, if you have 5 minutes, you might want to see highlights in this video on the Sunny News .
What questions can I answer for you about planning your London trip?
