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 aren’t disappointed and miss fun things to do in London.
Here, I have categorised the most important ones for you.
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.
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Hotels in London
If you haven’t book your hotel yet for your London trip. Here’s an interactive map to get you started. It’s based on the most central location to be in town.
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 the website below 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 here is in my London Travel Guide.
Visit London Logically
You’ll be able to:
London Trip Book in Advance: Attractions
Iconic attractions like the Tower of London 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.
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, I have discounts available on some exciting activities.
2026 Current Ticket Discounts for London
Next update on 2nd July 2026
Discount Code: SUNNYINLONDON10
Get 10% off these until 2nd July
- Banksy Limitless
- Prison Island
- Ramses and the Pharaohs’ Gold
- Paradox Museum
- Bubble Planet
- Boom Lab
- Vikings: The Immersive Experience
- Cleopatra: The Experience
- LUMINISCENCE: New 360° projection concert at London’s Westminster Cathedral
- House of Dreamers
- Space Explorers
- Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition
- Murdér Express: Part Deux
- SABRAGE
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. The V&A does not require tickets but most other museums do.
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.
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 roll 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.
Before Covid, Winter Wonderland was not a ticketed event. It’s changed quite a bit since then.
For specific tips on visiting London at Christmas, you’ll want my Christmas Guide.
Christmas in London
Don’t ruin your London trip with a bad itinerary! Your dream Christmas in London starts here.
From sparkling lights to perfect itineraries, self-guided walks and everything in between, our Christmas in London guide is packed with festive magic (and Mr Sunny’s holiday sausage roll recipe).
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
- SEA Life London
- Madame Tussaud’s
The first three 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. But, I’ve found the London Eye Flexi Fast Track tickets really worth it for those who just want to visit that London attraction easily.
London Trip Book in Advance- Food Activities & Restaurants
Unique food experiences such as afternoon teas or food tours require booking ahead. These experiences give you a true taste of London’s culture and culinary scene but are in high demand.
Popular restaurants also book up several weeks ahead of time. To make things easier, I’ve put together a curated list of my top places to eat in London for you.
Worried about where to eat in London?
You just don’t know where to go.
Have expert suggestions in our Insider’s Guide to London Restaurants.
Includes pinned Google Maps & organised by:
- Neighbourhood
- Cuisines
- ‘Best of’ lists
London Pass
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. But it does take a tremendous amount of coordination.
In my Travel Guide I give you a sample one and two day London itinerary using it.
London Trip Book in Advance: Final Thoughts
Because I know how overwhelming planning a London trip can be, I offer two different ways to help you. You can book a 1:1 Trip Consultation with me to get your questions answered or have a custom itinerary made based on your speicifc requests.
The travel guides give you easy to follow itineraries and come with an A-Z Booking Guide so you know what to book and when. Plus you’ll have all the links you need to get tickets in one place.
Bundles are truly the best deal.
What questions can I answer for you about planning your London trip?
London Travel Planners
1:1 Trip Consultations
2026 3-day Iconic London Travel Planner
Ultimate Christmas in London Guide
London Restaurant Guide
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