THINGS TO DO – Page 6

November 13, 2016 by: Sunny London

Christmas in London- What You Can’t Do in NYC

What’s the difference between Christmas in London or Christmas in NYC? I’m sure there are plenty of things that are the same. However, after living as an American expat in London for several years and being married to a British bloke, I’ve learned some fun things to do for the holidays in London that you can’t find anywhere else. From Christmas markets to drinks that the English love, I share a bit about the London holiday season life below.

Of course there is great shopping in London and New York City. That’s not something I show in the video. Both cities also have great deals after Christmas too. In fact, just two years ago London really starting getting in to the Black Friday spirit. Now, for whatever reason they justify here, there are some serious deals the day after Thanksgiving. Why retailers have tried to copy the massive shopping crowd hysteria that happens on this day in the US makes no sense to me.

Take a few minutes to see what makes London unique during the Christmas holiday.

The Sunny News YouTube channel, shares even more advice for things to do and what you’ll need to know about London. This includes safety tips, pub advice, and a shopping guide. The blog also has a Guide for Americans Visiting London which is a collection of the top experiences I recommend. You’ll definitely want to bookmark it and visit the Pinterest boards created to help trip planning too.

It would be great if you were able to add your ideas about unique activities in London that I didn’t include in the video. Also, make sure to leave your ideas about Christmas things to do in New York City that you can’t do in London in the comments below. For more cultural differences, I’ve also written a blog feature on ‘Christmas Differences Between the US and UK.’

November 10, 2015 by: Sunny London

Advice for Visiting Winter Wonderland in London

Are you one of the thousands of people who plan on visiting Winter Wonderland in London this year?

It’s certainly on the top of many people’s list of Things to Do in London at Christmas, including me.

This year it opens at 5pm on Friday, November 20th. Hours after that are 10am-10pm daily (except Christmas Day) until January 3, 2016. Admission to the famous London holiday attraction in Hyde Park is free. However, the rides and food are not.

Having been to Winter Wonderland in London several times, I want to share some advice that will help you with your visit.

Winter Wonderland in London Advice: How to Save Money

While you can enjoy all the sights and smells of Winter Wonderland for free, food, drinks and amusement rides cost money.

You must purchase tickets in advance for Ski Zillertal Ice Rink, Magical Ice Kingdom, Giant Wheel, Zippos Christmas Circus, Cirque Berserk, and Bar Ice. There are a few dates that offer non-peak rates for tickets. They are November 23, 24, 25, 26 and 29, 30 of December.

Since that is a very small list of dates, you might need another method to save money. Therefore, you should decide how much you are willing to spend at the attraction prior to visiting Winter Wonderland in London.

Rides for adults (other than anything mentioned already above) are generally £3 each, and you need to use cash to purchase tokens for them. You can’t buy tokens anywhere in advance.

A money saving suggestion is to go to a cash machine before you get to the attraction and withdraw the amount you are willing to spend. Stick to your budget, even though the rides and food can present huge temptations to over indulge.

Winter Wonderland in London Advice: Skip Saturday

Aside from those planning strategies, you can also do a few more things in advance of your visit. Foremost, plan to go during the week. Saturdays are the busiest for the attraction, so avoid them at all costs, unless you want to be in line with all the other minions!

One thing I have found helpful for visiting Winter Wonderland in London is following their Twitter account. Each year they do a great job of notifying followers about the attraction’s attendance situation. I have seen many Saturday tweets indicating that they closed entrances due to Hyde Park being at full capacity. They also announce status changes to that on Twitter too.

Winter Wonderland in London Advice: Mobile Madness

If you do visit the attraction in Hyde Park during these busy times, not only will you also deal with extreme crowds, but also will likely not have mobile service.

On several visits I haven’t been able to upload videos to Instagram or other social media accounts because of jammed networks.

You might have a tough time using your mobile phone, so consider a old-school backup plan when arranging to meet friends and decide a meeting time and place before you get there.

Winter Wonderland in London Advice: Don’t Drink and Ride

It could be hypocritical that I am going to suggest not to drink and ride while there, considering one of my favourite spots to hit is The Carousel Bar.

As an electronic music fan, I spend a lot of time at this spinning drink disco each year when visiting Winter Wonderland in London. But, I don’t really drink too much for fear of getting too dizzy.

Further, the rides at Hyde Park can be very intense. In fact, as a Florida girl who worked at Universal Studios and frequented Disney World, I feel the rides at Winter Wonderland match those of Orlando’s parks in terms of their ability to throw around your body.

My husband, the blog beer drinking expert, also wants to share some drinking advice here too. He wants everyone to know that if you drink too many steins at the Bavarian Village, you could risk the chance of leaving your stein glass behind and losing your £5 deposit that’s incorporated in to the cost of your first beer. (Yes, he’s had more than one when we visit.)

Maybe that’s because a few sneaky sips disappeared when he made a trip to the loo?

Winter Wonderland in London Advice: Dressed to Chill

Of course, you won’t have any fun if you don’t dress warm enough for the winter temperatures we experience during the holiday season in London. You can’t just rely on ‘Proper Coffee’ all night. 😉

You want to make sure your outfit keeps you warm, is practical for rides and looks great for selfies.

Here is a fun suggestion below for one Winter Wonderland outfit that will do all of these.

Black Reiss Leather Jacket, Double Layer Thermal Top, Reiss Low-rise Skinny Jeans, Michael Kors Boots, Fairy Lights Beanie Hat, and a Kate Spade Backpack.

What do you think, Sunny friends? Are you ready for Winter Wonderland in London now? What advice would you suggest, if you have been there? What other questions can I answer for you?

Don’t miss the 10 Best Things To Do at Christmas in London, which includes advice on How to Ride the Giant Wheel at Winter Wonderland. Finally, if you’re trying to decide between Christmas in London or Christmas in NYC, watch this…

October 18, 2016 by: Sunny London

Scary Things to Do in London

Haunted pubs. Haunted Hotels. London sure has its hands full when it comes to scary things to do! If you’re looking for fun attractions to fall in to the holiday spirit, this city has no shortage of options. I mean, let’s consider some of the scariest events in history took place in the town.

The Bubonic Plague

The Great London Fire

Jack the Ripper

Pretty impressive list, eh?

For Halloween, the scary things to do really kick in to high gear here. Whether you are on holiday or live in London as an expat like me, this list of the top scary things to do.

https://youtu.be/jrR_yvlCq74

If you’re visiting London, make sure you pin this feature and the Guide to Visiting London for the First Time. Of course, you can always subscribe to emails to learn more as it happens too!

September 23, 2016 by: Sunny London

Jamie Oliver Cookery School Review

I was a little embarrassed when our class at the Jamie Oliver Cookery School started. Mr. Sunny started answering all the Chef’s questions, without giving anyone else there a chance first. However, I tried to be patient and understand it’s just because my husband was so excited about the opportunity.

When the email asking if we’d be interested in taking a class at the Jamie Oliver Cookery School came through, I knew it was my ticket to winning ‘Wife of the Year’ with Mr. Sunny. We both love cooking, so we thought the opportunity to go to one of the most famous British chef’s cooking school was super cool. We carefully studied all of the options on the website and picked the Taste of Japan class.

Because we did so much research, it was easy for Mr. Sunny to yell, ‘pork gyoza, green vegetable and brown rice stir-fry, chicken teriyaki with
homemade sauce, gomadare sauce and miso dofu’ when the Chef kicked off class by asking, ‘Who knows what we’re making tonight.’

He had studied in advance and was ready to learn. He’s an over-achiever when it comes to food 😉

The Chef started the cooking lesson by throwing pork belly, chili, cabbage, garlic and ginger in a food processor for the gyoza filling.

This immediately solved the question I had about being able to make and eat all the menu items during the two-hour session. Mr. Sunny was a bit disappointed because he really wanted to do everything himself and have guidance from a professional chef. After very fast directions and demonstrations, we were left to assemble the pork gyoza with our cooking partners.

Mr. Sunny and I each took turns rolling the dough and making our pork gyoza. We did ok on our own, and the Chef only had to help us a bit.

Next, we came back to the same side of the table as everyone else and received instruction on how to make chicken teryiaki and green vegetable and brown rice stir-fry . At this point it was becoming a little hard for us to follow the Chef. Aside from Mr. Sunny and I in the cooking class, there was a very affectionate couple and a party of six colleagues celebrating one’s birthday. The office group was a bit rowdy and continued to order bottles of prosecco throughout the class.

Mr. Sunny was a little disheartened because he really came to learn as much as possible. The Chef did his best to keep the group focussed and moving forward.

Mr. Sunny and I prepared our chicken teriyaki together and soon enough, it was time to eat everything. It was amazing. We’d like to take credit for being able to cook such food fantastic but much of it was prepared in advance.

Jamie Oliver Cookery School Review: Final Thoughts

Taking a class at the Jamie Oliver Cookery School is a good idea for people who want to do something fun in London and don’t expect to leave feeling like they could win Master Chef. We learned that it’s more about the kitchen experience as a social activity or date night, rather than the educational value. The biggest tip Mr. Sunny discovered in the Taste of Japan class was that you actually don’t need to cook chicken in oil for it to turn out well.

I would return to take classes at the Jamie Oliver Cookery School and be excited. They offer a huge selection, including North Indian Thali, Mexican Street Food Feast, Fragrant Thai Green Curry, and Unbeatable Filled Pasta. They range in price, so if you think you might be put off with being in a class with many other people you don’t know, you may wish to take one of the cheaper classes like Pizza and Prosecco for £35. The Taste of Japan course that we took as a complimentary experience via the blog is normally £55 per person.

Secretly, I am hoping Mr. Sunny reads this and buys the Sharpen Your Knife Skills: The Essentials class for me for Christmas. It’s something I really need!

The Jamie Oliver Cookery School is located in the Westfield London shopping centre in Shepherd’s Bush. We received an email the next day with all of the recipes and steps to make the meal. It’s something Mr. Sunny and I will try soon on our own, and of course share with you on social media! In the meantime, you can catch the Jamie Oliver Cooker School on Twitter and Facebook.

For more about what Mr. Sunny and I like to do and share in the kitchen, be sure to read the blog’s Recipes section which includes Mr Sunny’s Easy Toad in the Hole and my How to Make Homemade Pasta from Scratch! What cooking classes have you taken?

November 12, 2015 by: Sunny London

Fun, FREE Christmas Things To Do in London!

Finding free Christmas things to do in London is not as hard as you might think. In fact, when you live in one of the world’s most expensive cities, you are constantly looking out for discounts or free events and opportunities.

For Americans or other travellers to London who have a limited amount of time for a holiday, it’s nice to have a guide to direct you to ways to save money and effort on research. London has so much to offer during the most wonderful time of the year. Quite a few things will put you in the Christmas spirit while not costing anything!

To keep it simple, this guide is arranged by area. Further, all the suggestions are within walking distance of each other and can easily be seen in one day. For the most part, the focus is on the West End and surrounding borders.

Christmas Things to Do in London: Covent Garden

Naturally, we’ll start with the area that’s my blog favourite. Packed with theatres, shopping, restaurants, bars and hotels, Covent Garden offers loads of activities year-round. The free Christmas activities range from the obvious to hidden neighborhood treasures.

The decorations in the Piazza contribute to some of London’s most popular Instagram moments. This year’s theme is Mistletoe, which means the piazza is truly lovely!

🎄Covent Garden looks Christmassy! 🎄Don’t you agree?
A photo posted by Sunny In London☀️🇬🇧 (@sunny_in_london) on Nov 4, 2015 at 12:02am PST

After strolling through the Jubilee Market and Apple Market, you can spend some time taking selfies in front of the Covent Garden Christmas tree and watching the very entertaining street performers.

In the past there have been Santa’s reindeer on display for a series of Saturdays. I’ll be sure to update this list when they publish this year’s dates.

Walking North from the Piazza, you’ll find St. Martin’s Courtyard. Aside from numerous restaurants, you’ll be able to see the floral displays of the Covent Garden Academy of Flowers.

Just like the tree and decorations in the Piazza, the arrangements outside create fantastic picture opportunities.

If you are in fact Christmas shopping, I highly recommend one of their classes on making flower arrangements as a gift for a girl who ‘has it all’. Of all the workshops and courses I have taken in London, this class ranks as the best.

Christmas Things to Do in London: Trafalgar Square

In comparison to the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center, the tree in Trafalgar Square isn’t quite as grand. Nonetheless, visiting it is something I make sure to do several times during the holiday season.

Like Covent Garden, you are likely to see street performers dressed in holiday style. And, if you look very, very closely (in the bottom right), you might even catch a glimpse of Santa Claus.

Finally, there are Christmas Carol services that you can watch for free on evenings during December.

Christmas Things to Do in London: Carnaby Street

If you want your list of free Christmas Things to Do in London to reflect a more eclectic vibe, Carnaby is the area you need to be. Their holiday lights officially illuminated the sky on November 12th. The dangling disco balls are dazzling.

Just around the corner from Carnaby Street is Foubert’s Place where you will find Choccywoccydoodah. This famous chocolatier has its own successful reality television show. If you take one look at the chocolate cakes, yes this all chocolate in the pictures below, you can see why.

Each year I make a few trips in to the store just to see the gorgeous displays. Again, it’s a great place to pick up fantastic chocolate for gifts. Or, if your diet is waiting until New Year, upstairs has a small but divine chocolate cafe.

Christmas Things to Do in London: Oxford Street

Not too far north of Carnaby is Oxford Street. This street is famous for many retail chains and countless red busses that travel tirelessly under all the strands of Christmas lights.

Aside from gazing at the glistening street lights, for free you can also view the displays at Selfridges.

Some people think Santa’s Grotto at Selfridges is the best in London. However, if you venture inside the department store, you’re very likely to spend money so I’ll refrain from pictures here in the spirit of the promotion of free Christmas things to do in London. 😉

Christmas Things to Do in London: Regent Street

Finally, the last stop is the biggest shopping street in Europe, Regent Street. Their seasonal events and decorations are unrivaled by any London neighborhood, in my opinion. From the Traffic Free Sunday’s in July, to the NFL in London Street Party, Regent Street promotes London love all year long.

Something you can do for free on Regent Street is visit Hamleys. At the entrance you are always greeted with something spectacular. The last time I visited I was showered with bubbles.

The Regent Street location has been there since 1881, so its absolutely iconic. It’s the oldest toy shop in the world, so it’s naturally always crowded.

Free Christmas Things to Do in London: Final Thoughts

When I have a leisurely day in London during the holidays, that’s the list of activities I do. I’m sure other areas have fun options, but the ones above are close to each other and offer beautiful picture opportunties, including some of London’s most iconic images.

What’s on your list of free Christmas things to do in London that you would recommend?

For more ideas, visit my Guide for Visiting London and sign up for a newsletter featuring activities in London. There’s also quite a few blog reviews on saving money at attractions with a London Pass for you too! And of course, the Sunny News YouTube channel has tons of themed things to do lists…

https://youtu.be/q4uRFxWzre4

September 30, 2016 by: Sunny London

Things To Do in London for Thrill Seekers

When you’re looking at lists of things to do in London, you generally see the same things. Ride the London Eye, see Big Ben, visit the Tower of London, blah, blah, blah. It’s not that I haven’t written tons of reviews on London attractions and find value in visiting them. But, sometimes you just want to kick it up a notch. Or maybe several hundred feet 😉

In this video you’ll learn my top things to do in London for thrill-seekers. Take a few minutes to watch the fun activities available for those who have a truly adventurous spirit.

Don’t miss the challenge I offer at the end! And be sure to list anything you think I’ve missed in the comments on YouTube or below.

https://youtu.be/q4uRFxWzre4

Things To Do in London: What’s Next

If you’re visiting London, make sure you pin this feature and the Guide to Visiting London for the First Time. Of course, you can always subscribe to emails to learn more as it happens too!

September 12, 2016 by: Sunny London

Lord’s Cricket Ground Tour in London

If you’re looking for a fun British sports activity in London, then consider a Lord’s Cricket Ground Tour. When I was invited to this special opportunity just before the Royal London One-Day Cup Final returned to the famous location, I was super excited.

It’s not because I have been a lifelong cricket fan. I actually still don’t get the allure. However, I do know that a private tour of the home of cricket with a former player and captain is a once in a lifetime opportunity. In preparation, I messaged my husband’s British colleagues and friends for their help, and off I went.

Unlike other blogger and press events, I was the only female who rocked up for the Lord’s Cricket Ground Tour. I’d say it was awkward, but I actually thought it was kind of cool. What was awkward, however, was realising that I probably shouldn’t have run straight from work in a dress. My wardrobe didn’t give me an opportunity to play ball with the famous Nasser Hussain.

He graciously met with our press group and then gave us secret stories about his career as an English cricketer who captained England’s team from 1999 to 2003. The boys even got to suit up and bat around a bit. (Is that what you say?)

We had opportunities to ask him questions before our official tour. I waited until the blokes were done and approached Nasser with questions from my friend Gav, an avid cricket player and fan, sent me the day before.

‘How would you explain cricket to an American?’

‘What’s the best sledge you’ve had or given?’

For the first question, he said cricket was like a really slow baseball game that lasts five days and might not have a winner.

Ouch. At least he was honest.

He also answered the second question, just after he laughed a bit when reflecting on the memory. Nasser graciously acknowledged my complete lack of what cricket involves when he noticed the blank expression on my face. Since I didn’t have a clue what he meant, he then volunteered to type the answer in to my phone. What a cool dude!

Out of respect for the fact that it was an insult (which actually wasn’t too mean), I am going to honour the sport and gentleman and not print it here. My friend Gav, however, will get a text sharing the answer.

We then met our official guide for the Lord’s Cricket Ground Tour and headed up to the Long Room, which you aren’t allowed to photograph. The PR company sent the pictures below to me the next day. This room represents the sports world’s most celebrated interiors.

We also were able to go to the MCC Museum and see the iconic Ashes Urn.

We received this extraordinary opportunity in anticipation of the last major cricket final of the county season which takes place on Saturday September 17, 2016. It’s when Warwickshire takes on Surrey. Lord’s Cricket Ground has many activities planned for people taking in a match at the iconic sports venue. Visitors will be able to take part in a range of activities, from picknicking by the pavilion to batting competitions.

They’ll also have free taster sessions with MCC coaches for children. You might even have a chance to see some of the stars of the England men’s and women’s teams!

The Chief Operating Officer at the England and Wales Cricket Board, Gordon Hollins, stated that the ‘Royal London One Day Cup Final is a milestone in the sporting calendar and provides county cricket supporters with the opportunity to watch their team…’

The one-day game will take the spotlight as the nation prepares itself for hosting both the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy and 2019 Cricket World Cup respectively on home soil. Apparently, this competition has widely been considered an opportunity for upcoming players to stake their claim for an England cap. Tickets are priced at £30 for adults and only £5 for children 16 and under. You can get them online.

If you aren’t able to enjoy the Cup Final Cricket at Lord’s this year, doing a tour like I did is a fun way to learn more about this very British sport and venue. I want to thank Lord’s Cricket Ground for the fun tour and dinner at the Lord’s Tavern. Of course, a special note of gratitude to Nasser Hussain for his interest in sharing his cricket tips and stories with our group. He’s truly a star for many reasons.

You can visit the Lord’s Cricket Ground Tour on a London Pass or visit the Tours of Lords website directly. Do you have any cricket tips to share? What would you have asked Nasser Hussain if you had the chance?

A Lord’s Cricket Ground Tour includes:

Admiring legends past and present on the famous Honours Boards
Sitting in their seats in the Dressing Rooms
Following in the footsteps of past players through the Long Room
Seeing the famous Ashes Urn and Prudential Trophy in the MCC Museum
Browsing current Museum exhibitions – Wounded Tiger, a History of Pakistan Cricket and Cricketers of the Year

September 9, 2016 by: Sunny London

ArcelorMittal Orbit Slide Review and Video

Why is the ArcelorMittal Orbit Slide the #1 thing to do in London this year?

That’s exactly the question I went to answer this week as I headed out to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, London.

Two years ago I had the opportunity to attend a press trip in the area and saw the spectacular views from the top of the attraction. Naturally, when I was invited to descend the world’s highest and longest tunnel slide down this public artwork, I quickly grabbed all my gear to go!

ArcelorMittal Orbit Slide: What’s Involved

For the 40-second trip, you circle around the ArcelorMittal Orbit 12 times. While you weave your way through the loops and curves of the iconic structure, you pass through light and dark sections with London’s dramatic skyscape whizzing around! Finally, you end with a 50m straight run.

ArcelorMittal Orbit Slide: Guidelines

To take this daring challenge down the art installation, there are a few things you to know. You must be 1.3m in height and at least 8 years old. Obviously, you can’t have any medical conditions or be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Other important questions you might need answered are:

You cannot ride with anyone else.
You should wear comfortable clothes and shoes. It’s suggested you have on long sleeves.
At the time of this blog, you cannot film the event on your own.

arcelormittal-orbit-slide-olympic-park-london-review

Photo courtesy of AttractionTix

ArcelorMittal Orbit Slide Review London Attraction review

Photo courtesy of AttractionTix

ArcelorMittal Orbit Slide: How Scary Is It?

In one review I saw the person said it was scarier than skydiving. I’ll let you be the judge as you watch my experience here…

The Sunny News YouTube channel, shares even more advice for things to do and what you’ll need to know about London. This includes safety tips, pub advice and a shopping guide. The blog also has a Guide for Americans Visiting London which is a collection of the top experiences I recommend. You’ll definitely want to bookmark it and visit the Pinterest boards created to help trip London planning too. Please leave any questions/ideas you have about things to do in London and how to plan your trip below. Would you Ride the Slide?

My experience at the ArcelorMittal Orbit was complimentary courtesy of AttractionTix. I went on the slide twice because I loved it so much and would highly recommend it to thrill-seekers visiting London or living in London. You can read other people’s reviews on TripAdvisor too.

Photo courtesy of AttractionTix

September 1, 2016 by: Sunny London

Visiting London Zoo Tips

If you’re planning on visiting London Zoo, then these are a few tips of what to do. You can also learn five suggestions of what not to do at the end of this feature too!

In the three years that I have lived in London I have learned that the London Zoo is not just a tourist attraction. In fact, many Londoners love going to the zoo. My husband is certainly one of them. He’s been there many times, so he was a great guide for my first visit.

Growing up in America I have visited the Bronx Zoo, San Diego Zoo and Pittsburgh Zoo, as well as going San Diego whale watching. It has been quite some time since any of those trips. So, I was very excited to visit London Zoo, especially to see what makes it so appealing to Londoners. Since it’s located within The Regent’s Park, I thought the trip would be pretty quick. I was certainly wrong about that.

Visiting London Zoo- Save Money

This attraction is part of the London Pass, which is a discount pass I’ve written about many times on the blog. That is one way you can save money on your visit. If you watch the video below, you’ll see the long line of people waiting to buy tickets. Another bonus of using the London Pass is the London Zoo is part of the fast track entry. This means you can save money and skip the queue!

Our tickets were complimentary, but if you order your tickets in advance, it’s another way to save on admission price. At the time of this publication, an adult ticket is £25.50 with no discounts.

Visiting London Zoo- Take Your Time

If you’re using the London Pass, I would suggest pairing the London Zoo trip with something like the London Transport Museum because it is shorter than an attraction like The Tower of London. Madame Tussauds is very close by, but it isn’t on the London Pass system.

It was recommended that we designate at least two hours to our time at the zoo. We were there close to three hours and didn’t attend any shows. We didn’t stop to eat either. I wouldn’t necessarily attribute the time to crowds. There really is a lot to see, and not everything was available the day we visited. You can see what I mean by that in the video.

Visiting London Zoo- Get Personal

I don’t recall ever being able to get to close to animals in American zoos. Usually you are separated by some type of fence, with the exception of children’s petting zoos. However, the London Zoo gets you very close to some of the animals and bugs. Yes, I said bugs.

Growing up in Florida gave me way too many chances to see bugs and reptiles, so these exhibits weren’t at the top of my list. But, I went through them. There was a section of the bug area that allows you to walk in to a room full of giant spiders. There is nothing separating you from them, except their webs.

You can see in the video the other area we visited that puts you up close and personal with mammals. One of them nearly ran over my foot and it’s caught on film!

Visiting London Zoo- The Map

Make sure you use the map and check off everything you want to see. The zoo is separated in to two different areas, so you might miss the smaller section. It includes the Into Africa area which is where you’ll see the giraffes. They’re very photogenic.

Visiting London Zoo- What Not to Do

In around three minutes, you can learn some very valuable tips that will truly make the difference on your visit. This includes the type of weather to avoid so you don’t end up seeing tons of animals lying around like this…

I promise there’s nothing fishy about this hook to get you to the Sunny News YouTube channel which shares even more advice for things to do and what you’ll need to know about London. This includes safety tips, pub advice, and a shopping guide.

You’d really be an ass if you don’t take a few extra minutes to watch the suggestions that are very easy to apply.

Alright, alright, that’s enough pun at the animals’ expense. Here is the zoo video link. Please leave your questions and suggestions that you have about visiting London Zoo or other London attractions either here or on the YouTube channel and I’ll answer them straight away.

https://youtu.be/sl4lScj63Ho

September 23, 2015 by: Sunny London

NFL Games in London- How a Team Prepares

Have you been to the NFL games in London? Supporting professional football teams and attending their games are a huge part of American culture. The same can be said in Australia, where you can’t walk for long without seeing a brisbane lions jersey when it’s their time to play. So, when our teams have the honor of playing in London, there is a tremendous amount of planning involved to make sure the experience is a success for fans, the two countries, and obviously the players. Finding yourself out of America and missing your game? Maybe you;re thinking you may place a bet if you’re in a legal location to do so, if you’d like to learn more click here.

When I spent a day at #JaxCamp over the summer, I had an exclusive opportunity to learn how the Jacksonville Jaguars prepare for an NFL in London game. During the time I spent with the team’s Director of Football Logistics and Facility, I learned what it really takes to get the Jaguars from my sunny home state of Florida to London.

NFL Games in London: BIG NEWS

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a four year contract for the London games. 2015 is the third year they will play across the pond. As true to the past, they will announce next year’s game date on October 26, which is the day after they play the 2015 game in London against the Buffalo Bills.

NFL Games in London: Let’s Get it Started!

The Jaguars will claw through the rest of the 2015 football season, and in February of 2016 the Director of Football Logistics and Facility travels to London to start the coordination process for the next game.

He begins researching and visiting hotels to determine a location for the team to stay when they arrive in the Fall. In June, a bigger planning team travels to London which includes PR representatives, security personnel and more.

You would think that the team could just follow through with the same venue each year. However that is not the case.

For the first NFL in London game in 2013, the Jaguars left from Jacksonville, Florida and stayed in London for one week. Their hotel was in South London.

Last year, they left from Cincinnati, Ohio after playing the Bengals. For the first part of the week they stayed in Watford (North London). The hotel they chose had a rugby field next to it, which made practicing logistically easier. Then, they stayed in Central London for the final days of the trip.

This year they will only be in London for five days. Choosing a hotel was a bit more difficult because of the Rugby World Cup.

NFL Games in London: Passports and Appearances

Surprisingly, one of the biggest concerns of the planning process is making sure all of the players have valid passports. In fact, it seems that each year they’ve had a few players whose first trip out of the United States is to play in the NFL Games in London.

To ensure nothing goes wrong with passport applications, the team has a separate company come to the stadium and meet with all the players to review their documents prior to their submission to the United States Department of State.

Prior to the game, some team members will make promotional trips to London to generate enthusiasm for the event.

NFL Games in London: The Team Trip

The Jacksonville Jaguars fly on Virgin Atlantic. Normally for away games the number of people they take on a plane includes 160-180 people. For the London game, this can rise up to 220. Aside from including additional sponsors, they also travel with the practice squad of 10 players. And of course, the Roar of the Jaguars flies to London too!

NFL Games in London: Fans in the Stands

Because fans for the game include American expats in London, Londoners, and Americans who have traveled to London for the games, the team also wants to honour British culture and history. Last year they had poppies for the game because it took place on November 9th, Rememberance Day.

With regard to the actual game, it’s a bit different than those played in the United States. Fans tend to wear football jerseys for many different NFL teams, not just the two that are playing. They seem to still be learning the rules and customs of American football but arrive at the games excited and ready for fun.

NFL Games in London: Are You Ready?

There will be player appearances at the NFL on Regent Street ‘tailgating’ party held on Saturday, October 24th and many other events to be announced. If you’d like to be included on information for NFL in London activities, make sure to subscribe to the Sunny in London newsletter.

If you’ve attended the games in the past, please do leave a comment below regarding your experience. Of course, if you have questions about the games, leave those too!

I look forward to seeing everyone at the Regent Street party and other NFL Games in London events. Don’t forget, my Guide to London for Americans Visiting the First Time, which includes the blog’s best hotel, attraction and restaurant tips as well.

If you’re planning a visit to London, the Sunny News YouTube channel has regular updates of advice for things to do and what you’ll need to know about London. This includes safety tips, pub advice, and a shopping guide.

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NFL Games in London: Fans in the Stands

NFL Games in London: Are You Ready?

THE ESSENTIAL FIRST TIME GUIDE TO

HARRY POTTER

YOUTUBE