London
Arriving in London felt like a childhood dream come true.
I was thrilled to be in London. I’ve loved English books, shows, and history for as long as I can remember, so finally being here felt a little surreal. Walking through streets I had only seen in movies made everything feel both familiar and brand new at the same time.
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It also turned out to be the perfect warm-up for the rest of the tour. We could read the signs, understand the accents, and ease into traveling with a group before things got more complicated. London was exciting, busy, and demanding, and it helped us realize we could keep up.
Standout Moments
Connecting with our guides and meeting the rest of the tour group made it all feel official. Our group was a fun mix of families from across the U.S., and we quickly learned how much great guides matter on a trip like this. Rick Steves tours are known for their guides, and Filippos and Stefan absolutely lived up to that reputation. They were knowledgeable, organized, and genuinely wonderful humans. I’m so grateful to both of them for shepherding us across Europe.
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One highlight was a driving tour of the city on a double-decker bus. Our driver Adam provided hilarious commentary, and we got a kick out of pedestrians photographing us— apparently we had become part of the London scenery.
Busy sidewalks, a light drizzle, and that familiar skyline made it all feel unmistakably London.
Several families from our tour group joined us in a two-hour line for this photo, cutting it very close to our Eurostar departure. Our assistant guide, Stefan, usually had a calm vibe, but this was one of the few moments we saw him sweat. Everyone made it... barely.
History and Culture
I missed out on a college trip that included seeing Les Mis in London and remember being painfully jealous. Getting to experience it twenty years later — and share it with my musical-loving kids — was really special.
During our free afternoon we discovered that many museums and galleries in London are free. Naturally, we popped into the National Gallery. What a treat!
We learned about the history of the Tower of London, examined the Crown Jewels, and made friends with a raven.
Tasting the Region
One of my food highlights was enjoying a full English breakfast at our hotel, something I had always wanted to try. Between that and several excellent pub meals, we felt like we were getting a proper introduction to British comfort food.
On the way to our first dinner, our guides also gave us a crash course on riding the Tube, showing us exactly what we needed to know before we had to find our own way back the next day. It was the perfect mix of encouragement and a little bit of real pressure!
