We always recommend stopping by an official tourist office as soon as possible. In London, stop by the Britain & London Visitor Centre, located at 1 Regent Street, in spitting distance of Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, and Oxford Street, to gather information about seasonal deals, events, and performances.
The Visitor Centre is open all year round from 9:30 AM until 6:30 PM (Mondays), from 9 AM until 6:30 PM. (Tuesdays through Fridays), and from 10 AM until 4 PM (Saturdays and Sundays). From June through September, opening hours remain more or less the same, with Saturday hours extended from 9 AM, until 5 PM. On holidays, the Visitor Centre is open from 10 AM until 4 PM. It is closed December 25 and 26 and January 1.
Many museums in London are completely free, a fact that makes this most expensive of European cities just that little bit less terrifying in the holiday budgeting department.
Admission prices for popular London attractions:
Buckingham Palace: £15 (adult); £13.50 (reduced); £5 (under 17); free (under 5)
Tower of London: £17 (adult); £14.50 (reduced); £9.50 (under 16); free (under 5)
London Zoo (summer prices): £14.80 (adult); £13.50 (reduced); £11.50 (children 3-15); Note that the Zoo's site lists prices that include a voluntary £1.70 donation to an endangered animals fund; our prices do not include that donation.
Madame Tussauds: £22.54 (adult); £21.46 (child). Family tickets are also available for £99.78.
Don't miss London's absolutely top-notch museums, admission to many of which is utterly and completely free. The Tate, Tate Modern, National Gallery, British Library, London Cartoon Gallery, RIBA Architecture Gallery, British Museum, Imperial War Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, Museum of Childhood, and Science Museum all offer free admission.
London's parks are calming and, well, downright lovely. The number of parks in London is staggering. Among the many, visit Eastbrookend Country Park, Hackney Marshes, Osterley Park, Bushy Park, Hyde Park, Holland Park, and Kensington Gardens.
The Royal Opera House runs a series of free lunchtime concerts on Mondays. Call the box office to obtain details: 020 7304 4000.
Find a treasure-trove of free art, theatre, film and music at The Barbican Centre, which can be viewed on the Barbican's site.
Senior discounts exist in London. To obtain some discounts, however, membership in a particular association may be required. Members of the AARP get discounts on hotels, airfares and car rentals. They can be reached by telephone at United States at 1-800-424-3410 and online.
If you are over 65 years there are 15% discounts available on first class BritRail seats. Find BritRail senior discount information here.
The International Student Identity Card, ISIC, the most widely accepted form of student ID, provides discounts on sights, accommodations, food and transportation. Some places offer admission discounts of between 20% and 50% to ISIC members. All cardholders have access to a 24-hour emergency helpline. In the United States, call 1-800-223-7986 or check out the ISIC website. Applicants must be degree seekers of a secondary or post-secondary school and must be at least 12 years of age. The card costs US$22 and is valid until the end of the year issued.
For non-students 25 years or younger, the International Youth card, IYTC, also offers many of the same benefits as the ISIC. The card costs US$22 and is valid for one year from the date issue.
Travelers with student cards, such as ISIC and IYTC qualify for big discounts from travel agencies. Most flights from budget agencies are on major airlines, but in peak season some may sell seats on less reliable chartered aircraft.
In the United Kingdom, a student photocard you can save one-third of the cost of most travel passes. Find out how on the Transport for London site.
See our Getting Around London page for information about the Oyster Card, which will give you considerable discounts on public transportation. You can find more information here.
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