Two Days: London

London isn’t really a city to visit for only two days. It’s big enough and old enough and has had a central role in so many historical events that a couple days barely touches the tip of the iceberg travel-wise. But as one of the primary gateways to Europe, I often spend a day or two here before venturing onward or heading home and you can easily fill a short stay with plenty to do!

Getting There

London has six airports: Heathrow (LHR), Gatwick (LGW), Stansted (STN), London City (LCY), Luton (LTN), and Southend (SEN), so be sure you’re paying attention when you’re booking, especially if you’re planning to transfer to a connecting flight. Travel sites sometimes suggest itineraries that arrive at one airport and depart from another and some destinations are only served from certain airports. I haven’t flown through Stansted, Luton, or Southend, so I can’t comment on them, but below are my notes about the other three.

Heathrow is London’s largest airport and is also Europe’s busiest as of 2025. It’s massive, a headache, and a mess that often experiences delays, but it’s also the one with the most flights all around the world. Leave extra time to get here, connect through here, or get into London once you arrive here. Beyond that, here are a few other potentially helpful tips:

• Pay attention to your terminal information. Transfers between terminals could take 30 minutes or more and itineraries with connections often arrive at one terminal but the connecting flight leaves from another. Heck, Terminal 5 even has three separate concourses.
• Unlike U.S. airports, Heathrow typically doesn’t assign a departing flight’s gate until about 60-90 minutes before departure, so you’ll need to keep an eye out in order to know where you need to go. Especially in Terminal 5, it could take a bit to walk to your gate, even if you’re in the correct terminal.
• Don’t do Uber to leave the airport. The pick up area (at peak times, anyhow) is a traffic nightmare, so it’ll take more time and cost more than simply waiting in the taxi line or my default: public transit. That said, if you take the train, keep in mind that stations and especially transferring trains may require a bunch of walking and plenty of stairs.
• Before you book flights, especially using award points, pay attention to the taxes and fees. It may still be worth it, but Heathrow’s (and British Airways’) fees can be exorbitant.

Gatwick is London’s second-busiest airport and serves many U.S. and other international destinations as well as domestic ones. It’s not as chaotic as Heathrow, but it’s still busy (about the same amount of traffic annually as Boston) and with a single runway, suffers from delays when weather isn’t ideal or there are other issues. On the plus side, while it can be a bit of a walk from the terminal, trains into central London are convenient from Gatwick.

London City Airport is the third London airport I’ve flown in and out of. It’s quite small and with a short urban runway primarily serves regional flights. But if they do serve your destination, its small size makes it easy to navigate and it’s conveniently served by transit.

Know Before You Go

If you didn’t gather from the information above, London is a huge city. Give yourself extra time to get around due to distance and/or traffic, and while I’ve found London generally safe, do take appropriate big-city precautions (leave valuables at home, keep purses/phones/wallets protected, avoid being out alone late at night, etc.). Besides that, here are a few other things that should help ensure your trip goes more smoothly:

• UK Visas: starting January 2025, US residents and others—even those who don’t technically need a visa or are just traveling through—need to have an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before flying to the UK. Applications can be done via their app or on the web and last for up to two years, but it MUST be done before you depart. Airlines can deny you boarding if you haven’t done it and processing can take up to three days (though mine was approved in a matter of minutes). The app is a little fussy and requires photos of yourself and your passport, so give yourself some advance time in a quiet, well-lit room. Note also that the UK’s requirements are different than elsewhere in Europe.
• Power Adapters: the UK uses different electrical plugs than most of the rest of the world (and Europe) and not all hotels have USB ports for your electronics. Some hotels have adapters they’ll loan guests, but I recommend planning ahead just in case.
• Tipping: tipping is appreciated in London but less obligatory and aggressive than in places like the US. In restaurants, 10–15% is typical, but many restaurants automatically include a service charge. Check your bill before tipping extra. In pubs and coffee shops, tips aren’t typically expected for drinks ordered at the bar or counter, but a small tip is often appreciated. In taxis, rounding up or adding 10-15% is typical, especially for out-of-the-way service or help with bags.

As for transit in London—it’s legendary. That’s both good and bad: London’s massive network of underground and above-ground trains and their iconic double-decker busses can get you nearly anywhere. But a network that big can also get confusing at times and transfers at an underground station or Tube stop can involve some pretty long walks, often with several sets of stairs. Give yourself extra time and pay special attention if mobility is a concern.

• Paying for transit fares is easy, at least. While busses and trains utilize London’s Oyster transit card, visitor will probably find it just as easy to tap to pay using your phone or contactless credit card, including to or from the airports. Note that you’ll need to tap on your way in and out of train stations (busses are just at boarding), so pick a payment method that’s easy to retrieve on both ends of your journey.

Sightseeing Highlights

Spoiler alert: this post is not your typical London guide. As I mentioned at the start, a couple days doesn’t even do justice for a visit here. There’s more to see and do here than you could check off in a couple weeks (or maybe months), so the silver lining of a bite-sized visit means you’re already aware you can’t do it all. With that in mind, here are a few favorites from several visits to London:

Hop On-Hop Off Bus rides are something I learned from my parents and it’s something I’d highly recommend for first-timers in London. Pay attention to which bus you’re buying tickets for—London has several routes (the red one I took has the most obvious stops). This is a solid way to get a feel for the city, see a lot of what I’d call the greatest hits, and determine what you want to go back to (or hop off for) and where to spend more time.

The London Eye is another quite-touristy way to see London, but the massive Ferris wheel in the center of town one I’d recommend. If you can, ante up for the Champagne Experience. It’s about the same cost as a fast track ticket—both of which allow you to skip the sometimes lengthy lines—but starts your excursion in the VIP lounge and includes bubbly while you’re floating above the city Glinda-style in your own glass bubble. It’s a nice way to relax for a bit while taking in truly breathtaking views (weather permitting) of the city.

Many of my other quick-trip recommendations for London are ones you’ll see from the bus or the eye, but are worth stopping for, I think:

• Westminster Abbey and Big Ben might be obvious stops as such visibly recognizable parts of London, but it’s still worth the stop to walk around and take it all in. Similarly, views of the Abbey and Big Ben are especially lovely from the opposite side of Westminster Bridge, so if it’s photos you’re after, be sure to cross the bridge too. (Bonus points if you’re a James Bond fan, as you’ll also get views of the building where MI6 is located.)
• Churchill’s War Rooms are also super close to Westminster Abbey. I’m a bit embarrassed to say I’ve never been, despite this being on my itinerary for several trips. It comes highly-recommended from family and hopefully I’ll weigh in personally in the near future!
• Buckingham Palace is another obvious and iconic spot. Certainly the changing of the guards is a sight to see if you time it right (there was an event at the Palace when I was there in May, so the changing of the guard ceremony was axed). All the same, the surrounding park is lovely and the walk down the Mall toward Parliament is pretty timeless.
• Tower Bridge is pretty cool to drive across (assuming you’re on the bus), but it’s even better to walk across. Glass panels offer views of the bridge structure and placards tell the fascinating and sometimes sordid stories of the bridge, of which there are plenty!
• Hyde Park is on the other side of Central London. Folks from the US might compare it to New York’s Central Park. While there’s not a super-direct correlation, Hyde Park is a lovely spot to wander through, maybe rent a paddle boat to get out on the lake, or especially take a moment to stroll around the memorial fountain commemorating Princess Diana.

Eating and Drinking

London is full of destination-worthy restaurants. And having colonized much of the world (yes, I went there), there are plenty of delicious international options to choose from here too. I’ve barely touched those options, so this section is going to be pretty short (ha!). But I did have a few favorites that might be off the beaten path.

Because food halls are my jam, I’d recommend checking out Mercato Mayfair. It’s in the converted St. Marks Church and in addition to the stunning architecture of the church, there’s a host of delicious food and drink, a rooftop bar (just the rooftop, though—no views) and a few shops.

If you’re more focused on the food, another option is the Borough Market at the south end of London Bridge. I was last there at lunchtime right before New Years and the market was packed to the point you couldn’t move and it wasn’t fun. But at a less-busy time, there’s a host of carts, stalls, and other food mongers offering up their (presumably) delicious creations.

London, of course, is also full of pubs. Aside from LGBTQ-focused ones (see below), I don’t recall any I’d go out of my way to return to. But I’d happy pop back into nearly any London pub to relax with a pint. My advice: don’t hesitate to duck into whatever corner pub you come across.

My final tip is of the late-night variety: London is home to a chain of fried chicken sandwich joints called Chicken Valley. The one near Waterloo station I’ve been to most is now closed, but there are several others and after a night out, it’s clucking delicious. Do me (and yourself) a favor and stop in if you’re nearby, especially late at night.

Nightlife

I don’t think I realized this on my first couple trips, but London’s bars and pubs close pretty early—most by midnight or 1am. Clubs and other parties stay open later, but often require planning and/or advance tickets. Then again, if you’re the type that prefers a few beers with mates and an early night, this is your place!

Many of London’s LGBTQ pubs are located in Soho and the concentration of queer bars makes it one of my favorite spots to hang out in London:

• The Duke of Wellington is a spot we’ve frequented on nearly every visit to London. The crowd is fun and mixed (though mostly men) and the music is usually good. It gets mighty crowded inside when it gets busy, but the crowd also spills outside when the weather is good (and often even when it isn’t).
• Compton’s is a few blocks away and is a similarly fun spot. The bartenders here seem a little warmer than The Duke, but maybe that’s just because I’ve been here when it’s not as busy. Then again, it’s a great spot to sit in the window and watch people on the street outside, so there’s that.
• Circa Soho is open a little later than other spots in the neighborhood, so if you’re not heading to a club but aren’t ready to call it a night, it’s a great option—and not a bad pick regardless. There’s a dance floor as well as booths and outdoor tables when the weather permits.

Outside of Soho, there are a few other options for nightlife and/or daytime fun.

• If you’re looking for a gay men’s cruise bar but don’t want to gear up, Vault 139 is busy on weekends and has a mix of ages and types and is pretty central. Soho is a little bit of a walk before or after, but not so far that you’ll lose your mojo.
• Royal Vauxhall Tavern has been a London establishment for decades and it’s still going strong. Come for a pint, a drag show, or whatever sort of fun you’re in the mood for.
• Not too far from Royal Vauxhall Tavern is the London Eagle, because obviously, there’s an Eagle everywhere. Based on my experience from a few years ago, the Eagle here isn’t that much of a cruise bar in the seedier sense, but it’s a fun mix of guys out for a pint.
• Dalston Superstore is a bit further afield, but brings a good variety of day and nighttime fun to get your groove on. Join for DJs and live entertainment at night, drag brunch on weekends, or—as we did—just brunch.

Finally, Heaven—adjacent to Charing Cross station—is an iconic London establishment and one of the places that’s open late. Heaven’s sister club, G-A-Y, is no longer, but Heaven remains a very popular spot to dance the night away.

Lodging

My primary advice around where to stay is: pick a place that you can get around with relative ease, and if you have a number of activities planned in a particular area, make sure it’s easy to get there from wherever you stay. Also, travelers from the US should adjust their expectations about room sizes: they’ll almost certainly be smaller here.

Hotels in London can be really expensive, so you might pay a significant premium to stay in the immediate area of your activities, especially the closer you get to the river and Westminster Abbey. That might be okay or might not be worth the extra cost but regardless, DO spend a few minutes on Google Maps (or whatever app you prefer) to check how far of a walk or how many bus/tube lines and transfers it takes is to get where you want, including to and from the airport (if you’re traveling by plane).

The spots I’ve stayed have all been decent (and in retrospect, all Hilton properties), both in location and quality, but have varied pretty significantly:

• Doubletree Victoria Station was steps from transit and a relatively easy walk to Buckingham Palace and SOHO. My last stay here was in 2017, so my assessment of the rooms (which were nice at the time) might be a little dated.
• The Hampton Inn Waterloo was a comparatively affordable option with a pretty expansive breakfast included, but was a little further walk from transit and definitely not as convenient to the sightseeing spots noted above.
• Conrad London St. James was a points splurge in December 2024. It’s steps from transit and in a quiet neighborhood near Buckingham Palace and mostly walkable to SOHO, but not really my favorite. I picked the hotel hoping to take advantage of the Executive Lounge but was disappointed it was only open limited hours. The rooms were efficient but posh; the bed was a luxurious highlight.
• The Doubletree Marble Arch was a relatively easy walk to transit, shopping, and Hyde Park, but a little further afield from nightlife and other cultural and historical spots. Breakfast at the hotel is decent if not special, but is only charged if you use it, so it’s a convenient option when you don’t want to figure out something else.

LGBTQ Safety

London is often considered one of the most LGBTQ-friendly cities in the world, with robust legal protections that go well beyond symbolism and the city is home to a thriving queer culture—from the iconic bars of Soho to the world-class Queer Britain museum in King’s Cross (I’ve not been). The Metropolitan Police maintains dedicated LGBT+ Community Liaison Officers across every borough, reflecting an institutional commitment to LGBTQ safety that most cities don’t have.

That said, it’s worth traveling with eyes open. Stonewall’s research found that fewer than half of LGBTQ+ people feel comfortable holding their partner’s hand in public across the UK, and recorded hate crimes based on sexual orientation have risen 20% over the past five years. The good news: much of that increase may reflect growing public confidence in reporting incidents rather than a worsening reality on the ground. Soho and the broader central London area remain genuinely welcoming spaces, but as with any major city, staying aware of your surroundings — particularly late at night is wise.