Don’t… Hop on a sightseeing bus
Aboard one of the Original London Sightseeing Tour’s open-top buses, you’ll spend an inordinate amount of time staring at the backside of other buses while inhaling noxious fumes, and, if you’re a family of four, pay $130 for the privilege. Many claim it is difficult to hear the tour guide over the noise of the traffic. The upper deck (where viewing is unhindered) is also often full, and the stops are not anywhere near as close to the attractions as they should be.
Instead… Get on your bike
July 2010 saw the launch of London’s first two cycle superhighways (dedicated bike lanes that bring you from outer London into the center) and the city’s much-delayed and much-anticipated cycle hire scheme (modeled on the successful Paris Vélib program). Ten more superhighways will be launched by 2015; the self-service cycle hire offers 6,000 bikes that can be removed from around 400 docking stations, which are never more than 1,000 feet apart. In recent months, London has spawned a new breed of cycle repair shops-cum-cafés, such as Look Mum No Hands! in Clerkenwell.
Don’t… Visit Madame Tussauds
If the lines lasting up to three hours don’t suck the life force out of you, the price of getting in to Madame Tussauds just might (around $42 for an adult). Once inside, you might enjoy the interactive exhibits, scary-as-hell Chamber of Horrors, and the Spirit of London ride (which takes you from Tudor times to the present) if it weren’t for the jostling and frustrated crowds and staff. The biggest problem here seems to be that the management has no concept of crowd control or full capacity.
Instead… Check out the brand-new galleries at the Museum of London
Revamped to the tune of over $30 million, the five new interactive galleries at the Museum of London recount 350 years of the city’s history. Highlights are a Victorian shopping street and the Lord Mayor’s gaudy gold State Coach. But the absolute must-see exhibit is a reconstructed Georgian pleasure garden (pictured), with mannequins adorned in wigs, masks, and period dress as well as digital projections re-creating the entertainment on offer at the time. Not only will you learn something and have fun, this museum, unlike Madame Tussauds, is entirely free.
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