Things London Tourists ALWAYS Overpay For 🤦🏽‍♀️| Love and London

Planning to visit London? Having helped first-time visitors to London for a long time now, there are quite a few things that I see people ALWAYS overpay for when they visit London. They make the mistake of paying too much money because they're nervous about an element of their trip, they think they are getting a good deal while they aren't actually, or they get hit by something made specifically for tourists who don't know any better...

So in this video I'm talking you through the most common things that London tourists always pay too much money for when they come to visit London for the first time. I've also included contributions from our Instagram community 😎

Related London videos to watch:

About Love and London:
I'm Jess, I've lived in London for many years, and this channel is a London travel guide for anyone visiting the city that wants to experience it like you live here. Beyond talking about the usual London attractions, I show you some of the cooler things to do in London, that most travel guides don't mention. Watch my videos and you'll feel like you've got a Londoner friend telling you the best kept secrets in the city.

[thedallydiaries]

I've been to Tower of London every single time I've been in London and never get tired of it! One of the whole reasons I love London is for the history. To me, the price is 100% worth it.

[coldwinters]

I didn’t want to stress out over transportation — so in all my trips to London, I would just WALK all the time! Very good for my health as well! 🙂

[shalevedna]

I planned for 2 hours at the Tower but ended spending 5. But then I am a historian.

[mytmyt]

Re: the Heathrow Express. Our family used the Heathrow Express last time in London, and I would definitely use it again. Only 15 minutes to Paddington. On a previous trip we took the regular tube, which took over an hour, was extremely crowded, was difficult to navigate with luggage, and of course stopped at every station. We are usually tired and cranky after getting off a trans-Atlantic flight and just want to get to our hotel as fast as possible. As I recall, we paid about 20 pounds per person for one way, but for us it was worth it.

[Trevor.Adams]

Best way to get around London is to walk - you get to know your way around and you see all the sights. Buses are also cheap and you also get to see the sights, but they can be slow. I once caught a bus from Waterloo to Piccadilly Circus and I could have walked it faster.

[coldwinters]

My first time in London I stayed in Trafalgar Square (the Citadines had reasonably priced accommodation) — most major tourist attractions were within WALKING distance!

[shantiwilliams]

So many gems you’re paying forward. You are a God send! Thank you for amazing tips 🙏🙏 God bless

[biancaorta]

We purchased The London Pass before we went to London, that was very helpful for us. We enjoyed The Tower of London and the Bridge.

[rodriguezg]

Taking public transportation isn't as bad as people might think. I actually enjoyed taking the tube and the buses. lol I always loved hearing, "Mind the gap between the train and the platform" :D

[Caimille]

Thanks to you, I didn't overpay for transportation. Taking the tube from, to LHR and also in the city, was so convenient and much more affordable than taking taxis. My husband and I had afternoon tea at Fortnum and Mason and we really enjoyed it. I thought it was worth the money. We'll try Claridge's next time.

[MyAccountForCommenting]

I'm overwhelmed by all this useful info in all these videos. 😅 One reason people stay in a recognizable American chain hotel is because they are smartly earning/using loyalty points and possibly taking advantage of the perks they get due to their preferred status as loyalists (early checkin, late checkout, room upgrades, executive lounge access, credit for dining, etc.). All this can make these hotels a better deal than off-brands with less expensive rates.

[CoroaEntertainment]

If a person were to buy those attractions separately, yes, I would agree that they are mostly overpriced.... but, quite a few of them can be purchased in a package deal (2, 3 or more) that almost cuts their regular individual price in half. There are also discounts available (if a person took the tube/train into London), where the train/tube ticket allows you to get a discount on some of these attractions. Imo, the only people that overpay for stuff while on vacation, are the ones that don't do thier homework before traveling. Use the web and you'll be less likely to overpay for many things while there (including savings on excursions to things like Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, etc).

[Justbooksmusiccatsandapen]

Good to see you again Jess! Miss your smiling face! I hope this time finds you well.

[nurisloga]

I agree with most things you say but I went to the Tower of London and it was amazing. I was considering going to madame tussauds this time but you convinced me not to

[peterg]

Hi Jess... I hope you are safe and well especially with this Coronavirus Pandemic on the rampage... Take care Poppet...

[michaelmonn]

Been to London a few times. Can't say I've really been surprised by the costs. It's a big city and you pay accordingly. Just do plenty of research ahead of time and you'll be fine. Public transit (buses, the tube, DLR, The overground, etc.) is easy to navigate and very user friendly for tourists. Just act like you belong and nobody bothers you.

[eickmeye]

We went to Sketch for tea and loved it. We let our artistic teen daughter pick some London experiences that she wanted, and one of them was tea. She and we watched a lot of YouTube videos with reviews of Sketch and traditional places. She wanted the "fun" artsy atmosphere of tea in the pink Gallery at Sketch, so we went in knowing that it would be an expensive and quirky experience. After our research, it was exactly what we expected and so the whole family had a great time and we would like to return to Sketch on our next trip to London. Sketch is not for everyone, particularly if you are a purist who wants a traditional experience, with restrooms that aren't shaped like egg pods, or, as Jess noted, if you have dietary needs that Sketch may not be able to accommodate.

[robinrichards]

Thanks for continuing to post videos. We are hoping to keep our July airline reservations. Fingers crossed.

[stephenparker]

Hi, Jess, another really useful video. Personally I would never visit Madame Tausauds, I can not understand the point of looking at wax models of people however lifelike they are. You are right if it's not something you're interested in dont bother to visit it just because it's a famous attraction. I would never think of visiting the Tower of London. If you want to eat near the Tower you may need to apply for a mortgage. I was surprised someone said museums were expensive most of the big ones are free, If you're in Zone 1 and you have a trip of two or even three stations on the tube save your money it's almost certainly an easy walk and you'll see more of the city. Listen to Jess she knows what she is talking about. Stay safe. Looking forward to your next video soon.

[maggie]

I went to London in September of 2019 and stayed in kings cross at point a hotel and my experience was amazing! I traveled by the tube and the bus and had no issues 😀 waking was my most travel...but I did a ton of research before I went! Thanks to your videos 😚 I never went to central London to get food or drinks! Stayed local and did research! It was my first solo international travel too! 🤩 it was awesome and can’t wait to go back after this mess! Bottom line....do your research 😊