please empty your brain below
How very Londonist, as you hint at in your footnote. You could have made it 10 with the inclusion of Covent Garden tube station.

Waterhouse | 15.08.16 - 7:15 a.m. | #

This commentary on modern journalism is getting a bit much DG.

Alfie | 15.08.16 - 7:28 a.m. | #

Another one Londoners avoid, the London Dungeon.

John | 15.08.16 - 7:30 a.m. | #

In mid- December, perhaps you'll do a bah-humbug piece.

100andthirty | 15.08.16 - 7:43 a.m. | #

And the silver thread is actually rather muddy, and always has been. But we wouldn't want to under-sell our River !

Petras409 | 15.08.16 - 7:44 a.m. | #

10: Trafalgar Square

Roger | 15.08.16 - 7:45 a.m. | #

The only obvious omission from the list, for me, would be Camden Town.

LeaValleyLiner | 15.08.16 - 7:45 a.m. | #

11: In front of Eros, Picadilly Circus

Roger | 15.08.16 - 7:46 a.m. | #

Although sensible Londoners do pass the front of Buckingham Palace at a stiff walk on their way from Victoria to Mayfair/St James's. NB the area called St James's not the Station itself.

Cricketer8for9 | 15.08.16 - 7:51 a.m. | #

j'aime ce blog . je suis arrivée à Londres cet été . je veux voir le fameux arrêt de bus de l'arc . les autobus. Londres est. pour toujours!

Bertand Buviar | 15.08.16 - 7:53 a.m. | #

221B Baker Street?

Tony Martin | 15.08.16 - 7:56 a.m. | #

Bravo, Bertand! "The famous bus stop of Bow" should surely top the list of places that all REAL Londoners want to visit.

I'm surprised that Geofftech hasn't done one of his videos about it yet - 'Secrets of Bus Stop M'.

RayL | 15.08.16 - 8:24 a.m. | #

10 years ago or more, I was on the the Eye with friends.

Among the random strangers in our pod was a young couple from Italy. About 1/3rd of the way round, he got terrified and started crying in a most unbecoming fashion. She pressed the emergency button and had to have it calmly and gently explained to her that he should sit in the middle, look away from that glass and was just going to have to grin and bear it while the wheel went all the way round, because there was really no choice. The operator was also clear that this wasn't quite the sort of emergency the button was designed for.

Is it wrong that I am still enjoying this over a decade later?

Will | 15.08.16 - 8:40 a.m. | #

On a visit to the Tower many years ago, one of the security guards said to my husband, "Och, it's guid to hear an English voice." It became a private joke phrase.

GA Annie | 15.08.16 - 9:02 a.m. | #

Ah! The London Eye! That thing that I had studiously and sucessfully avoided for years. Then,four weeks ago,with two large glasses of courage,I boarded the thing. Why,because my son and his fiancee thought it would be just the place to get married,while the wheel turned and some of the guests turned a rather fetching pale green. Still,the tourists had something different to photograph that day! 😱🍾🍾

Jo W | 15.08.16 - 9:06 a.m. | #

DG-ist again?

There is something to be said for pretending to be a tourist from time to time, and visiting the things you would never otherwise make the time to see. I think have visited all but two of those listed, including several in the last year. But then a Merlin card (mainly for Thorpe Park, Chessington, Alton Towers, Legoland, etc) makes Madame Tussauds and the Eye (and the Dungeon, and the aquarium) free of additional cost after you have stumped up for the thing in the first place. Encouraging each child to get a Blue Peter badge can save a fortune in entrance fees.

Andrew | 15.08.16 - 9:24 a.m. | #

The only two I've done, and then only because work mandated it, are the London Eye and a couple of boat trips on the Thames.

Not being good with heights the temptation to emulate the Italian in Will's reply above was fairly strong but I just opted to sit down and ignore the view. My boss did at least acknowledge the effort I had to make to endure a low speed spin. I did enjoy the different view of London you get from the River (down to Hampton Court and east through the Thames Barrier).

PC | 15.08.16 - 9:28 a.m. | #

Rubbish! I've done The Shard (they gave away free tickets to locals to apologise for the inconweniance), and I've done Tower Bridge three times (this is well worth it), plus I've used the Riverboats (during 7/7 to get the heck out of London), and to get to Syon and The Thames Barrier.
The others... I did Tussauds as a child, when the had the Planetarium, and... that's it.
OK, carry on.

Uncle Audrey | 15.08.16 - 10:11 a.m. | #

... oh dear, I missed the sarcasm / journalistic critique flag again and began thinking about how many generations ago Madame Trussaud's was on every child's treat list - and the ghoulish exhibits were truly frightening. Then I began wondering why the London Dungeon wasn't on the list. Finally, I began thinking about my visit to Tower Bridge. I love Tower Bridge. I had a postcard of it in my bedroom for years as a child (along with a statue of a female Guard from Buck House, of all things) and years and I could not wait to go to London to see it.

My partner and I walked across it and 'did' the museum (which I think is quite worth it) on the day that you English lost a world cup semi (or whatever it was) in 2010. It was hot. As we walked past various drinking establishments along the way we could hear cries of 'come on!' The dudes selling tickets were on auto-pilot, eyes fixed on something out of the sight of us tourists (so I peered over and said 'who's winning then?'). At the top of the bridge we were unfortunate enough to encounter a gaggle of American schoolgirls one of whom said 'WOW this view is, like, amazing! If it were Paris we'd be able to see the Eiffel Tower from here!!'. When we came down from the bridge everything was quiet and sombre. My partner said 'no need to ask who lost, then'.

Antipodean | 15.08.16 - 10:12 a.m. | #

I hasten to add that the current version of the Tower Bridge tour does NOT go into the counterweight chamber, whereas the old version did. Which is a shame because it's a fantastic place.

Uncle Audrey | 15.08.16 - 10:14 a.m. | #

A sad end for RML 2561 at M&M World

Mike | 15.08.16 - 10:41 a.m. | #

At least we can comment on your "modern journalism" unlike Londonist where the ability to comment has now been removed from most "stories".

In any event, I don't bother with Londonist anymore-its site just looks like a sea of Outbrain filler.

HoosierSands | Homepage | 15.08.16 - 10:58 a.m. | #

Surely London Zoo ought to be on there, classic 'place you only visit as a child/with other children/with your own children'.

| 15.08.16 - 11:10 a.m. | #

@Uncle Audrey - We saw the engine room, but not the chamber. Of course, I rely on DG doing my London touring for me, while I sit here drinking ghastly cold and fizzy beer in abject jealousy ... and if I am not mistaken he missed the opportunity (unless I missed the post).

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/Behind-the-Scenes-Engineering-tours-at-Tower-Bridge.html

dg writes: Tower Bridge visit (from 2007) here.

Antipodean | 15.08.16 - 11:13 a.m. | #

@DG ... but did you get to see the bascule chamber???

Antipodean | 15.08.16 - 11:29 a.m. | #

They're having concerts in there! Didn't know that.
http://www.towerbridge.org.uk/whats-on/

Uncle Audrey | 15.08.16 - 11:35 a.m. | #

I was told once that the old statues from Madame Tussauds go to a provincial museum somewhere, not sure where though..

Adrian | 15.08.16 - 11:36 a.m. | #

I'd add:

Covent Garden
Leicester Square
London's Royal Docks
That "Sky Garden" thing above Fenchurch Street
Harrods

(also agree re. London Dungeon)

Dominic H | 15.08.16 - 11:37 a.m. | #

I was talking to a Welsh woman the other day who has never in her 70-odd years been to London ... when I asked what she would want to see there she started listing all the things in your post ... I was sorely tempted to invite her to come and visit me until I pinched myself and ask myself whether I could possibly stomach taking her ... I wouldn't mind the Tower, it's great (although it's many years since I went last and, yes, that was to take a visitor haha) but the rest of the list kind of fills me with dread

Caz | 15.08.16 - 11:43 a.m. | #

So many more could be added to that list!
Some I would do more often if they were free or heavily discounted for Londoners eg I went to the Tower for a fiver in December, and I've been making the most of my Love London card for the Shard!

Cornish Cockney | 15.08.16 - 11:47 a.m. | #

As a resident of tower hamlets, spending £1 to visit the Tower of London is one of the biggest bargains in the city

Lumma | 15.08.16 - 11:53 a.m. | #

"mainly because they have better things to do with £31, for example using it to pay a few hours rent."

I laughed out loud at this. Top form from DG today!

James Armitage | Homepage | 15.08.16 - 11:56 a.m. | #

Also, the menu for Planet Hollywood. It's 34 pages long, half of which are adverts for other touristy things to do.

Lumma | 15.08.16 - 12:04 p.m. | #

Agree with most of these (although I've done 5 of the 9 at some point) but I take grave exception to the inclusion of the river, boats etc.

I take river trips on the Thames several times a year, and never tire of the strikingly different perspective it gives on the otherwise familiar.

It's one of my personal indulgences - and I'm not giving it up!!

Frank F | 15.08.16 - 12:21 p.m. | #

I must confess to having a rather romanticised 'imaginary' of London. Before I visited I thought it would be like Mary Poppins with fogs and pigeons on the steps of St Pauls. That was partly the fault of Disney, but also partly because I learned about London from people who lived there in the 20s until just after the war. Thus, Madame Trussaud's was 'big', and so were pantomimes. They were the kind of place you went as a very special treat, or when you were taken by a rich spinster or bachelor Uncle or Aunt. At that time, the Changing of the Guard was just something that happened: it wasn't a tourist spectacle. Londoners could also just visit St Paul's and Westminster Abbey if they felt like it, and there were no expensive entry fees or gift shops. I think the saddest thing for me was not only that there was no old woman selling bread for 'tuppence a bag' on the steps of St Paul's, but there were signs about specifically banning the feeding of pigeons.

Antipodean | 15.08.16 - 12:22 p.m. | #

I went to the Planetarium/Tussaud's with a former schoolfriend and his then 11-year-old son, who were visiting from out of town. (We grew up in London.) Told the child it was likely he wouldn't come back till he brought his own kids.
He'll have to find a different planetarium...

Helen D Vecht | 15.08.16 - 12:24 p.m. | #

I so agree with you. I have done a few of these though, Tussauds & Planetarium when I was a teenager so that must be well over 30 years ago! The LoOndon Eye, because you have to do it once despite the disappointment. the #Dangleway is the greatest overhyped thing in London expansive views of derelict wharf's and scrapyards by the Thames! The Tower with a friend and his wife from Australia as I escorted them around on the tube, pensioners and public transport are never good mix. It took me 15 minutes to find where they have hidden the Block inside the rebuilt tower! The Thames River ride was because they wanted to return from the tower and see the river back to Embankment Tube too. Its not a bad way to zip along London if its like a furnace in the tube though. I didnt know Planet Hollywood was still going, was taken there for a birthday as a teenager so you know how long ago that was !

Andrew Jarman | 15.08.16 - 12:27 p.m. | #

PS you Forgot Camden Market, despite the sometimes interesting retailers there it has long lost its edge as a must visit place unless you are a tourist. The artisan market at Borough has become homogenised too with hipsters and yummy mummies with brats in two in buggies complaining they cant move around because of all the people and uneven floors!

Andrew Jarman | 15.08.16 - 12:29 p.m. | #

Helen D Vecht: Great science focused planetarium in the Royal Observatory Greenwich - and plenty more to do there for a whole day or two, if you can stand the summer crowds...

PeteC | 15.08.16 - 12:31 p.m. | #

£29 to visit some shaped candles? MT can certainly see the tourists coming.

DamianJ | 15.08.16 - 1:25 p.m. | #

Thanks for rubbing in my face that I should have visited Bow Roundabout last year :P

Seriously, I think London Eye definitely worths one visit, and I personally experienced a cold front passing above me during my half-hour stay. Neutralised my horrible time at Madam Tussauds and then some!

Patrickov | 15.08.16 - 2:00 p.m. | #

River Thames? I've done the Woolwich Ferry twice already this year and that was just for cruising purposes.

Agent Z | 15.08.16 - 2:21 p.m. | #

I wonder what percentage of those using the zebra crossing at Abbey Road are Londoners?

Richard M | 15.08.16 - 3:57 p.m. | #

One reason modern journalism loves gross generalisations is that they stimulate interaction via social media.

"But this is not true, and I am the exception..."

diamond geezer | Homepage | 15.08.16 - 3:58 p.m. | #

I have vague memories of some of these things done as a child. I now have a 4 year old, and I can feel the anxiety level increasing already (although I have managed to get his grandparents to do some of the things already).

However I do see lots of these parts of London, usually drunk at 3am walking to catch the N3 from Trafalgar Square.

I'll have to do the dangleway someday, luckily I like scrapyards and industrial wastelands so I'd best go before it's all expensive apartments.

A river cruise is actually one of the better things to do as a Londoner. I did one with work last year and it was great. Admittedly free booze and food helped, but I'd never have seen the Thames Barrier otherwise.

| 15.08.16 - 4:36 p.m. | #

I hope this post will be followed by:

"9 places most Londoners seldom go, but damn well ought to.."

Hang on.. that's like DG's mission statement!

Frank F | 15.08.16 - 4:48 p.m. | #

Did this come about because of my tweet last week, by any chance?

Kirk | 15.08.16 - 5:23 p.m. | #

I drive across the Tower Bridge twice a week. Does that count?

John | 15.08.16 - 6:18 p.m. | #

Tussauds, Tower of London, Hard Rock Cafe - visited as a child, before I was a "Londoner" by any definition.

Eye - like your post suggests, went once long ago, no real intention of repeating.

Cable car - been several times and will likely go many times more. Love the view, and it's not dear.

Tower Bridge - hate this thing frankly. It's the architectural equivalent of your nans curtains or tacky commemorative plates ordered from a sunday supplement. Still, I went because you could get a discount combo ticket with the Monument. It was OK, in a Guy de Maupassant kind of way.

Buckingham Palace - similarly devoid of appeal to me. There are literally dozens of more impressive palaces and mansions in town.

Shard - been quite a few times, thanks to that £20.16 unlimited ticket, but I must admit the appeal is wearing off now. Not sure I'd bother getting another such ticket if they run the offer, and certainly wouldn't pay full price again.

The river - as others have commented, one of my favourite pastimes. To ignore it is, like you say, madness.

stevekeiretsu | Homepage | 15.08.16 - 6:57 p.m. | #

I'm a Londoner born and bred. I worked in Asia for the best part of 10 years and both my kids were born there.
So when I came back London was a new home for them. It was fascinating taking them around and seeing London from their point of view.
They still get a kick out of crossing Tower Bridge but have yet to go to the London Dungeon....

Chris | 15.08.16 - 6:58 p.m. | #

Didn't realise Hard Rock Cafe and Planet Hollywood were still going. Had to go to Google Maps to remind myself where they are.

Karl, Dover | 15.08.16 - 9:04 p.m. | #

Madame Tussauds £29! !! !!! Really?

And here I thought Westminster Abbey was pricey.

Sheesh...

Red Cardinal | 15.08.16 - 9:43 p.m. | #

I like Tower Bridge. Best building in London. Last year I had to do 3 months Jury Service at Southwark Crown Court and walked over every day from Tower Hill tube, stopping daily at the bridge join to look down the gap to the river. Lucky to have it open 3 times while I was in the vicinity, and one glorious afternoon instead of catching the tube home past Bow Road and bus stop M I got the riverbus to Canary Wharf. That was great too. It thunders along, but at a price.

scrumpy | 15.08.16 - 10:31 p.m. | #

Free fun: one of my children's favourite activities on their first-ever visit to central London was spotting Monopoly board names on the buses' destination blinds.

GA Annie | 15.08.16 - 10:47 p.m. | #

The Thames Clippers are used by many commuters so that one doesn't really hold.

I was dissapointed by the Tower.

Wouldn't you add St Paul's and Westminster Abbey and Houses of Parliament to that list? By the way, you can get into the Abbey Gardens for free on a Thursday round the back entrance in Dean's Yard - well worth it.

SJM | 15.08.16 - 11:43 p.m. | #

In 2009 my husband and I went to the Tower and yes, we saw the crown jewels. The crowds were... absent.

We were there around 11 a.m. and I have no explanation, but we were alone (aside from the security guards) and we glided along past the jewels, looked at each other, looked at the guards and went back to the start of the treadmill and did it again... and still no other people in the room.

So we started over one more time, but did a very nice side-step move to keep ourselves in one place while the treadmill moved. It's still one my favorite moments London.

Kenneth Warthen | 16.08.16 - 8:07 a.m. | #

Hey DG. I did once visit the front of Buckingham Palace. but as we were living in Brum and I was about five years old, maybe it was OK. And a horse trod on my toe, at which the guard or policeman managed to produce a sweet from somewhere which kept me quiet. Not a thought of suing for "severe irreversible psychological damage" in those days. :-)

Dave | 16.08.16 - 8:56 a.m. | #

Tower Pier to Greenwich on a river boat - I can never tire of that. Best to get the slow, and cheaper, City Cruise boats, you get a longer view, more relaxed. I agree about the rest of the list. A nicely-crafted and enjoyable post, yet again. I also enjoy news on Bus Stop M and perhaps could market a Bus Stop M bookmark which would move randomly from page to page without notice or explanation. Saw the changing of the guard last in 1948. Dad told me the new guard were Pakistani. A real wonder of the time. We also saw a real African woman that day, in a long robe and turban. An amazing day. Your blogs stir memories and stir me to go up to town for another walk.

Herbof | 16.08.16 - 9:33 a.m. | #

The idiots who queue for an hour to get into the Natural History Museum disregarding the relatively empty V&A and Science Museums nearby

Mako | 16.08.16 - 10:00 p.m. | #

Just to take the replies count to 60.
Some friends visiting from abroad a few years back wanted to see the London Dungeon (when it was still at London Bridge), so we went. It was my first and emphatically last time there. I thought it was so poor (mostly due to the amateurishness of the 'presenters') that I'm still amazed when I hear others who have been there saying how great it was

RogerW | 17.08.16 - 9:02 a.m. | #

There are many places I'd like to visit or go on, but in most cases the cost puts me off. On principle, unless I really want to do something, I just will not pay the ridiculous 'turn up and enter' amounts asked. I appreciate that it can cost a lot of money to run things, but for most people, especially those with families, they way out of their price range.

Some I have been to a long while ago, those such as Tussauds (boring) and the Tower (interesting) being part of a school trip. London is a very interesting place and there is lots to do there for free or very cheaply, many of them having been commented on in the past by DG.

Rogmi | 17.08.16 - 11:32 a.m. | #

A tip about Tussauds, day's out guide has 2for1 for it, and a one-day travelcard bought at an NR office (with a NR logo) qualifies as a train ticket. They do check that you have a train ticket valid on the day you visit. Also, the standard trick of arriving some time before opening time to minimize waiting time.

Fredrik Staxeng | 19.08.16 - 8:26 a.m. | #

Of the ones on the list, I've never been to the M&M world or the interior of Tower Bridge, and I'd never even heard of Planet Hollywood, although I had seen the dreaded Angus Steak House. I don't quite see what the issue is with the London Eye - I enjoyed my two visits - and I quite like walking by the Thames in the evening.

When I first came to live in London I did do some 'touristy' things, since I wanted to get to know the city. I started off with the central area, got bored with most of it since it is mostly touristy and shallow, and started exploring further afield, which was more interesting. My parents, when they come up to visit me, are still very much in tourist mode, hence they insist on dragging me to the cinema in Leicester Square when you can see films far more cheaply elsewhere.

On the issue of paying extortionate ticket prices, I entirely agree: I would love to visit St Pauls, one of the masterpieces of Baroque architecture, but have never wanted to pay the huge fee. I got into Westminster Abbey for only £5 during the Lumiere thing in January, which was probably a once in a lifetime opportunity to get in for relatively little.

Oliver Snaith | 19.08.16 - 9:51 p.m. | #











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