14 Of The Worst Mistakes That Tourists Make In London

"I’m American but have lived in London since 2011. A big mistake is not immediately buying an Oyster card, because it’s never less expensive just to pay for single journeys. You can use a contactless card, though."

—moviemania56

"One of the biggest mistakes tourists make is not understanding how massive London is and thinking they can wing our public transport system. The museums in Kensington are miles away from the major sights, it’s a 40-minute walk from St Paul’s to Big Ben, you need to get a bus or tube out to Camden if you’re staying near Waterloo. At some point, tourists are going to need to use public transport, so understanding the underground system is vital. And buy a damn Oyster card because it’ll save you money."

—indianaj3

"And don’t bother with Oxford Street — it’s busy AF and there’s nothing new or different along there. The King's Road is soooo much better."

—joannaw4b216aa14

"Standing by the gates when Tower Bridge opens. You get a much cooler view if you stand back on the road and look through the arches. If you know when it is coming (there is a screen on the bridge which will tell you), you can position yourself on London Bridge to watch — the view from there is even better."

—SRed

"Sometimes it’s actually quicker to get a bus than a tube, especially around stations like Covent Garden or Goodge Street that have lifts, not escalators, and can have a bit of a wait at busy times. Oh, and don’t take the stairs at Covent Garden unless you’re really fit. Wait for the lift; those stairs are brutal."

—kerryb4e7ff4e7a

"If you want to stand on escalators, wherever you are, always stand on the right. People who are in a hurry and wish to walk will go past the left side. It’s written on every tube station; it makes things so much more efficient!"

—anaym2

"Stop eating in all the worst places, then complaining about how bad the food is! London has amazing food. But you won't find that in Angus Steakhouse or some hole masquerading as a 'proper pub'. Try Camden Market (Camden Town) or Leather Lane (Chancery Lane). Borough Market (London Bridge) is great too, though a little more touristy. Oh, and Pilpel for falafel. There's thousands of great places, but for some reason, tourists gravitate towards the terrible touristy hell holes, then complain about the food."

—atDave

"I’ve seen them literally stand in the path of an oncoming fast-moving double-decker bus to get a selfie with it. Smh."

—RIPtitanic

"When the ticket barrier is in sight, GET YOUR OYSTER CARD READY. Don't wait until you get to it — it's already too late and people will pile up behind you while you faff around trying to find it."

—RachelEgan

"There are gates specifically designed for luggage and family groups. Not only are they wider, but they stay open longer so your stuff won't get shut in the gates!"

—laraterryr

"Personal pet peeve from someone who’s lived in Wimbledon all her life: The tennis IS NOT ACTUALLY IN CENTRAL WIMBLEDON. You can get a bus to the tennis from central Wimbledon, but it’ll be faster and easier for you to hop on the District line and go to Southfields. Every year all the tourists get off in central Wimbledon and wander around for ages before they realise the tennis isn’t there. There are lots of schools in central Wimbledon, and it’s a huge inconvenience for all the students when there are a billion tourists wandering around. Please remember people actually live here!"

—rosalindhopeh

"Just because something has a fancy name doesn’t mean it’s actually fancy. For example, Manor Park is not really a tourist destination."

—Antonia Bonello

"Whenever people take pictures standing in phone boxes, I just think to myself how disgusting it is. They’re literally full of pee..."

—meaghanl123

"Don’t feel bad for wanting to do the ‘tourist’ stuff! There’s no reason you can’t experience the typical tourist traps and still do other things, too. A good walk if you’re new or with newbies is getting the tube to Embankment, crossing the bridge, walking along Southbank, pass Big Ben/Westminster (but don’t forget Big Ben is in scaffolding currently!), up Whitehall past Number 10, to Trafalgar Square, then you can cross over and walk up the Mall to Buckingham Palace. One walk that covers a lot of landmarks, and no tubes! And won’t even take that long!"

—lorassicpark