VISITING a major city for the first time can be overwhelming – especially if you have a long list of must-see spots.
Luckily, most big cities offer an easy and relatively inexpensive way to sightsee.
I’ve now visited London, England, four separate times both for work and play.
The history and architecture are two of my favorite aspects of this beautiful city.
So one of my favorite ways to explore all the best and biggest sites is to climb aboard a hop-on-hop-off bus.
My British coworkers laughed upon learning that I’d opted to pay for the double-decker sightseeing bus yet again.
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But I firmly believe it’s the best way to cram in as much sightseeing as possible – especially if you’re limited on time and want to cover miles of the city.
On my most recent trip, I only had about four hours of designated sightseeing time with a friend who hadn’t previously been to London.
Naturally, we wound up walking onto a hop-on-hop-off bus, buying a ticket, and riding the entire loop.
We used our time wisely, choosing to hop off the bus at Big Ben to snap some photos and stretch our legs before climbing back aboard and continuing the loop right back to our hotel.
We checked off all the biggest landmarks, including Big Ben and Parliament, Tower Bridge, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Piccadilly, Trafalgar Square, and Buckingham Palace.
It happened to be a beautiful day so we even had the opportunity to sit on the top level and enjoy the sunshine and breeze.
But even if it’s rainy, the buses are a great way to explore the city affordably.
Several different companies run hop-on-hop-off tours, so you can take your pick.
Big Bus Tours, London City Tours, City Sightseeing, and Golden Tours are some of the most well-known operators.
We went with the lesser-known but more eco-friendly Toot Bus.
Most, if not all, of these companies offer guided tours and free headphones to follow along as the bus cruises through the city streets.
I opted to listen to the commentary on this tour and was delighted by the humor and historical facts I learned along the way.
You can typically choose between a 24-, 48-, or 72-hour hop-on-hop-off pass.
Most companies offer packages that include the hop-on-hop-off bus pass, a boat cruise on the Thames River, and a night tour of the city.
Some even offer discounted or included admission to attractions like the London Eye or Tower of London.
You can expect to pay around $40 minimum for a 24-hour ticket, which is what we paid when we hopped aboard the Toot bus.
If you purchase a ticket in advance, you might be able to save some cash.
Discounts are available if you search online as well.
Alternatively, you can opt for a different double-decker bus for a fraction of the price.
Local buses will take you around London with fares starting at $2.
You can sit on the top level of the bus for better views and enjoy another way to sightsee.
I found these buses helpful when traveling to see shows on the West End, further away from my hotel.
It was another efficient yet exciting way to get around and see more of the city.